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So, what are best practices now that the KK's are shipped in different plastic and desiccant? Still go through the burn in procedure or just start using it without the burn in?

Katakuchi Suribachi & Surikogi Set Last night's KK cook was a pair of white arrugula pizzas. Arrugula from our garden, that wasn't going to wait. We like a crisp, almost cracker crust from whole grain, as one approach to pizza. Last night I made a small change to my technique, that I quite liked: Dress the arrugula with the olive oil topping, and spread onto a dry pizza. This was easier than tugging oil across the crust itself (yes, not that challenging, but this was noticeably easier). It seems the crust had more chance to breathe as it baked. I briefly microwaved a few cloves of garlic, and mashed this in my favorite suribachi (I have all three sizes but I regularly gift the middle one as most used) with olive oil, black pepper and maras pepper. Yes, Laurie noticed that I forgot salt.

Stainless Steel Pizza Peel With Collapsible Rosewood Handle Relays could work, but they call it The Challenger for a reason! Their suggested directions are to preheat at 500 F, put in the loaf with a few ice cubes, reduce the heat to 425 F and bake 20 minutes covered, then 12 minutes uncovered. I flip the lid and put the base on the lid. I find that these directions work well for a range of breads. Sometimes I rotate halfway through the 12 minutes uncovered. Sometimes I go 15 minutes. Sometimes I flip the loaf bottom side up for the last few minutes. I've been working with 80% hydration, 95% extraction doughs from freshly ground grain. This poses challenges; I generally bake cold from an extended fridge ferment. My loaves would stick without parchment paper underneath; I use the above mini pizza peel to move them without damage. I've tried removing the parchment paper at the 20 minute uncovering mark, and the loaves still aren't completely set. I now just let the parchment paper ride, perhaps up to the final flip. In practice, one can't adjust KK temperatures this rapidly, and one often doesn't want to run an indoor oven longer than necessary. I find that once The Challenger itself reads 425 F using an infrared shooter, we're good to go. With the KK, I'll arc high and ease down to target temperature. So you could run a relay pipeline, if you have a stone or steel that fits next to The Challenger, while maintaining a constant baking temperature.

dj-dj, please show us the results of your Challenger adventure.

I see you are dining in style, Tony, that's the only way to go. 👍👍

For all my BBQ friends in the UK (and elsewhere), last night was Bangers & Mashed night. Local sausages (Beer and Jalapeno-Cheddar) on the KK. Mashed potatoes, with onion & mushroom gravy. And, of course, mushy peas! All accompanied by this lovely cider from upstate NY that was brought back for me by a buddy in the homebrew club on his recent visit back there. Cheers, Mates!

I have nef domestic steam ovens in my Kitchen. But I think their steam is inconsistent so had been looking into the challenger pan already. The comments here have cemented my desire/decision to buy the challenger. I imagine either in the KK or my ovens I’ll cook bread in 15 minute relays, using the challenger for the first 15 minutes for each loaf. challenger due to arrive tomorrow, KK next month.

First full packer brisket on the kk overnight. 13h low and slow smoke @ 210F then 250F for last 3 hrs. Rendered tallow wrapped when done 205 degrees. Rested in warming oven for 7hrs @140F. Results; very tender, juicy, great bark and burnt ends. As Matt Littman would say from Meat Church “I ain’t mad at that”….

Very good Pequod. I am somewhat familiar with Crozet. My parents lived in Charlottesville for a number of years. Have friends in Fairfax Station ... and recently drove there with a friend who is real estate shopping. House prices are crazy. Since we should be talking BBQ here ... the KK will be smoking ribs tomorrow. Should be a great day for BBQing tomorrow. djami

catalan dinner

Hi guys, Today a new toy arrived, one of the category "useful". More or less by coincidence on Amazon I stumbled across the Kärcher AD 4 Premium Ash and Dry Vacuum Cleaner... Specifically designed for vacuuming grills and fireplaces. As I tried several (smaller) vaccum cleaner before.. And practically all did a bad job when it came down to vacuuming ash.... I thought this sounds too good to be true. What shall I say. Awesome! I never removed the ash so easy out of my 32" BB before. The entire ash space of the BB was filled up with ash.. Took about 30 seconds to get it completely vacuumed. No ash escaping the filters, flying through the air.. no spilled ash on the ground... And the vacuum cleaner is only filled up 50% (less even). In Germany, it is 113 EUR. Very fair from my point of view. That was such a good surprise I had to share with you 🙂 Now the BB is ready to cook some Iberico Ribs tomorrow! Cheers! Marc

Last night was a new experiment - a mash-up of Japanese & Nigerian. Mixed Yakiniku with Suya Pepper rub to marinate beef skewers. I liked how it came out. Will file this one away for future reference. The corn is not local. Won't see the "good stuff" for at least another month or so. This corn was OK.

It's unfortunate that your Meater Block doesn't work. I just did a 10 hour cook with mine. I've done it in the KK and or my 3/8" thick with no connection issues.

Last evening I decided to do individual meatloaves, wild rice and freshly picked spinach for dinner. Got the KK fired up- Meatloaf on the KK. Done, I know the pix is not the best but... Plated. The wild rice was very fine, about the size of the lead in a pencil. It's amazing what it turns into.

I got a meater block a couple years ago for Christmas. I no longer use it. After the 10th time or so one probe doesn't work anymore and the others disconnect too often and makes the app go crazy. While it still works, it is just too annoying. I think with a very thick ceramic grill, wired probes are the only way to go. YMMV. I still just use my Thermoworks Smoke X2 with the billows. Works great, has never failed me.

Today I have 4 pork butts cooking in my KK42, and yes I'm using the upper grate. It isn't just the bark. I get better smoke on the upper grate with low and slow. And with spatchcock chickens I get crispier skin on the upper grate (dome really radiates the heat and the closer the food is, the better, in my experience. But I will say coming from the BGE it doesn't matter which grate main or upper, the results are better. I can get close with the egg but the KK is the best. Sorry for the slow response - haven't been on here in a few months. Cheers!

I voted multiple times with the same device. just open the link in an incognito window. They might be deduplicating the votes afterwards though depending on how they are tracking it So - multiple devices is probably the right way to go about it.

i guess i've voted too often, it wont let me vote anymore 🫣

Done, worked without a problem.

Done

so now its working, and you can vote on multiple devices/browsers in the same day.

it says my vote was cast so done

100% freshly milled spelt desem. About 80% hydration and 10% desem starter. Pullman loaf.

It's my lady friends favorite thing i cook so when she asks for it i don't care what time of the night or day she wants it, it will get cooked for her