So I assembled my new Dragon Kamado on Tuesday and lit it yesterday. This is one great piece of kit!
I used redhead charcoal (robot turds?) for fuel. I do need to learn how to light charcoal - but after two attempts away she went. I ran it at 175C for a couple of hours to season and burn of the "manufacturing stuff" and then reduced the top and bottom air and by 11am had it settled at 110C. Thought it was a shame to waste the charcoal so threw in a lamp shoulder. Monitored both it and the pit with a Maverick 735 (fantastic bit of kit, Chris). The temp crept up during the day till it was 121C at 7pm but that's no biggie. Took off the lamb at 7 and it was spectacular. Much nicer than the gasser ones I've cooked. Sorry no photos but I was in a hurry to get dinner done before the cricket started.
I cannot believe how set and forget this beast is. I didn't have to fiddle with the air at all. And at the end closed off the air inlet and outlet and the temp started to drop - I'd say she went out pretty quick. Looked at it this mornimg and it only used a quarter of the charcoal (probably burnt way less than a kilo) which isn't bad considering it was lit for 11 hours. This will be very economical to run and great for an overnighter.
The only mod I have done is the extra washer on the vent on the top of the dome but the rest appears well sealed.
Thank you all for your advice on the forum about " the Beast". I now have a plan for Saturday and Sunday while watchinng the V8s - brisket
Cheers
Steve