Kamado joe charcoal use, how long can we go on one basket of charcoal? Big Joe & Joe Jr test

Рет қаралды 33,653

Күн бұрын

You guys asked how much charcoal a Kamado Joe uses, and just how long how the Kamado Joe Big Joe & Joe Jr. could run for on a single load of charcoal. To find out, I loaded up the charcoal basket on each Kamado Joe and setup for a long low and slow cook at 250f until each grill could no longer maintain temperature and I wasn’t prepared for the result!
👉🏼 Did this video help you? Sharing this video with friends, groups, social media etc. helps others find me and is greatly appreciated! 🙏
----------------------------
Resources to Help Make BETTER Barbecue
----------------------------
Take control of your Kamado Joe with My Vent Setting Guide
► Vent placements for popular grilling & smoking temperatures (Daisy wheel, Kontrol Tower & SmokeWare chimney cap settings all included for Jr. & Series 1, 2 ,3 Classic / Big Joe)
► Best practices for setting up your Kamado Joe for hassle free fire management
► Solutions for common issues & Frequently asked questions
👉🏼 www.smokingdadbbq.com/shop
Unlock the FULL potential of your Kamado Joe with my Double Indirect Setup E-Book
► Fix dry / overcooked bottoms on long cooks like Brisket, Ribs & Pulled Pork
► Improve smoke quality (No more bad smoke/creosote)
► Recommended setup for best results on Jr & Series 1, 2 ,3 Classic / Big Joe)
👉🏼 www.smokingdadbbq.com/shop
FREE resources on www.smokingdadbbq.com
► Written Recipes / Ingredients
► Food temperature quick reference guide (FREE with newsletter signup)
► Quarterly News Letter with insider tips, giveaways etc.
----------------------------
💰💰💰 Gear Discounts💰💰💰
----------------------------
🌡MEATER wireless probes - t.jo.my/meater
💰 No coupon needed! Just use this link for 10% off site-wide
🖥 Meater VS Competition - • Meater Dethroned? The ...
🗑️ KickAsh Basket & Can - jo.my/kickashbasket
💰 Use discount code “SDBBQ” to get 5% off any order site wide!
🖥 Jump to 03:51 in my gift guide - • Top 10 Grill Accessori...
🔥 GrillGun and Su-V Gun from GrillBlazer - t.jo.my/grillblazer
💰 Use discount code “SDBBQ” to get 10% off any order site wide!
🖥 Speed test VS fire starters - • Light a charcoal grill...
🥩ChefsTemps instant meat probe - jo.my/chefstemp
💰 Use discount code “SDBBQ” to get 25% off any order site wide!
🖥 Review VS Competition - • The BEST Digital Therm...
🪵 Smoke North offset smokers - t.jo.my/offset
💰 No coupon needed! Just use this link for 25% off all accessories & pit upgrades!
🖥 Why I’ve switched to the Echo - • This Reverse Flow Smok...
🧂 Pepper Cannon (8-60 mesh 10x more per grind) - t.jo.my/pepper
💰 Use discount code “SDBBQ10” to get 10% off any order site wide!
🖥 Homemade rubs - • Are expensive BBQ Rubs...
🕳️ Smokeware drip pans & chimney caps - t.jo.my/smokeware
💰 Use discount code “SDBBQ” to get 10% off any order site wide!
🪨 Fogo Charcoal & BBQ accessories (Free shipping orders over $100) - t.jo.my/fogocharcoal
----------------------------
Gear I’ve used in videos without a discount
----------------------------
💨 FireBoard Drive - jo.my/fireboard
🔪 Tumblr rolling knife sharpener - jo.my/rollsharp
🍕 La Piazza ovens - t.jo.my/pizzaoven
🖐🏿 Nitrile prep gloves - t.jo.my/nitrilegloves
🔪 Dalstrong Knives - t.jo.my/dalstrong
*Some of these links are affiliate links. If you use them, I'll receive a commission and it will help me make more content like this for my channel.
Subscribe 👉🏼 jo.my/subscribe2sdbbq
Join as a channel member 👉🏼 jo.my/memberperks
Rub recipes & DIY table plans shared free on www.smokingdadbbq.com
Did I help make grilling easier for you? Send a “Super Thanks ❤️“ They’re appreciated 🙏
0:00 - Experiment setup / ground rules
1:51 - First issue emerges
4:08 - First grill runs out of fuel
8:22 - Oh oh, going longer than planned an I need to cook burgers
10:43 - Finish line and recap of key learnings from the experiment
#kamadojoe #charcoaluse #fuelefficiency

