Akorn and Dragon General Discussion

Charcoal cookers (such as Weber Kettles)
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Michael_Dunn
Posts: 156
Joined: Mon Oct 25, 2010 1:11 pm

Re: Akorn and Dragon General Discussion

Post by Michael_Dunn »

for anyone thinking about buying the Akorn Smokin' Stone for their Dragon Kamado

http://www.bunnings.com.au/char-griller ... e_p3180628

just picked up mine, fits perfectly on the 3 lips(?), and is 20mm thick.

$63.50 buys a lot of pizza stones, just thought I'd get the thing that's designed for it.
WarmBeer
Posts: 133
Joined: Fri Jun 13, 2014 3:43 pm
Location: Melbourne

Re: Akorn and Dragon General Discussion

Post by WarmBeer »

Michael_Dunn wrote: $63.50 buys a lot of pizza stones, just thought I'd get the thing that's designed for it.
For 1/4 the price, you can pick up one of these:

http://www.raysoutdoors.com.au/online-s ... -27cm.aspx

Guaranteed not to break if you drop it. Plus, has a handy, removable, handle to move it around with.
Dragon Kamado | Weber OTS | Hark (Aldi) Smoker | Rusty Gasser
Robot
Posts: 13
Joined: Sun Jun 21, 2015 4:32 pm
Location: Mt Hawthorn, Perth

Re: Akorn and Dragon General Discussion

Post by Robot »

Well that was rather more exciting than I had hoped...............

Sit back, boys and girls, for a cautionary tale about playing with new toys.

I had a day off today and put it to good use by picking up and assembling my Dragon. Took a couple of hours, but it all went smoothly. So far, so good.

Washed the grates and my old cast iron pan which is now my deflector and sprayed them with a liberal dose of canola oil to season. Measured out 2kg of charcoal - I actually weighed it because I had no idea what 2kg should look like. It looked similar to all the youtube "how to" videos, so I was happy. The charcoal lit very easily with a heat gun and I was off and running.

The intent was to get the kamado nice and hot to season the grill and burn off the factory stink. But why rush? Long, slow cooks are on the agenda, so I thought I would test the low temperature capabilities on my way up to the seasoning temperature.

After reaching 80C with the vents wide open, I shut the bottom to 1 and the top to just the half-moon notch. It topped out at 105C and stayed there for half an hour. Success! I have to admit that while the temperature was stable, the smoke smelled a bit muddy. I'm not sure if that was from the new surfaces or the charcoal (Masters). Any ideas? If it's still there after a few cooks, i guess I'll know it's the charcoal.

Anyway, after tinkering with the vents for a while I decided it was time to let 'er rip. With both vents fully open the temperature took off as the frustrated coals drank in the oxygen. There was plenty of smoke which I assume was my oiled surfaces burning off along with any grease from the factory. The smoke turned clean as the dome thermometer maxed out - bloody hell, this thing is getting fierce! Nearly there.......or so I thought.

There was an audible change to the fire. I could hear the charcoal cracking as well as a tinkling noise as small coals rained into the ash pan. The fire was running away and my digital thermometer shat itself as plumes of foul smoke poured out. I shut it down after peering into the top vent and seeing flames climbing up the inside of the dome and reaching the vent. I knew these things could get hot, but wow!

After half an hour I came back to find the fire had gone out save for one small glow. I'll check for minor leaks later, but that's the least of my worries. Upon opening the lid I I found the source of the stench - some sort of goo had oozed out of my temperature probe and had run down the inside of the fire bowl. A quick rub suggests that it will clean off OK with the help of a green pot scrubber, but so much for my seasoning! Round two tomorrow; this time to burn off grime of my own making and this time with a bit more control of the vents.

I think I'll spend this evening reviewing replacement digital thermometers.
urbangriller
Posts: 9453
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2008 8:46 pm
Location: Perth WA

Re: Akorn and Dragon General Discussion

Post by urbangriller »

Goo oozed out of your temperature probe? What probe is that?

Also, high end probes are rated to 700F (only)....I don't have to tell you, I'm sure you've worked it out....don't leave a probe in after 500F is a good rule.


And the "Musty" smell....likely the oil and the mangrove charcoal combo.

Cheers
Chris
Common Sense is so rare these days it should be a Super Power!
sosman
Posts: 1337
Joined: Sun Dec 05, 2010 9:31 am
Location: Melbourne - east

Re: Akorn and Dragon General Discussion

Post by sosman »

urbangriller wrote:Goo oozed out of your temperature probe? What probe is that?

Also, high end probes are rated to 700F (only)....I don't have to tell you, I'm sure you've worked it out....don't leave a probe in after 500F is a good rule.


And the "Musty" smell....likely the oil and the mangrove charcoal combo.

Chris
And the plastic transmitter goes outside the kamado :)
Image
Robot
Posts: 13
Joined: Sun Jun 21, 2015 4:32 pm
Location: Mt Hawthorn, Perth

Re: Akorn and Dragon General Discussion

Post by Robot »

urbangriller wrote:Goo oozed out of your temperature probe? What probe is that?

Also, high end probes are rated to 700F (only)....I don't have to tell you, I'm sure you've worked it out....don't leave a probe in after 500F is a good rule.


And the "Musty" smell....likely the oil and the mangrove charcoal combo.

Cheers
Chris
You mean what probe was that.......It was the CDN probe with food and oven probes mounted on the same wire - skinny food part and fat oven part. I think I bought it from you a few years back. I can't really tell whether the goo has oozed from the fat part of the probe or from within the wire's protective sheath. Either way it's a ruin of its former self. Thankfully I made a table of dome thermometer versus real temperature, so I should be OK for my first few cooks until I source a replacement.

