jdbower

Thanks! That really helps visualize how these things get attached. I think I may just hook up the rotisserie to my tractor's PTO, I figure at 540 RPM I should be able to make things cook VERY evenly and I should have more than enough power

Nicely done! I must admit, though, the thought of one of those EVO Cooking Stations next to a KK is a tempting pairing...

Sorry, no experience with shipping but a bit too much experience with buying... I've found that frequently UPS ground is cheaper than USPS these days, it may be worth a call. I don't know if FedEx/Kinkos or The UPS Store are any better than the old Mailboxes, Etc. but MBE added a huge premium over direct shipping.

This may not be the right group to admit that you have access to meds Good luck!

OK Sanny, as a spicy food fan that sold me. Forget the little sample sizes, I dove in with the 10-pack gift set.

If there's enough interest you can count me in!

I trust DJ, he seems to be an expert at the whole smoking pot thing.

You can get a good smoke without ignition by restricting the oxygen flow. There was some information about a "smoke bomb" but this proved difficult to Google and get information that won't flag you for the "personal treatment" at airport security, so a smoker box is probably the way to go. The Smoke Bomb was essentially a home-made version that looks like a pipe bomb, but for $10 even if it only lasts a few cooks it's probably worth the expense. Note for fun you can try soaking the woodchips in various liquids. Red wine is generally the fluid of choice but Sanny may have stumbled onto a decent idea with cranberry juice - it may be interesting to hear if anyone's tried it.

I may just have to order their sampler set, I've heard good things about a lot of their rubs.

Oh well, that shows up as Costco Brand. I've seen good reports that indicate it's probably a step above the Kingsford lump. For those interested, here is a link to the UPC database.

I believe the patents are for all of the unique parts of Dennis' cookers. A traditional round kamado has been around for thousands of years so the concept of a "ceramic cooker" is too broad to be patentable, but Dennis' teardrop shape and off-center damper are innovative and worthy of patent. Interesting side note, the primary purpose of a patent is not to protect the patent holder from unauthorized use but to spur innovation by publishing the patentable inventions and processes such that when the patent expires others can use and improve on the designs. The protection a patent offers is mostly there to encourage people to file patents. In 20 years or so everyone will have a teardrop cooker but by then Dennis will probably have a 9th dimensional model that can cook 100lbs of ribs in something that fits in a desk drawer

OK, it's not much of a recipe but they served this in Stockholm and, even though I'm not a big cucumber fan, this was a refreshing alternative to lemons in water: 1 small cucumber 1 pitcher of cold water Slice cucumber and add to water. Refrigerate as long as desired (the longer it sits the more cucumber taste will be added but the mushier the cucumbers will become), add ice before serving. If desired, use cut cucumber slices on the rim of the serving glasses.

Or perhaps some minced raw sweet Vidalia onion? Thinly sliced or shredded cucumber are also good choices.

This is a fairly good variation of an Asian side - but like so many things out there I think it can use more garlic and crushed red pepper. This is in the fridge now for lunch tomorrow. 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter 1/2 cup hot water 1/4 cup soy sauce 2 tbs red wine vinegar (although I think Balsamic may work a bit better) 2 tbs sesame oil 2 tsp sugar 2 cloves minced garlic 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper chopped scallions and shredded carrots (garnish) 10 oz cooked cold noodles Start cooking noodles, this is about 3/4 box of spaghetti but use the entire box if you don't want a lot of sauce or 1/2 a box if you want more sauce. Combine peanut butter and water in a medium bowl, stir until combined. Add soy sauce, vinegar, oil, sugar, garlic, and red pepper. Drain noodles when they're done cooking. Add noodles to sauce and mix until well-coated (hot noodles will also melt any bits of peanut butter that didn't mix in well). Chill in refrigerator overnight. Add scallions and carrots to top and serve.

Heck, I betcha if they set it to something fairly low it'd still be going when it hit home - pop a factory-installed brisket in there and you've got food to give the guys who help you lug it into place!

