How Kamado Low And Slow Heat Deflector Setups CHANGE Your Grill's Performance

Is my heat deflector plate low and slow indirect setup on my Kamado Joe actually the BEST placement for optimal results? Armed with an IR camera and a temp gun I did a series of tests in the lowest position vs. the highest position to find out if there really is a better location for our heat deflectors when setting up a low and slow smoke in a Kamado grill
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#lowandslow #kamado #kamadojoe

[@wesleydrew9242]

This video probably requires a second viewing and another cup of coffee.

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Haha I get it

[@johngravino8881]

I've commented previously on the Weber kamado. I just did a pulled pork using double indirect. Used SnS elevated half- moon grate and Big Green Egg half- moon deflectors. By cooking on half the grill, I had unfettered access to the firebox to add wood. Got a great result!

[@6AnAsianGuy9]

Love this video as it is actionable for Kamado cooking! Keep it up man!

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Thanks! Will do!

[@williamwilson2624]

Thanks for the interesting and useful data. Great video as always.

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@NorthEagle]

Thank you for this useful video!

[@bobv5806]

Double indirect has become my standard configuration. Yesterday’s beef back ribs turned out great. Thanks, James!

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Fantastic!

[@StonehillBBQ]

Interesting as always, James. Thank you for this video.

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

My pleasure!

[@davelindey8023]

Great video James. The difference in temperature that you are seeing between your FLIR and handheld temperature device is in part due to sensitivity of the sensor. The FLIR is taking the heat signature and converting the IR signal to equivalent colour and may not be sensitive to display the temperature because you’ve maxed out its capability or in other words you’ve reach full scale deflection. The hand head is obviously capable of measuring a wider range and in the case of measuring the central hot spot it has not reached full scale deflection. Regardless of the reasons or physics of not being able to read identically this was a really good experiment. To me the data is invaluable to putting things into a practical sense. Well done

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Thanks for helping explain that

[@henrykrinkle5353]

Nice one, James! Been wondering about that as well. And considering that I've pretty much learned everything I know and have been improving upon is thanks to you, so please keep up the good work :)

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Glad it was helpful!

[@missinbrain]

Super interesting! It's very helpful to see how the different configurations affect the radiant heat off the deflectors.

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@herb7877]

EXCELLENT info & tests. The scientist in me can now affirm my basic beliefs in regards to the placements of the stones.

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Cheers 🍻

[@Bigdoggh]

Grateful (pardon the pun) that I bumped in to your videos a few years ago. I go double indirect, hot n fast most of the time. Always good.

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Excellent!

[@samacc2536]

That’s awesome! Looking forward to part 2! Did you get a new BJ3 lol?

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Yes I am sending mine to the lab for the test

[@JohnRiley1966]

I think I’m going to have to watch this a dozen times to absorb all of that. :-). Great info. I think.

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Glad it was helpful!

[@BehindTheFoodTV]

Wow such a cool experiment James!

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Thanks Al

[@troyphoto7]

Love the Forward Looking Ifra-Red camera shots.

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Thanks

[@MrOmegaWill]

Hi James - the FLIR One could have a maximum limit on the temperature read out. It gives a superb graphic of where the hot & cold spots are but no guide to the maximum & minimum in the range. Check to see if you’ve got the right FLIR One for the temps you’re trying to see ? Otherwise superb work!

[@jameshope7766]

Great video as always. One thing I've been wondering... when you setup for a 250ºF cook, are you setting that by the dome probe or a meter ambient probe? If the meater probe was sticking up in the air (out of a brisket for example), how close would you expect the two temperature readings to be? I've just ordered a Classic Joe 3, can't wait to get started. Your beef ribs recipe is first on my list! Cheers

[@diverchris6831]

James, Really liked your video and would like some help, please. I have a KJ2 classic. I have the heat deflectors and the cast iron half-moons. For a double-indirect set up where would you place these accessories? 1. Deflector plates closest to fire then the cast iron moons closest to the grates for smoking. Or 2. Cast iron half moons closest to fire, the. X-ring accessory with deflator plates resting on top? Thank you in advance, Chris

[@bernardsbbq]

Thank you, I have had burnt bottoms with the deflectors in the lowest position and was wondering why. I now use double indirect on all long jobs.

