As someone who has a soapstone for the KJ Classic III, I can confirm that the sear it produces is great. I've done smash burgers, NY Strips, a try-tip, a picanha, and even talapia loins, and each time the soapstone does a great job. All the steaks were done with a reverse sear cook, like in this video, and the finished product has been unbelievable. I thought about getting the cast iron insert when I purchased the grill last summer, but decided on the soapstone after watching a few of James' videos, and I'm glad I did. If you're on the fence on purchasing a soapstone for your KJ, let me put your mind at ease. Get one. Get two even, to have more smash burger smashing real estate. Great purchase.
@@krehbein One video i saw talked about soapstone having 100% molecular connectivity on the surface-I think that’s how they put it. What does that mean? Well, the video mentioned if you put cast iron under an electron microscope, you’d see pits; hills and valleys. On a soapstone, you’d see nothing but smooth surface. Molecularly smooth surface technically means more heated soapstone touching your food, means more of the food gets seared. I obviously have no way to actually confirm any of that, but it sorta makes sense. What I do know is that the soap stone has very little maintenance you have to keep up with, unlike cast iron, which of course has to be seasoned from time to time, and you cannot leave it out on the grill at all without rust forming.
@@krehbein I haven’t notice it absorb any oil, like a ceramic plate would. You do have to scrap off burnt on food, and I do oil it before putting any food on it, but I haven’t had anything stick to it if I clean it well. Fun fact: it can go in the dishwasher.
@@sandvision www.veganerschreck.ch/ They delivered my big joe which was very helpful since it weighs a ton 😅 They are friendly and in my area. Not sure about their English though.
Several years ago before I bought my series 2 classic I went to a Kamado masterclass here in London, mostly just to try before I buy. But that taught me the reverse sear method with the “caveman sear” and it’s become my go to technique for steaks. I love picking up one big bone-in cut to feed the 2 of us (like a nice côte de boeuf). I’ll often throw a couple oak chunks to add a bit of smoke and that works great with this searing method.
Phenomenal comparison and exactly what I expected based on visual observation prior to you doing the taste test. I have to look into a soapstone. Thanks!
What is your view of a Blaze cast aluminum Kamado? It would be helpful for you to do a review. I love your videos and always learn a lot. Have a great 2023.
Awesome episode! One thing that I would like to know is if searing at lower temps (450 - 500F) would be better controlled compared to the “inferno mode”. I love browning …. Burning not so much :-) Maybe a good idea for a follow up video…. Thanks! Big fan!
First of all, let me say that I love your channel. You do the best job of explaining all aspects of cooking on the Kamado Joe. How long did you sear the steak on the Soapstone? I'm grilling some filets tonight and plan to try this method. Thank You, Eddie
Another exceptional video, really appreciate the effort you put in, must be a hard life eating so much delicious food. One thing though, those "pretty black lines" from the grill are just burnt bits, which you didn't like on the cast iron or on the fat from the caveman. Can I suggest trying not to get them by putting the grill in cold with the meat on it, as you the steak around during the sear it will balance out the crust and you'll get a great even finish with no carbon on your food.
James, you are great - love your channel. I recently purchased a KJC3. I like the soap stone, but am wondering about getting another one so that it would cover the entire grill. However, I’m questioning if that would interfere with the effectiveness of the slow roller. A stainless or cast iron grill has spaces to let air flow through, but the soap stone covering the entire circular surface would seem to cut down on the air flow and might negate the circulation benefits of the slow roller when smoking. I’m also concerned about limiting exposure to certain cancer risk arising from fat dripping on coals and then sticking to the meat. What do you think?
Hey James, great video as always. There was parts of the video when the sound wasn't synchronized which can be a little distracting. I first noticed this after you ramped the speed and slowed down at 15:10. Thanks!
I like using the soap stone the most. My wife’s side of family has never had a steak that matched the taste they got to try from what I made on soap stone. They recently told me on family online chat that the best steak they had ever had were the ones I made,
James, awesome content and I'm glad I saw this before buying any accessories for my new KJ. Before this video gets too far down the road, I did notice a good lag on the audio around the 15:00 mark. I don't want to be "that guy" but in case you didn't notice it and want to fix. ;-) Thanks for all the great KJ content. I bought a new dutch oven just for your chili recipe!
Thanks, I saw it today playing back and have no idea what caused that... i was hoping it was TH-cam but when i played the raw file export it is doing the same. No idea why that happened, bummer as I like this one ...funny enough it gets better again near the end
@@SmokingDadBBQ yeah I've had weird things like that happen in my videos. Regardless I love your channel and I'm loving my new KJ that the wife got me for Christmas. Just did a smoked brisket today! Also I forgot to say earlier I like your grill station. I'm designing one for my back yard and am definitely intrigued by doing my own concrete top.
Great video James, I now make sure I've eaten before watching but I still end up drooling. I said last time that I had ordered my soapstone. Well, it arrived with a chunk missing out of it so it has to go back. Now waiting for the replacement and I have two fine steaks waiting to go on it.
Fantastic video as always. I would love to see a video of you walking through the vent settings that you use for different temperatures maybe in 25-50 degree increments as I feel this is one of the hardest aspects many run into with a KJ.
I’d love to see one like that...how to build up your bbq, why put coal where in the bbq, the hight of the grids, the settings of the vents, the use of thermometers... keep up the good and fun works
I'm surprised at the difference between the soapstone and the cast iron. I would have thought they would be neck and neck. I can't wait to get my hands on one! I love the vs videos!
if i did this again i think the cast iron needed lower temps... the heat that works for the soapstone was too much for the cast iron i think. It just didn't taste good compared to the others. If i started all over again based on all my cooks, i would only have bought the soapstone
Video suggestion: wood placement. When you set up for a long, smokey cook you always put the wood on the bottom but I've never heard you go into any detail as to why. It could be that you've covered this in a video that I haven't seen but, if you haven't, it would be helpful. Lately I have been experimenting with wood placement searching for the best way get that "thin blue smoke" for as long as possible without exposing my food to any more "billowy white smoke" than necessary. I'm not sure that placing the wood on the bottom does that.
Hey James I have a question. The soapstone is going for $175 while half moon cast iron reversible griddle is going for $50. If I get two griddles that would be $100. Isn’t the griddle more versatile than the soap stone? Can you make fajitas or breakfast or phillly cheesesteaks on soapstone? I really love that you can get the best sear on the Soapstone since I eat a lot of steak, but can it really match the versatility of a griddle? You are my go to when it comes to all things KAmado so I’m leaning on you for an informed decision. Thanks for the vids. Keep ‘em coming.
that price differential is getting a little nuts.... it wasn't that crazy when i got mine. yes you can make all those things on the soapstone, have you tried other suppliers to see if the price is more reasonable?
Great content really enjoy your videos. Do you think you could do any more videos of the soap stone cooks with something other than steak. Maybe a smoking dad bbq breakfast?
Also really like using the soapstone, great searing surface also for more delicate items like scallops. One grate I am missing in this test is the hard anadized alluminium Grillgrates, also great for searing. No flareups and great grill marks. Way better then with cast iron. Thank you once again James for this comparison 🔥👍
If anyone is interested, both the Half moon soap stone, and the half moon cast iron, are on clearance at Lowes in Ontario. The BigJoe ones are $55CDN for the cast iron and $90CDN for the soapstone. You wont find a better price than that.
