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Love it.. Soo Happy to have you back DJ Most of you won't recognize ThreeDJ16, he was the forums first moderator as Drunk_J and took delivery of the 2nd 23" OTB, my father got the first. Hurt his back and had to give up many things but he's back and is a great resource..

Hello All-Arizona Steve here, Well I finally pulled the trigger. After several conversations with Dennis, I landed on the Big Bad 32” in cobalt blue pebble. Very exciting! I’m located in Northern Arizona, USA - just south of Flagstaff at about 6800 feet above sea level in the Coconino Forest. As I’m writing this post, my backyard is under major construction so my Big Bad 32” will stay crated for approximately 2 weeks. What a tease!!! Here are a few pics till the unveiling of (yes I have already named the KK) “ZEUS”. The GOD of Blue Sky’s and Thunder. I will post uncreating pictures and backyard completion soon! Chow from AZ

With apologies to MacKenzie for stealing her line*, I made my first Deep Dish Pizza and used the Reef Deep Dish recipe. I'm very happy with the way it turned out and received numerous kudos from dinner guests (a.k.a. experimental subjects). I used my new Lloyd's 12" deep dish pan, again thanks to Charles' recommendation. Dough in the pan after two hour counter and six hour refrigerator rise, followed by return to room temperature. Lightly browned Italian sausage and cremini mushrooms are flanking. Added a layer of fresh mozzarella and another of picante' provolone, followed by the Italian sausage, mushrooms and herbs and finally, topped with "Rao's Homemade Pizza Sauce®" (which was great flavor but not quite enough for a 12" pie) Into the KK for 15 minutes (dome temperature 500°F, pizza stone temp at 455°F), then pulled to add fresh picked basil and fresh bought pepperoni then a topping layer of mozzarella Returned to the KK (now at 450°F dome temperature) for another 20 minutes, resulting in this Pulled from the pan after a 7 minute rest (couldn't get a photo of the bottom crust due to constantly beating back many attempts trying for "...just a taste", but it was nicely browned). Cut and served with heirloom Caprese salad and Schramsberg California sparkling wine. (Not a MacKenzie quality photo, but I was hungry by this time). A good time was had by all. Thanks again, Charles, for the pan and recipe tips. I'll make this again.

HAHAHA....I had to chop back a few elephant ears just to use the KK. The grown in look is because I've barely been able to take care of keeping the grass cut. Still haven't worked my way back up to using the weed eater again. Maybe soon, but there are just some things that hurt my back much worse than others. Pushing the mower doesn't lay me up for days, but I'll pay hell the rest of the week had I broke out the weed eater. I'm actually surprised the ivy hasn't completely taken over my backyard in my absence. But thanks, I'm not one for fancy presentation, just good food. Spinach is one of the few greens I absolutely hate. Those on the plate are curly mustard greens. I'll eat turnips and collards too. Not real fond of kale, but just can't seem to acquire the taste for spinach The bi-corn was just what was available as I usually go for the silver queen (sweetest). Most of the farmers I know had a bad year with rain coming in way too late. So no idea if it was local or not. Either way, it was really good and still sweet. If you've not had pressure cooked corn or greens, you're missing out big time. I usually take a small ham hock (settled for a few scraps of country ham on hand), pressure cook it down with half an onion for 10 minutes. Then the greens and the corn both only take 4 minutes at pressure. I was lazy and just layered the steam trays, greens on bottom and corn in top tray and cooked them both at the same time....LOL...lazy but it worked. Veggies retain so much more of their natural flavor and nutrients by not cooking them to death. So many people I see cook greens half the day to get them soft and by then they have a dull green look instead of bright. To me the pressure cooked corn is also sweeter. Here's what my backyard looked like back when I could take care of it properly. Now it's an unruly small jungle.

Man I forgot how good it is having home cooked meals. Guess doing it is like riding a bike as it's all coming back in a delicious way. Mustards and bi-corn were great pressure cooked sides. Gotta love 4 minutes side items...LOL.

Of all the ways I enjoy chicken, pit cooked leg quarters are my favorite. It's pretty crazy that it was cheaper for me to buy the whole chicken than a couple of leg quarters....oh well...chicken halves it is. To simulate pit style in the KK I basically just do most of the control with the lower draft opening and not restricting the top damper as much. Also cooked directly with no deflector between it and the coals. Nice season rub, I use Rox rub or basic poultry season (both should be on the forum) and keep spritzing it with vinegar. Pretty simple but great tasting. Mustard based sauce if desired for the S Carolina chicken experience. Recipe for my Muddied Mustard sauce should also be on the forum. Oh and I usually cook at 275 to 300 as that seems to get you close to fall apart chicken, but not so ridiculously dry breast meat. Most likely the breast are going in some chicken salad anyway. Quick pic of the start.

Pour down rain this morning, first rain we've had for quite some time so that was good. Had 6 pounds of Vidalia onions in the slow cooker since yesterday morning. While they were finishing up there was time for a nice breakfast. Who am I kidding, there's always time for a nice breakfast. Followed that with a bowl of French Onion soup, the rest is for the freezer. See you next winter.

A 20 pound box of dry-farmed Santa Cruz Early Girls, into 5 pounds of paste. It seems like more than a 4:1 reduction, but dry-farmed tomatoes start with less water. There's a vintage effect. This year's paste is nowhere near as sweet as last year's paste. They had a rainy Spring leading to a late crop; it's just now possible to buy boxes. The Silpat non-stick silicone baking mats were a revelation. I would have bought a commercial dehydrator if I could have figured out how to contain quarts of puree per tray. Instead, the Silpat liners drove the design process. They fit full sheet pans, which fit bakery racks, figure out something starting from there. The non-stick is amazing: I had thin dried films on the edges everywhere, starting with six trays, two quarts of puree per tray (1/3 of nominal capacity; the trays hold six quarts each to the brim). I thought this was a lost cause, to soak off later. Instead, the films peeled off cleanly like separating the protective film from double-sided tape. Mixed back into the paste, these films tend to equalize and rehydrate.

Thanks MacKenIe, yeah it looks like war zone around here. Should look very different in the next two weeks. I’ll post updated pictures,at that time,

I like the grown in vegetation around the KK, gives it a grasp of comfort. I do like your plate, chicken and spinach are well positioned but the bread nestled up against the corn and what a piece of nice looking corn that is, I bet it was good. Probably local by the looks of it, if I'm not mistaken, as corn goes it's a winner. To tell the truth and not to take away from your chicken cook which by the way rooks marvelous, I just haven't met this years piece of corn for taste and sight and yours captures that picture, heck it even has a bend in the grain kernel.

Fogo Quebracho started earlier today. https://sharemycook.com/Cook/Detail/4d974a6a-8bf3-47d8-bea1-ac179c668a94