Пікірлер: 166

@codyduncan195 3 жыл бұрын

Great video, as always. This is exactly why I wanted the Classic III, for those low and slow cooks that can take most of the day. I cooked a 7-8 pound pork butt and was able to dial in the temperature at around 275. The grill held a consistent temp for over 7 hours, which was the perfect amount of time to bring the butt to 205-207 range. Came out fantastic, and I used the tips James gives in another video for creating a beautiful smoke ring. This video also shows the other reason I wanted a Kamado Joe; using a flat surface like the cast iron or soapstone accessory for flattop grilling. These grills are so versatile. Want to cook at 250 all day? No problem. Want to sear steaks on a cast iron griddle at 700+ degrees? No problem. Want to bake the best chicken wings you've ever eaten at 375? It can do that too. If you're on the fence about getting a KJ, let me say that you won't regret it. Pull the trigger and get one, if you can find one.

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

Well said

@ronaldadamski4161 3 жыл бұрын

Always a great job James !

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much, much appreciated

@dbkakaroto 3 жыл бұрын

10x great tips as always♥️

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks David

@stevebrown9803 3 жыл бұрын

James, I truly enjoy your videos. They are both informative, and with your ever present smile, just downright comfortable as well. Thank you for doing these. I sure hope that you can give me some guidance. I have a fairly new Kamado Joe Classic II. Yesterday, I had the exact opposite result as did you in this video. This was my first long cook (other than ribs), as I put on a 7.5 pork shoulder at 6 am. .I filled my basket almost full (Kamado Joe Big Block), with large chunks at the bottom. I had deflector plates in place at the low setting. I had a drip pan with water just below the cooking grates. Two finger opening at bottom, and one notch to the right at the top (as you recommend in videos). I kept it around 275 for most of the day. At about 2:30 pm (8 hours in), the temp starting dropping. At that point the shoulder was at 178. I opened up all vents, but no use...still dropping. I pulled the shoulder at 182. When I pulled out my divide & conquer there were 3 tiny pieces of charcoal sitting in a bed of ash, and that was it. Needless to say, I was discouraged. Any ideas on what I did wrong? Thanks again for all you do. -Steve B.

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

try no water pan... this steam artificially makes it read cooler than it really is since moisture evaporates at 212f. boiling this water takes energy too ... i suspect your fire was burning as it would for 400 degree temps which is why your fuel consumption was way off

@stevebrown9803 3 жыл бұрын

@@SmokingDadBBQ Sounds reasonable. I will give it a try. Thanks!

@JeroendeZeeuw 3 жыл бұрын

Wow amazing 👍🏼👌🏻

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you! Cheers!

@TheSmokinElk 3 жыл бұрын

Love it mate. I might do a similar test with my charcoal in the KJ and Weber Summit

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

Can’t wait to see

@nathanlewis5131 3 жыл бұрын

Wow, impressive. Never would have guessed 42 hours. A charcoal basket is definitely at the top of my list of accessories for my Classic II.

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching! it kept going after that for 56 hours total with a smash burger cook in day 2 since I didn’t plan for that long lol

@cannonsbbq 3 жыл бұрын

Great video.

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

thanks so much

@caligold323 3 жыл бұрын

Just got my classic 3 yesterday! Ordered in June and finally got delivered yesterday. Thanks for all the vids my guy. It’s a huge help!

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

Glad to hear it! Congrats on your new joe

@caligold323 3 жыл бұрын

@@SmokingDadBBQ first cook on the new classic 3 down. Basically an outdoor oven

@richardvickers6431 3 жыл бұрын

@@SmokingDadBBQ Hey James, really like your vids, recently got my Joe class III. GREAT!! Cooked steak, wings & beercan chic. Problem I'm having, tough to get cooker above 400. Checked pretty much everything. HELP!

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

@@richardvickers6431 I would check air flow at the fire box first. Temp gauge second. Then amount and type of charcoal. Lastly try moving your heat deflectors up on the x accessory ring vs caping the fire box

@richardvickers6431 3 жыл бұрын

@@SmokingDadBBQ Thx Jim, will give it a shot, airflow, good, big block in the firebox. Maybe checking it off w plates. Thx

@6015td 3 жыл бұрын

I love the professional content of your videos! I find them to be very helpful for managing my cooking process, and making me a better griller / smoker. Thank you! One question though... when the time came to buy BGE vs KJ, I had access to an amazing purchase price of the XL BGE, and the matched accessories, to be cheaper than a KJ. How transferable are your videos to BGE? I assume (hope) the process is very similar. Thank you for your help!

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

I got my start on the BGE.. I eventually owned 4 of them, all these skills apply

@sb6236 3 жыл бұрын

Wow that was an impressive burn! I’m toying with a Big Joe III to replace my KJ Classic and a video of your first impressions of the Big Joe would be really helpful. Heat up times, charcoal consumption and anything else you’ve noticed. Thank you 👍🏻

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

Sounds great! Would love to make that video

@DamianInman 3 жыл бұрын

Oh man James, the lead in had you kind of freaking out about the amount of charcoal in the BJ but, for some reason, when I saw the reaction later in the vid, I just laughed out loud. Well played!

