GRIMGOR

What len440 said could be right to. If your having a hard time with temps going up and down, it means you don't have enough charcoal. As you need to allow more air in to make up for the lack of charcoal. Also if your going to adjust your vent only do small changes then wait at least 10 minutes unless your reducing it after starting it up.

As your Kamado been heat soaked for 45 minutes, when you open the lid your allowing air to get into the fire. Generally by placing some meat it counters the extra heat created by the increased amount of air added. Maybe try reducing the bottom vent, cause everyone finger size is different if you want to keep it at 250. As note some people like to smoked at 275 depending on the meat and time they have allowed.

I am guessing a pulled pork?

If your doing a reverse sear just take your steak off the grill and leave the well done steak on until the searing process. After closing the lid increase the air flow so the charcoal can build up temperature to sear both steak at the same time.

Fill up to just below the holes should give you enough for a medium length cook. You should have left over charcoal to reuse next time and can better judge how much you need. Weather only effect the Kamado getting up to temp. Once it at temp it shouldn't matter what the weather is, unless you only have a hand full of charcoal.

Hmmmmm fresh bread and cookieeeeeeeeeeees.

It a good idea to stabilize your Kamado to heat soak the ceramic. A good tip is to belief touch the dome, the side walls near the gasket and the walls near the firebox to see if their heat soaked. If you don't have time just overshoot your temp a bit cause all the hot air is escaping.

It not hard to debone ribs for a sandwich. Just rotate the bones and pull out or you can do what Malcom did and put a slice next to the bone before cooking.

Don't forget you can reuse charcoal, so pre burnt pieces are great for short cooks as they have already been burnt in. Just note they take longer to light. Maybe you should try a long cook like pork ribs to see if it is the charcoal causing the bitterness or maybe short cook reverse sear steak.

The brisket and cornbread looks amazing.

Wraping them accelerates the bend test.

Don't bother warping the steaks in foil as your going to continue to cook them. 2 minutes per side @ 700°F sound way too long IMO after you already slow cooked it. Unless it was a thick steak. Keep your thermometer handy when searing and don't walk away.

Dam that cookbook worthy!

I think Kamado Joe big block use Quebracho charcoal. Test your gauge but I think your biggest problem is the heat deflectors are to close to the charcoal and it is absorbing the heat.

Put more charcoal in the basket to get more heat.