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Kick-ash basket failure
DesertSnow
Posts: 67
I purchased a kick-ash basket for my large a couple weeks ago...took out the grate, cleaned everything out and dropped the basket in...problem I'm having ever since I put the basket in is I can't maintain or regulate temperatures at all...iv done 3 over night cooks(1 butt and 2 briskets) and all 3 times it's been a struggle to dial the temp in...had the egg at 250 for 3 hours last night without budging and felt confident it was going to hold...woke up and fire was out and im trying to save my brisket in the oven...this happened on all 3 cooks..has anyone else had this experience? I think I'm going to take the basket out and placed the grate back in to see if the old way still works...I'm getting a little worried
Comments
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You've got an air flow issue somewhere. Maybe something got misaligned when you were cleaning out everything before you put the basket in.Jefferson, GA
XL BGE, MM, Things to flip meat over and stuff
Wife, 3 kids, 5 dogs, 4 cats, 12 chickens, 2 goats, 2 pigs.
“Honey, we bought a farm.” -
Kickash basket is a terrific accessory, and I think the title of your post is somewhat unfair. I can understand your frustration, but the basket will actually aid in airflow compared to the stock grate .
If it were me, I'd take everything out of your egg, align everything as Jeff mentioned above, give it a good vacuum and start fresh. Try doing a test cook without meat in order to dial in and attempt to hold temp.Phoenix -
I've never had better temp control since I got mine. I will say that although they say you can use it with or without the bottom grate, I seemed to have problems with the grate in. I took it out and it's been awesome since.Upstate SC
Large BGE, Blackstone, Weber genesis , Weber charcoal classic -
Try using it with the fire grate in place"The pig is an amazing animal. You feed a pig an apple and it makes bacon. Let's see Michael Phelps do that" - Jim Gaffigan
Minnesota -
Mine is more predictable and very stable with the basket. Holds steady at 250 for as long as necessary.Highland, MI
L BGE, Primo, and a KJ Jr -
Your fire going out is not the result of the basket failing, it's a lighting the fire or a fire management failure. How are you lighting your fire?
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Agree with the above, it's not the fault of the KAB. I like mine.Richmond and Mathews County, VA. Large BGE, Weber gas, little Weber charcoal. Vintage ManGrates. Little reddish portable kamado that shall remain nameless here. Very Extremely Stable Genius.
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I have a whole body shop filled
with wrecked cars. It was the road's fault.
Slumming it in Aiken, SC. -
Calling out the KAB?... I sense a tsunami of butt hurt coming.
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Actually, I found it easier to maintain temp after I started using the basket. Better, more consistent air flow equals better control.
Rob
Columbus, Ohio
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Lol, throw in some clump, and we'll have a full blown butt hurt sh!tstorm.DoubleEgger said:Calling out the KAB?... I sense a tsunami of butt hurt coming.BrandonQuad Cities
"If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful." -
Having a steady temp for 3 hours is the definition of a well regulated/maintained temperature. It really sounds like you are running out of lump. How much did you put in the egg? Normally you should have lump up near the top of the fire ring for a long cook. How much of the lump was left when the fire went out? What did the lump look like when the fire went out (eg, large open hole in the middle with some lump around the edge?)?DesertSnow said:I purchased a kick-ash basket for my large a couple weeks ago...took out the grate, cleaned everything out and dropped the basket in...problem I'm having ever since I put the basket in is I can't maintain or regulate temperatures at all...iv done 3 over night cooks(1 butt and 2 briskets) and all 3 times it's been a struggle to dial the temp in...had the egg at 250 for 3 hours last night without budging and felt confident it was going to hold...woke up and fire was out and im trying to save my brisket in the oven...this happened on all 3 cooks..has anyone else had this experience? I think I'm going to take the basket out and placed the grate back in to see if the old way still works...I'm getting a little worried
Some people seem to think you should only fill up to the top of the KAB. You need to bury it when doing a long and slow.Southeast Florida - LBGE
In cooking, often we implement steps for which we have no explanations other than ‘that’s what everybody else does’ or ‘that’s what I have been told.’ Dare to think for yourself. -
I should have re arranged my title to say Failure at the kick-ash basket!!! No negative feelings towards them at all!DoubleEgger said:Calling out the KAB?... I sense a tsunami of butt hurt coming. -
On this cook I actually put all new fresh lump inside...I just poured it in until the basket was full...here's a picture of what it looked like this morning..I guess something is not aligned properly...I'll just have to double check everythingjtcBoynton said:Having a steady temp for 3 hours is the definition of a well regulated/maintained temperature. It really sounds like you are running out of lump. How much did you put in the egg? Normally you should have lump up near the top of the fire ring for a long cook. How much of the lump was left when the fire went out? What did the lump look like when the fire went out (eg, large open hole in the middle with some lump around the edge?)?