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

hahaha thanks.... i honestly was hoping to see it nearly gone but instead it was the realization that this was going to go on for much much much longer lol 😂

@DamianInman 3 жыл бұрын

@@SmokingDadBBQ Yeah, 27 hours later and you have plans. I can totally understand.

@meatthecookk.2227 3 жыл бұрын

Dang bro 56 hours is ridiculous...have to try this on my Kamado one day you have me intrigued for sure. Awesome video as always!

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

thanks Matt. I would love to hear what the blaze can do. they seem crazy efficient

@robertcook9195 3 жыл бұрын

Really interesting test, thanks for doing it so we don’t have to!

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you! my pleasure to set nearly a bag on fire between the two grills and not end up with tasty food at the end of it 😂.... although I guess we could count the smash burgers I did on day 2 when I wasn’t expecting it to still be going lol

@robertcook9195 3 жыл бұрын

😂😂😂

@BartlowsBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

What a fun charcoal test and wow...56 hours. 👀🔥

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

haha thanks Scott.. and crazy right?

@DrTasteGoodBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

That was impressive. Never would have thought it would last that long.

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

lol me neither lol... so long hahaha

@cayero Жыл бұрын

I've had small temperature dives ony Big Joe and usually giving it a big shake by the dome handle works like a charm

@SmokingDadBBQ Жыл бұрын

not sure how the shake helps but if it works for you then why not

@ChristopherMichaelR 2 жыл бұрын

I've has issues with the joe jr on longer cooks. Wouldn't even get past 4-5hrs. I suspect the charcoal I was using was too big and wouldn't catch onto the unlit pieces just as shown in your video. I've found a different brand of charcoal that has smaller medium sized pieces of charcoal that I think would be perfect for longer cooks but I have yet to try it.

@hotskillet 3 жыл бұрын

Any idea when you started the Big Joe run how many pounds of charcoal in the basket? This would cross check the cost per hour you covered in your Traeger VS Kamado video.

@praetorxyn 3 жыл бұрын

That's impressive. I haven't actually used my kamado with a full Kickash basket yet, but I did put very little charcoal in it (what I felt like was enough to get it to light and burn for an hour) and it didn't seem to use much at all. Using the slow n sear, a full corral in turbo slow (less efficient fire) gives me probably 8-9 hours at 225-275, but there are a lot of air gaps in there because Jealous Devil XL is so big, not to mention the 3 wood chunks I typically put in the bottom a la Harry Soo.

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

love it

@bigchung5803 3 жыл бұрын

Another fantastic video! Did you sustain 250 using your new 1 finger bottom vent method? If so, it looks like you managed to hold that with the temp vent just slight past the second line?

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

thanks so much, this was a bit earlier in the summer so i had used two fingers still at this point

@JGill0124 3 жыл бұрын

This was a great video. I do have a question which may be a test for another video. When doing low and slow cooks, and the temp is dialed in, what kind of fluctuations in temps are considered normal? For example, if running the pit at 250, should the temp ever deviate and by how much? I hear various numbers but I would think +/- 5 degrees would be considered “steady”. Keep up the good work! Love the channel.

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

100% Agree 5-10% is considered steady / flat..... 20, 30, 50f fluctuations are starting to be run away out of control

@bobtimmermans9973 3 жыл бұрын

That’s impressive. Never filled up my big Joe that much 😂👌🏻

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

the one and only time lol

@bw935 Жыл бұрын

When it gets to the single digits outside my bi3 can’t get past the 20-22 hrs. My basket was plump full. Did 2 very long cooks. Crazy how the colder temps don’t affect it but how much hotter that fire has to burn to keep it up to temp!

@danadair1349 3 жыл бұрын

I've been doing at least one smoke a week on my Big Joe 2 and had the same results at hour 20 as you..... Until this last weekend. Windy and rainy and I had my first "burnout" I'm saying 2/3 the basket is enough for a brisket with a burried smoker log and some insurance.

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

yes exactly, 100% agreed

@HouseOfEll 2 ай бұрын

I know this is an older video... I use a pitmaster IQ to control my temps. Have you ever considered one of those with the kamado adapter. I use one on both my weber kettle smoker and kamado joe when i want to smoke. Its nice because it automatically monitors temp and controls air flow. Great video lets me know I can easily do the 14 - 20 lb brisket i normally do for an annual party without having to refuel my series 3 big joe I just got for my birthday.

