Keg - Too efficient?

[ApexAZ]

I started with a Bubba Keg that I purchased over 10 years ago that morphed into a new (mostly) Broil King Keg as I replaced a bunch of parts through warranty a few years back. I haven't done a ton of BBQ over the last several years other than the odd rack of ribs, pork butt or steak sear, but have started to get an itch to do some more serious cooks and try to improve my results.

Been watching some youtube and watched Franklin's masterclass and it has got me thinking about smoke quality. The Keg is an extremely efficient smoker in that it requires very little fuel for long cooks, but that isn't necessarily good for smoke quality either because it's smoldering the charcoal instead of burning. I have seen some videos of the Kamado Joe III's being taller and actually a bit less efficient, which is actually good because you need a hotter fire for cleaner smoke.

Living in Arizona, I'm not sure how much hotter I can run the fire in the summer while maintaining < 300 temps for low-n-slow cooking on my keg. To be fair, with 114 degree temps I'm not sure a ceramic would be that much different either. Nonetheless, I'm curious what others who have a Keg (or even an acorn) have done to increase combustion while still maintaining < 300 degree temps. Seeing actual flame in the bottom of a Kamado Joe and still holding at like 275 is intriguing. Thoughts?

 

[dr k]

I don't stack in layers and smoke in my Akorn with the Minion method with coals down low. Like you said very little coal and air gives the temp you want and turns wood to charcoal vs a complete burn unless at higher temps of 300 or so. People with a Vortex volcano shaped ring or I use a 3" high round starting collar 10" in dia for vents. I burned the zinc out of it for zone cooking right under the food grate. You can put a chunk of wood right on the grilling grate over the coals with the food around it indirectly and control the heat, being efficient which directly equals the amount of smoke and no flame ups. They do this a lot with the Weber kettle with the vortex but I have an elevated charcoal grate a little over 3" below my cooking grate for back and forth seal/indirect cooking with my ring and chunk of wood.

 

[philpom]

I had an AKORN for a bunch of years. There really isn't too much you can do. I had a weber charcoal grate that fit in the top a few inches below the cook grate for searing and I did fashion a divider plate for the fire box. That will allow you to have a hotter fire and put your hunk of meat over the empty side of the box for an indirect and less intense fire. I typically used a deflector for most smoking though.

As far as ceramics go, I have a Primo OVAL XL and smoked a pork belly in it the other day while it was something like 110 outside. Was able to keep it under 200. Ceramics IMO provide a better "smoke profile" as you put it over an insulated metal kooker but nothing I have can beat my offset from that point of view. Provides you with that intense fire combined with low temps.