jdbower

Good job! Aesthetically I think I'd consider painting just the spring section black on a black cooker to help break up the stainless wall of the lower draft door, but I'd leave the nub and the shaft stainless. I think Rustoleum has a high temp spray paint that would probably be perfect, assuming, of course, that the spring is still removable. But then again there's a good reason I'm not a decorator and my wife picks out my clothes so what do I know about taste! Either way a nice looking solution and glad things stayed cool for you.

Here you go.

Speaking of which, have you tried them bacon-wrapped? That may help you out a bit as well.

There are only a few times you need to touch the dampers. When you first start it up I put them wide open. Once it gets close to temperature you close them down to about where you think they should be (just cracked for low and slow, but you'll quickly get a feel for this), the one newbies forget is after a few hours when it's heat-soaked and the walls stop stealing the energy from the fire you'll probably need another adjustment, and then just shut them down when you're done. Except for those times the KK's pretty stable, but I still like my gizmos so I use my Stoker nearly all of the time. However, a little extra time to research whether you're a Guru person or a Stoker person never hurts.

I like that idea! Sadly it looks as though I'll be testing out my new cover today - looks like rain. And unlike the KK I'm pretty sure the burner will rust if I forget to cover it.

A wise choice, but you know what they say about beggars and choosers

It seems like most people put the deflector on the charcoal basket. This probably creates the most even deflection since it's lower down, but I tend to use the lower grate. My reasoning is more laziness than anything technical; I can bring the cooker up to temps with the heat deflector in place and more easily launch some smokeables into the fire just before I put the food on without removing anything. Since I'm still happy with the results I figure that's all that matters I always leave the liner on, the theory is that it will help smooth out hotspots and protects the deflector - plus if you ever drop the deflector and it breaks it's still useful if you put the pieces in the liner. I put the drip pan on top of the deflector to protect the surface a bit, but I also use the deflector as a pizza stone so it's not exactly spotless.

I found it a bit annoying to move my wok burner in and out of the garage between cooks, lugging it plus the propane tank plus the wok itself was enough of a chore I frequently considered just doing things inside. When my wife became enamored of brats with fried onions I figured it was about time to send an email to JohnnyBoy. After a few measurements I've now got another matching cover that protects the burner as well as hides the propane tank and even the propane lighter for the KK. It's got a handle on the top for easy removal and JB even thought to add some Velcro straps that can attach to the legs (unlike the KK, the burner's shape could allow the cover to blow off if the wind hits it right). Thanks for another top-notch job! The outdoor kitchen is still a work in progress, a plywood patio isn't exactly matching decor, but that's a project for next summer Here are my beauties all hidden away:

I guess for some people BBQ is a sauce and not a cuisine. Or religion...

To add a bit to FM's description, over a long enough timeframe the temperatures of the cooker and the meat will equalize. For example, shoulders are often cooked at 220F and pulled at 195F, not much lower. I had a cut finish in the middle of the night unexpectedly and pulled it out at 205F and had I left it for the remainder of the day it probably would have been at least 215F. In general, tough cuts like briskets and shoulders are done at low temperatures (~220F) to high internal temperatures (~195F). Poultry and roasts are medium temperatures (~325F) to lower internal temperatures (~150 - but it depends a lot more on the meat since a beef rib roast is good at 135 and chicken is best left to 160 at the breast). Steak is done at high temperatures (~500F) until they just stop mooing. Of course, sometimes breaking the rules of thumb also yields tasty results, other times it yields salmonella.

It also could be a self-perpetuating problem. Every time you open to adjust the probes you let out a lot of heat which first regroups in the dome (creating a large discrepancy) but once you let it sit for a while to type out a forum post the heat has a chance to even out a bit. Why the first blip happened is anyone's guess, it may have even been a quirk of the cool Guru-blown air somehow circulating to the pit probe to reduce the effective temperature. Whatever the reason, glad to see things are back to normal!