@SmokingDadBBQ 2 ай бұрын

Here is my fan test kzfaq.info/get/bejne/lc1pds-V1qqRhYU.htmlsi=cQZh9eFWuDlrn4FQ

@HouseOfEll 2 ай бұрын

@@SmokingDadBBQ Thanks for commenting back. I just found your channel and your videos are great. You slow down for the important stuff and fast forward or edit the stuff that doesn't require explanation. For example your setup up of the big joe series 3 really help me with getting the separate pieces for the fire box set correctly so they were not leaning against the side. Setup book did not point this out.

@1970351C2V 3 жыл бұрын

Good video. I don't think I heard you mention what the ambient temp was?

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

oh shoot.... from memory it was mid 20's c / 70's f

@kerimalpkarahan5211 3 жыл бұрын

Smoking dad bbq another great video!!! You’re channel’s growing so fast please never stop replying to comments☺️

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

I hope that never stops. you guys have all the ideas for the videos

@matthewrs7 3 жыл бұрын

Very impressive to have so many hours! I'm curious how other charcoals would compare in burn time to see which give a good value. So far the Kamado Joe big block gives the best price to performance ratio. Though I'm a little reluctant to be getting charcoal shipped from Argentina when we have SOOO many trees in Canada to use locally. I have not yet tried jealous devil, but I may give it a go sometime. But what a steep price it has.

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

when it goes on sale i stock up, i love the taste smell and price of the local varieties but have never found them to burn as hot or a long but i do get your point. Good idea, i have 4-5 bags of KJ big block that i bought on sale still that I could see if there is a difference

@davidday1109 Жыл бұрын

I'd like to see the 'how long can we go' on the Joe Jr using the Joe Jr basket. I watched the 'Kick Ash vs Joe Jr basket'. I noticed a big difference not addressed that I would think would make a very major difference in this test. The Joe baskets doesn't fill the fire box and leave a very noticeable air gap around the charcoal baskets. All the Joe baskets (Jr, Classic, Big) do thus and the Joe basket was used in your Big Joe with no coal burn out problems.

@SmokingDadBBQ Жыл бұрын

i get 10-12 hours out of the jr basket

@josevega6254 3 жыл бұрын

Cool! I always wondered how many times you refill charcoal. Now I know....NEVER!💪

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

haha they go for a long time...i got 56 hours on the big joe on one full basket

@cwelling1 3 жыл бұрын

Are they classic sized griddle plates that you use for the burgers or are they the ones sold specifically for the big joe ? Thanks

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

these were the classic sized half moons as I thought they would take less energy than my big Joe half stone

@ComparisonCooking 3 жыл бұрын

Could you raise the ash basket with two small stones to make sure the air flow continues?

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

now that we know this is an issue, likely need to try something like that

@user-qi5os6qh9z 3 жыл бұрын

Definitely it holds heat. But be careful with very fragile heat deflectors. Mine cracked under normal operation. Problem with cracked heat deflector is that you cannot replace them currently. They are out of stock for almost a year - that's how long I've been waiting for. Mine is used as normal BBQ without the heat deflector. Very expensive BBQ.

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

bummer. hope you get sorted soon

@karlkrasnowsky3895 2 жыл бұрын

So I must be doing something wrong with my charcoal management. I know this is testing a big joe, but I would think that a classic II would be somewhat comparable. However I've had a problem over the years of having the fuel completely burning out in lower temp cooks going > 6 hours. Yesterday the most recent during a brisket cook. Noticing the temperature started dropping after holding 250° - 275° for ~6 hours, I found the coals pretty much completely burned up and had to pull the damn thing apart to refuel/restart mid-cook. Serious pain. I'm sure this can't be normal, but I'm close to getting rid of this unit in lieu of an offset or another cooker that can easily be restocked without interrupting the cook process.

@craigharvey7203 3 жыл бұрын

Hi James, great video as always! I’m in a predicament I’m sure all joe owners are in at some point, about to pull the trigger on a Joe. I have a family of 4 but often have family round for bbqs. In your experience, would a classic be too small to feed on average 6-8 people? Kind regards

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much Craig. This is a tough one, the classic is the size I have had for 10 years so its capable of a lot (brisket, 5-6 ribs with the extender, several pork butts, full salmon, pizza's, turkeys, 3 spatchcock chickens etc. so its springily capable... but now that I have big joe ... i have to say i am in love with the improved multi zone heat difference and ability to add sides to the same cook which is where the big joe really shines vs. the classic. if the plan is only to bbq a protein the classic is likely enough 99% of the time

@craigharvey7203 3 жыл бұрын

@@SmokingDadBBQ thanks for the reply! And thanks for introducing the KJ to me as never really knew anything about them until I happened upon your channel. It’s all your fault dude!