I'll have to check mine now. Maybe they have Costco helicopters and when they see a KK in a yard they start stocking it? I never noticed the Cowboy in my Lowes until recently either so perhaps it's becoming more en vogue in recent years. Is it Kirkland Signature brand? If so, I'm curious if there are any markings on it to indicate where they get it from. I'm guessing it may be Kingsford Lump, but we can hope for Royal Oak. Actually we can REALLY hope that Dennis is one step ahead of where we thought with his distribution channel

Re: So.... I think Dennis is making changes to the burner kit based on DJ's input. Problem is people keep pestering him about the side tables

That didn't last long at all... If this keeps up Dennis will have to take time out from the side tables and install a new server

My father's side of the family raised black angus cattle on their farm, nothing's better than sticking your fork in a cow and popping what comes out on the grill Freezing certainly isn't good for meat, but I've found that if it's frozen fresh and not left in too long while being protected from desiccating airflow (causing freezer burn) it's still acceptable. To compensate I usually defrost in a salt solution which restores some moisture that can be lost as well as flavoring the steak. With most meat I try to buy fresh and cook it right away, burgers are an exception since the quality is pretty low to begin with anyway. I also keep around some frozen Omaha steaks which seem to keep well for those times when I'm too lazy to go shopping. In short, freezing isn't good but it's much better than leaving the steak on the counter for a few days

I thought it set the mood a little better to take a shot between burgers with poor lighting

I'd just like to say that you guys with your tasty meals all stink! Without a KK this is what I'm reduced to: Frozen burgers on an electric grill next to the sink. Must...learn....patience.... In the mean time, thanks for all the food porn and ideas for when I get mine!

It seems like many people, myself included, aren’t familiar with the proper procedures for cleaning stainless steel. Here’s some information I’ve gleaned from the web, but please read the entire thread before trying anything since I’m guessing some more techniques or corrections will follow: Only use stainless steel to clean stainless steel. I’d even go so far as to get stainless utensils (spatulas, tongs, forks, knives, etc.) for cooking just to play it safe, but make sure you’ve got a stainless grill brush or some stainless steel wool at a minimum. Using metals other than stainless can cause rust spots to form over time if you don’t clean off the residual particles promptly. If you need to use a cleanser, a mild vinegar solution may be best. Follow this with a neutralizing solution, either a lot of water or a baking soda paste. Rubbing dry flour or club soda on stainless using a soft cloth can also bring back the luster, as can a few drops of baby oil. While I probably wouldn’t bother polishing the grill, stainless trim like the spring cover may benefit. The WD in WD-40 actually stands for Water Displacement and it’s not really a lubricant, in theory this should help repel water and can be used to polish stainless but it’s fairly flammable and toxic so don’t use it on the grill. At all costs, avoid the use of chlorine – since bleach is the cleaner of choice for most surfaces you’ll have to read carefully to ensure that none is present. For this reason, avoid most soaps and cleansers and mix them yourself. Also avoid anything that can trap water against the surface, make sure all covers have a mechanism to wick water away from the cooker while providing a waterproof surface on the outside so new water can’t find its way in. Also make sure you promptly dry anything you wash. This is all theory to me as of now; I know I’ve seen surface rust form on my stainless sinks from prolonged water or unlike metal contact but the use of ordinary steel wool cleans it up. A sink, however, is a very different surface from a grill as it’s both flat and continuously exposed to flowing water that washes away the impurities described. If anyone’s got any pictures of stainless (particularly 304 stainless) that shows the results of any of these “don’ts†I’m sure it could be a learning experience. I’m curious to know if the results are surface rust (ugly but removable) or actual penetrating rust which can cause much more serious damage. Also note that some of these techniques for stainless can be very bad for grout (for example, vinegar+grout is not the best of mixes), I'd protect your tile whenever you're using anything other than water to clean the stainless. C’mon DJ, time for you to fill in the blanks!