Just got the half moon cast iron and am curious about how it will do since I love the regular grates for the sear onsteak so far. Thanks alot for the comparison and tips!.
You said you let the steaks rest after they hit 114 degrees before searing. How long did you let them rest for? Did you check the surface temperature of the soap stone before putting the steak on? If so, what was it. Once on the soap stone do you rotate the steak every 20 seconds? Do you just keep rotating until you get the crust you want or are you looking for something else? Did you check internal temperature once finished? Do you let the steaks rest again once seared? I use the soap stone for my sears, so I am interested in your procedure.
Thanks Matthew. I let them rest about 15min before I had both grills holding steady at their temps. I don't have a device to measure the soapstone, but if i've had it in as the heat deflector at 300f its already soaking in heat so after the joe shoots up to 600f in this case (5min) the extra 10min just sitting there has always been enough to get the sear crust I am after. I rotated the steak every 20 seconds or so until the crust looked right. No i don't check the temp again, i used to but I do this so often it just works out this way so I stopped. Basically the steak climbs from 114-125 when resting and then drops back down towards 114... the sear brings it back to 125. I slice after 5min but the rest has already happened earlier to this time its not as important
@@SmokingDadBBQ Now that you have the Thermapen IR, have you taken a reading of the soapstone surface temperature when searing? I'm very curious as I totally botched the sear on my ribeyes tonight on the soapstone.
I've been meaning to for a while but I finally picked up a soapstone after your last video, hopefully Bezos hooked you up. I'm very much looking forward to using it! Of course it was my predicted winner.
I have to say, the Kamado Joe is so versatile to cook with, but one of the biggest down falls for me is cleaning out the ash. I'm at the point where I will just use a vacuum to clean it out. The ash tray gets stuck sometime when too much ash gets between the tray and the support cavity. When I try to take out the bottom iron grate catch, it will push the panels out of place then I have to try and put the panel back into place with the metal trim that holds them together. Plus ash really blows all over the place when I pull out the tray and is not a major problem for me, but for my girlfriend she hates it. Anyway, I really love my Kamado Joe.
I have been really impressed as well. good idea; I do like to wait until after I have used a product extensively before pursing a sponsorship so that I know it’s something I’d recommend to family and friends. get a lot of unsolicited offers for bbqs and products I’ve never seen
Great video. Sadly I bought the half moon reverse cast iron before soapstone. I really don't like it nor use it. Soapstone is probably my favorite surface for all foods....easy to clean and retains heat really well.
Paused the video before your taste test. I am guessing the soapstone will be the winner, as it looks the closest to the cold-grate result I get on mine (not to mention, since you always use the soapstone logic would dictate it's your favorite method 😉). Using the cold grate technique with the Slow N Sear is probably somewhere between the caveman and soap stone methods. There are no grill marks whatsoever, and the grate is so close to the coals that it would almost be like setting a grate directly on top of the coals and doing a caveman sear on top of it.
Exactly the video I needed. Just got the BJ3 for Christmas and trying to decide which should be my first accessory/surface This will make my first surface purchase the soapstone. Now....should I get that or the joetisserie ... 🤔
Hey James. I'm really enjoying your videos. One thing I'm trying to find is a good discussion or video on managing cooking steaks for a family where there are a variety of doneness levels requested. I'll have half a dozen steaks that need to come out from med rare to well done and I don't know the best way to juggle. Thanks.
Fun vid I agree on cast iron for flavor or maintenance IMHO cast iron comes in last but its personal :) that said I prefer carbon steel griddles or french chef style carbon steel pans for searing but will have to get and try soapstone Throwing on coals I often knock them first ? Great vid
After watching this I wondered , what was done temp in BIG JOE (for searing) with soap stone and cast-iron in place ? i would guess lower than 700 being sorta heat deflected
Hi James, thanks for the many great videos. I have two questions please. I’m getting a Kamado as a secondary grill. I have a FireMagic gas grill as well. We are a family of 5 and entertain occasionally. I am planning to have it built into an outdoor kitchen but worried that the big joe might be too big but nevertheless keen on the larger joe. Would you get the big joe or the classic and how much depth is required to open the lid without it hitting a wall behind it? I also see that you have your grills underneath a roof. Have you ever had any issues with that? Thanks, Martin.
you need just over 5” from behind the black hinge mechanism to open the dome. I would round up to six inches. I think you’d need about 36.5” from the wall to where the table ends at the front of the big Joe to have it sit and be able to open I would do the big Joe. it’s my favourite
I have the classic and a family of only 3 and occasionally find myself wishing for more room on the grate. If I had a family of 5 I would definitely go for the big Joe.
Well, I have a tip for the caveman sear in order to make it better, do not use the classic charcoals for it. Make a fire of spruce wood and when that has burned down do your steak including the caveman in that spruce wood coals. Alternatively, do the regular coals but before the sear, burn some thin spruce wood twigs on the coals. The coals you have from either method still have some of the salts and minerals from the wood in them, it is almost as if you add some additional flavours.
Revisiting this video because I couldn't remember if the Grill Gun was in the running or not, as I used my Grill Gun to sear steaks for the first time to night. It was intimidating but I was pretty pleased with the result, and it definitely saved me a bunch of charcoal.
Curious why you have not tried the classic cast iron skillets as part of your tests. A good heavy Finex or Lodge skillet has a smooth bottom and cook surface so no lines like on the grill plates. I think there is still a lot of merit to the classic method of sear first and then finish to temp on indirect heat still in the skillet. You get a more diversely cooked steak (crusted outside and transition from medium well at the surface, passing thru medium and medium rare to near rare in the center) which I think is more pleasing then the homogeneous reverse sear.
I would be interested in the difference between reverse sear and initial sear on the various cooking surfaces. I seem to prefer an initial sear on the soapstone followed by indirect.
I just got a soap stone! To do a reverse sear do I do the whole cook on the soap stone or just the sear? Also does it matter how ashed over the coals are when searing? Does it improve the taste if they are fully ashed over?
yes you want ashed over coals. you can do both, but i put a gird above the soapstone and use it as a heat deflector so that it heat soaks and then sear on the soapstone
@@SmokingDadBBQ I went back and reviewed it last night for fun. I saw that. I wonder if it is simply the heat transfer of cast iron vs soap stone. I assumed it was the grate side, due to the grill marks. In YT history I will be the first to say, oops I was wrong =)
Great video as always. Can’t wait to do my dry aged NY strip steaks on Monday on my soapstone! I love truff too. You know they sell the black in a 1 gallon jug? But it looks like you prefer the hotter version. Thanks for the great content.
@@SmokingDadBBQ it looks like you would save $50 buying the gallon and one of the reviews said they did custom bottle a hotter for someone. It is $249 for 1 gallon vs the $14 for 6oz at the grocery store.
Always love your videos! Looking at some new accessories for my Joe Jr. Thoughts on a new cooking surface - is the sear plate worth it? I see that there is also a new soapstone accessory which is exciting. Is it worth getting both? Thank you as always for your thoughts.
