CeramicChef

Congrats on that first cook! It's always special and it's always a great thing to get some soot on the refractory! Congrats and kudos to you!

Absolutely beautiful set up!

Stile88 - I'm a former BGE affecianado myself. I owned a couple of them. Then I owned a couple of Primo XLs. Now I own a 32" and a 19" Komodo Kamado and I'm done, done, done buying kamados! The KK is simply the single finest kamado on the planet. My KKs are so easy to operate, so easy to control, and have some many features you didn't know you needed and wanted. Not a single KK owner would change their decision to buy KK. As for sticker shock, you don't get this quality for free. The BGE is a really nice cooker, but the KK outpaces BGE on every front. We welcome you to the KK Forum. Ask questions any time you have one, or tow, or more. Call Dennis. We look forward to you joining us in the KK family.

MacKenzie - thanks, I appreciate the recipe. I'm going to make this soon. What would you think of adding some diced mushrooms and some fresh herbs de provance? How about some nice mellow cheese at the end, say a nice slice of Havarti?

Charles - very nice setup. This looks as if it's something even I could tackle successfully. Can we get an equipment list from you and where one might source the parts? Thanks in advance.

MacKenzie - I'm hoping there are some leftovers you can box up and ship to ChezChef here in OKC. I love scalloped potatoes and peas are my favorite veggies. That pic of your tenderloin on the grate with the fire underneath is just simply beautiful. Greta color! Kudos to you. Kudos!

Beautiful pies, Bosco! And that crust is to die for. Crust color and KK color the same! Coincidence? I think NOT! Really a very nice cook ... Cold Canadian KUDOS that warm the heart (and tummy)!

Oliver - you've got your priorities straight. Happy wife, happy life. You've waited this long, a couple more days won't matter…MUCH! I really do love that pic of the reflection on the wall. I've never seen that before. Really kewl. Keep up with the unpacking inside, and occasionally, when you need a break, mosey outside and pull the packing off a heat deflector or two.

Welcome to The Addiction, Poochie!

Yeah bosco, I do see it now that you pointed it out. But go ahead and check yourself into the ward with rubber rooms. There's lots of other evidence that you need to be protected from yourself! Ask for the room next to mine. We can communicate by tapping out Morse Code by beating our heads against the walls. Don't worry about the pain, the helmet takes most of the blow! You really do see a tiger ....

MacKenzie - that's one really sweet plate of pasta! I am drooling like the fool I am over those cheesy garlic fingers. I bet those would be some kind of good cut to fit burgers. Geez, now I'm craving a cheese burger! This is a really nice cook! Thanks and kudos!

I'll know that I've arrived when I have a REAL Trifecta … 2 KK 32" Black Big Bads and a Big Bad Black Turbo Bentley!

I'm still chuckling! Thanks.

Gnomatic - that's one really fine looking hunk of bison! I loved the smokering on this. Yeah, I know, nobody judges it anymore, but still, you eat with your eyes first. Like you, I thought a bison brisket would be a huge clod of meat. Being as lean as bison is, I'd have thought it would have dried out in one big hurry. I like the pan technique. I think that probably was the biggest factor in making this a successful cook. Kudos to you! Kudos.

Jon - I can't remember how big a KK you are using, but I guarantee you that the volume below that charcoal basket can more than accommodate the volume of ash, even if you burn the entire basket during the cook! And even if you use KINGSFORD Blue Bag briquettes! I've done back-to-back-to-back low-n-slow cooks on TheBeast and never though about cleaning out the ash. I just merely swept it into a pile in the corner. As Cookie says above, always fill the charcoal basket. I usually take mine to just under the level of basket handles. To knock off the ash on used charcoal, just grab the charcoal basket handles and give it a couple of shakes. Then I just dump, yes, dump new lump in and level it off. DON'T shake the basket if you're using KK Extruded Coconut Char … it'll sinter. Just relight and get after it. Think of charcoal as gasoline and your basket as a gas tank. It's impossible to have so much fuel that you choke the engine when you're cooking on your KK. I always fill my fire basket before every cook but a sear. No matter how many years I've been buring lump, I can't figure out how much lump for how long a cook. I'm wrong every time. I just fill 'er up every time. It surely beats have pull apart a hot kamado and add lump and then get everything back to stabilized cooking. Enjoy!

PRippley - do you have a sous vide and a food sealer? Just a thought …

If Redheaded Due gets a raise, Jon should get some kind of wonderful reward from Sue! And if Jon has to cook more BBQ because of RHS, then Sue needs to revisit the reward idea several times! ;)

Oliver - gorgeous color! Congrats on the signature change! Buddy, I've seen lots of comparison photos, but your precious daughter and that drip pan take the cake! If Dennis doesn't use that photo ...

Rak - it's just a matter of time! You've been infected! Come to the Dark Side, Rak! Rak, after seeing your visage in those picks, it's blatantly obvious to the most casual observer that your beautiful daughters take after your wife! Sorry Buddy, I just couldn't help myself!

Tease!

@PRippley - nice ribs! Kudos, muy Kudos! Cabo is gorgeous. We used to run down there all the time. The Sea of Cortez is one of the best whale watching destinations on earth. The females go there to give birth to their calves and they are sheltered from foul weather by Baja and the west coast of the Mainland. We'd pay fisherman to take us out in their boats to see the whales. There were no limitations back then on how close you could get. We'd see thos whales really up close and personal. Amazing animals. The lights were on and someone was home.

+1^ That advice would be hard to beat here in OKC. Simple is best.

Foremonkey - thanks! That was just the kind of info I was looking for. I appreciate it greatly.

KKers - I'd say the KK is much more like a Turbo-Bentley than a Rolls. I've ridden in and driven both, and believe me the Turbo-Bentley out shines the Rolls by a LONG shot. The Bentley is every it the automobile the Rolls is but with some very subtle differences. The suspension is much better because the Bentley is a heavier car. The Bentley corners like its on rails whereas the Rolls eases into corners. It's a mild mannered drive. The reason for the Beefer suspension is the drivetrain in the Bentley. It's heavier in all aspects. Add the Turbo and you've got a real beast that has no stop in it. My friend who owned the Turbo-Bentley raced a buddy of ours to Aspen beginning in Denver. It's a long hard uphill slog that gives every car fits, especially heavy ones. The Bentley won hands down. On a pretty steep grade at 100 mph, the Bentley accelerated to over 140 in less than half a mile. We passed Porsches that couldn't keep up. The reason I relay this story is the following: we own KKs that are known for their mass. They are heavy, and for very good reasons. Bosco just finished being introduced to how fast KK can get to temp. They are quick and nimble in spite of their mass. They're big but they don't lumber like a Rolls. The heart and soul of a KK is its air management system. So too with the Turbo-Bentley. All that air goes through the basket in a KK turbocharging quick temps. The Rolls is a fine car. The Turbo-Bentley is a Rolls on PEDs. All other ceramics are fine, some finer than others, but they get the job done. Our KKs are are on PEDs and the other ceramics are chewing sugar pills!

You should get a discount from your supplier as thanks!