Real wood sticks in a kamado??? Any experience or thoughts?

[bamabob]

Been to Academy Sports and Walmart to peruse what they offer this year for lump.  In looking I keep seeing these bags of real wood oak and hickory, not the chunks for adding to lump for smoking but big pieces of real wood.  got me to wondering if these could be used in a kamado instead of lump or briquettes and use the kamado as a true stick burner.
My concern would be maintaining a fire given the efficiency of the keg.  Or getting too much smoke without enough air flow.

Anyone tried this or have any thoughts?

[RG]

I am not sure it would work in that manner as for it to burn clean, it needs to be a HOT fire and that combined with the Keg would be utter disaster I think unless you're cooking a steak at 1000 degrees.

[bamabob]

I am not sure it would work in that manner as for it to burn clean, it needs to be a HOT fire and that combined with the Keg would be utter disaster I think unless you're cooking a steak at 1000 degrees.

That brought back a memory from over 40 years ago.  I was at a party where a pile of apple and hickory limbs were ignited and a grate put on top.  We threw some steaks on them and the heat was so intense we could hardly reach to turn and remove them.  One of the best steaks i've ever had, cooked in no time, or at least that's how I remember it.   

I may just give that a try on the keg.

[RG]

I am not sure it would work in that manner as for it to burn clean, it needs to be a HOT fire and that combined with the Keg would be utter disaster I think unless you're cooking a steak at 1000 degrees.

That brought back a memory from over 40 years ago.  I was at a party where a pile of apple and hickory limbs were ignited and a grate put on top.  We threw some steaks on them and the heat was so intense we could hardly reach to turn and remove them.  One of the best steaks i've ever had, cooked in no time, or at least that's how I remember it.   

I may just give that a try on the keg.

Sometimes the best things come from accidents, lol! That's what my parents always said about me and my siblings

[Viper2020]

I hate waste the wood from the yard so been using cherry, apple, and pear woods instead of charcoal for more than a year.  You need to start the fire about an hour early and let the wood burn half the way through before start cooking.  There is no issue getting the temperature above 600F. 

[Old Dave]

Many years ago, when the BGE was the only ceramic cooker out there, several folks on their forum did try to operate their cookers with mostly small chunks of wood. If I remember right, the build up of ash was a problem along with the service required to keep a fire going.
I think their are some of the older folks that still read their forum that might provide you with additional information. Two that come to mind are Charwoody and Nature Boy.

[smokeasaurus]

I don't think the Kamado is set up to let enough air in to burn a hot clean burning fire