@damienw5952 3 жыл бұрын

Definitely needs a redo with the ikamand, I need a big impressive Max run time to shut up my mates that insist their pellet smokers are better because they are set and forget :-) also something I would love to know is how many hours of smoke you get from one load of wood chunks. Not sure how best to measure this though.

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

curious as well. not sure how to measure it either. I am happy to redo it with the big Joe and the iKamand but i don’t have the plate for the vent door just yet to keep it going. I’ve not seen a set it and forget it pellet... you need to vacuum out the firebox, clean your grease bucket and add pellets which often won’t last past 24hours without needing more vs us going 56hours which is about 2.5x more set it and forget it lol 😂

@khristopherbourque7345 2 жыл бұрын

Putting a full bag in my lonestar offset in the morning and do a time and temp test. Looking for 6-8hrs at 225-250. May add one split every hour to further my cook time

@SmokingDadBBQ 2 жыл бұрын

Thank-you, cheers

@bradleysaund4609 3 жыл бұрын

Could you do another vid on how to start a low and slow? I find i follow your video but my charcoal seems to burn faster and alot more alight before closing down the vents. What would the fire look like before you start to close down the vents?

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

sure I can do an updated version

@bradleysaund4609 3 жыл бұрын

@@SmokingDadBBQ thanks so much, i dont know if im leaving it open too much to get up to temp before closing the vents etc, i was trying to follow your guide with shooting above your temp before adding the deflectors etc just when looking at my coal alot it alight when i do this when looking at your video of the big joe no much coal is ignited. Also the wood chunks under the coal is already alight and smoking under the coal when ive not even started cooking. I must be doing something wrong. I got a big joe 3 off the back of your videos 😊

@williamswayne8090 3 жыл бұрын

I wonder if you would get the same result with the iKamand set to 250°? Obviously I am not calling for a redo 😂 just curious if a fan controlled fire would last that long. Enjoyed the video!

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

good idea. I just need the adapter plate for the big Joe

@diabolicallink 2 жыл бұрын

I must have done something wrong because that burn time was not my experience at all! I recently got a classic 1 and filled the basket with Kamado Big Block. It held steady at 275 for about 6 hours then it started to drop. When I checked I had somehow burned through ALL the charcoal

@bigchung5803 3 жыл бұрын

Do you find that the BJ is a worthwhile upgrade to the classic? I like the idea of increased surface space to really take advantage of the divide and conquer surface area and prepare proteins and sides at the same time. How does the big joe do on smaller cooks? Say, two steaks? Is it worthwhile?

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

I've fallen head over heels for it. With a half basket its amazingly efficient. Check this out for an example - kzfaq.info/get/bejne/rMp2prpotpu6c6c.html

@maynardgarritty5891 3 жыл бұрын

Yet another great vid, SDB! I'm just curious about the need to remove the heat source after a cook like you mentioned about 1:10 here. Is that a personal preference, or is there another reason to take the charcoal basket out after a cook. Many thanks for all your contributions!

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

this is ONLY for when you are taking the grill on location and want it to cool quick enough to put back in the car ... good question

@RumandCook 3 жыл бұрын

Charcoal is kind of like WD40.. a little bit goes a long way. Great video showing just how far it goes! Longer than I thought.

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

Great point!

@edwardnunez3995 3 жыл бұрын

I have a question. You have your Kamado Joes on your wooded deck. Any issues or concerns having then on a wooden deck?

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

yes this is why I actually care about charcoal that sparks or doesn’t. I show this in my top premium charcoal video comparison but some are a fire hazard. I don’t have any issue with KJ or JD and have had no issues in a decade of cooking on a deck (knock on wood... literally 😂)

@DarthIbis Жыл бұрын

Hey James, Regarding the Charcoal basket, how do you feel the Kick Ash is as opposed to the KJ-brand version? If they're pretty comparable, obviously the Kick Ash is almost $40 cheaper (for Joe Jr.) and can get that and the can for less than the KJ basket. Is there any reason you can think of why to consider the KJ over the Kick Ash for Joe Jr? Thanks.

@SmokingDadBBQ Жыл бұрын

I at first was team KAB. I supported them with all my eggs and into my Kj. But the kj basket sits down in the jr better and the classic/big has tabs meant to hold your deflectors so both are better / more usable

@DarthIbis Жыл бұрын

@@SmokingDadBBQ Thanks, that's good info. Is the KA Can still a good investment and would work with the KJ Jr. basket well? In the past, I haven't been the greatest at cleaning my grills, so anything that will make that task easier, I'm trying to consider, and want to "do this right" from day-one when my Joe Jr. arrives today.

