newbie question

[hoddo]

First cook on a kamado, chicken marylands. Can I do them direct about 180c, or do I need the deflector+tray setup?

[urbangriller]

I cook direct in mine all the time!

What Kamado is it?

I normally use the riser to get the grill height up to the rim in my Saffire.

Cheers
Chris

[hoddo]

Proud owner of a new Smoke kings. Thanks Chris I'll use the riser.

[sluggerdog]

For what it's worth I am very much a newbie and have done chicken twice on my kamado (only had it for 3 weeks).

The first time I cooked it directly, lots of flare ups meaning lots of work moving and turning the chicken. It came out great though in the end but I worked hard for it.

The second time I put the heat deflector in and used it more like an oven, turning it once. Still came out great with the flavour your chasing with coal, I think this is how I will do it from now on, atleast until I get a better hold on the right amount of charcoal to use and temperature control etc.

Using the riser with direct cooking might be something I will try though soon. For my first cook I had my potatoes and corn up there instead which worked well.

[urbangriller]

For what it's worth I am very much a newbie and have done chicken twice on my kamado (only had it for 3 weeks).

The first time I cooked it directly, lots of flare ups meaning lots of work moving and turning the chicken. It came out great though in the end but I worked hard for it.

The second time I put the heat deflector in and used it more like an oven, turning it once. Still came out great with the flavour your chasing with coal, I think this is how I will do it from now on, atleast until I get a better hold on the right amount of charcoal to use and temperature control etc.

Using the riser with direct cooking might be something I will try though soon. For my first cook I had my potatoes and corn up there instead which worked well.

Always use a full load of charcoal, it's not a Kettle. Control the heat by the air you give the fuel, not by the amount of fuel you put in it.

Fill the firebox with good quality charcoal to just over the level of the upper air holes in the fire box and mound it up towards the centre. Always have a good fuel load of charcoal, in a standard Kamado, this is roughly a 9 litre (2 Gallon) household plastic bucket full. It will seem like too much charcoal, but that is what you want, only part of the charcoal is lit during most cooking; it is only on the most extreme high temperature cook that the whole charcoal load will be lit.

You will be surprised by how little charcoal a Kamado actually uses when cooking. If you use a full sized pile of charcoal, and close the vents after the cook, the fire will go out, leaving a considerable percentage of the charcoal for next time.

For a hot fire (like searing steak), use a FLAT pile of charcoal and light four or five small sections spread through the charcoal, the more lit sections, the hotter and quicker the start up temperature will be.

For lower temperature slow cooking, use a CONICAL pile of charcoal and light only one or two spots at the very top of the charcoal pile. Use this also for "Oven" roasting, just give it more air to increase the temperature.

Cheers
Chris

[sluggerdog]

Always use a full load of charcoal, it's not a Kettle. Control the heat by the air you give the fuel, not by the amount of fuel you put in it.

Fill the firebox with good quality charcoal to just over the level of the upper air holes in the fire box and mound it up towards the centre. Always have a good fuel load of charcoal, in a standard Kamado, this is roughly a 9 litre (2 Gallon) household plastic bucket full. It will seem like too much charcoal, but that is what you want, only part of the charcoal is lit during most cooking; it is only on the most extreme high temperature cook that the whole charcoal load will be lit.

You will be surprised by how little charcoal a Kamado actually uses when cooking. If you use a full sized pile of charcoal, and close the vents after the cook, the fire will go out, leaving a considerable percentage of the charcoal for next time.

For a hot fire (like searing steak), use a FLAT pile of charcoal and light four or five small sections spread through the charcoal, the more lit sections, the hotter and quicker the start up temperature will be.

For lower temperature slow cooking, use a CONICAL pile of charcoal and light only one or two spots at the very top of the charcoal pile. Use this also for "Oven" roasting, just give it more air to increase the temperature.

Cheers
Chris

Very helpful, thankyou.

[Muppet]

For what it's worth I am very much a newbie and have done chicken twice on my kamado (only had it for 3 weeks).

The first time I cooked it directly, lots of flare ups meaning lots of work moving and turning the chicken. It came out great though in the end but I worked hard for it.

The second time I put the heat deflector in and used it more like an oven, turning it once. Still came out great with the flavour your chasing with coal, I think this is how I will do it from now on, atleast until I get a better hold on the right amount of charcoal to use and temperature control etc.

Using the riser with direct cooking might be something I will try though soon. For my first cook I had my potatoes and corn up there instead which worked well.

Always use a full load of charcoal, it's not a Kettle. Control the heat by the air you give the fuel, not by the amount of fuel you put in it.

Fill the firebox with good quality charcoal to just over the level of the upper air holes in the fire box and mound it up towards the centre. Always have a good fuel load of charcoal, in a standard Kamado, this is roughly a 9 litre (2 Gallon) household plastic bucket full. It will seem like too much charcoal, but that is what you want, only part of the charcoal is lit during most cooking; it is only on the most extreme high temperature cook that the whole charcoal load will be lit.

You will be surprised by how little charcoal a Kamado actually uses when cooking. If you use a full sized pile of charcoal, and close the vents after the cook, the fire will go out, leaving a considerable percentage of the charcoal for next time.

For a hot fire (like searing steak), use a FLAT pile of charcoal and light four or five small sections spread through the charcoal, the more lit sections, the hotter and quicker the start up temperature will be.

For lower temperature slow cooking, use a CONICAL pile of charcoal and light only one or two spots at the very top of the charcoal pile. Use this also for "Oven" roasting, just give it more air to increase the temperature.

Cheers
Chris

Thankyou Chris
For a Kamado virgin posts like this are extremely helpful. I am currently digging through the kamado 101 thread (also super helpful) to work out which type of kamado would best suit my needs.