I would get the soapstone and skip the sear plate. I've used it a few times but the pretty black lines (which it does well) don't taste as good to me... for a BBQ steak comp get the sear plate. For a steak to wow your friends, get the soapstone
yes but if I do that it’s because I’ve added garlic and butter and thyme etc. today I was only tasting for the surfaces themselves without any extra techniques
look at the back of the bag. the left side string pull the lose end of the string out of the first loop, after that it pulls just like i showed here ... its so satisfying when you get it lol
Really enjoying the video. I don’t have a KJ yet but have a question on managing a cook. My wife likes her steaks MW and I like MR. That is tough to manage. For a reverse sear would you recommend pulling mine of sooner, and let it rest while her’s cooks further? If so, what internal temp would you take hers to for MW after the sear? I am sure a Meater is going to have to be used here.
in general i find i gain about 10f in the rest... so i would remove yours at 120 or below and hers at 130 or below .... then crank the heat and sear each. should only take a few min to get from 120-130... you could even start the vents opening up while you wait so that you are heating up while it finishes
@@SmokingDadBBQ thanks James. So, between my comment and now, I brought a Classic 1 home from my local Lowe’s. Entry price is nice on this model and 24” is a bit big for me now (maybe later….). I can add some as accessories as needed. Thanks for all your info, they have all been very helpful
@@extramurous Not really. Throw some salt and pepper and maybe a little garlic powder on a steak and throw it on a hot fire ... have a cold Sam Adams while you're waiting. Doesn't get any simpler. 😎
@@ranger2316 - if you buy a good cut of meat (and why wouldn't you?), it's not that hard to make a great tasting steak with an oven and a frying pan. The fact that you are using a grill indicates that you are willing to go to some bother in search of better results. If you are using charcoal even more so, lump charcoal even more, etc. One way of defining barbecue (and there are many) is "the pursuit of incrementally smaller improvements in food quality at the expense of exponentially increasing amounts time, effort, and money".
@@extramurous I wonder if I really needed a freaking lecture on cooking a steak. Since you brought it up, I use both the grill and oven/frying pan method. I try not to overthink it.
Really interesting - quite surprised by the cast iron result, but it definitely pushes me more towards getting a soapstone. What was most interesting though was the caveman technique: I'd never even heard of that. I'd be reluctant to ruin a good bit of meat for fear of the ash. I know you say there shouldn't be any, but I'm pretty sure I'm one of those cretins who never manage to get their steak completely dry before grilling... at the risk of denting your back pocket further Smoking Dad, how about a video just on this technique, perhaps comparing some different cuts? I'd imagine that a tenderloin would come out really well this way... but it's going to be an expensive mistake to make if it goes wrong! Great video, as always. Love your work. G-Man, Dubai.
thanks so much. I think I spend some more time on this in my wagyu tri tip video- th-cam.com/video/WGo-Sq1jbhU/w-d-xo.html as you noted, for non flat surfaces this method wins as you can get a better sear. only downside is you lose the fat cap to char
you can accomplish the same thing with a half indirect and half direct setup ..... spinning the grate doesn't do anything to improve or hurt the flavour, it's just going back and forth from direct to indirect
Thanks, i aim for about 15-20 seconds before moving around and then peak at 30 to see how its going. regardless if its done i flip around 40 and do the same on the other side and then add another hit if the crust needs it / can take it
Great video on a topic that I’ve contemplated many times myself. I’ve been using a soapstone and using ghee/olive oil to help improve the crust. Any other suggestions for maximizing the crust when using a soapstone?
i like the mayo sear sauce. mayo, garlic, salt and pepper and a little red wine vinegar mixed up and painted on the steaks before hitting the soapstone
Hi James, the availability to purchase the Big Joe Soapstone is difficult and so expensive! Could you direct sear on the heat deflector with parchment paper? Just a thought!
@@SmokingDadBBQ yep, not sure either but I do use the parchment paper on the DoJoe for pizza and that really hot too... no worries! I just bought the real deal so soapstone is in my future cooks! Thank you
Thanks James, another great video. I am loving my KJ jr. which I bought largely after seeing your videos. When you go to inferno mode, approximately how long are you waiting for the sear temps to be reached? I find that my jr. is slow to climb much above 500F (took 10min to reach 500F from 240F last night) I wonder if I need to load more charcoal to start with. Thanks again. Stephen
My junior is about the same. I think that you just have to set the steak aside and be patient. Are you using a kick ash basket? That will help with the air flow.
The lump charcoal makes a difference too. I'm using B&B Oak which results in a hotter fire than my previous charcoal (over 700 degrees F. if you give it sufficient time.) Because some of the lumps are medium-large, you have to hand place them into the basket, i.e. you can't just pour from the bag. Those larger lumps result in better air flow. Even so, I still wait about 10 minutes from 225 to around 500 with the complete dome open. If you really want to get up to temp fast, aim a leaf blower at the inside of the open dome (not the top vent) with the meat removed. (Aiming at the lower vent will result in a lot of sparks and ash.) You can load the KAB up to the top of the handles, but no further or it will hit the deflector plate. You could also try using a chimney starter and get the coals red hot before you pour them into the kamado. I've never tried it, though, and I don't know if it would be difficult to start your cook low and slow if you began with red hot coals.
I love the sear I get on my cast iron. If done properly is just as good as a soapstone. I do believe soapstone is your personal bias as cast iron is mine.
i agree i had the cast iron too hot in this video, but being able to leave the soapstone outside (no rust), clean with soap and water if I want (antibacterial), distribute heat evenly, act as part heat shield for reverse sear, and then sear surface in the same cook that its the better choice of the two. For me personally, these practical advantages hold weight in addition to the sear itself
I do see your point. I would hate for my cast iron to be left outside. I've never had to use heavy soap and water on my cast iron. If you don't want to have the extra care then cast iron isn't the best choice. I do enjoy mine though. The flavor of a well used cast iron is unbeatable in my opinion. I have a soapstone, but I don't use it very often.
Hello smoking Dad, this was a great video. I have a small channel on grilling and bbqing and learn alot from your videos. Thank you! I feel that the cast iron was not given a fair chance in this competition. When you put the cast iron close to the charcoal and it was left there even in the slow cooking period the temperature of that cast iron kept rising and rising. The same as if you leave a cast iron pan on your stove over high heat for a long time. It would reach a temperature that may even be too hot to cook. To make it a fair contest, the cast iron meat should have been taken out before the soap stone one. If you would of measured the temps with a gun, the cast iron would probably have been two times hotter than the soap stone causing it to burn the meat, becauase they were left for the same amount of time. It seems that the soap stone reaches a perfect temperature for searing steaks no matter if it was left on direct heat for a long time. I see that Soap stone vs Cast iron has been a big debate here. That is awesome! You should make a video exclusively about these two but making it fair for the cast iron. Either both cooking surfaces have the same temperature or the cast iron steak come out before the soap stone one.
I agree user error let the cast iron get too hot on this one but if I look at all the cooks I’ve done without the mistake I prefer the crust I get on the soapstone. part of the consistency is that it better manages user errors like this one too lol
@@SmokingDadBBQ, Thanks for responding, I definitely understand why you recomend the soap stone, it does not ever disapoint you. Even if you liked cast more, you would have to give all these extra instructions on even measuring the temp with a gun and it can just get more complicated than it has to be for searing steaks. I am happy with my cast iron but I ordered a soap stone and looking forward to cooking on it. Thanks again for all your videos.
James you do a great job as usual. My advice, sell all your Kamado Joe's and get Komodo Kamado, you deserve it. It is the king of the kamados. Do it and you will see.
