CeramicChef

That sounds like heaven on a bun! Not many ways to improve a burger, but this has got to be one of them! Thanks, bryan!

I'm a Woodford Reserve Double Cask kinda guy. I was given a bottle via gift certificate here not long ago and I'm hooked! I though regular Woodford was great ... Double Cask is even better! Thanks T, I think of you with every sip. You're aces!

Dennis - as you said, so many toys, so little time! I will typically grind my own burger meat, but this time I had thought far enough in advance to get some out of the freezer and thawed! DOH! Ground chuck is really the only way to go for burgers as far as I'm concerned!

Jon - I bet you've stayed at a Holiday Inn Express recently because on this cook ... YOU NAILED IT! As for the heat up time issue, I always heat soak my KKs for about an hour before every cook. That hour given to time to prep everything and have it ready to go on. Try heat soaking PRIOR to the cook and while you're prepping and I think you'll be happier. Great first cook! Congrats and welcome aboard!

Ah, Charles! You've discovered that the bowels of KKs are cavernous and all you have to do is sweep the accumulated ash to the back of the cooker and carry on. Kudos! Nice pics! Now you know why I use a which broom and pan to clean out my ashes, All you do is sweep them to the back of the KK and they are really easy to scoop up and toss. If you're really anal such as I, you'll do a couple of passes around the bottom of the KK and get 99% of the ashes swept out in just a couple of minutes. Really easy!

WOWZERS! I'm drowning in drool! Those pics just put me in MacKenzie's kitchen. KUDOS!

Really a set of beautiful pics, Tony! Kudos.

Yeah, I know what you mean. That and the fact that the manager is awfully cute and seems to like my line of bull butter! There is more to WS than all things culinary!

MacKenzie - as always, killer cook and wonderful money shot! How is winter going up there in NS? I just got out of Colorado in time to avoid 14" of fresh snow at my sister's house. Here's our weather in OKC.

bryan - that is some kind of serious meat machine! And I thought I was a gadget guy! tony - that is identical to mine. Remember, when you shop Williams-Sonoma you pay a premium for a reason. I'm not sure what that reason is, but ....

Hi Friends! Just returned from a few days out in Colorado Springs. I was just ahead of the snow out there ... always a good thing! Before I left, I went to Williams-Sonoma looking for wedding gifts for my Niece. She was getting married at the Air Force Academy Chapel. Beautiful wedding. While there I stumbled across a new, at least to me, burger press. Now understand that I am mostly absolutely unimpressed with the vast majority of burger presses I've see. TO my mind, they are just too flimsy to turn out really good burgers. I love a good burger and because most burger presses are so flimsy, they just ruin a burger. So what to my wondering eye should appear? A REALLY SUBSTANTIAL BURGER PRESS! It was substantial, made from cast aluminum. Even better, it was ON SALE for a mere $20! AT W-S that's a steal! So without further adieu, here it is. The front and back of the box: Now here is a side view of the press. Notice the set screw that allows for a really nice assortment of burger thicknesses. Here is the press in its open position. Now I decided to use some parchment paper on top and bottom to insure that meat particles didn't get trapped in the press. It just makes cleanup easier. So here is the press set up to make its first burger. And here is the finished product showing the burger pressed between the parchment papers. This is a picture of the finished burger. Perfection itself! I made 4 perfect 1/3 pound burgers in just seconds. Nothing has ever been easier! Here I am ready to put the burgers on Beauty! my 19" Hi-Cap. Notice that I am taking precautions to remain well hydrated! And here are the perfect burgers on the main grate of Beauty! These burgers grilled to a perfect MR/M without getting thick in the middle. They were absolutely perfect. Sorry, no money shot, but you get the point. This burger press is really a bargain at $20. I think of all the flimsy plastic presses I've spent much more money on and just tossed in the trash and I could buy everyone here a press just like this for Christmas! Unfortunately I can't do that because I went back the next day and they were all gone! Damn the luck anyway! When all is said and done, if there is a W-S near you, you might want to run by and see of you can get one of these is you like really good burgers.

+1^! I don't have any breathing problems after over 20 years of kamado cooking, but a dear friend who is a pulmonologist suggested that I wear a mask when working around my kamados just to be on the safe side. I use Beauty! and TheBeast about 5-6 times per week on average. I use 3M masks available at any Lowe's, Home Depot, Ace, etc. Better safe than sorry.

Wilbur, you're BAD!

Nice write-up, Syzygies. Thanks!

Looks like something they used to beat my butt with during initiations!

It's beginning to look like an early Christmas for bosco!

Wilbur, that was one very lucky pork butt. So many options and so many great money shots! Really beautifully conceived and carried out! Mega kudos to ya. Next time, invite me to eat that bad boy!

Bosco, bosco, bosco! Calm down big guy! Twelve days, and then how long to get to your side of Canada? I'd pay money to see the look on your face when your KKs are delivered. I'd pay BIG bucks to have that video! You rock, bosco!

Beautiful KK and lovely spot you built for it! I love those color of pebbles. It really has an understated elegance. Congrats!

TInyfish, Tony, sent me a jar 'cause is a prince among men. Or so I thought. Now I can't get enough! It is simply wonderful as an appiteaser on toast points with cream cheese and a little freshly fried up bacon. KIller! Thanks, Tony!

Oh YEAH! That ain't just a money shot there at the end, it's the whole BANK!

That is one very nice KK! I love the color. I think you have the same color as my 19 but mine is in pebbles, rather than tile. No matter, that is one beautiful grill. You're going to love how it cooks. Make sure you do the burn in /venting of the acrylic grout to set the tiles before you do a high temperature cook... . Just follow the instructions sent in the owner's manual. All the best and congrats!

A BIG Okie "Howdy" to all y'all!

Tinyfish is my pusher for that La Bomba! First one's free; after that, it COSTS ya! La Bomba is so appropriately named it ain't even funny!

I'm in. I'm off to modify my signature. Other folks would just say I'm off.