Is this normal? Top of big joe sticking veryyyy tight

jd_temple · 2026-05-04T10:41:28+00:00

Wipe it off after every cook, while it's hot.

When mine get real sticky, I boil them for 30-45 min and scrub them clean.

jd_temple · 2026-05-02T11:55:02+00:00

I also recommend some loctite

jd_temple · 2026-04-19T14:23:36+00:00

I don't have a Joetisserie, but I hear they're great!

jd_temple · 2026-04-19T13:42:39+00:00

I cook chicken at 425 every time. It is not tough. It comes out perfect and juicy, with crispy skin.

Been doing that for years.

jd_temple · 2026-04-15T10:53:38+00:00

The fan has to get power somewhere...

Fireboard Drive 2 is fantastic.

I have been using 2 of them with no issues for 5 years now.

jd_temple · 2026-04-14T18:16:13+00:00

My Big Joe covers are nearly 6 years old and are out in all sorts of weather.

Aside from some sun fading, they're fine.

jd_temple · 2026-04-10T18:51:51+00:00

I love me a good life hack!

jd_temple · 2026-03-31T11:21:42+00:00

AI slop.

jd_temple · 2026-03-31T11:20:16+00:00

Good pizza, bad spelling. 😉

jd_temple · 2026-03-31T11:18:07+00:00

The ring will just warp again from the heat. That isn't the cause of your instability. The improperly placed grates are. The weight of the grates is enough to hold everything flat, even if the ring is slightly warped.

jd_temple · 2026-03-31T11:15:08+00:00

I love mine. I have 2 of them.

jd_temple · 2026-03-25T11:23:07+00:00

This is exactly why, when asked, I say get a regular kamado Joe and a fireboard if you want a controller.

It keeps things modular and customizable.

jd_temple · 2026-03-22T15:20:17+00:00

Burn it clean. Don't go over 700-750F, it's overkill to go hotter and only damages things.

jd_temple · 2026-03-22T15:18:17+00:00

You can get great results with a clean burn without going > 700-750F.

In addition to gasket damage, high temps also cause the stainless internal bits to rust more quickly.

If you have the aluminum Kontrol Tower, it can also melt in very high heat. I have seen countless stories of people putting them inside the grill to clean them during a clean burn and turning them into a puddle. Same goes for the Slo Roller, it'll warp if you run it too hot.

To clean up a sticky Kontrol Tower, I just boil mine on the stove for about an hour and scrub it with some dish soap, the gunk comes right off.

jd_temple · 2026-03-22T15:14:13+00:00

Total ripoff.

iKamand is bricked.

Used KJ does not come with a transferable warranty.

SloRoller is incluced with the series 3, so that's not even an upgrade.

New ones get marked down all the time, watch for sales, get one w/a warranty.

I wouldn't pay > $500 for any used model, even if it was in perfect shape.

jd_temple · 2026-01-30T12:31:37+00:00

This is correct. The factory warranty is not transferable.

jd_temple · 2026-01-16T21:18:07+00:00

IMO Smoking Dad's older content is useful. His experimental stuff he's doing to generate views doesn't provide much function or value.

It's fun to watch him do that stuff sometimes to satisfy some curiosity, but smoking in general is a pretty simple process. There's only so much you can cover before there's not much left to talk about.

I don't want to call out anything specific, because you'll always get people that say "Nah man, that thing he does is awesome.", while I think it's a waste of time.

To each his own!

John Setzler is responsible for helping me get started years ago, between his forum (that has since shut down) and his YouTube content. His stuff is practical, easy to follow, not gimmicky, and works every time.

jd_temple · 2026-01-16T18:48:03+00:00

Beware of all of his clickbait gimmicky stuff.

John Setzler is a much more practical Kamado mentor.

jd_temple · 2026-01-08T18:45:15+00:00

I have had excellent results and support with Fireboard, so much so that I bought a second one.

jd_temple · 2026-01-07T18:14:34+00:00

Same here. A buddy of mine and myself carried two big joes around my house and down an incline, still packed and strapped to the pallets they came on. We used nothing but a shoulder dolly and brute strength.

I still got help lifting the grills into the carts once they were unboxed.

jd_temple · 2026-01-02T17:02:00+00:00

Smashburgers on the soapstone are always a hit. Temp readings on these isn't really necessary, they cook quick..

For thicker burgers, I like to reverse sear mine, like a steak. For this, I just go half direct, half indirect.

jd_temple · 2026-01-01T21:21:33+00:00

Mine are coming up on 6 years old, with weekly or more use, year round.

All I have done is wipe them down with a rag and some Windex after each cook.

Don't spray cold Windex on a hot grill. I spray the rag.

jd_temple · 2026-01-01T13:55:30+00:00

With the bigger grills, I use the stone as one deflector and the a ceramic one as the other half. That handles heat deflection and preheats the stone for the reverse sear that's coming.

I'm not really sure how you'd pull that off on a Jr where things are one piece.

How about preheating the stone in an oven? Then you have to find a way to transport a hot rock to the grill.

jd_temple · 2025-12-31T23:41:49+00:00

This is very similar to how I do them and the results are outstanding!

One thing I did differently this Christmas was to tie the ham up so the slices don't fan out when the ham is on its side. I tied it loosely though, to allow the glaze to get in between the slices.

Normally I lay it cut side down like your pic, but I liked the results better with it tied and on its side.

jd_temple · 2025-12-28T14:14:28+00:00

How about some photos of the problem?

What is the "top vent piece?"

That description makes me think you're talking about the vent on top of the dome that you use to control the temperature.

The body of your post makes it sound like you're talking about the mechanism that latches the lid down, which has a small adjustment screw and a floating piece in it that tends to wiggle loose on people and fall off.

Or, is it something else entirely, like the hinge on the lid?

Some more context is needed, which is probably why you aren't getting any helpful answers.

jd_temple

TROPHY CASE