DMAX

Realized that while I've been busy kooking and posting pictures of the delicious trials and not so many errors, I neglected to add my two cents worth here in the Kampground! My online research brought me here after I saw an OTB on Ebay when I was literally a day from buying a Pitts and Spitts side box smoker that was going to take up my whole deck, but had the quality I was looking for. I did my homework and started emailing and calling Dennis, who surprise, surprise, actually responded! How refreshing in today's sales climate to have someone as genuine and accessible as Dennis. What a class act. I had a neighborhood rib cook off coming in less than two weeks and Dennis got the beautiful Gen II that I wanted onto a truck the very next day. Now while Mother Nature had her way with the cross country trip, my gorgeous Dragon's Egg made it home and was perfectly packaged to boot. Needless to say, the folks on this board and Dennis himself continue to add their advice and mutual experience to aid in the trip over the learning curve, which has been delicious! Kudos Dennis, a first class product, produced by a first class person and provided in a first class purchase. Keep up the awesome work and add me to your Christmas card list! DMAX

It will surely get more use three quarters of the year, but Al Gore told me it would be a good idea to build it anyway...

Kudos Dennis! That looks phenomenal! DMAX

I will have pics to post in a couple of weeks when construction starts, but what we designed is a corner kitchen off the deck. The center of the "kitchen" is an alcove similar to a niche you might see a religious statuette in, but large enough for the KK to roll in and out of. The shape mirrors the shape of the KK and will be tiled in a complimentary color. The left side of the "kitchen" has a prep sink and fridge and a mini keg tap with storage cabinets beneath. The right side will, I know, I know, have a gas grill top and two side burners. The whole thing will be finished in a combination of tile and stainless steel strips and will have built in lighting in side the alcove and along the toe kick and backsplash. DMAX

DJ - are you cooking your ribs bone side down the whole kook, or are you flipping them at some point? DMAX

Well thats what I'm getting at...I dont want to. The brining has to take place, but I want to do the low and slow in the KK, rather than in a dutch oven. I want to smoke the brisket indirect and have a pot of cabbage on there for the last hour or two. I just didnt want to try it if someone else here has already done so with poor results! DMAX

Come on Sanny, dont be a hater. Twinkle, Twinkle! DMAX

I had this one, but I wasnt feeling the three week brine, and I also wanted to attain the pink coloring from smoke instead of saltpeter. I thought an all applewood smoke would be a good compliment. Thoughts? 4 quarts water 1 cup kosher salt 12 cloves garlic, crushed 3 tablespoons pickling spices 8 bay leaves 1 teaspoon saltpeter (optional) Bring the water to a boil. Remove from heat and add the salt and saltpeter (optional). Stir until the salt is completely disolved. Allow to cool. Stir in the garlic, pickling spices and bay leaves. The brine is now ready for use. For brining, always use a non-metal, air tight container. Saltpeter, or potassium nitrate is a food preservative. It will give the meat a pink coloring and reduce the chances of spoilage. If you are careful with your food handling and don't need the pink coloring you do not need to add the saltpeter. From this point you need to corn the beef. This is done in several different ways. The easiest and safest in my opinion is to use a brine. The salt-water brine preserves the meat and gives it the texture that we would call corned beef. The basic brine consists of water, enough salt to float an egg and seasonings like black pepper, coriander, juniper berries, garlic, etc. People who make their own pastrami usually end up with a recipe unique to them. The beef brisket should remain in the brine stored in a cold, dark place for anywhere from seven days to three weeks. You do need to regularly check on the meat and turn it to prevent spoilage. DMAX

Gotcha! I'd like to do my own beef brine and then slow cook to make cb and cabbage. The brisket I made this weekend with a mustard seed rub made me think of it. The rub had the right taste but the meet was missing the bite that corned beef has.

Does any one have a recipe and cooking directions for a homemade low and slow corned beef? DMAX

Wow! That looks delicious! No worries with the pot cracking? DMAX

Yeah Sanny, sorry for the hijack.

I'd like to thank the Academy, my Mom, my dog and my agent... Kind words from an obviously intelligent person! (edited for stupidity and laziness!) DMAX

We wouldn't dream of thinking such a thing! Here are some pics from my own "soup" this weekend. A nice little 4 pound "bowl" of brisket with some awesome mustard seed rub. Did 6 hours low and slow and then wrapped her in foil and towels and let her rest in a thermal bag. YUM! I hate to say it, but these may be the last from me for a few weeks, getting ready to start a cleanse/fast, but I'll be back! DMAX