Tried something old

rifrench · September 2019

Last month I was cleaning the LBGE prior to a low & slow. I came across the original cast iron fire grate, and decided to use it instead of the KAB, because I had noticed that keeping the temperature at 250 required constant attention. It was a nice cook, only got a little high towards the very end of the cook. I am not knocking the KAB, or the HiQue grate I used prior to the KAB. I don't do any cooks higher than 450* and can get there with the cast iron sewer grate.

Mattman3969 · September 2019

But the longer you go low n slow the bigger the chance of getting blockage in the holes of the CI grateand risking a fire going out. A stable fire is a stable fire no matter what grate you have. I have the HighQue and run 250 on 6+ hr cooks with no problem. All this said I’m glad you found what works for you.

NorthPilot06 · September 2019

I don’t have any of the fancy accessories (outside of the CGS Adjustable Rig) and I’ve never had a problem with airflow. I’m sure the other accessories wouldn’t hurt though

Theophan · September 2019

My CI fire grates were cracked and warped, and I kept hearing people rave about the KAB, so I bought one each for my Medium and Large, and I like them. I don't really see a huge difference, honestly. I think they're easier when it comes to cleaning out the lump and adding more. But I definitely don't have any problem with temp stability since using them.

Hmm... it just sank in that you said, "keeping the temperature at 250 required constant attention." Usually for a low-and-slow I keep it between 250° and 275°. If you're trying to keep it exactly 250°, yeah, I'd probably have trouble with that, too, but it would have been the same with the CI grates.

I think many people are obsessed with keeping the temp 250° or 225° or even lower, because people with offset smokers do. Those work differently! I think with a BGE, everything works better at 250° or above. Loads of people here have reported the same experiences I've had, that there just isn't much difference in a range from 250°-350° in the final product!

If you meant the same thing as me, that you were having trouble keeping it around 250°, like 250°-275°, then I'm clueless about why the CI grates were better than the KAB. Dunno.

rifrench · September 2019

I understand the truth of keeping the temp around 250 to 275, and wasn't worried about that of a temp excursion. Had temp gone up to 275 or so and stayed there, no sweat. It would eventually rise to 300 and above, unless I lessened the airflow. I find no cracks in the ceramics, gasket is original but no smoke leaks. cut
I am used to varying temps using my Karubecue, it's the nature of the beast.
I use the midline of the rise and fall as the draft fan turns on and off, as in on at 235, off at 265, the middle would be 250.
I remember the HighQue gave more temperature stability than the KAB. There may be some pirate air getting into the LBGE, but the hassle of adjusting the bands after changing to a Rutland kind of puts me off. I hate those damn bands, they seem to revert to default of messed up no matter how hard you try to get the adjustment correct.

Now that I am retired I will be doing more cooking in the Karubecue, and with 17 acres of select cut hardwood in my extended backyard, I'll have plenty of fuel.

Tried something old

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