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Cheers

[@dennisfeldman56]

Hi informative video. I now have a Komodo Kamado which is insanely insulated. The thinking from the users and inventor is to not use deflectors at all that for indirect cooking a pan or pan and tin foil is all thats required. Do you have any experience with these and whats your thoughts on the foil method?

[@princeofpromise6436]

Great vid! Tried using your Meater affiliate link to order a new temp probe, but it doesn't seem to be adding the 10% discount automatically. Is there a promo code we need to enter?

[@donalddoan3092]

Great video. This leads me to question how I monitor my cooking temps inside my BJ1. I never use the dome thermometer, I use a thermometer right on the cooking grates. It is always 20F-30F higher than the dome temp. My thought is, at the grates is where the food is so that's where I should be monitoring my temps from. Yes? No?

[@Golfindialpha]

Hi ! Thanks for this video. I bought a cheaper heat deflector for my kamado, but the stainless steel structure that supports the ceramic deflectors barely fits in the bowl. There is only about 1 mm of clearance between the bowl and the stainless steel. Will the stainless steel expand when heated and potentially exert pressure on the bowl, causing it to crack? Thank you very much

[@WQ9V]

So, I just got a Kamado Joe classic I don't have a slow role attachment I see on your video's that you say 250 to 300 temps I do have the deflector plates and I put a pizza pan above them while smoking. Do you have any tips? My normal Brisket is about 12 to 15 lbs.

[@andythedrew7]

So with double indirect do you use/start with more charcoal? How does fire work harder?

[@j-boy9256]

Getting to see what the Predator does on the weekend when he's not hunting Arnold Schwarzenegger he's grilling on a kamado haha... 🔻🔺

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Hahaha

[@supervisor8230]

@Smoking Dad BBQ does the new and much lower temperature Kamado is now pointing out for the SloRoller 150F(65C) to 300F(149C) affect the double indirect setup as it will get hotter down in the grill in this setup but the new SloRoller does not take it anymore?

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

I put that warning in the ebook along with my updated preference now that we should avoid that

[@dennisfeldman56]

It would be interesting to test the temps with the 2 zone set up and your KJ method of cooking on the cool side with the plate against the wall. It seem that that heat would be uneven and much cooler than toward the edge where the heat is passing. The set up seems counter intuitive.

[@tlc2011jlc]

Thank you for this. I have a kettle jo, a big green egg, and an off set. I have yet to cook a brisket using a kettle cooker. Would love to try overnight while sleeping. Any new tips, temps or times?

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Check out my kettle joe brisket video. It was overnight

[@TheRssr1979]

Great video I have a classic 2. Was wondering if the 3 tier divide and conquer rack fits the classic 2. Have you tested it?

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

It does. I have it in the tallow head to head between wagyu and home made I believe

[@TheRssr1979]

@@SmokingDadBBQ perfect Will chech out that video and I will probably get the 3 tier rack for myself

[@donbert]

Can you address how you would optimize the Kettle Joe as well? Looks like your ebooks are only the Kamodo Joes. It’s hard to find any good information about what accessories work for the Kettle Joe or anything really besides your review videos. Thanks!

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

They discontinued it in North America so I only included current models but I do the same as my overnight brisket on it video a year or two back with a water pan

[@CoolJay77]

Interesting.

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Very!

[@nirglazer5962]

very interesting video, just a nitpick - FLIR is pronounced FLEER not FILER sorry! just noticed you said it a few times

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

My bad

[@MrAndydavis78]

Would like to know how to do Double-Indirect in a BGE! (an XL to be specific!) Cheers!