I’ve not used them in a Kamado (pellet and propane) so need to find a set to see if they are the same in a Kamado. they paint lines that are signature of the SCA winning steaks... so visually very nice but I never found black lines to taste better
@@SmokingDadBBQ I just ordered a set for my Joe Jr so I'll see if they do more than grill marks. They claim they get hotter and prevent flair-ups.....also you can flip them over and use the flat side for doing smash burgers etc. I was undecided between the cast iron or the grill grates. I went with the grill grates because I can use them on my other propane and weber charcoal. I would like to get a soapstone if they make one for the jr.
I was trying to find the answer to a question on the internet and I think this video needs a followup. You didn't check lava stone. There are a number of people recommending lava stones and it's the default deflector for Vision and they recommend it for searing. It would be great to see it against the soapstone. No one has done a test comparing these anywhere on the internet so you'd have the only one. On a related note, maybe the cast iron would do better at a lower temp.
The cast iron was too hot and honestly looked kinda dirty. Probably no need to go inferno mode. The cast iron is probably the same temp as the fire below. I don’t own a soap stone but it must dissipate heat more quickly.
Agreed. All the seasoning was cooked off that piece of cast iron. It’s desperately in need of some attention. There is absolutely no reason why the cast iron can’t do a top notch sear on a steak. Dumping on the cast iron when you obviously don’t know how to use and care for it is hardly fair. Keep in mind that this guy is probably heavily sponsored by Kamado. And they want people to buy their pricey soapstone accessory. I plan on getting one, but I’m getting the cast iron first. And I’ll probably use it more.
I bought the cast iron (two of them) and the soapstone and several Joe’s with with my own money. I wasn’t paid or sponsored in any way for the making of this video nor do I get a commission from upselling anything. i agree, in the process of managing fires and a video the cast iron got too hot... but even when cooking for just my family without the camera distraction the soapstone is our preferred surface
agree, in the process of managing four different surfaces and steaks the cast iron got to hot. it has been properly seasoned. regardless even at the correct temp when cooking at home it never bests the stone
So they sent you that Kamado Joe Big Joe for free out of the goodness of their hearts? Dude, I don’t care that you push Kamado Joe. They’re clearly the best. I’m just saying that blaming the cast iron for what is clearly your mistake is dishonest. That made me wonder why. I inferred that you were pushing people to buy the soapstone. If I misjudged you I apologize, but being the cynic I am, when something walks like a duck...
@@gabrielglouw3589 yes they sent me the big Joe like I shared in that video and will continue to do with anything else I am fortunate enough to get for free. I agree in this video user error held back the cast iron and based on my last year of cooks it would have moved up the ranks but not ahead of the soapstone. Our favourite steaks this year have all been on it
My vote would be for the cast iron. It seems that the biggest problem with your cast iron is the configuration of the plate. You wouldn’t get lines if it was just a flat plate on both sides.
As someone who has a soapstone for the KJ Classic III, I can confirm that the sear it produces is great. I've done smash burgers, NY Strips, a try-tip, a picanha, and even talapia loins, and each time the soapstone does a great job. All the steaks were done with a reverse sear cook, like in this video, and the finished product has been unbelievable. I thought about getting the cast iron insert when I purchased the grill last summer, but decided on the soapstone after watching a few of James' videos, and I'm glad I did. If you're on the fence on purchasing a soapstone for your KJ, let me put your mind at ease. Get one. Get two even, to have more smash burger smashing real estate. Great purchase.
Well said. Thanks Cody
I think I’ll give it a go. Any science behind why soapstone is better?
@@krehbein One video i saw talked about soapstone having 100% molecular connectivity on the surface-I think that’s how they put it. What does that mean? Well, the video mentioned if you put cast iron under an electron microscope, you’d see pits; hills and valleys. On a soapstone, you’d see nothing but smooth surface. Molecularly smooth surface technically means more heated soapstone touching your food, means more of the food gets seared.
I obviously have no way to actually confirm any of that, but it sorta makes sense. What I do know is that the soap stone has very little maintenance you have to keep up with, unlike cast iron, which of course has to be seasoned from time to time, and you cannot leave it out on the grill at all without rust forming.
@@codyduncan195 Good info, makes sense. Does it absorb oils and stuff?
@@krehbein I haven’t notice it absorb any oil, like a ceramic plate would. You do have to scrap off burnt on food, and I do oil it before putting any food on it, but I haven’t had anything stick to it if I clean it well. Fun fact: it can go in the dishwasher.
I've got the KJ Jr with a soapstone. After I cook the steaks. What's the process of getting the Joe to searing temp with the soapstone?
“Seariously” a great video!! You reminded me that I want to order the soapstone. It’s just so dang expensive in Switzerland!
it’s not cheap that’s for sure
I leave in Switzerland too, where did you buy your Kamado Joe?
@@sandvision got mine grill sheriff
@@TedHamilton thanks!
@@sandvision www.veganerschreck.ch/ They delivered my big joe which was very helpful since it weighs a ton 😅
They are friendly and in my area. Not sure about their English though.
Several years ago before I bought my series 2 classic I went to a Kamado masterclass here in London, mostly just to try before I buy. But that taught me the reverse sear method with the “caveman sear” and it’s become my go to technique for steaks. I love picking up one big bone-in cut to feed the 2 of us (like a nice côte de boeuf). I’ll often throw a couple oak chunks to add a bit of smoke and that works great with this searing method.
Phenomenal comparison and exactly what I expected based on visual observation prior to you doing the taste test. I have to look into a soapstone. Thanks!
What is your view of a Blaze cast aluminum Kamado? It would be helpful for you to do a review. I love your videos and always learn a lot. Have a great 2023.
Awesome episode! One thing that I would like to know is if searing at lower temps (450 - 500F) would be better controlled compared to the “inferno mode”. I love browning …. Burning not so much :-)
Maybe a good idea for a follow up video….
Thanks!
Big fan!
Cast iron for sure can get too hot. But I also found too low over cooks the crust
First of all, let me say that I love your channel. You do the best job of explaining all aspects of cooking on the Kamado Joe. How long did you sear the steak on the Soapstone? I'm grilling some filets tonight and plan to try this method. Thank You, Eddie
Another exceptional video, really appreciate the effort you put in, must be a hard life eating so much delicious food.
One thing though, those "pretty black lines" from the grill are just burnt bits, which you didn't like on the cast iron or on the fat from the caveman. Can I suggest trying not to get them by putting the grill in cold with the meat on it, as you the steak around during the sear it will balance out the crust and you'll get a great even finish with no carbon on your food.
James, you are great - love your channel. I recently purchased a KJC3. I like the soap stone, but am wondering about getting another one so that it would cover the entire grill. However, I’m questioning if that would interfere with the effectiveness of the slow roller. A stainless or cast iron grill has spaces to let air flow through, but the soap stone covering the entire circular surface would seem to cut down on the air flow and might negate the circulation benefits of the slow roller when smoking. I’m also concerned about limiting exposure to certain cancer risk arising from fat dripping on coals and then sticking to the meat. What do you think?
Hey James, great video as always. There was parts of the video when the sound wasn't synchronized which can be a little distracting. I first noticed this after you ramped the speed and slowed down at 15:10. Thanks!
Sorry about that... have no idea why that happened when exporting the video
I like using the soap stone the most. My wife’s side of family has never had a steak that matched the taste they got to try from what I made on soap stone. They recently told me on family online chat that the best steak they had ever had were the ones I made,
nice. high praise there, well done
James, awesome content and I'm glad I saw this before buying any accessories for my new KJ. Before this video gets too far down the road, I did notice a good lag on the audio around the 15:00 mark. I don't want to be "that guy" but in case you didn't notice it and want to fix. ;-) Thanks for all the great KJ content. I bought a new dutch oven just for your chili recipe!
