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**BBQ_Bill** · August 11, 2018, 01:31 PM

Should be fun to experiment.
Will go with chicken, as it is cheap if it is ruined.
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H2o being possible in three states, liquid, solid and a gas, I am thinking all the liquid will be turned into gas, which will pass easily through the hot coals into the cooking chamber.
Also, the bitter or acrid flavor is most likely creosote which is that heavy sooty smoke molecule.
-.
In Aaron Franklin's book, he goes into using green wood, and explains that in limited quantities it is fine as long as you keep your fire hot.
I am hoping bro!

**lostclusters** · August 11, 2018, 08:09 PM

Originally posted by BBQ_Bill View Post

Should be fun to experiment.
Will go with chicken, as it is cheap if it is ruined.
-
H2o being possible in three states, liquid, solid and a gas, I am thinking all the liquid will be turned into gas, which will pass easily through the hot coals into the cooking chamber.
Also, the bitter or acrid flavor is most likely creosote which is that heavy sooty smoke molecule.
-.
In Aaron Franklin's book, he goes into using green wood, and explains that in limited quantities it is fine as long as you keep your fire hot.
I am hoping bro!

On an episode of Man Fire Food Roger interviewed a pit master that said "if you do not use green hickory you might as well use oak". I can not remember the name of the BBQ place or the pit masters name but he seem to mean it.

**Rfuilrez** · August 11, 2018, 08:23 PM

Quick question for you KBQ owners. How much space is between each of the slots for the racks? Would it be possible to put 12 racks in, with a whole pork belly on each one and still have sufficient air flow? If not, how about every other one and 6 pork bellies?

I’m contemplating building a stick burner with these plans

https://www.smokerplans.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=42&products_id=190&zenid=bf0c8354d3201974122d9823a0ef9d9b

Or picking up a KBQ. The stick burner would give me a lot more versatility and space, but maybe more than I need at the moment. I do large batches of bacon, 6-7 bellies at a time. Currently this takes 3 or so batches in the PBC. If I could do it all at once in the KBQ that would be sweet and maybe I push the smoker build to next year.

**BBQ_Bill** · August 11, 2018, 10:44 PM

Howdy Rfuilrez
My KBQs have 12 slots in each machine, and they measure about 1-5/8" apart.
Starting off, I was smoking 4 full packer briskets but the air/smoke flow and heat distribution was not sufficient and I was constantly rotating shelves and product to get even cooking/smoking.
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I went to 3 briskets per machine and all is well.
That is about 45 pounds of meat per KBQ.
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I hope this helps...

**Ricardo** · September 4, 2018, 06:13 PM

Well, I don’t want to deviate from the OP, but then it is intended to help newbies too, so with that said, I want to ask folks following this thread a few questions.

I’m trying to make up my mind about getting a Lone Star Grillz 24*40 or a KBQ-C60. I want to elevate my BBQ. It’s fun, relaxing and a challenge that I welcome with open arms. I don’t cook for a large group, just my wife and I, and for my daughter when she visits. My wife has taken some BBQ to work, her fellow co-workers enjoy it and that I find very inspiring and just wanting to keep at it. I share with a few neighbors, particularly during the winter time, South Florida winter that is, when folks open their windows to let cool air in and I have the impression that my smoke is potentially bothering them. No one has complained and I hope to keep it that way.

I started with a COS, learned the hard way. After reading a few books, including Meathead’s science of BBQ and grilling, consulting reviews on this website and reading posts made by fellow pit members, I ended up going with a CampChef woodwind pellet cooker. I think my CampChef is awesome, but I want to increase my cooking capacity some more. Not getting rid of the CampChef, just wanting to expand my repertoire like most of you have and continue to do.

1. In your estimation, does the KBQ release more smoke in the atmosphere as compared to a pellet cooker or a COS? Or is it about the same? I get that it depends on the wood, moisture content, fire management, and skills of the pit master, but in general... most of the time... would you say it’s more, equal or less?

2. Noise levels as compared to a pellet cooker. Is it more, equal or less?

Thank you,
Ricardo

**BBQ_Bill** · September 4, 2018, 10:44 PM

Howdy Ricardo
Smoke levels...
In my experiences my Cheap Offset Smokers put out less smoke after I learned how to make them work.
Here is why this is my case...
I controlled my smoke and fire with the COS smokers by keeping a small but hot fire which produced less dense smoke.
In order to get that sweet light blue smoke, and a steady temperature of around 250°F, I had to manage/hawk the fire.
On the other hand...
My KBQ's run with much more wood burning at any given time.
This is my choice, and is due to NOT wanting to manage and hawk the fire nor worry about open holes in the coal grate.
I pile it on until the lid barely closes, loading each KBQ up because I don't care how much wood they use. I have plenty.
Right after a wood add, they pump out the smoke heavily, and produce barely anything after it has been burning for a bit.
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My neighbors use to worry that their homes were on fire due to the smoke and smell of burning wood.
Now, because I feed my neighbors delicious meats, they tell me that they love the smell, "Like a camp fire in the forest" one says.
"It makes me hungry when I smell your smokers, because I know what is coming" says another with a grin.
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Comparing Flavors...
The pellet grills produce a good product.
The flavor is good. I know this because I have a brother and a brother-in-law that smoke a lot of meat on them.
My COS smoker produced a better tasting product according to several that have eaten both products.
This INCLUDES the pellet grill owners who also openly stated that my smoked meats tasted better than theirs.
When I switched over to my 1st KBQ smoker, it was unanimous that my products went to a higher level, a better flavor.
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Noise level...
With all three units running at the same time, we can carry on normal conversations near them with no problems hearing each other.
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BTW... I bought my 1st KBQ in October of 2016 if memory serves me correctly.
My COS was then retired immediately and is now being used to hold BBQ tools inside out of the weather.
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Thank you for your questions!