[@gabrielyamal5413]

I have the same question. Saw a thread that described attempting this by using CGS Woo & Spider with a pizza stone & conveggtor

[@Tofflemire5]

If money and space did not matter, would you recommend the Kamado Big Joe 3?

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

money is no object its the one to have... the series 1 BJ is the value champ

[@tlc2011jlc]

So single or double indirect for a brisket?

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Long cooks is the only time I go for double

[@davidschwarz7350]

The conclusion that the closer the deflectors are to the fire means they get hotter so more radiant heat but they're further from the food so it may not be as much radiant energy. Same principle of keeping food as far from fire as possible. I'd be curious on a side to side cook for actual taste results.

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Thanks

[@tonyflo04]

I got a kettle Joe on the cheap, Can I do a double indirect on the kettle joe with the slo roller?

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Yes my brisket cook on it essentially did this with a large water pan as the second deflector

[@tonyflo04]

@@SmokingDadBBQ Thank you,, i was going to get a couple of ceramic half moons as my first layer (or maybe a full pizza stone)…then a water man on top or a water pan on the slo roller. i’l search for your kettlke joe video. Thanks again, much appreciated

[@Cbbq]

Does the weight of the deflector matter ? It is a variable. Cheers from ottawa

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

I will look into it

[@emmgeevideo]

I hate to say it, but I don't feel like you've moved the ball down the field on this one. I don't see "absorb the energy" as what's happening. If an object is closer to the fire, it gets hotter. That's pretty much what you showed. If someone wants to reduce the heat at grill level (where the food sits) to prevent scorching at the bottom of the food, seems to me you need to repeat the tests with a measurement instrument (that actually works) at the grill level with heat deflectors at various levels and configurations.

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

This prompted those questions and I included a clip from the next test which measures evaporative cooling as well as the radiant energy differences from the stones by putting temp into the water in part 2

[@davidrussell631]

So the higher the deflectors the more even the heat is that is released from them, and the less radiant heat is released from them. However, the less space under whatever you’re smoking the less smoke is adsorbed on the bottom side of whatever you’re smoking as well, especially if the space is blocked by the sides of a pan. Before I got my KJ’s I thought they were quite efficient and offered great temp control. Now with the typical wait taken for my KJ Big Joe 2 to get heated soaked, especially with a double indirect setup, I’m not so sure. My Texas Pit Crafters offset smoker has a big water pan in the bottom of the cooker that sits an inch or so off the bottom of the smoke chamber so it also works great as a charcoal pan. It was designed with that in mind and you wanna talk about good chicken skin? Direct heat at moderate temps in that smoker/grill makes it easy, so like my little PK and 22” Weber kettle, it really earns its keep. So right now if one had to go it would be my Big Joe 2. Tell me I’m wrong, though, before I sell it. I’m all ears.

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

I do get spoiled with a grill torch. I am never more than 20min to cooking on any setup

[@davidrussell631]

@@SmokingDadBBQ yes sir, I have a torch as well. Much quicker but there’s still a lot of propane used as well as lump to get these grills up to temp and heat soaked. My PK simply runs circles around my KJ in terms of efficiency. Thanks for the reply.

[@dougmcfee8351]

Ebook purchases are not going through on pp

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Email me. Not sure what’s up with that

[@JustGrillingandChilling.]

☕️ good morning James…. ☕️ 🍞

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Morning!

[@michaelmiller1109]

You should change your channel to Kamado Cooking.

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

There was offset, pizza oven and pellet grill videos before this one

[@michaelmiller1109]

@@SmokingDadBBQ I just watched a very small KZbinr in Holland, who rocked his cook btw, cite your Kamado expertise.

[@michaelmiller1109]

I am not faulting your style. I envy it in many ways. But the expensive equipment and steep learning curve makes it feel unattainable.

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

@@michaelmiller1109glad to have helped