Thanks, I saw it today playing back and have no idea what caused that... i was hoping it was TH-cam but when i played the raw file export it is doing the same. No idea why that happened, bummer as I like this one ...funny enough it gets better again near the end
@@SmokingDadBBQ yeah I've had weird things like that happen in my videos. Regardless I love your channel and I'm loving my new KJ that the wife got me for Christmas. Just did a smoked brisket today! Also I forgot to say earlier I like your grill station. I'm designing one for my back yard and am definitely intrigued by doing my own concrete top.
Great video James, I now make sure I've eaten before watching but I still end up drooling. I said last time that I had ordered my soapstone. Well, it arrived with a chunk missing out of it so it has to go back. Now waiting for the replacement and I have two fine steaks waiting to go on it.
what a bummer, but worth the wait
Fantastic video as always. I would love to see a video of you walking through the vent settings that you use for different temperatures maybe in 25-50 degree increments as I feel this is one of the hardest aspects many run into with a KJ.
Great suggestion!
I’d love to see one like that...how to build up your bbq, why put coal where in the bbq, the hight of the grids, the settings of the vents, the use of thermometers... keep up the good and fun works
I'm surprised at the difference between the soapstone and the cast iron. I would have thought they would be neck and neck. I can't wait to get my hands on one! I love the vs videos!
if i did this again i think the cast iron needed lower temps... the heat that works for the soapstone was too much for the cast iron i think. It just didn't taste good compared to the others. If i started all over again based on all my cooks, i would only have bought the soapstone
Love your videos I'm learning alot from you and about my kamado joe grill !
Glad to hear it!
Love a good steak competition. The soapstone looked awesome! Can't wait to add that to my accessories!
Hope you enjoy
Video suggestion: wood placement. When you set up for a long, smokey cook you always put the wood on the bottom but I've never heard you go into any detail as to why. It could be that you've covered this in a video that I haven't seen but, if you haven't, it would be helpful. Lately I have been experimenting with wood placement searching for the best way get that "thin blue smoke" for as long as possible without exposing my food to any more "billowy white smoke" than necessary. I'm not sure that placing the wood on the bottom does that.
you got it, added to the list
You should try sous vide for the initial cook before the sear
The ‘Maillard Reaction’ in full effect. Great video James!
Yes! Thank you!
Hey James I have a question. The soapstone is going for $175 while half moon cast iron reversible griddle is going for $50. If I get two griddles that would be $100. Isn’t the griddle more versatile than the soap stone? Can you make fajitas or breakfast or phillly cheesesteaks on soapstone? I really love that you can get the best sear on the Soapstone since I eat a lot of steak, but can it really match the versatility of a griddle? You are my go to when it comes to all things KAmado so I’m leaning on you for an informed decision. Thanks for the vids. Keep ‘em coming.
that price differential is getting a little nuts.... it wasn't that crazy when i got mine. yes you can make all those things on the soapstone, have you tried other suppliers to see if the price is more reasonable?
@@SmokingDadBBQ searched high and low.
hey James, another great video!
I find i get the best crust if I pull around somewhere between 95-105 if im using the grate method
Good call out, i might try dropping that to give the grate more time to form a crust without overcooking
Great content really enjoy your videos. Do you think you could do any more videos of the soap stone cooks with something other than steak. Maybe a smoking dad bbq breakfast?
great idea
Before checking the result, soap stone looked the best. I am wondering how a cast iron grid would look (this was the cast iron plate or something)....
Also really like using the soapstone, great searing surface also for more delicate items like scallops. One grate I am missing in this test is the hard anadized alluminium Grillgrates, also great for searing. No flareups and great grill marks. Way better then with cast iron. Thank you once again James for this comparison 🔥👍
Thanks so much Jeffery
If anyone is interested, both the Half moon soap stone, and the half moon cast iron, are on clearance at Lowes in Ontario. The BigJoe ones are $55CDN for the cast iron and $90CDN for the soapstone. You wont find a better price than that.
that’s a smokin deal
Just got the half moon cast iron and am curious about how it will do since I love the regular grates for the sear onsteak so far. Thanks alot for the comparison and tips!.
What is the difference between using the soap stone and the ceramic plate?
You said you let the steaks rest after they hit 114 degrees before searing. How long did you let them rest for? Did you check the surface temperature of the soap stone before putting the steak on? If so, what was it. Once on the soap stone do you rotate the steak every 20 seconds? Do you just keep rotating until you get the crust you want or are you looking for something else? Did you check internal temperature once finished? Do you let the steaks rest again once seared?
I use the soap stone for my sears, so I am interested in your procedure.
Thanks Matthew. I let them rest about 15min before I had both grills holding steady at their temps. I don't have a device to measure the soapstone, but if i've had it in as the heat deflector at 300f its already soaking in heat so after the joe shoots up to 600f in this case (5min) the extra 10min just sitting there has always been enough to get the sear crust I am after. I rotated the steak every 20 seconds or so until the crust looked right. No i don't check the temp again, i used to but I do this so often it just works out this way so I stopped. Basically the steak climbs from 114-125 when resting and then drops back down towards 114... the sear brings it back to 125. I slice after 5min but the rest has already happened earlier to this time its not as important
@@SmokingDadBBQ Great video! How long do you think the actual searing takes?
@@SmokingDadBBQ Now that you have the Thermapen IR, have you taken a reading of the soapstone surface temperature when searing? I'm very curious as I totally botched the sear on my ribeyes tonight on the soapstone.
@@briankim9565 yes. I think I show that in my dry aged NY strip in beef tallow. It was reading 678
@@SmokingDadBBQ Thanks James!
I'd like you to review GrillGrates aluminum inserts. I love mine! A comparison would be Fun!
Anyone in Canada,. Lowe's has soapstones on clearance..just picked one up and can't wait to try it. James great video as always !
Swarm, swarm lol
I've been meaning to for a while but I finally picked up a soapstone after your last video, hopefully Bezos hooked you up. I'm very much looking forward to using it! Of course it was my predicted winner.
Hope you enjoy it!
So glad you made this video...have been vacillating on which one to get! Thanks 🙏
Glad it was helpful! Cheers
Fantastic video! I have a question:
Did you leave the steaks to rest in foil while you were raising the temperature for the sear?
i usually gain about 10f in the rest at room temp not covered in foil so i do that. foil can raise it as much as 20
I really like your style - not hyped, and easy to listen to. First vid of yours I've seen & subscribed!
Awesome, thank you! welcome aboard
I have to say, the Kamado Joe is so versatile to cook with, but one of the biggest down falls for me is cleaning out the ash. I'm at the point where I will just use a vacuum to clean it out. The ash tray gets stuck sometime when too much ash gets between the tray and the support cavity. When I try to take out the bottom iron grate catch, it will push the panels out of place then I have to try and put the panel back into place with the metal trim that holds them together. Plus ash really blows all over the place when I pull out the tray and is not a major problem for me, but for my girlfriend she hates it. Anyway, I really love my Kamado Joe.
i remove the ash catcher as it just lets ash build up and makes getting the tray in and out more difficult, try that
Do try Ecobrasa coco cubes. Almost no ash. Incrediable little heat bombs ! They're expensive, but you use little in a bbq session.
