Do not use or refer to the manuals The manual is seriously flawed and times/temps are all wrong in some cases! |
Tim M's BBQ cooking area
Visit again - we cook often |
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This section is for newer users and those considering purchase. I hope it answers your questions. |
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Click any picture for a larger close-up |
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Here is my large cooker after 20 hrs of cooking. Note I still have hours left in lump charcoal left for the next cook. I had filled the firebox full before I started - that will give you 20+ hrs of cooking time at low temps. This is not charcoal briquettes - it's 100% lump charcoal. Very easy to light - very little ash. See below what came out after cooking a Boston Butt for 20 hrs. Give it a quick stir to get the tiny pieces to fall through the grate then add some new charcoal and you are ready to go again. After every 4-6 cooks you empty the ashes out. Just scrap them out the bottom vent into a pan. This is a really full load for 20+ hr cooks. Note the hickory chunks in the lump. |
Here is my cooker ready for the next cook. I have added enough lump for 4-6 hours of low and slow cooking (200 - 275 deg) or 2 hours at high grilling temps (400-700 deg). Note the little brown chunk of fireplace starter log. I chop them up into pieces - easy to light and they get the fire started in 15 - 20 min!! When the flame goes out - close the dome and let it heat up to 275 then adjust vents. I currently use Webber Starter Cubes - they work from under the grate or on the lump and you close the dome while they are burning. Start from below the grate only when cooking above 300 deg, otherwise start the fires from the top of the lump. The lump is about 2" above the holes in the fire chamber - this is the minimum amount to use. Fill lump to top of fire chamber for really long cooks or for long high temp cooks. You can use an electric starter or various starters.This is how I start a lo&slow fire - from the top with a fire starter or fire cube. No Fluids-ever!! |
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Here is what came out, as ash, after 20 hours of cooking a Boston Butt. This is about what you will get out after 4-6 normal cookouts.You need only clean this ash out every few weeks -- very fast -- easy and VERY efficient burning! You would get this much ash from 10-15 regular charcoal briquettes which are full of clay and lime that become ash. We don't use them - 100% lump charcoal only! |
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Approx Vent Settings & Operation for Large BGE or Primo Kamado ceramic cookers |
Your
settings may vary from these below
and a lot depends on the amount of lump charcoal you have and its
size. The small pieces can get clogged in the grate holes and
restrict air flow. Always start out with at least as much lump as
pictured above (1/2
full firebox).
You
can't use too much and you close up the cooker after its use to save
the remaining charcoal for next time. |
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Here is the approx lower vent setting for holding the temp of your cooker at 225-250deg. With the daisy or slide/daisy top on the cooker, this vent setting is what you use for 225 deg and 18-22 hours of slow cooking - ie: for pulled pork, brisket, etc. Leave this vent open until you approach 50-75 deg of your desired cooking temp. Sometimes a larger vent opening is needed, open wider if higher temps are needed. The temps can be fully adjusted with the slide top and an open vent, or you can adjust both - many ways to do it. click to inlarge picture |
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