Depending on configuration there can be a bit of a discrepancy between the grate temp and the dome temp. First thing to worry about is placement of your Guru probe. If it's too close to the meat that will bring the effective temperature down significantly, but if it's too close to the edge it may bring the temperature up a but if you're using a heat deflector. The heat flow tends to be along the sides of the cooker and then it gathers in the dome where the temperatures are a bit hotter. BBQ Guru also sells a probe tree that can raise the probes (even Stoker probes ), I would say an ideal location should be about 1/2 the height of the cut. If you're using the main and upper grill maybe hanging the pit probe just under the upper grill would be a good median? Obviously you may also want to try calibrating the Guru pit probe to see if it's close to target. I had moisture get into the plug end of one of my Stoker probes and while it was damp inside it fluctuated between -150F and +1200F - that one was easy to spot... Assuming that the Guru probe checks out and is properly placed then your meat should be cooking at the temperature the Guru probe reports. If not, you can drop the Guru temp until you get the dome temps you want, but this may be reducing the grate temp too much in the process. For me, I ignore the difference between the Stoker temp and the dome temp and I stick with what the Stoker says since it's closer to the level of the meat. But typically I'm only maybe 20-50 degrees off depending on the state of the heat soak. If you're using a food probe to see when the meat is done you don't need to worry about overcooking, it may finish sooner than you expect if the temperatures really are off or later if you correct for an issue that didn't really exist.

I had been using makeshift peels for a while now (sliding pizza off a plate or a cookie sheet) but I finally decided it's time to get serious. Rather than a traditional peel or making my own I decided to go with a Super Peel as previously mentioned in this thread. At a $35-40 street price it's a bit more expensive than many standard peels, but it's also got the surprisingly elusive flat bottomed shape I was looking for. My thoughts were that even if the "Super" aspect turned out to be not so super at least I'd still have a decent peel - albeit one with a slot cut into it. The peel itself is pre-assembled and made from 1.5" slats of maple. The texture is nice and smooth and care is similar to a butcherblock - wipe clean with water (but don't soak it) and occasionally rub with mineral oil. The end is slightly beveled to make picking stuff up easy. The Super part is a canvas-like material. There's a small pocket at the end where a wooden slat is inserted; this slat acts both as a holder for retaining clips as well as a handle for moving the canvas around. To assemble the peel simply push the slat up through the slot in the peel from the bottom. Wrap the canvas around the peel overlapping the slat. There are two nylon clips that slip over the end of the canvas and attach it to the slat. Don't over-tighten the canvas otherwise it won't slide right. The canvas installs and removes quickly and it's machine washable (but they recommend air drying or low heat tumble dry and it may require ironing to look pretty afterwords). Using it takes a bit of practice. With the slat near the front of the peel, place the edge of the peel against the edge of what you want to pick up. Instead of the natural instinct to pull back on the slat you should hold the slat in position as you push the peel underneath. This will cause the canvas to slide around the peel and the peel to move under the object - pulling back on the slat would cause the canvas to pull the object onto the peel and this can cause pizza dough to stretch. Practice a bit with random objects to get the gist of how it works, but I would not recommend trying it with your cat (they don't like it much). I tried it on a pizza tonight. First I rubbed some flour into the canvas (as recommended) and sprinkled it with a little cornmeal to give the dough a little extra crunch. I rolled out the dough on the counter top and then manually transferred it to the peel. After putting the toppings on you simply put the pizza where you want it to go and keep the slat in the same spot as you pull back the peel. What was once a tough job with some sticky dough became a trivial occurrence. They recommend removing the canvas to pick up the pizza to help keep the canvas clean, and once it's done the pizza shouldn't stick so it's not an issue. So far the pro is that it's trivial to move even very sticky dough from the peel to the pizza stone. The con is that I feel as though I should wash the canvas after every use. Super Peel sells replacement parts so you don't need a whole new peel if you break the canvas belt (the belt is $6 including shipping). In a pinch or for something that will stain the belt you can also use wax paper or other improvised materials. And, of course, if you don't like it you can use it as an ordinary peel. My current opinion is that if you're in the market for a new peel this is a great choice and so far I'm happy with my decision. If you've already got a peel and you have issues with dough sticking to it you may want to consider an upgrade. But if you've got a peel and you know how to use it I don't think you'd be missing anything.