@SmokingDadBBQ Жыл бұрын

@@DarthIbis I don’t use one. It’s easy enough with the basket to scoop out the ash … if you use the can you have to be careful not to restrict the air flow path

@DarthIbis Жыл бұрын

@@SmokingDadBBQ So that said, when you're using the basket, do you remove the cast iron fire grate that would go in the bottom of the fire bowl? If air-flow is key, seems like that would be a redundancy with the basket, but since this is my first Kamado, thought I'd ask. Thanks.

@SmokingDadBBQ Жыл бұрын

@@DarthIbis remove it

@teslabulls1238 4 ай бұрын

Amazing 56 hours!

@SmokingDadBBQ 4 ай бұрын

Cheers

@teslabulls1238 4 ай бұрын

@@SmokingDadBBQ i bought a Kamado Joe Classic 3 because of your videos. Keep up the fantastic work!

@bjorne46 3 жыл бұрын

Wow, that’s astonishing! What I don’t get though... You have a gazillion kamados standing around, and you still picked the test Joe to cook some smash burgers... 🤣

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

hahaha my classic hadn't arrived when i recorded this so it was just the big joe and the jr. and while you can manage with a cast iron pan on the jr its much easier on the classic or big joe to smash them thin and fit larger numbers

@anthonychan1686 6 ай бұрын

I know this is an old video but I’m not getting these results 😢. Not sure what I’m doing wrong or maybe it’s just cold and wet out plus I’ve thrown on a FireBoard 2 Drive in the mix. Had a 14lb pork shoulder in there with 1/2 basket and it was going strong for 12 hours but then ran out of fuel. Thoughts?

@SmokingDadBBQ 6 ай бұрын

The fan I found makes fuel consumption worse. Dial the fan power way down and damper as stoking the fire with lots of air burns more than natural fire management

@anthonychan1686 6 ай бұрын

@@SmokingDadBBQthanks. I’ll keep that in mind. Had to do it for lunch so no choice but to do the overnight cook. The Fireboard2 was great in keeping consistent temp though.

@M4ttNet 3 жыл бұрын

Do you know roughly how many pounds of charcoal that is in the Big Joe 3's basket? From a cost evaluation perspective it would be an interesting data point.

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

it can hold about 3/4 of a 20lbs bag

@ramy5822 3 жыл бұрын

I have run my Jr. overnight smoking a 5lb pork butt. wondering if JD charcoal is creating more ash than KJ charcoal. I had no issues maintaining temps for 12 hours in the jr without it going out or blocking up with ash. this would be an interesting video to do i think, comparing the amount of ash from JD and KJ.

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

it might, i did a 12 hr pork butt last week and didn't have the same problem but i had a touch more air and or made an adjustment or two throughout the day to keep it stable vs. maybe having made an error in my settings and left it neglected for 6 hours

@martinyankilovich625 3 жыл бұрын

It would be a good idea to open lower vent and take the ashes out aroun 4 hour mark to prevent the air flow get blocked?

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

in hindsight the jr needed some adjustments and ultimately cleaning. i did a cook for 12 hours this weekend and it didn't struggle to keep a fire but i did make some tweaks throughout the day

@martinyankilovich625 3 жыл бұрын

@@SmokingDadBBQ ok I have a Kamado I think similar to the jr from a brand in Argentina and I want to cook my first brisket overnight but if I have to do adjustments maybe I should do it during the day at least the first cook, I did 7 hour pulled pork without any trouble but didn’t get a lot of fuel left.

@brandonwilliams2431 3 жыл бұрын

I have a joe Jr and big joe. The how Jr will run way more consistent on smaller lump like royal oak

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

right on. cheers

@tvideo1189 2 жыл бұрын

You need to do this test with a blower-driven setup like a FireBoard 2 Drive, etc. That will hold the temperature for you until the charcoal is gone.

@SmokingDadBBQ 2 жыл бұрын

the fan uses significantly more charcoal i have found as it starts and stops the fire which leads to worse fuel economy

@tvideo1189 2 жыл бұрын

@@SmokingDadBBQ Then you are doing it wrong. My HeaterMeter with fan and servo air control will hold a temperature to +- 3°F for over 24 hours in a Kamado Joe Classic II. Fans with most other control units that do not have a vent control included like a Fireboard 2 Drive or iKammand are usually not quite as precise but close... and will indeed work fine without any undue charcoal consumption PROVIDED you know how to set them up. The problem with some of those units is that even with the fan off too much air can enter the chamber. I have both a HeaterMeter and a Fireboard 2 Drive by the way so this is from hands-on experience. My longest HeaterMeter controlled cook was 27 hours and there was charcoal left over. I never did a test to see the maximum time it would run over that as that is pointless in real life cooking.