@@henq thanks for the tip. I'll check them out
Great video! Thanks for putting that together. Quick question how do you store your soapstone?
thanks Alex. currently in the garage while I think about a new table
Just picked up the soapstone! Doing some steaks tonight! Nice comparison James! Cheers!
thanks Craig. enjoy
Great video James :) I'd like to put in a request for a repeat of this process sometime where you sear first and then finish over indirect heat :)
Will do
Very informative and well made always learn something new! Thanks
Thank you. Glad it was helpful!
my soapstone cracked when I was cooking a steak, do you happen to know what is the warranty of the soapstone?
Great video as always. I recognize that Dalstrong knife. I have the same one. They are the best. You should get them to sponsor
I have been really impressed as well. good idea; I do like to wait until after I have used a product extensively before pursing a sponsorship so that I know it’s something I’d recommend to family and friends. get a lot of unsolicited offers for bbqs and products I’ve never seen
Great video. Sadly I bought the half moon reverse cast iron before soapstone. I really don't like it nor use it. Soapstone is probably my favorite surface for all foods....easy to clean and retains heat really well.
My exact situation as well... if i started all over i would go soapstone straight away
Paused the video before your taste test. I am guessing the soapstone will be the winner, as it looks the closest to the cold-grate result I get on mine (not to mention, since you always use the soapstone logic would dictate it's your favorite method 😉).
Using the cold grate technique with the Slow N Sear is probably somewhere between the caveman and soap stone methods. There are no grill marks whatsoever, and the grate is so close to the coals that it would almost be like setting a grate directly on top of the coals and doing a caveman sear on top of it.
haha busted. I do love my soapstone
Very interesting experiment. Was surprised that the Caveman method produced the high score. Will definitely invest in a soapstone.
its consistently great
Exactly the video I needed.
Just got the BJ3 for Christmas and trying to decide which should be my first accessory/surface
This will make my first surface purchase the soapstone.
Now....should I get that or the joetisserie ... 🤔
I would do JoeTisserie first this second
Hey James. I'm really enjoying your videos. One thing I'm trying to find is a good discussion or video on managing cooking steaks for a family where there are a variety of doneness levels requested. I'll have half a dozen steaks that need to come out from med rare to well done and I don't know the best way to juggle. Thanks.
good point, can do more on that.... since i have the meater block i use all 4 when doing different steaks to different temps
This was a cool watch. Love the comparison!
why thank you Sylvia
Your one of my go to people when I want to know more about my Kamado keep up the good 😊 work but would like to see you do Philly steak sandwiches
Will do!
Fun vid
I agree on cast iron for flavor or maintenance IMHO cast iron comes in last but its personal :)
that said I prefer carbon steel griddles or french chef style carbon steel pans for searing but will have to get and try soapstone
Throwing on coals I often knock them first ?
Great vid
thanks 🙏
After watching this I wondered , what was done temp in BIG JOE (for searing) with soap stone and cast-iron in place ? i would guess lower than 700 being sorta heat deflected
Hi James, thanks for the many great videos. I have two questions please. I’m getting a Kamado as a secondary grill. I have a FireMagic gas grill as well. We are a family of 5 and entertain occasionally. I am planning to have it built into an outdoor kitchen but worried that the big joe might be too big but nevertheless keen on the larger joe. Would you get the big joe or the classic and how much depth is required to open the lid without it hitting a wall behind it? I also see that you have your grills underneath a roof. Have you ever had any issues with that? Thanks, Martin.
you need just over 5” from behind the black hinge mechanism to open the dome. I would round up to six inches. I think you’d need about 36.5” from the wall to where the table ends at the front of the big Joe to have it sit and be able to open
I would do the big Joe. it’s my favourite
I have the classic and a family of only 3 and occasionally find myself wishing for more room on the grate. If I had a family of 5 I would definitely go for the big Joe.
Thank you James & Gilbert, your comments are appreciated. The Big Joe has been ordered.
Another great video James. Sam the cooking guy just did a steak test but yours is better in my opinion.
Wow thanks, I haven't seen his yet but he is a great creator
@@SmokingDadBBQ Yeah I watch Sam all the time but your video was better. Keep killing it, James.
Well, I have a tip for the caveman sear in order to make it better, do not use the classic charcoals for it.
Make a fire of spruce wood and when that has burned down do your steak including the caveman in that spruce wood coals.
Alternatively, do the regular coals but before the sear, burn some thin spruce wood twigs on the coals. The coals you have from either method still have some of the salts and minerals from the wood in them, it is almost as if you add some additional flavours.
will have to try that
Revisiting this video because I couldn't remember if the Grill Gun was in the running or not, as I used my Grill Gun to sear steaks for the first time to night. It was intimidating but I was pretty pleased with the result, and it definitely saved me a bunch of charcoal.
that’s awesome. I have not used it to sear
Very surprised at the soap stone! Great Job James
Thank you! Cheers!
Curious why you have not tried the classic cast iron skillets as part of your tests. A good heavy Finex or Lodge skillet has a smooth bottom and cook surface so no lines like on the grill plates. I think there is still a lot of merit to the classic method of sear first and then finish to temp on indirect heat still in the skillet. You get a more diversely cooked steak (crusted outside and transition from medium well at the surface, passing thru medium and medium rare to near rare in the center) which I think is more pleasing then the homogeneous reverse sear.
I have the kJ sear plate and found the sear taste to be the same but fair enough. I can add it to any future videos
Hi James fantastic comparison and recommendations. I just got my kj soapstone. What do you recommend as prep and seasoning before first use? Thanks
not needed, but oil, gee or fat never hurts
I would be interested in the difference between reverse sear and initial sear on the various cooking surfaces. I seem to prefer an initial sear on the soapstone followed by indirect.
here is that compare - th-cam.com/video/g2cuf6o1HcA/w-d-xo.html
Seariously interesting. Will add soapstone to the list. BTW did my own beef roast tonight, can you still use the Meator thermometer in inferno mode?
no it says it can’t be exposed to more than 500f or something like that
I just got a soap stone! To do a reverse sear do I do the whole cook on the soap stone or just the sear? Also does it matter how ashed over the coals are when searing? Does it improve the taste if they are fully ashed over?
yes you want ashed over coals. you can do both, but i put a gird above the soapstone and use it as a heat deflector so that it heat soaks and then sear on the soapstone
Love your vids! Did you ever also try the cast iron sear grate?
yes I have it. it’s good but now that I have the soapstone for the jr I haven’t used it much
Thanks for doing this awesome video!
cheers
You tried cast iron grates, why not flat side cast iron?
I did use the flat side of the cast iron, but the ridges showed through
@@SmokingDadBBQ I went back and reviewed it last night for fun. I saw that. I wonder if it is simply the heat transfer of cast iron vs soap stone. I assumed it was the grate side, due to the grill marks. In YT history I will be the first to say, oops I was wrong =)
@@jazzwyld1 haha just saw the moon landing. 🤩
Great video as always. Can’t wait to do my dry aged NY strip steaks on Monday on my soapstone! I love truff too. You know they sell the black in a 1 gallon jug? But it looks like you prefer the hotter version. Thanks for the great content.
I didn’t know that. this way gets expensive
@@SmokingDadBBQ it looks like you would save $50 buying the gallon and one of the reviews said they did custom bottle a hotter for someone. It is $249 for 1 gallon vs the $14 for 6oz at the grocery store.
