<![CDATA[Low temps using a kamado style smoker]]>I’m posting this for anyone trying to maintain very low temps on a Kamado smoker. There is not much information out there when it comes to running these below 170 so I thought this may help. All Kamado are a little different but I would think this could work for most of them. I have a BGE and a Acorn that I have added some mods too. I decided to use the acorn for the test as it’s a little bit easier to get temperatures down if they rise .

This is what I used to to this.

  1. Hard lump …I used the smallest pieces I could find and I made a snake design on the outer part of the basket
  2. Deflector plate.
  3. PID with a fan
  4. Wood chips.
  5. 5lb snack sticks( I didn’t want to do to much for the test)

I started just a few coals on the left side closest to the air inlet that the fan is on. Put my deflector on and grate. opened up the top vent about half. I set controller to 130. Once temps got to around 100 degrees Fahrenheit I closed the top vent with only a slight opening about 1/4 inch.

It maintained 130 degrees for one hour then set controller to 145. I opened up the top damper to half again. Once temps started rising I closed it back 1/4 inch open. I ran it another hour. After one hour I added my wood chips . After I brought the temp to 155 for 2/12 hours. I probably could have brought the temp to 175 and finished the cook but I decided to finish off in water.

The Kamado and PID controller did well maintaining the temps. The ambient temp was about 40 degrees so that maybe helped as well. I also kept the lid closed as much as possible. I had two probes I used for meat temp and one for pit temp. The stocks turned out amazing.

Things I would do different

I could have probably added more smoke. Next time I’m may add my smoke tube. I also may add a pan of water with sponges on the diffuser at my 155 cook. I also will try doing this now with the BGE as it can hold more meat.

I hope this helps anyone that has the same kind of set up I have.
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]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/topic/1893/low-temps-using-a-kamado-style-smokerRSS for NodeThu, 10 Sep 2026 23:32:31 GMTThu, 02 Jan 2020 17:07:57 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to Low temps using a kamado style smoker on Sat, 11 Apr 2020 21:42:51 GMT]]>Jonathon i refueled the Primo today and still had half a load of charcoal left over from the last 8 hour plus cook.

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/16105https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/16105Sat, 11 Apr 2020 21:42:51 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Low temps using a kamado style smoker on Mon, 30 Mar 2020 14:32:56 GMT]]>Jonathon I just had it loaded by 3/4 full with charcoal, the big drop is when I opened the lid to take the chicken off. I haven’t checked to see how much fuel is left yet, but I’m thinking it probably ran through a good portion of it.

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/15435https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/15435Mon, 30 Mar 2020 14:32:56 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Low temps using a kamado style smoker on Mon, 30 Mar 2020 12:47:59 GMT]]>Tex_77 That is pretty awesome man! How much fuel did you go through during that process? 8 hours is a long time for it to hold that steady and I see one drop that could possibly be adding more wood or whatever you were using but other than that one drop halfway through it is remarkably steady!

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/15421https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/15421Mon, 30 Mar 2020 12:47:59 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Low temps using a kamado style smoker on Mon, 30 Mar 2020 02:01:45 GMT]]>I’ll also add I think the key to the fan doing what you want us to have your grill/smoker basically tuned in to the temp you want it to hold at before putting the fan on.

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/15406https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/15406Mon, 30 Mar 2020 02:01:45 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Low temps using a kamado style smoker on Mon, 30 Mar 2020 01:51:10 GMT]]>Well got to use my Firedboard Fan today, and I couldn’t be happier with it! Had it set at 225 and over the course of about 8 hours it held an average temp of 225.
Screenshot_20200329-162739_FireBoard.jpg

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/15403https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/15403Mon, 30 Mar 2020 01:51:10 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Low temps using a kamado style smoker on Mon, 23 Mar 2020 17:08:12 GMT]]>Well i finally got a chance to use my Fireboard Drive Fan on Primo XL today, i think it will work great once i get it tuned in, but cooking a pork loin was really too short of a cook to play with it much.
20200322_160938.jpg

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/14965https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/14965Mon, 23 Mar 2020 17:08:12 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Low temps using a kamado style smoker on Fri, 03 Jan 2020 14:15:03 GMT]]>Stats77 Yeah, in general, if it is bad it will be removed but there isn’t anything like a penalty if you post something that gets removed.

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/10607https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/10607Fri, 03 Jan 2020 14:15:03 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Low temps using a kamado style smoker on Fri, 03 Jan 2020 00:51:57 GMT]]>Stats77 Just don’t post links to the competition’s websites and you should be in the clear for the most part.

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/10586https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/10586Fri, 03 Jan 2020 00:51:57 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Low temps using a kamado style smoker on Fri, 03 Jan 2020 00:17:07 GMT]]>Jonathon thank you I appreciate that. I have prob a silly questions but is the spot where it shows like rules for posting I. Forums? I’ve seen a couple times where people have posted a external link and then it’s removed. Just kind of wondering as I am pretty new here and when I posted pics I wasn’t sure if having the pic with my controller was ok. I’m probably overthinking this but I thought I would ask. Thanks

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/10582https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/10582Fri, 03 Jan 2020 00:17:07 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Low temps using a kamado style smoker on Thu, 02 Jan 2020 20:54:03 GMT]]>Stats77 I agree with Joe Hell this is a REALLY good post!

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/10543https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/10543Thu, 02 Jan 2020 20:54:03 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Low temps using a kamado style smoker on Thu, 02 Jan 2020 18:04:38 GMT]]>Tex_77 nice. Yea. I have not tried one yet but I plan on getting one for my BGE. Yes I don’t think this would work without the controller.

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/10524https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/10524Thu, 02 Jan 2020 18:04:38 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Low temps using a kamado style smoker on Thu, 02 Jan 2020 17:55:57 GMT]]>I just got a new chimney cap for my Primo, its a Smokeware Stainless Steel cap, it eliminates the Daisy Wheel style that BGE, Primo, and the older model Kamado Joe’s come with. In my one cook using it, I found it greatly improved my temperature control, as it doesn’t move when you open the lid of the grill like the daisy wheel style does. I would think for the best low temp control, you will need a fan an controller to help maintain that low of a temp, which you already have.

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/10523https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/10523Thu, 02 Jan 2020 17:55:57 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Low temps using a kamado style smoker on Thu, 02 Jan 2020 17:31:22 GMT]]>Stats77 Great post!

]]>https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/10520https://waltonsdev.nodebb.com/post/10520Thu, 02 Jan 2020 17:31:22 GMT