Having them parallel to the ground may not always be the best functionally even though it's nicer aesthetically. By having them angled slightly to the edges the excess juices shouldn't run down the side of the cooker but harmlessly off to the sides.

I’ve finally gotten the excuse to obtain and read Chris Lilly’s “Big Bob Gibson’s BBQ Book†and, while it’s been mentioned here a few times before, I thought I’d write a more formal review. It’s a fantastic read and is really a bunch of books in one. Of course there are copious numbers of recipes listed ranging from the loaf pan chicken mentioned on the Today Show that even a novice can cook to several methods of cooking a whole pig where the “serves 70†label makes it unlikely I’ll need to follow the directions anytime soon. And lest you think the recipes are limited to the proper preparation of tasty dead animals, there are also several sides, sauces (including Big Bob’s famous white sauce), and desserts listed as well. And most of the recipes have mouth-watering pictures associated with them, including preparation shots for the more complex procedures. But this is far from a simple list of ingredients, temperatures, and times. Chris describes not only the technique that he recommends but why he’s chosen that technique. This is less a recipe book than it is a description of how to make your own creations with sample recipes to get you going. For example, he breaks down dry rubs into four primary components and then proceeds to list the components, describe how they affect the outcome, and make suggestions as to which flavors complement which meats. Just about all the popular cuts (and several more esoteric ones) are mentioned with directions on how to prepare them, smokewoods are described in depth, comparison charts for regional cuisine help guide more authentic choices, and an index lets you look up everything in an instant. Be sure to keep an eye out for his pitmaster’s tips – they’re very insightful and well-placed. Finally, Chris also takes us through a history of BBQ throughout the book. While focusing on using his first-hand knowledge to preserve the heritage of Big Bog’s establishment as well as Big Bob himself, he also describes the evolution of BBQ in the various regions and what’s he’s learned from his travels around the country and the world. His description of BBQ goes beyond the simple time and temperature definition and encompasses not just cooking meat but also a genre of sides and desserts that fit well with the main course. A little story in front of most recipes gives them a life of their own – I won’t be able to try his coal-fired sweet potatoes without thinking of Chris’ father-in-law and smoldering meteorites which will make them that much more tasty. And, of course, there’s a shot of one of our beloved KKs on page 99 as well as a few grates that look suspiciously like familiar 3/8†high grade stainless steel that alone make the book worth buying. After reading the book cover to cover I’ve walked away with a lot more than a list of “must-try†recipes, but a great reference book for all things BBQ. And since I timed things such that I read it whilst on a family vacation I got to gross out my sisters with the pictures of the whole pigs impaled on a spit! ISBN: 978-0307408112

He really needs to advertise these things better - the Stoker has so many evolutionary improvements that aren't mentioned anyplace from the lighted probes and now your fan mod. Maybe he'll get an injection-molded weatherproof housing made as well! Buying stuff from Rock is like buying stuff from Dennis - it's always the best until he decides to improve it

In the original thread I did mention the Stoker 1-3/8" adapter diameters and, since the Stoker adapter has some wiggle room, I'm hoping that it will still fit. But to my knowledge no one has reported trying it out yet.

Hire a small child in an asbestos suit with a ThermaPen and a flashlight to sit in the cooker? I suppose a few more Stoker probes would be cheaper than the resulting lawsuits...

You should just be able to use the same 1 3/8" Round Port Adapter as before, there will just be a little less wiggle room. Let us know if it you have any issues!

Looks nice, and you must be a very popular dad right now! All you need is a set of salt and pepper grinders that match your new cooker, if only you knew someone who could hook you up with them

Yep, it all seems to be working. The first Tweet take a bit longer to send, I'll have to time it to see if it's a factor of the period duration or just a startup issue (for example, it may be 4 minutes until the Stoker is fully booted and the timer starts or it could be that it misses the first Tweet, I believe it to just needs a little time to boot but with a 5 minute Tweet interval it's hard to say). You have the ability to adjust the "Stoker:" part, but that's mostly it. The periodic Tweet seems to be a rundown of the probe status, but you can also have it Tweet on an alarm.

I'm sure a great job as usual, hopefully it'll pop up in the videos section soon so we cable-impaired types can watch it!

Congrats! Too bad it was all imagined