Great info as always. How about some cooking ideas on Game! Cheers Alex D uk
Thanks for the idea! I have some Moose in the freezer
Good looking steaks right there! Nice video as per usual.
Thanks 👍
Always love your videos! Looking at some new accessories for my Joe Jr. Thoughts on a new cooking surface - is the sear plate worth it? I see that there is also a new soapstone accessory which is exciting. Is it worth getting both? Thank you as always for your thoughts.
I would get the soapstone and skip the sear plate. I've used it a few times but the pretty black lines (which it does well) don't taste as good to me... for a BBQ steak comp get the sear plate. For a steak to wow your friends, get the soapstone
@@SmokingDadBBQ Done and ordered! Thank you as always for your thoughts and expertise.
Great info once again James! It makes me curious as to how the soapstone would compare to a sear on a Blackstone griddle.🤔
i will see if i can find one to compare... thats a good idea
Great video! Love the experiments. Have you tried just searing in a cast iron skillet on the regular grid?
yes but if I do that it’s because I’ve added garlic and butter and thyme etc. today I was only tasting for the surfaces themselves without any extra techniques
dumb question but show how to open the damn charcoal bag with the string. i can never get it
look at the back of the bag. the left side string pull the lose end of the string out of the first loop, after that it pulls just like i showed here ... its so satisfying when you get it lol
@@SmokingDadBBQ James, a demo how to open the bag will be great
Wow! We need to check that out now! Thank y’all so much
Thanks
I did get the soapstone for a sear Surface and I do like it nicely
awesome 👏
Would a cast iron plate that is flat on BOTH sides as opposed to having grill ridges on one side make a sear taste difference?
I don’t think something on the other side will change the taste but it might be more visually uniform
Totally interested in the soapstone. Just got my first Kamado Joe two days ago, so excited!
If you’ve got the Big Joe, Lowe’s Canada is clearing out the soapstone at half price ($90)
@@Michael.T. Thanks! I’ll have to check Lowe’s down here in Florida.
thats a great deal
Congratulations. Hope you enjoy it!
@@SmokingDadBBQ Thanks James! Followed your video on the break-in and it worked out perfectly. Fired off some of that Jealous Devil too.
Really enjoying the video. I don’t have a KJ yet but have a question on managing a cook. My wife likes her steaks MW and I like MR. That is tough to manage. For a reverse sear would you recommend pulling mine of sooner, and let it rest while her’s cooks further? If so, what internal temp would you take hers to for MW after the sear? I am sure a Meater is going to have to be used here.
in general i find i gain about 10f in the rest... so i would remove yours at 120 or below and hers at 130 or below .... then crank the heat and sear each. should only take a few min to get from 120-130... you could even start the vents opening up while you wait so that you are heating up while it finishes
@@SmokingDadBBQ thanks James. So, between my comment and now, I brought a Classic 1 home from my local Lowe’s. Entry price is nice on this model and 24” is a bit big for me now (maybe later….). I can add some as accessories as needed. Thanks for all your info, they have all been very helpful
Did you oil the cast iron? I love the cast iron and usually use a ghee...works well
i often use beef fat trimmings
Are you sure we aren't overthinking this? Seriously, I could have jumped all over anyone of these! Great video!
haha we are splitting hairs for sure
Isn't all barbecue at least partially about overthinking food preparation?
@@extramurous Not really. Throw some salt and pepper and maybe a little garlic powder on a steak and throw it on a hot fire ... have a cold Sam Adams while you're waiting. Doesn't get any simpler. 😎
@@ranger2316 - if you buy a good cut of meat (and why wouldn't you?), it's not that hard to make a great tasting steak with an oven and a frying pan. The fact that you are using a grill indicates that you are willing to go to some bother in search of better results. If you are using charcoal even more so, lump charcoal even more, etc. One way of defining barbecue (and there are many) is "the pursuit of incrementally smaller improvements in food quality at the expense of exponentially increasing amounts time, effort, and money".
@@extramurous I wonder if I really needed a freaking lecture on cooking a steak. Since you brought it up, I use both the grill and oven/frying pan method. I try not to overthink it.
Fantastic video. Ty. Jacksonville FL
Thank-you
Really interesting - quite surprised by the cast iron result, but it definitely pushes me more towards getting a soapstone.
What was most interesting though was the caveman technique: I'd never even heard of that. I'd be reluctant to ruin a good bit of meat for fear of the ash. I know you say there shouldn't be any, but I'm pretty sure I'm one of those cretins who never manage to get their steak completely dry before grilling... at the risk of denting your back pocket further Smoking Dad, how about a video just on this technique, perhaps comparing some different cuts? I'd imagine that a tenderloin would come out really well this way... but it's going to be an expensive mistake to make if it goes wrong!
Great video, as always. Love your work. G-Man, Dubai.
thanks so much. I think I spend some more time on this in my wagyu tri tip video- th-cam.com/video/WGo-Sq1jbhU/w-d-xo.html
as you noted, for non flat surfaces this method wins as you can get a better sear. only downside is you lose the fat cap to char
I have seen youtube videos that use the cold spinning grate method . By far the best method IMO ? I think it was a podcast with T Roy Cooks ?
SnS grills has a podcast with “Baby back Maniac “ Titled “Reverse Sear cold grate method “ . Amazing sear IMO !
you can accomplish the same thing with a half indirect and half direct setup ..... spinning the grate doesn't do anything to improve or hurt the flavour, it's just going back and forth from direct to indirect
Hi James. Can you advise how long you seared each side for? You managed edge to edge with a great crust, very easy to overcook when searing.
Thanks, i aim for about 15-20 seconds before moving around and then peak at 30 to see how its going. regardless if its done i flip around 40 and do the same on the other side and then add another hit if the crust needs it / can take it
@@SmokingDadBBQ brilliant thanks!
Great video on a topic that I’ve contemplated many times myself. I’ve been using a soapstone and using ghee/olive oil to help improve the crust. Any other suggestions for maximizing the crust when using a soapstone?
i like the mayo sear sauce. mayo, garlic, salt and pepper and a little red wine vinegar mixed up and painted on the steaks before hitting the soapstone
Melted Beef tallow and garlic
Hi James, the availability to purchase the Big Joe Soapstone is difficult and so expensive! Could you direct sear on the heat deflector with parchment paper? Just a thought!
I am not sure about food grade safety but the paper should provide that. not sure if it would sear or just burn the paper lol
@@SmokingDadBBQ yep, not sure either but I do use the parchment paper on the DoJoe for pizza and that really hot too... no worries! I just bought the real deal so soapstone is in my future cooks! Thank you
Thanks James, another great video. I am loving my KJ jr. which I bought largely after seeing your videos. When you go to inferno mode, approximately how long are you waiting for the sear temps to be reached? I find that my jr. is slow to climb much above 500F (took 10min to reach 500F from 240F last night) I wonder if I need to load more charcoal to start with. Thanks again. Stephen
My junior is about the same. I think that you just have to set the steak aside and be patient. Are you using a kick ash basket? That will help with the air flow.
great point, my basket accelerated this speed as it has more air
as Geezer2Tech pointed out, i am getting lots of air from my basket mod and the different vent cap which allows more air than the daisy wheel stock
Yes, I have the kick ash basket. Will look for the cap mod. Thanks
The lump charcoal makes a difference too. I'm using B&B Oak which results in a hotter fire than my previous charcoal (over 700 degrees F. if you give it sufficient time.) Because some of the lumps are medium-large, you have to hand place them into the basket, i.e. you can't just pour from the bag. Those larger lumps result in better air flow. Even so, I still wait about 10 minutes from 225 to around 500 with the complete dome open. If you really want to get up to temp fast, aim a leaf blower at the inside of the open dome (not the top vent) with the meat removed. (Aiming at the lower vent will result in a lot of sparks and ash.) You can load the KAB up to the top of the handles, but no further or it will hit the deflector plate. You could also try using a chimney starter and get the coals red hot before you pour them into the kamado. I've never tried it, though, and I don't know if it would be difficult to start your cook low and slow if you began with red hot coals.