Some people seem to think you should only fill up to the top of the KAB. You need to bury it when doing a long and slow.
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At least that's what a good lawyer will say!Jeremiah said:I have a whole body shop filled
with wrecked cars. It was the road's fault. -
There are some sensitive folks here when it comes to their baskets and caps.DesertSnow said:I should have re arranged my title to say Failure at the kick-ash basket!!! No negative feelings towards them at all! -
Looking at the pic I think the issue may have been too many big pieces. The lump burned under those and the fire wasnt in contact. I would break up the bigger pieces so that they fill the empty space better.Which came first the chicken or the egg? I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg.
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What @SmokeyPitt said!!! I might add that I'm wondering if you really got the lump started well... I have a KAB in my Large and a Fishbone in my MM... both work significantly better than the "regular" BGE grate!SmokeyPitt said:Looking at the pic I think the issue may have been too many big pieces. The lump burned under those and the fire wasnt in contact. I would break up the bigger pieces so that they fill the empty space better.
Kirkland, TN2 LBGE, 1 MM -
While i agree with @SmokeyPitt - I also think you need more lump. You said you filled it until your basket was full - you need to put way more lump in than that. Fill it to that top ring. I think it may be called the fire ring?
Large, Medium, MiniMax, 36" Blackstone
Grand Rapids MI -
Yep, fire ring. For long low-and-slows, I fill mine up as high as I can- meaning as long as the platesetter can fit.kl8ton said:While i agree with @SmokeyPitt - I also think you need more lump. You said you filled it until your basket was full - you need to put way more lump in than that. Fill it to that top ring. I think it may be called the fire ring?Indianapolis, IN -
Checking alignment is simple, if you can get the rake into the bottom of the fire box, the fire box is positioned correctly. Load the egg up to the top of the fire ring (ok for some larger pieces on the bottom) the setter/deflector should almost be in contact with the lump. Start the lump towards the front and on the top. The fire has to follow the air down to the air. Don't think it is the KAB.Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
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looks like improper lump placement, big stuff at the bottom, small up top. Also add more lump.
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More lump please.
"Social media gives legions of idiots the right to speak when they once only spoke at a bar after a glass of wine, without harming the community [...] but now they have the same right to speak as a Nobel Prize winner. It's the invasion of the idiots."
-Umberto Eco
2 Large
Peachtree Corners, GA -
sometimes all you need is someone else telling you that you are overthinking it and dumb...thanks for all the help guys and can't wait to fire it up again...went outside and cleaned everything out, ready to go! Bottom pic is just showing the firebox is aligned
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More lump? Yes. Improper placement? I've never had a problem with this method:Miked125 said:looks like improper lump placement, big stuff at the bottom, small up top. Also add more lump.
1. Open bag.
2. Tip bag dumping lump in egg.
3. Light.Flint, Michigan -
Double check to see if your fire bowl is in line with the vent. Sometimes the fire bowl can get shifted and not be lined up with the lower vent. It will reduce the oxygen to the fire"The pig is an amazing animal. You feed a pig an apple and it makes bacon. Let's see Michael Phelps do that" - Jim Gaffigan
Minnesota -
...and rubs and lump, and...DoubleEgger said:There are some sensitive folks here when it comes to their baskets and caps.“Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away.” ― Philip K. Diçk -
I like and use both products (plus CGS, Flameboss, etc products), but have no problems with others who don't feel the products fit their style of cooking. But, please, be sensitive to the fact that the majority of our good accessory products come from small companies. I don't think any of those folks are making a killing off their offerings, most of them are in it 'cuz they love BBQing and have an idea/skill set that they want to share with us.DoubleEgger said:There are some sensitive folks here when it comes to their baskets and caps.
So yes, many of us are sensitive about bad publicity, not for the product so much, but for the folks behind the product.
Now, where did I get this damn soap box form anyway? Cheers mate.
Washington, IL > Queen Creek, AZ ... Two large eggs and an adopted Mini Max
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CoolersHeavyG said:...and rubs and lump, and...
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