Mr Cue Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 After taking up residence on my back deck almost a week ago, I finally got a nice day and enough time to light a fire in Big Joe! I filled his hungry belly with half a bag of Royal Oak lump and a few Western BBQ Products Pecan chunks, two Weber cubes, and tossed in a match. I set the half moon deflectors in the lower position and the grates in the middle of position of the D&C system. With the help of John's "Getting to know your Joe" series and his video about temperature settings, I had Big Joe at 350-375 in no time and ready to cook. While Big Joe came up to temp, I readied the food; a spatchcock chicken, fresh asparagus, and some potatoes that will be used for twice baked potatoes. The chicken got some Grill Mates Montreal Chicken under the skin and on the meat side as well as my special kamado chicken skin rub on the top. I foiled up the asparagus with some Weber Roasted Garlic & Herb seasoning and a few pats of unsalted butter, these will be served with Hollandaise sauce once finished. As for the spuds, they are baking on the Joe and will get the twice baked treatment when they are ready. Stay tuned! JoeC, Big Dawg, retfr8flyr and 10 others 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charcoal Addict Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 Mr. Cue, You let a weather related issue stop you from enjoying a new Joe. Tisk, tisk; tisk!!!! We're supposed to be passionate grillers. I would been in pain if it was in the box longer than 20 minutes. I'd be circling it a utility kinife in hand. Looks like you're off to a good start. Phatman and Mr Cue 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Cue Posted April 12, 2016 Author Share Posted April 12, 2016 Mr. Cue, You let a weather related issue stop you from enjoying a new Joe. Tisk, tisk; tisk!!!! We're supposed to be passionate grillers. I would been in pain if it was in the box longer than 20 minutes. I'd be circling it a utility kinife in hand. Looks like you're off to a good start. It's been killing me since it's plainly visible right out the kitchen window! I planned to cook yesterday but time got away from me and I had to go to work. I was out checking on my spuds and asparagus and I hear some metallic popping sounds. Is this normal for its first use? The temp was at just under 400F and the deflectors are in the lower position. I'd hate to open this thing up tomorrow and find a cracked firebox. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben S Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 Your excitement is clear and contagious. Makes me want to go home and cook something. Mr Cue 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck0531 Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 Your excitement is clear and contagious. Makes me want to go home and cook something. Same here! Food is looking good. Can hardly wait to see the end results. Mr Cue 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Cue Posted April 12, 2016 Author Share Posted April 12, 2016 The payoff: Tasted great and really easy to cook everything (minus the Hollandaise) on the Big Joe! CeramicChef, Ben S, dsarcher and 7 others 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Cue Posted April 12, 2016 Author Share Posted April 12, 2016 Before it met the knife: Super crisp skin and juicy, tender meat inside. It's pretty hard to beat kamado chicken! Marty, CeramicChef and Panchango 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck0531 Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 Beautifully done! Excellent first cook on the Joe! Mr Cue 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cschaaf Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 Looks great! Be careful putting your deflectors low at that temperature - that can crack the firebox. You could have moved everything up one level and still been good. Chuck0531 and Mr Cue 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck0531 Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 Looks great! Be careful putting your deflectors low at that temperature - that can crack the firebox. You could have moved everything up one level and still been good. I agree. Bosco did a great write up about this. Here is the link: http://www.kamadoguru.com/topic/22311-how-to-avoid-cracking-a-firebowl/ Mr Cue 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayhawkPharmer Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 First cook or a hundred and first cook, nobody could tell the difference. You nailed it. Mr Cue 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrow17 Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 Looking good Cue! Mr Cue 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panchango Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 Nicely done. What a lovely clean kamado. I know mine was clean at one point, but it is a hazy and distant memory. Mr Cue 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrA Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 Looks great! Be careful putting your deflectors low at that temperature - that can crack the firebox. You could have moved everything up one level and still been good. I have a classic KJ, and a Divide/conquer rack. My firebox is cracked, and the lower position is the only place to hold the deflectors Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cschaaf Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 Looks great! Be careful putting your deflectors low at that temperature - that can crack the firebox. You could have moved everything up one level and still been good.I have a classic KJ, and a Divide/conquer rack. My firebox is cracked, and the lower position is the only place to hold the deflectors Do you have the x-rack? I have the Classic as well and use the X-rack to put the deflectors on the middle level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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