Also, do you recommend a thermometer to measure the temperature of the soapstone itself rather than the dome of kamado?
an IR gun is handy for getting a surface reading ... if its not hot enough it won't sear well and will cook the steak crust so its more of a grey band
I love the sear I get on my cast iron. If done properly is just as good as a soapstone. I do believe soapstone is your personal bias as cast iron is mine.
i agree i had the cast iron too hot in this video, but being able to leave the soapstone outside (no rust), clean with soap and water if I want (antibacterial), distribute heat evenly, act as part heat shield for reverse sear, and then sear surface in the same cook that its the better choice of the two. For me personally, these practical advantages hold weight in addition to the sear itself
I do see your point. I would hate for my cast iron to be left outside. I've never had to use heavy soap and water on my cast iron. If you don't want to have the extra care then cast iron isn't the best choice. I do enjoy mine though. The flavor of a well used cast iron is unbeatable in my opinion. I have a soapstone, but I don't use it very often.
James, hot tip, use a blower on the charcoal just prior to doing the caveman method. No ash, and higher more even cook.
Nice tip
Hello smoking Dad, this was a great video. I have a small channel on grilling and bbqing and learn alot from your videos. Thank you!
I feel that the cast iron was not given a fair chance in this competition. When you put the cast iron close to the charcoal and it was left there even in the slow cooking period the temperature of that cast iron kept rising and rising. The same as if you leave a cast iron pan on your stove over high heat for a long time. It would reach a temperature that may even be too hot to cook. To make it a fair contest, the cast iron meat should have been taken out before the soap stone one. If you would of measured the temps with a gun, the cast iron would probably have been two times hotter than the soap stone causing it to burn the meat, becauase they were left for the same amount of time. It seems that the soap stone reaches a perfect temperature for searing steaks no matter if it was left on direct heat for a long time. I see that Soap stone vs Cast iron has been a big debate here. That is awesome! You should make a video exclusively about these two but making it fair for the cast iron. Either both cooking surfaces have the same temperature or the cast iron steak come out before the soap stone one.
I agree user error let the cast iron get too hot on this one but if I look at all the cooks I’ve done without the mistake I prefer the crust I get on the soapstone. part of the consistency is that it better manages user errors like this one too lol
@@SmokingDadBBQ, Thanks for responding, I definitely understand why you recomend the soap stone, it does not ever disapoint you. Even if you liked cast more, you would have to give all these extra instructions on even measuring the temp with a gun and it can just get more complicated than it has to be for searing steaks. I am happy with my cast iron but I ordered a soap stone and looking forward to cooking on it. Thanks again for all your videos.
James you do a great job as usual. My advice, sell all your Kamado Joe's and get Komodo Kamado, you deserve it. It is the king of the kamados. Do it and you will see.
my wife would kill me after building a new kitchen that fits the Kamado's lol
I have to go buy some steaks tonight to try the soapstone sear.
enjoy
James, have you ever used a Grillgrate brand grate? I'm curious how it compares to the cast iron and soapstone.
I’ve not used them in a Kamado (pellet and propane) so need to find a set to see if they are the same in a Kamado.
they paint lines that are signature of the SCA winning steaks... so visually very nice but I never found black lines to taste better
@@SmokingDadBBQ I just ordered a set for my Joe Jr so I'll see if they do more than grill marks. They claim they get hotter and prevent flair-ups.....also you can flip them over and use the flat side for doing smash burgers etc. I was
undecided between the cast iron or the grill grates. I went with the grill grates because I can use them on my other propane and weber charcoal. I would like to get a soapstone if they make one for the jr.
I was trying to find the answer to a question on the internet and I think this video needs a followup. You didn't check lava stone. There are a number of people recommending lava stones and it's the default deflector for Vision and they recommend it for searing. It would be great to see it against the soapstone. No one has done a test comparing these anywhere on the internet so you'd have the only one.
On a related note, maybe the cast iron would do better at a lower temp.
I will keep my eye out for one
The cast iron was too hot and honestly looked kinda dirty. Probably no need to go inferno mode. The cast iron is probably the same temp as the fire below. I don’t own a soap stone but it must dissipate heat more quickly.
Agreed. All the seasoning was cooked off that piece of cast iron. It’s desperately in need of some attention. There is absolutely no reason why the cast iron can’t do a top notch sear on a steak. Dumping on the cast iron when you obviously don’t know how to use and care for it is hardly fair. Keep in mind that this guy is probably heavily sponsored by Kamado. And they want people to buy their pricey soapstone accessory. I plan on getting one, but I’m getting the cast iron first. And I’ll probably use it more.
I bought the cast iron (two of them) and the soapstone and several Joe’s with with my own money. I wasn’t paid or sponsored in any way for the making of this video nor do I get a commission from upselling anything. i agree, in the process of managing fires and a video the cast iron got too hot... but even when cooking for just my family without the camera distraction the soapstone is our preferred surface
agree, in the process of managing four different surfaces and steaks the cast iron got to hot. it has been properly seasoned. regardless even at the correct temp when cooking at home it never bests the stone
So they sent you that Kamado Joe Big Joe for free out of the goodness of their hearts? Dude, I don’t care that you push Kamado Joe. They’re clearly the best. I’m just saying that blaming the cast iron for what is clearly your mistake is dishonest. That made me wonder why. I inferred that you were pushing people to buy the soapstone. If I misjudged you I apologize, but being the cynic I am, when something walks like a duck...
@@gabrielglouw3589 yes they sent me the big Joe like I shared in that video and will continue to do with anything else I am fortunate enough to get for free. I agree in this video user error held back the cast iron and based on my last year of cooks it would have moved up the ranks but not ahead of the soapstone. Our favourite steaks this year have all been on it
I just got my soapstone recently. Gonna use it tonight
Fantastic, what time shall it drop by lol
@@SmokingDadBBQ hahahah trust me if you were in my city I would be hitting you up
to bbq/trade Food non stop!
My vote would be for the cast iron. It seems that the biggest problem with your cast iron is the configuration of the plate. You wouldn’t get lines if it was just a flat plate on both sides.
and it was too hot in this video. but even then I don’t find it preserves the seasoning taste as well as the soapstone
Could the lines be from indentations created during the indirect on the SS grate?
Damn I which I've had discovered your channel way earlier, it would have saved me al lot of annoyance🤣 good job James👌
haha thanks Joey
Without watching the video until the end I Vote for the soapstone! Epic searing!
for the win 🔥
I don’t think I wanna be the first to try this, but has anyone ever tried searing on the ceramic deflector plate or pizza stone?
I am not sure that’s food grade. I know the soapstone is antibacterial
I'm glad I checked your question - I thought "soapstone" was a fancy word for the heat deflector. Call me uneducated filth!
@@toosas I wouldn’t dare call you that! I do wonder about the pizza stone though, since we do cook food on that.