Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

Flameboss 200 - not a great second outing..

Hey gang..

Tried doing BabyBacks today using the Flameboss 200.  Got a "little" bit of smoke early on, but once the..(cough) KJ got up to temp at 235, the lack of airflow seems to have totally snuffed the fire.

I have the top vents barely open, just like the instuctions show.  Bottom vent closed except for where the fan connects through the metal connector that sits in the draft door track.

I used about 1 lb of Weekend Warrior (due to it's large sizes) on the bottom, 1 lb of Ozark Oak (few bags left for 'special occasions') and probably half a pound of Royal Oak. 

I have a KickAsh basket and Kamado Dragon bottom grate (gives increased airflow, just like the Hi-Que).

Checked the fire a couple of times and it looks mostly out.  There may be some embers left at the bottom, but my wood chunks (about 4 oz total - one 1.75 oz chunk of hickory and two 1 or so ounces of cherry) don't seem to be smoking for diddly.

Gotta say - my first experience trying to smoke on a Kamado is WAY harder than using my Cookshack SM025.

The thing I realize I like a LOT better about the Cookshack for smoking is that there is "always" heat being applied to the wood, so it smokes CONSTANTLY when cooking.  Consistent, constant smoke comes out of the chimney for the entire cook.

Smoking a Kamado is by definition going to be more random - unless the fire gets the wood smoldering and it never goes out (like, due to lack of airflow by having a controller), it's just not going to be consistent.

I would really like to be able to smoke on BOTH the KJ and the Cookshack as I'd expect the taste to be different - the Cookshack is basically a really well insulated, built-like-a-tank oven that just happens to smoke.  So, you basically get baked food with a lot of smoke on it.  Goes without saying how a Kamado "should" be a lot different in taste profile.  Maybe I can figure this out, but it occurs to me now that smoking on a Kamado is going to be a lot more difficult and a lot more inconsistent than just firing up the Cookshack (which has always produced some awesome food, even if it IS "slow-baked" for the most part vs being cooked over lump and wood chunks which should give a more grilled taste).

Any suggestions?  I'm pretty frustrated with the Flameboss right now - I will say it does keep the temp right where you put it..but that might also snuff a fire right out also unless I'm just doing something wrong (entirely possible).

TIA..
Mini BGE, KJ Classic - Black, Cookshack SM025, Weber Gasser (mostly for Kamado storage!)

Comments

  • pgprescott
    pgprescott Posts: 14,544
    edited July 2016
    First off, you don't need smoke for the entire cook. Once the meat has been smoked, you just need to finish the cook to temp. Second, I like to mix both chips and chunks when a heavier smoke is desired. Lastly, I would assume you are in fact doing something wrong with the FB, but I have no idea what. 

    Stick with it. You should be able to do anything you want without the controller unless you are leaving or cooking overnight. 
  • blind99
    blind99 Posts: 4,971
    Really odd. I guess if your cooker is really airtight you could have lack of airflow. But the flameboss pushes plenty of air in to get coals hot enough to smoke something. My petals are barely cracked when I use the FB. I haven't had it snuff a fire. Maybe there weren't enough coals fully lit before starting? (I've even thrown a fire starter in, no coals burning, and let the FB bring the whole thing up to temp)

    Last night I smoked chicken and one chunk of wood made smoke for an hour and a half. Works for me, but I don't have any other smokers so I don't know the difference!
    Chicago, IL - Large and Small BGE - Weber Gasser and Kettle
  • Ozzie_Isaac
    Ozzie_Isaac Posts: 18,943
    Fill up with lump to the bottom of your indirect stone.  Reading your description it sounds like you had 3lbs of lump.  If that is true it is easy for the fire to go out.
    A bison’s level of aggressiveness, both physical and passive, is legendary. - NPS
  • ChillyWillis
    ChillyWillis Posts: 893
    Fill up with lump to the bottom of your indirect stone.  Reading your description it sounds like you had 3lbs of lump.  If that is true it is easy for the fire to go out.
    100% agree with this. 

    Always fill up your egg/kj. It's easy to shut it down and save the remaining charcoal for the next cook, but you always want to be sure that there is enough fuel inside to allow the fire to stay alive through the duration of the cook. 
  • stlcharcoal
    stlcharcoal Posts: 4,684
    When you checked the fire on multiple occasions, at what percentage was the fan blowing?  Can you post the graph?

