Smokey Joe Gold

[Robert McGee]

I am an experienced griller and run a WSM and lately a Mini-Joe Gold smoker. I thought it might be interesting to use the Smokey Joe Gold as a grill for those times when I only need space for a couple of burgers, or whatever. I recently fired up my Smokey Joe with Kingsford Original. Didn't put out much heat so I thought I would use lump the next time. Well, tonight I used a Weber Mini chimney full of Cowboy Lump. Still not near enough heat.

I have read comments from many on here that the Smokey Joe Gold was deficient as a grill. Frankly, I tended to discount those comments. Now, I am not so sure...

What is the secret of getting more heat out of the Smokey Joe Gold? My next thought is to try a full, regular chimney of briquettes or lump to see if that will work. Maybe those that claim the air vents on the Gold are in the wrong place are right? I LOVE the Smokey Joe Gold as a mini-smoker but right now the jury is still out as a grill...

What say you all?

Dale53

 

[Tony R]

I have a regular smokey joe. It gets plenty hot.
I use a 3/4 full chimney full of hot kingsford. Since the heat is so close to the meat I get a nice sear.

 

[Robert McGee]

Tony R;
Thanks for the quick reply. Do you have a Smokey Joe Silver or a Gold?

Dale53

 

[W Tyler]

I don't have the SJ Gold, but had the old Jumbo Joe/Smokey Joe Platinum. Same design - side vents - larger grill surface. The consensus seems to be that because of the design you can't get air to flow underneath the coals, hence temperatures don't get very hot. I added a small 3-hole vent (the same used in the 18.5" WSM) to mine and it helped improve the grills ability to sustain decent temps. Still never got hot and STAYED there.

I gave the SJ Platinum to my sister back in the spring, and a couple of months ago picked up a new Jumbo Joe (for 30 bucks). HUGE difference in high temp performance. I say ditch the SJ for grilling and get a new Jumbo Joe. It's a great deal even at full price (60 bucks).

 

[Tony R]

Tony R;
Thanks for the quick reply. Do you have a Smokey Joe Silver or a Gold?

Dale53

Silver.......

 

[Robert McGee]

Tony R;
Suspicions confirmed. I really have no complaints as I bought the Gold particularly for the Mini. It appears I may have to do something, tho', to get it to work well as a grill. It kind of surprises me (even with the adverse comments previously on this forum) that Weber would make a grill that doesn't work well as a grill. I am a Weber fan, but just sayin'...

Dale53

 

[Rich Langer]

Seems to me that a while back one of the guys here posted that he put a piece of metal (tin foil?) from the side air vent on his SJG to beneath the charcoal grate - he said it cured the problem. Check out http://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?36343-How-I-made-my-SJG-hot

I use my SJG as the base of my mini and I use my SJS ($10 on CL) or my mini-Akorn for small scale grilling.