Smoke On!

**BBQ_Bill** · September 8, 2018, 02:00 PM

My fellow KBQ owners... what have you done in hot weather to get more smoke on the product?
Basically, the colder it is outside, the better AND quicker I get great bark without drying out my brisket.
So... anyone used an evaporative cooler, or a misting system to cool the cook box?

**Ricardo** · September 9, 2018, 04:06 PM

I have a newbie question for the KBQ Pit members. I understand Oak is ideal as a heat source, and lots of folks use it with their KBQs. I enjoy cherrywood and when using the COS with lump, I add a few chips or a chunk of cherrywood to help impart its characteristic red smoke ring and mild flavor, particularly early in the cooking process.

How do you accomplish this or something like this? By adding a chunk of cherrywood with the Oak splits early on, every so often?

Thank you,

**BBQ_Bill** · September 16, 2018, 10:33 AM

I am still experimenting, but so far there are other KBQ owners that are discovering the same as I... that with thin blue smoke, the wood type loses its distinct flavor and is very hard to distinguish. It seems to take heavier smoke to taste differences.
There are also others that believe as I, in that the dominate flavor when smoking meats is the smoke itself.
The type of wood, be it Mesquite or Mulberry, will impart subtle notes of flavor, especially if no (Mr. Hyde" type) of creosote is heavily involved in the cook/smoke.
Please go to this video HERE and you will find a fellow talk about Mesquite smoked meats using the commercial version of our smokers which is the model KBQ-400.
Pay attention to about 7:49 into the video where this fellow tells about the meats he has eaten from the KBQ machine that were Mesquite smoked.
It is very revealing.
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Our KBQ smokers are the ONLY commonly available smokers that can purify and reduce the size of the smoke molecule by drawing it through hot coals.
No other smoker that I have found for sale does this, period.
This in my opinion, is the reason why the smoky flavor of the meats produced by our machines is somewhat subtle but as we owners know, is absolutely delicious.

**JakeT** · September 16, 2018, 12:15 PM

I noticed while watching "Man, Fire, Food" yesterday, an episode called Cajun Cookouts, at a restaurant called "T-Boys Slaughterhouse". The setup of his smoker is like a larger room sized version of a KBQ. With a fire outside and a fan system that draws the heat and smoke off the fire. Though it’s not through the bottom of the fire

**Rfuilrez** · September 17, 2018, 03:49 PM

How well does the KBQ do in the wind and cold? I live in Chicagoland and generally smoke food through the winter (though not as often obviously).

**Rfuilrez** · September 22, 2018, 01:27 PM

We have fire!!!

But, when I went to add some meat for a maiden cook, I noticed some ash floating around in the cook chamber. Is this normal? It’s a little windy here. Not steady but random gusts 5-10mph or so. I turned the KBQ so the door was facing into the wind (and then it changed direction) to see if maybe that would help.

**BBQ_Bill** · September 22, 2018, 03:06 PM

At times Rfuilrez I have had a bit of ash on my briskets, especially on the ends of the meat next to the heat dispersion manifold inside.
I have actually used my spritz spray (bottle) to rinse the ash off of that end of the meat.
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The top poppet opening is the most likely "culprit" allowing ash to be introduced into the cooking chamber below.

To minimize ash on your smoked products you might consider some of these thoughts I have posted below...
1) Always allow the draw fan to come to a complete stop before adding wood.
Also the draw fan should be stopped before tamping down or adjusting wood in the firebox.
You might also close the top poppet just before adding fresh wood.
2) After wood has been added, with the draw fan still off, push or pry the freshly added wood towards the end of the firebox opposite to the poppets increasing the gap between the wood and the top poppet opening.
3) With the firebox being just under 11" inside, cut your logs/splits shorter in length so that there is a greater gap between the end of the wood and the top poppet opening.
This distances flaking/falling wood ash farther from the poppet opening through which heat and smoke move into the cooking chamber.
4) Run with the top poppet completely closed during windy smokes/cooks.
5) Position the meat closer to the door a with the larger gap between the meat and the manifold in the back.
6) Keep the lid on during the periods of time between wood adds to help shield the wind from blowing ashes in through the top poppet opening.
7) At times, the cooking chamber temperature may start dropping even though you have sufficient wood in the firebox.
This is generally caused by clogged holes in the coal tray. When opening these holes, make sure the draw fan is stopped.
8) Empty the ash from the bottom ash storage area after each cook/smoke and spray/rinse the firebox out with water before storing away.

I have a switch that I use to shut the power off to my KBQ's when needed.

**Rfuilrez** · September 22, 2018, 04:03 PM

Yeah I made my logs about this long and have been keeping them that way. I also noticed that I bumped the top poppet valve a couple times and knocked it open. Have a modification in mind for that.

Ive also been diligent about shutting the thermostat down when opening the door and messing with the wood and coals. There was some ash on the sausage I cooked first, but doesn’t look like much if any on the turkey breast I’m smoking right now.

Attached Files

**BBQ_Bill** · September 22, 2018, 06:20 PM

There are several of us using Binder Clamps on the 1/4" bolts.
They are used to hold the adjusted settings of the Poppets Rfuilrez.
By using different configurations and sizes, settings can be held fairly well, from closed to various open positions including fully open.
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The photos above show three configurations I have used.
3/4", 1-1/4" and 2" Binder Clip sizes are shown, but 2 each of the 1-1/4" wide size will hold the arms of a 2" wide one securely and keep that poppet in most all positions quite nicely.
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Smoke On!

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