    Also, how much lump did you have in there (total)?

    How did you light?

    Something is wrong with the picture......need more info.
  • BBQbutler
    BBQbutler Posts: 82
    "Smoke" will only occur in the first 1-2 hours  --- yet the wood is still burning/smoking ( unless u have a stick burner requiring sticks for fuel which will contually produce some smoke from the flue ) Some people will even wait until the smoke goes away ( an hour or so to add the meat after the temp/smoke is stabilized ).  Meat will only absorb the smoke flavor in the first couple of hours anyway.   Smoke flavor is a personal preference based on choice of wood and technique to moderate the smoke flavor infusion.  ---- hope this helps. 
    LBGE , 22.5 & 18 WSM, 26.25 Kettle, Jennair Gasser, & a plethora of mobile Webers 
    Avid Cubs - Jaguars - Seminole fan. 
    Jacksonville, FL
  • Jeepster47
    Jeepster47 Posts: 3,827
    I think Ozzie nailed it with the "not enough lump" in the kamado.  If you filled the egg up to the top of the KAB, that's only about three pounds of lump.  That's not enough lump ensure a good baby back cook.

    Here is a thread that pictures three fill levels for a large egg:

    http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1191617/lump-trivia-the-beginning/p1

    And, here is a thread that showed that the fire goes out on a 250 degree cook with a pound to a pound and a third of lump left over:

    http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1191687/lump-trivia-that-sinking-feeling/p1

    PS ... it takes about 1/3 of a pound of lump to warm up the egg to 250 degrees and the fire goes out with 1 and 1/3 pounds still in the basket.  That's two of your three pounds of lump to warm up the egg and then the fire goes out.  Since the large uses about 1/3 of a pound per hour to maintain 250 degrees, you only have enough lump to peculate along for about three hours.

    Take a look at this thread:

    http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1191839/lump-trivia-crusin-at-250/p1

    Don't give up on the FB200 ... it was doing it's job ... now it's your turn to provide it with enough fuel!




    Washington, IL  >  Queen Creek, AZ ... Two large eggs and an adopted Mini Max

  • Darby_Crenshaw
    Darby_Crenshaw Posts: 2,657
    Frustrated with thw flame boss. Blaming the cooker

    ditch the flame boss for a bit and try flying solo. 

    See if there's a diff
    [social media disclaimer: irony and sarcasm may be used in some or all of user's posts; emoticon usage is intended to indicate moderately jocular social interaction; the comments toward users, their usernames, and the real people (living or dead) that they refer to are not intended to be adversarial in nature; those replying to this user are entering into a tacit agreement that they are real-life or social-media acquaintances and/or have agreed to or tacitly agreed to perpetrate occasional good-natured ribbing between and among themselves and others]

  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,457
    Fire is fire no matter how you control it.  More air = more fire, no air = no fire.  Sounds like your vent setting were off 

    SmokyBear said:
    Hey gang..

    Tried doing BabyBacks today using the Flameboss 200.  Got a "little" bit of smoke early on, but once the..(cough) KJ got up to temp at 235, the lack of airflow seems to have totally snuffed the fire.


    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
  • SmokyBear
    SmokyBear Posts: 389
    Thanks everyone..I still had a good amount of lump left, but was surprised at how much some areas (especially toward the back) did burn down to ash..

    Good suggestion to try without the FB and see what happens.  I've never really done a long cook on the KJ and everything to this point has been on the Cookshack..that's why I wanted the FB..to start doing long Kamado style cooks and not just "baking with smoke" on the Cookshack (although I will say it puts out consistent smoke for a LONG time - I can go 12+ hours on 2 little 2 oz chunks of wood..).

    Ribs were decent but totally different from Cookshack ribs..KJ ribs had a decent smokering quite a ways into the meat (surprisingly).  Cookshack ribs never have that.  OTOH, Cookshack ribs have some really nice bark and the KJ FB ribs were almost broiled like in consistency.  Good taste, and I slathered them with Blues Hog Smokey BBQ sauce so we enjoyed them but weird seeing the fire go out also..

