The Texas BBQ Forum

So I ran a quick smoke test today, using 3 hot briquettes & a chunk of wood, as shown in this setup:




It clearly showed that when I had the top vent fully closed, smoke still came out of the vent (there's no seal in the vent; it's just metal on metal).
Here's a link to a short video I shot of it on my camera: Vent Leak

The tiny amout of coal didn't get the rig very hot (just around 125 degrees). Still, I used this fix to "seal" the closed vents (plastic bags & rubberbands):


When I checked it after 1-1/2 hours, it was cold & I could save some leftover coal & wood.

So I think I'm good to go for the next use of the Kamander: Baby Back Ribs. We'll see how well it does 250 degrees.

P.B. = Perseverance Barbecuing

Thanks, OUP.

Very odd to me that there is no rounded o-ring seal on those vents...
Weird

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That may be why this cooker is so cheap. Also, the top (exhaust) vent came pre-assembled to the lid.

And as further proof of how nuts we are, we just picked up a cheap vacuum food sealer (a food saver clone). Here we are trying it with some chicken:



This is the first time we're using this type of device. It says not to use with liquid in the bag. Can you safely seal bags with liquid as long as you don't pull a vacuum on it?

Winter BBQing isn't any big hassle half the time in central California.

As far as sealing with moisture in the bag, I use food saver's plastic containers for anything legitimately liquidy (covered with gravy, etc...). They work pretty darn well, but they are a bit pricey for glorified Tupperware. With stuff like a fairly juicy piece of meat, I find the problem is some of the moisture gets sucked up to the edge of the bag and that prevents the bag from sealing properly as the machine tries to melt it together. Had some sliced turkey breast the other night that took me about 10 tries to get it to fully seal.

Food Saver now has special bags that trap the moisture before it hits the sealing area. NO idea how well they work or how much they cost though.

We freeze liquid/y stuff first and then vac it..If it's in a ziploc, we cut off the top and put that bag in the vac bag.

Cool Vacuum Sealer, Y'all - - - I'm sure you'll enjoy it - - - BTW, as you know, it is not only for meat - - - you can par-boil veggies and vac'em also

OldUsedParts wrote:Cool Vacuum Sealer, Y'all - - - I'm sure you'll enjoy it - - - BTW, as you know, it is not only for meat - - - you can par-boil veggies and vac'em also

Cool!

Can you then heat them right in the bag? In boiling water?

?hmmmmm? don't know about that I have always just par-boiled for a couple of minutes (depending on veggie) and then bag'em up and into the Freezer - - - had great succes with Okra especially - - - when I thaw and fry they always taste fresh from the stalk

Don’t boil the bags. Simmer and move them around in the pot occasionally so they don’t sit directly on the heat.


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Chasdev wrote:We freeze liquid/y stuff first and then vac it..If it's in a ziploc, we cut off the top and put that bag in the vac bag.

Really good idea on the sawed off ziplock


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Thanks for all the tips, everyone.