I smoked these baby backs today. This was at the two hour mark at a temp range of 250-300; I was trying to stay at 250 but kept having fluctuations so I kept have to adjust my vents. My plan at this point was to wrap and put them back on for another hour, but looking like this I just decided to go ahead and pull them. The top part was perfect, but the bottom of each slab was actually kind of charred. How do you prevent charring like that when you’re using the heat deflectors? Do you need to flip them during the cook?
by BamaCEO
8 Comments
Get a rib rack. Also get some sort of automated temperature regulator.
Fluctuations happen. Especially when the weather is fluctuating. Make small adjustments, wait. Get a water pan! I put apple cider vinegar and water in mine.That may solve a lot of issues, with temp stability and charring. Also, I cover my deflectors with foil. Makes cleanup easy.
I know it doesn’t answer your question, but there’s something I thought I should bring to your attention. Perhaps you already know this, and there’s a reason why you’re doing it the way you’re doing it. But I figure I would point it out anyway as I’ve come across a LOT of people over the years who didn’t know this piece of information, and it’s been a facepalm/oh of course that makes more sense type moment. So you wouldn’t be alone if this is the case.
Your grill racks aren’t supposed to be supported by the X accessory ring. That’s why they’re not securely held in place in your picture. The little pin on the right side of the picture where the X accessory ring is located on (there is another one on the opposite side), is actually where your grates should be pressed against, so they remain stable in position. I find it easy to have those “pins” at the 12 & 6 o’clock positions, so my grill grate bars align from front to back and they can be easily inserted and removed from each side with ease.
Picture for illustration:
https://preview.redd.it/0tztpakooryf1.jpeg?width=1079&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0a5c8ff4d5fcb3f3c7e242638333770d502a06d5
The charring is possibly due to the higher range temperatures you were getting, accompanied by there being no drip tray to add another level of heat deflection beneath the ribs.
I usually have a large foil covered stainless steel circular pan on the X accessory rack just above the deflectors. This not only adds another layer, but helps with keeping the mess down in the Kamado and less crap burning onto the deflector plates. I don’t bother adding any liquid to it though, as the Kamado is already great for moisture retention.
KJ needs patience – chasing temps with multiple vent adjustments is a symptom of not locking in a temp with good fire management.
Charred bottoms are likely connected to a fire that was too big and overwhelmed the ability of the heat deflectors to block heat transfer.
Too much lit charcoal at once. Either started it with too much, or it built up due to vents not being regulated or, more likely, too many times with the lid open and feeding your fire with a big gulp of air each time. Kamados are sensitive to such things, and once you get coals lit it’s difficult to cool them off. Someone recommended a temp control system like a billows connected to a controller, and this can help, but even when using one you have to keep the lid closed to keep from filling it with oxygen with each time it is opened. And yes, a heat deflector will give you more of an indirect cook rather than a direct flame kind of deal, as the heat will skirt around the deflector and be directed back down onto the meat by the domed lid. Regardless, it sounds to me like the fire simply was too hot for too long, heat deflector or not.
Is it me or is your latch bent?
Looks like you’ve got your grates a little mixed up too. The cross shaped one with the big open ring should sit a little above your deflector plates and you can suspend a pie tin in it just above the deflectors for your water. Then your actual grates should sit centered on the risers.