@SmokingDadBBQ 2 жыл бұрын

@@tvideo1189 I only have the iKamand and don’t use it as I don’t have any issues holding temps for long low slow cooks. The iKamand uses more fuel than manual control … but given I don’t enjoy fan control won’t be buying more that I won’t use but would watch your test if you ever post it

@tvideo1189 2 жыл бұрын

@@SmokingDadBBQ I have no experience with the iKamand because when I got ready to buy a control unit, the iKamand had a reputation, from people whose opinions I respected, of being hit or miss crap with zero quality control. Perhaps KJ has remedied that now but the two units I did buy give great control with no excessive charcoal burn. As for "testing"... as I said, I am never going to bother going beyond the 27 hours + that I already know it will do running at 225°F because there is no point. I had charcoal left over at the end of 27 hours with the HeaterMeter keeping the temperature variation within just a few degrees... no dropoff at the end. That's all I can say. I have not used my new Fireboard 2 Drive with a long cook yet. One thing about the Drive is that it is a blower-only controller. The HeaterMeter has a blower with the addition of a servo controlled damper. With the HeaterMeter the damper usually does all the work on long cooks anyway, not the blower.

@hjaoyee Жыл бұрын

I don't know how that is possible to run a single load over 2 days at 250 °!! I've watched your video and tried slow cook a brisket, and the fuel only lasted a few hours at half full basket. Don't know what I'm doing wrong?!

@anthonychan1686 6 ай бұрын

Same here. I’m relatively new to KBJ and running 1/2 baskets. Twice now I’ve run out after 12-14 hours.

@richardfreakley 3 жыл бұрын

What coals did you use?. I tried a cook at 250 for a Boston butt. Filled the basket full but burnt out after 12 hrs?!

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

this was a single basket of jealous devil xl lump

@MrJoepeps 3 жыл бұрын

12 hour boston butt is more worrisome... it shouldnt take that long

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

@@MrJoepeps if you don’t wrap and hold 230-250 a bone in butt can take up to 12 hours. Just did one on the jr last week at 240 and it was 11 and a bit so I believe it

@BrianMiller1973 3 жыл бұрын

An ~8lb butt at 225 took me 14 hours. It was unwrapped the entire time. I do closer to 275 now and it significantly reduces the cook time with no appreciable change in quality of the meat.

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

@@BrianMiller1973 i also prefer the 250-270 range after years working to perfect 215-225 temps

@michaelserke8505 3 жыл бұрын

How long will it run using the iKamand?

@marcstolk6682 3 жыл бұрын

I was scrolling through the comments before I was about the ask the same question. Also, the ash was what killed the jnr, and that's an issue with the fuel, not the KJ. I use a Charcoal we have in Australia called "HeatBeads Lump Charcoal". Best all round Charcoal I've ever used and has the "least" ash of any other Charcoals I've used. heatbeads.com.au/product/heat-beads-hardwood-lump-charcoal/ Furthermore, its almost half the price of KJ Lump - which in AU is way way over priced but it is good though. Great video James!

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

Good question, only one way to find out

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Marc, guess we have a new video to make 😊

@damienw5952 3 жыл бұрын

@@marcstolk6682 Hi Marc, fellow Aussie here. How do heatbeads go in the KJ? I used to use a lot in the weber but thought it produced too much ash for KJ. Its probably controversial but kinda miss the distinct flavour heat beads give you that you don't get with lump charcoal

@thomasmclennon4746 3 жыл бұрын

I know this is NOT what you were testing for, but if you had - every few hours - opened the bottom vent, racked some ash out and then reset the vent, the Joe Jr., would have kept going, right?

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

💯 it would go much longer with TLC

@thomasmclennon4746 3 жыл бұрын

@@SmokingDadBBQ Thanks. I'm now inspired to do my own test!

@MrMarnold6 3 жыл бұрын

Great video. However, this showed how efficient the BJ is at low temps, but also how inefficient it is at high temps. It rips through a lot of charcoal when cooking hot! I actually wish I had a classic over a BJ when roasting chicken at 425 for an hour. And if you make a lot of pizza at 650, holy cow - consider investing in a charcoal company. I think the classic would reduce my charcoal budget significantly when cooking at those temps. Declaring the BJ is "efficient" is a little misleading unless you clarify you mean low and slow only.

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

I actually like that it loses efficiency at higher temps as that’s where I get the best smoke ring, bark and more importantly clean smoke taste. I’ve used grills that are more efficient at higher temps but the food doesn’t taste as good I use Fogo, jd and kJ charcoal all which are very hard dense woods. they don’t expire on me quicker than the classic. I often only use a partial basket on the big Joe with it banked to one side

@matthewarnold3922 3 жыл бұрын

@@SmokingDadBBQ Oh interesting. What "higher temps" are you talking about where the reduced efficiency helps? If I'm cooking chicken at 400 aren't they all burning pretty darn hot (and plenty efficient)?

