bennyblowssmoke

my current method. 8-10 chunks of hickory lit with torch. burn for 5 minutes then close lid. let temp rise to 325 then put on meat. keep temp between 340-370. chicken 1-1.30 hour (like it well cooked and almost over cooked) boston butt temp around 300 for 4 hours then wrap in foil. tri tip 1 hour at 290. any way I cook it has an awful bitter creosote flavor. I have used straight bge lump, royal oak etc but its not wood flavorful. just coal and that isnt what I want. I have used straight kingsford charcoal with around four chunks of oak and it is too bitter, or creosote flavored.I like the idea of opening the top vent and using bottom to control temp. will let everyone know how this works. I just find it boggling that the same exact wood cooked in my stick burner doesn't produce this awful flavor on my meats. If I use straight lump or charcoal it only produces charcoal grilling flavor. i want smoke flavor

Thanks Dan. pretty much what I was looking for. not what I wanted to her but an answer nonetheless.

temp is avg 350, no mesquite oak and hickory combo. seasoned wood. same wood i use in my stick burner. i cannot figure this out. anybody else have a strange result with using just wood chunks and no coal?

Guys, I cannot figure out why every single time I use my AKORN i have a nasty horrible bitter flavor on anything I cook. it's almost acidic in nature and unpleasing to say the least. It only happens when I use wood. i don't like the flavor of straight charcoal so I add wood for flavor. why does it make the meat turn out so dang bad?!!! Please help with suggestions so that i can still use wood for flavor. how come this doesn't (never has happened) with my stick burner? Thanks

Bluesdaddy, I don't believe the pam spray will last long enough to keep it lubricated. it will burn off during the cook. besides if the grease from the butt didn't prevent it nothing will.

powerpig. Mine got stuck too after doing a butt and all the oil and grease went down the sides and onto the seal. i pried it loose with a flathead screwdriver. be gentle though and make sure you pry from the bottom of the sel and not the top or you will pull it loose from the rivets.

Stubbs huh? I'll check into that. Thanks JM

mine is loose and it leaked like crazy. got the rtv hi temp sealant at oreilly auto parts and fixed the outer leaks. still wobbly/loose and still leaks in the part it slides in. but it doesn't affect after the rtv seal.

Big smoke I thought about doing the same thing. i found one at bed bath and beyond for $6.99 comes with a removable handle. its only a bit smaller than yours (10" bottom 12" across the top) but these things don't use much lump anyway.

Thanks Bob.

I just sealed mine yesterday with the RTV and now I don't leak and hold heat great! only problem is its been shut down for the last hour plus and its still over 300 degrees!! did i overseal?

Ok after many failed attempts at lowe's hd and ace i finally found an rtv high temp sealant at oreilly auto parts. If anybody is looking I would try an auto parts store first. it will save you time.

I sealed mine with the rtv on the outside of the smoker, like the pictures show. I don't believe anything is going to get "pulled into" the smoker, hence the reason we are sealing to begin with to prevent heat from leaving. I'm kinda with you but hope nothing bad comes from it..

Welcome! I just entered the CGK "Akorn" world myself. You are going to love how easy this cgk lights and cooks. First thing you MUST DO is buy the weber fire starter cubes. Lowes, ace or HD for 3.99 plus tax. Cut one in half surround it with coals light it and make sure your top and bottom vents are open all the way with the lid closed. In 20 mins u will be grilling like normal except w much better flavor and a whole lot more fun. Good luck!

at Winn Dixie grocery stores. sale ends tuesday april 24th. great price. Also Lowe's carries it for $299.99 but if you go to the post office and get a movers coupon book you can get 10% off. post office usually has these on the counter.

Thank you. will head to lowe's or HD tomorrow.

Guys, I went to ACE hardware today to get some high temp sealant, for all of the gaps on my kamado, but the guys told me they wouldn't put it on a smoker/grill as it isn't designed for items cooking food (hazardous to health)??? Any help in telling me exactly what to get would be much appreciated.

Awesome guys thank you! used my kamado for the first time today and the lump is very good but I believe the wood chunks will provide much better smokey flavor.

instead of "lump charcoal"? wouldn't the flavor be better? I have been a stick burner my entire life so adjusting to the lump coal isn't making me feel good. I like to burn hickory, pecan, oak, mesquite and apple combinations when I smoke. Anybody got any recommendations for the type of fuel to burn? Thanks

Mine is the same as yours, brown side tables but my grate does have the logo and the notch for removal. I am not sure why yours does not. I bought mine in Winn Dixie. I grew up in Opelika and look forward to hearing how your journey goes. I just got mine today and had to return the first box because it was damaged and missing items. Winn Dixie took care of it right away without problems. Good luck to you.

what's the difference in using the expensive stone and the youtube suggestion of using an aluminum wrapped weber grill grate with the pizza stone on it?

I just purchased and put together my kamado "Acorn" today! I bought it at winn dixie for $259.99!! I have been wanting one of these style smokers for almost seven years but just couldn't fork out the money on an egg or even the first kamado i saw at academy a year and a half ago. Any tips for the first timer would be much appreciated. I have already lit my first fire and seasoned the grates. the only thing is i forgot to wash them in soapy water first as I was so dang anxious to get it going. will this be okay? thanks fellas