Back to the kamado: I pulled out all the grates etc and scrubbed off the stain. Then I noticed more goo which couldn't be attributed to the dead probe. Something had oozed out wherever there was a screw or rivet. The rivets on the top of the bottom section and the screws holding the fire bowl support brackets were the worst. Whatever had come out had then set after cooling down and was easy to chip away, but I was still a little concerned. After cleaning it up I gave it two hours at 300C to re-season and burn off any goo remnants. The fire burned very cleanly and any remaining traces were turned to white ash. I'm happy that it's now clean and ready, but I don't know what could have come out from behind the rivets. Has anyone else seen this?

I also noticed after two hours at 300 that the outer surface was around 100 degrees (measured with an infrared thermometer). It wasn't hot enough to burn my hand as soon as I touched it, but it was enough to make me pull back instantaneously. Does this sound about right? I have read reports of the outer skin staying quite cool, but two hours at 300 might be asking a bit much. I don't expect the same level of insulation as the BSK, which sounds like you can be smelting steel while your children hug the outside, but I want to make sure that mine is behaving like everyone else's.

Cheers,

Rob
urbangriller
Posts: 9453
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2008 8:46 pm
Location: Perth WA

Re: Akorn and Dragon General Discussion

Post by urbangriller »

Hi Rob,

Sounds like the insulation in the probe wire maybe? Anywho, PM me..we have replacement probes in stock.

The BSK still gets hot on the outside, and might be 80-100 if the inside was being used to autoclave something....so that sounds OK.

Cheers
Chris
Common Sense is so rare these days it should be a Super Power!
Robot
Posts: 13
Joined: Sun Jun 21, 2015 4:32 pm
Location: Mt Hawthorn, Perth

Re: Akorn and Dragon General Discussion

Post by Robot »

I cooked a beer can chicken this afternoon for an idiot-proof first meal from the Dragon. Fantastic! The moisture retention was amazing. Despite a few hiccups along the way, I'm really happy with my new friend.
FirePlay
Posts: 297
Joined: Fri Sep 09, 2011 1:40 pm
Location: Perth, WA

Re: Akorn and Dragon General Discussion

Post by FirePlay »

I'm not game to go anywhere near the temps you have clearly got to here but I just wanted to add my confirmation that the Dragon has indeed cooked our best chooks by far. Golden brown skin, with just the very tips of the wings a bit burnt. And the pizzas start to bubble and pop as soon as they hit the stone! I would be pushing 300C regularly at the top vent but the dome gauge only shows 250 at that point. I have no idea what would the temp would be inside if the dome gauge maxed out and don't want to find out! :shock:
Fents
Posts: 79
Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2012 9:34 am

Re: Akorn and Dragon General Discussion

Post by Fents »

still loving the akorn! beef ribs at 230f for 5 hours, rubbed with texas rub, smoke on hickory chunks.

Image

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WarmBeer
Posts: 133
Joined: Fri Jun 13, 2014 3:43 pm
Location: Melbourne

Re: Akorn and Dragon General Discussion

Post by WarmBeer »

Fents wrote:still loving the akorn! beef ribs at 230f for 5 hours, rubbed with texas rub, smoke on hickory chunks.

Image
Looks great, Fents.

What's the book?
Dragon Kamado | Weber OTS | Hark (Aldi) Smoker | Rusty Gasser
Fents
Posts: 79
Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2012 9:34 am

Re: Akorn and Dragon General Discussion

Post by Fents »

cheer mate.

this one, its a cracker : Image
spclst69
Posts: 8
Joined: Wed Jul 01, 2015 7:48 am

Re: Akorn and Dragon General Discussion

Post by spclst69 »

Hi All,

Brand new here and after reading around and thinking of building an UDS, today I ended up buying a dragon. Its currently assembled and undergoing its first burn.

I definitely want to throw something on it, unfortunately tonight I must head out for dinner.

It's currently sitting on 200C, I'm hoping when I get home it would have dropped so I can gauge marker etc (doing the half moon and mark 1 from above). Only time will tell.

I think I've read too much information and am confused on where I have read certain bits so if anyone has a collection of must reads they want to link me too it will be much appreciated.

Thanks!
urbangriller
Posts: 9453
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2008 8:46 pm
Location: Perth WA

Re: Akorn and Dragon General Discussion

Post by urbangriller »

spclst69 wrote:Hi All,

Brand new here and after reading around and thinking of building an UDS, today I ended up buying a dragon. Its currently assembled and undergoing its first burn.

I definitely want to throw something on it, unfortunately tonight I must head out for dinner.

It's currently sitting on 200C, I'm hoping when I get home it would have dropped so I can gauge marker etc (doing the half moon and mark 1 from above). Only time will tell.

I think I've read too much information and am confused on where I have read certain bits so if anyone has a collection of must reads they want to link me too it will be much appreciated.

Thanks!

.....Um Gauge Marker....half moon and mark 1 from above?.......what are you trying to say?

Chris
Common Sense is so rare these days it should be a Super Power!
Robot
Posts: 13
Joined: Sun Jun 21, 2015 4:32 pm
Location: Mt Hawthorn, Perth

Re: Akorn and Dragon General Discussion

Post by Robot »

urbangriller wrote: .....Um Gauge Marker....half moon and mark 1 from above?.......what are you trying to say?
Chris
I think he means from the above post (Mine. Actually my first on the forum, which is a little scary), he has used the same vent positions, being the little semi-circular notch on the top vent (which I called the half-moon) and mark 1 on the bottom. Simple!

I was like you spclst69 and went into it with loads of pre-reading buzzing around my head. There's lots of great info around, but nothing beats learning by doing.
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