T_om

Yep. That is exactly what it looks like. Either a reject sold anyway or Ray Charles is their QC inspector. I would have taken it back personally. Way too much money invested in these things to accept such a poor quality finish. Tom

Everything I have ever heard about the things (from uninterested sources with no connections to KamadoJoe) said they were crap. I don't necessarily believe everything I read, but when the reports that they were crap just kept on piling up, they couldn't be summarily dismissed. So I went with a HeaterMeter. Tom

This one works for my son. I use paraffin blocks because I'm not in that big of a hurry. https://www.harborfreight.com/electric-start-propane-torch-91061.html Tom

I have used Dexter Russel commercial knives for literally decades. About the most useful knife in their range is the 6" carbon steel boning knife... we have two that are used every single day. Over the years I have literally worn out only one previously. It got so thin it made a great fish fillet knife however. And they are very inexpensive. Commercial use for years no problem. I used to use only my Japanese waterstones to sharpen but then my son convinced me to try one of these: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0018RSEMU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I never looked back. Razor sharp edges in literally seconds. Be sure to get the X15 (15° bevel grind) for the best sharpness, get the 22° bevel unit if you are hard on knives and want a steeper bevel. I treat all my knives well so the 15° bevel works for me. Tom

I just got an email advertisement from kamado Joe. It is the last I will be receiving as I unsubscribed, and marked the email as spam. It was a colorful picnic with smiling faces all around and a huge block letter scrawl across the top proclaiming "Happy Memorial Day!" Here is a copy of the email I sent them in return. The language is strong but so are my feeling about crap like this. I doubt this post will last long, but maybe someone will read it and take a moment to think about what Memorial Day actually means. What the HELL are you idiots saying! Are you so ####ing stupid you don't know what Memorial Day is about? Don't know what it means? Memorial day is to honor the men and women that have given their lives in the service of this country. IT ISN'T ####ING NATIONAL BBQ DAY MORONS! Why don't you go to a family member's funeral and start wishing all those there "Happy Funeral Day Everyone!, Let's all have a BBQ out back!" Over my 26 years of service and two wars I've lost more friends than you will probably ever have and I resent companies like yours trying to make a buck on shipmates and squadronmates dead bodies. I have purchased my last Kamado product. Take me off your moronic mailing list. T. O'Meara, CWO4, USN(Ret)

If you are the least bit handy, then the HeaterMeater is hard to beat. https://tvwbb.com/forums/heatermeter-diy-bbq-controller.85/ Tom

I learned a long time ago, even in my pre-kamado decades, that controlling the cook with the air exit vents was a bad idea. Control the fire, not the smoker breathing. I found it best to run a smoker with the widest air exit opening possible while controlling the temperature with how much air I give the fire. Some say this is "smothering" the fire. Baloney. If you still have fire, it isn't "smothered" is it? It is just burning at a reduced rate. Yes indeed, you can cut off all air to the fire and smother it, but keeping it going with limited air and controlling the temperature isn't smothering the fire. This ends up, for me anyway, with much better tasting smoked meats. Tom

I use GrillGrates in SCA competitions, but usually don't bother when just doing steaks for my wife and myself. As far as searing goes, it is not really to "seal in juices" as most people seem to think. It is to produce a Maillard effect. The caramelizing of sugars and proteins in the surface of the meat is what develops the great flavors. And you can do that in a cast iron (or any other) skillet too. However, another benefit of GrillGrates is that they are good at preventing flareups if you have trouble with that on your grill. Tom

I have used GrilleGrates in competition SCA cooks for a long time now. I have never used the Joe version and wouldn't bother as the GrilleGrates work perfectly. They are two entirely different things by the way. Tom

Um, A Google search turned this up in about 0.0238732 microseconds. https://www.amazon.com/SmokeWare-Vented-Chimney-Cap-Kamado/dp/B00ZAMY8F6/ref=asc_df_B00ZAMY8F6/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312196622132&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17632043518671760825&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9052281&hvtargid=pla-568031791566&psc=1 Is that what you are looking for??? Tom PS: I bought one here: https://smokeware.com/collections/caps-gaskets/products/kj-chimney-cap And just noticed when I looked again they are on sale.

The K-probes are much more robust. The FireBoard would be on my "buy" list if I did not already have a HeaterMeter (which uses a k-probe for the internal temperature). Tom

The InkBird Bluetooth devices are the new, long range versions. Across my backyard is almost 300 yards. Stays connected. I seldom use it now however. I went with a HeaterMeter and love it. Tom

I got so tired of the things breaking I bought these: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Half-Moon-1-4-Steel-Plate-Disc-Shaped-15-Diameter-250-A36-Steel/203087367405?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649 Never have to worry about cracks again and they work perfectly. Tom

The Greenberg Smoked Turkeys place you linked to smokes their turkeys in a smokehouse. I grew up in rural Alabama and know a bit about old-time smoke houses as almost everyone that processed their own meat had one. The process bears no resemblance at all to Kamado smoking. I used to have to stoke my grandparents smokehouse fire, a small fire in a wooden clapboard shed with a dirt floor. The smoke was WAY, WAY less intense than that meat experiences in a Kamado. As mentioned above, everyone's tastes differ, so do what you like. But oversmoked poultry still tastes like crap to me. YMMV. Tom

I have only three now. My sig line says it all. Tom