# Question for Paymaster



## SeaPA (Oct 12, 2013)

I picked up an Akorn on clearance (pre-assembled unfortunately, would have preferred to put it together myself). Any modifications, tips, things you wish you had know when you first got yours? Also, is there another forum in which you are a member in the Peach state? Came across this "outdoor café" in my research. Been drooling over your posts here for years and looking forward to learning my Akorn!


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## Paymaster (Jan 22, 2009)

You need a heat deffuser. This keeps the meat from scorching sitting directly over the fire during low and slow or wanting to cook indirect. There are smokimg stones sold by CharGriller made for the Akorn.I don't use a stone in my full sized Akorn but do use one in my Akorn Jr. I use the charcoal grate from a 22.5 Weber kettle. It sits perfectly on the tabs for the smoking stone in the Akorn. On top of the that grate, I have a 16"x2" aluminum cake pan and it is filled up half way(1" deep) with play sand. I cover the pan with foil down against the sand. Want to cover the whole upper surface of the pan and sand to keep the sand fresh. After each cook I just toss the foil and re-foil for the next cook. The sand pan will leave you a couple inches of open space all the way around under the cooking grate for smoke and heat to circulate. I you want to cook over direct heat, just leave the pan out of the cooker. Use only Lump charcoal. I always fill up to just under the tabs for long cooks and I use a Weber cube down in the center of the charcoal bed to start the fire.

The outdoor cafe is at Georgia Outdoor News Forum. Goggle GONFORUM to find it.

Let me know if I can help any further. You will love the Akorn once you get used to the vent set ups for various cooking types.


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## Paymaster (Jan 22, 2009)

Here is a pic of my sand pan ready to go into my Akorn and one under the main grate during the cooking.


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