@jaquestraw1 3 жыл бұрын

Primo Kamado XL400 oval ran 3 days on a full load

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

nice... i am curious if my short smash burger cook took much life out of the time or not

@jaquestraw1 3 жыл бұрын

@@SmokingDadBBQ May have had a bit to do with it. I think it's mostly down to the size of the XL400 firebox.

@LoLo-dh9pi 3 жыл бұрын

Junior air inlet is flawed. Drill a hole in the ceramic . It needs air to breath better through the ashes.......

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

just get a basket and top vent and problem solved without voiding your warranty for reasonable length cooks

@leidetai5082 3 жыл бұрын

My Joe Junior will hold 250 degrees for 14 hours using a full load of KJ charcoal . I don’t have an ash basket. After that time it dies very quickly

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

i did a pork but this weekend for 12 hours and it was fine with a good amount left, i assume my neglect is the issue and that had i made several adjustments over the day / evening it would have gone longer

@leidetai5082 3 жыл бұрын

I always try to use the heat in the Junior after the main cook. For example I can cook a 2kg pork shoulder in 6 hours. Then while it is resting I cook jacket potatoes or put a casserole in to cook gently for a few hours which we eat the next day

@LoLo-dh9pi 3 жыл бұрын

Man, 6 Burgers for a 2 person dinner. Is it heavy?

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

LOL there were other people in the yard

@bucurilie-lo4jf 7 ай бұрын

You-re wrong. I just used mine today and run out of charcoal in over 4HR,

@SmokingDadBBQ 7 ай бұрын

Get some better charcoal

@AverageJoeBBQ 6 ай бұрын

I agree, the type of charcoal you use makes a huge difference. I was using B&B lump charcoal when I first started using my KJ. I than switched to Big Block after seeing your videos and wow huge difference. I am planning a cook with jealous devil this weekend. I love experimenting and understanding my KJ @@SmokingDadBBQ

@moximuss 3 жыл бұрын

Ur experiment is somehow not in line with what everybody says on bbq forums or reddits, most people can only get to about 15 to 20 hours, some people fill it up soo high it touches the heat deflector and it lasts close to 28 hours. Thats the highest ive read online... Unless you live in a really warm area?? Based on simple physics, ceramic cooker should have way less insulation comparing to dual wall insulation of a weber summit charcoal (air is a way better insulator comparing to ceramic or metal). The sheer mass of ceramic will hold the heat super well (idk if u r knowledgable with the pellet world, in pellet grills yoder is probably the highest quality pellet grill, and its a single thick metal wall construction, it holds the temp super well but fuel efficiency is wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy worse comparing to some cheap grilla grill double wall construction).. I have had both kamado joe and weber summit. at 250 degree, I can rest my hand comfortably on the summit exterior, but not on a kamado joe. This tells you how much of a difference of the insulations between summit charcoal vs ceramic. Purely based on physics ceramic shouldnt be able to beat a double wall construction like summit charcoal. Babybackmaniac did an experiment on summit charcoal w/ regular kingford briquette. it lasts 50 ish hours. Kamado joe should be wayyyy less than under the same environment.. Unless there are some big variables, like your outdoor temp, quality of your fuel, or maybe kamado joe can hold more fuel??? etc etc. Maybe your devils brand charcoal has insane fuel economy? I honest do not know how you achieved 50 hours cook time.. I would love to see a direct comparison between a summit charcoal vs a kamado joe or any other ceramic cookers.

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

I just did a briquettes video and got WAY less burn time. i don’t think you can compare Justin using different fuel in a different smoker to draw any conclusion. Komodo Kamado claims they get 70 hours in their ceramic cooker.... all I know is it was an incredibly boring experiment and took forever to run out. i was using jealous devil xl charcoal which is a very hard wood. it’s nick name is axe breaker

@hotskillet 3 жыл бұрын

You indicated “most people get to about 15 to 20 hours”. Doubt you confirmed that “most the people” are running the Big Joe; if not, then your assumptions are not in-line with what the subject video was testing and displayed. You also referenced pellet feeder comparison. Another video by the same poster proved a kamado to be more efficient, less cost per hour than a pellet pooper.

@jopflah416 3 жыл бұрын

Weird that we have to watch an OUTDOOR KITCHEN add featuring a “GAS” grill before getting to your Kamado Joe video. SELLOUT MUCH?

@jopflah416 3 жыл бұрын

And another gas grill add in the middle of your video. Previous question ANSWERED!!!

@SmokingDadBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

? i don't get to pick ads that youtube runs. In terms of sell out, ad revenue is the only thing that helps pay for the products, food, supplies I purchase for these videos that i record, edit and upload at my own expense