    Funny story - AFTER I took the ribs off (other dinn wasn't done yet) and did foil-towel-cooler planning to put them back on to warm after the rest of the food was done, I looked out - and crazily enough saw the blasted thing smoking full tilt!  Obviously got the fire going again and a chunk of cherry wood that hadn't burned previously had finally caught.  Too funny.  I looked at it with a "oh, NOW you decide to start working" look of pure frustration and amazement..

    Thx for all the help..would love to figure this out so I can do Kamado style smoking and move up from my trusty Cookshack.
    Mini BGE, KJ Classic - Black, Cookshack SM025, Weber Gasser (mostly for Kamado storage!)
  • SmokyBear
    SmokyBear Posts: 389
    Fire is fire no matter how you control it.  More air = more fire, no air = no fire.  Sounds like your vent setting were off 

    SmokyBear said:
    Hey gang..

    Tried doing BabyBacks today using the Flameboss 200.  Got a "little" bit of smoke early on, but once the..(cough) KJ got up to temp at 235, the lack of airflow seems to have totally snuffed the fire.

    Sure..any suggestion what the right vent setting would be?  I had it "barely" open as the FB instructions suggested..
    Mini BGE, KJ Classic - Black, Cookshack SM025, Weber Gasser (mostly for Kamado storage!)
  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,457
    Did you let you KJ stabilize before you turned the FB on or use the FB to get up to temp?   Almost sounds like an unstable fire that starved of oxygen. 

    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
  • stlcharcoal
    stlcharcoal Posts: 4,684
    edited July 2016
    If there was still lump in there, but it didn't burn, my guess is you didn't have enough.  That sound backassward, but you would be surprised how much the fire moves around in the firebox.  At such a low temp there's very little burning, so as it exhausts those few chunks it's presently using, there needs to be other chunks very close--close enough to get their surface area up to 670F to get the carbon to ignite.  If that chunk is too far away, the temp will drop and it will not ignite.  The fan is blowing to stoke the fire, but it's also dropping the temp.  Load it up......at least 5# or to the bottom of the fire ring.  Light from the top, and as those pieces turn to ash, the hot coals ignite the next piece.  Any less and you're a flameout like you experienced.
  • SB,

    It's good not to use the temperature controllers while you're still learning how to build and control your fire.  Your Egg or KJ will control temps just fine without any crutches as long as you take a hour to let the cooker stabalize at at 235 F.  

    A Maverick 233/232 can be used to monitor your pit.  

    Check out this video from the Kamado Joe You Tube Channel.  It show you a proper fire building technique that should work whether your cooking on a Egg or the KJ.  Both cookers have more things in common than they have in differences. 

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zoxwoJwYwwo
    2x Kamado Joe Big Joes + Cyber Q Wifi + Themapen - Pizza Steel + BGE Paella Pan + BGE Ash Tools + Woo2 + Open Bar Fire Ring
  • If there was still lump in there, but it didn't burn, my guess is you didn't have enough.  That sound backassward, but you would be surprised how much the fire moves around in the firebox.  At such a low temp there's very little burning, so as it exhausts those few chunks it's presently using, there needs to be other chunks very close--close enough to get their surface area up to 670F to get the carbon to ignite.  If that chunk is too far away, the temp will drop and it will not ignite.  The fan is blowing to stoke the fire, but it's also dropping the temp.  Load it up......at least 5# or to the bottom of the fire ring.  Light from the top, and as those pieces turn to ash, the hot coals ignite the next piece.  Any less and you're a flameout like you experienced.
    I agree and this is a very good explanation. Thank you Jonathan!
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,665
    someone a while back mentioned more smoke taste from a hotter fire. been playing with that and 270 seems to be an improvement over 230 taste wise.ive been starting with lower temps and finishing it off higher during  the cook. 270 has less stability issues as well
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • DaveRichardson
    DaveRichardson Posts: 2,324
    How did you build your lump pile and how did you incorporate the chunks/chips into the mix. Komado type vessels are typically hotter at the 12 o'clock position than at the 3 or 9 position. Did you later in the smoke wood into the lump pile or was it all on top?

    LBGE #19 from North GA Eggfest, 2014

    Stockbridge, GA - just south of Atlanta where we are covered up in Zombies!  #TheWalkingDead films practically next door!