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Nice pictures. Charles - Prometheus 16.5", Cassiopeia 19" TT

That's a good story Rak. That is the story of most of my cooks. Little errors that ruin it for me even though it tastes great and everybody liked it. But that is how one gets better. Realizing what you did wrong so you can correct it the next time. Every mistake you listed I've made them myself. The really frustrating cooks is when you do everything right and it turns out bad so you have no way of knowing what to tweak next time. Charles - Prometheus 16.5", Cassiopeia 19" TT

TY MacKenzie, a very tasty recipe. Charles - Prometheus 16.5", Cassiopeia 19" TT

I think they are getting better and I appreciate you noticing. It's just a point and shoot camera so I make the best of it. One day I hope to get a mirrorless with a few different lenses. I'm also getting much better at editing. I try and get the money shots to look as close to what they look like in real life. Charles - Prometheus 16.5", Cassiopeia 19" TT

I haven't started carry out at the Bistro yet - maybe one day - LOL. Charles - Prometheus 16.5", Cassiopeia 19" TT

My first Sourdough attempt. My normal pan pizza dough recipe with a Sourdough starter substitution. This was what the Reef's call a "Junk Pie". Mozzarella, parmesan, sausage, ham, green peppers, mushrooms, black olives, tomatoes, and finally pepperoni. Tasted good but the texture could have been better. I made a few technical errors which hurt the texture. 1) used half of a starter substitution should have used a full substitution amount. 2) did the refrigerator rise in my mini fridge which is set at 33* so the dough was almost frozen for a few days. Should have done it in the main refrigerator. 3) shortened the pan rise time as it was getting late. 4) cooked at 400*, next time I'll go 450* Next attempt will be better. Charles - Prometheus 16.5", Cassiopeia 19" TT

Red curry shrimp with grilled mushrooms and grilled tomatoes served on a bed of rice. TY Rakesh for posting the basic recipe. Charles - Prometheus 16.5", Cassiopeia 19" TT

A fine looking meal. I'm with Tony, I generally don't put ketchup on anything. Them potatoes smothered in gravy - now we're talking. Charles - Prometheus 16.5", Cassiopeia 19" TT

Lump size won't make a Noticeable difference, I use RO a lot which has mostly smalls. Light it in 2 spots should do. Top vent at 3 turns, bottom vent wide open. (With a wide open top vent you'll get rageing coals quickly but a lot of the heat is blowing out the top vent.) At around 450* close the top vent to 2 turns. At 550* close top vent to 1 1/2 turns and start closing down the bottom vent until it settles at 550*. Let it heat soak for a while after that. 3 turns is the most I ever open my top vent. Charles - Prometheus 16.5", Cassiopeia 19" TT

Looks good to me. Charles - Prometheus 16.5", Cassiopeia 19" TT

My 16.5" has an extra large lump basket due to the fact that it doesn't have a separate firebox, just thicker main walls down in that area. The integrated firebox of the 16.5" means there is more room down there compared to the 19" with separate firebox pieces. The 16.5" lump basket is grill shaped and is bigger than the 19" lump basket. Without doing any calculations it looks like it would hold just as much lump as a 23" round lump basket but that's just a general observation from seeing cschaaf's lump basket and I could be wrong but it wouldn't be off by much. The 19" is also a grill shaped lump basket. I think being grill shaped has to do with being table top models as opposed to free standing units. People talk about which way the basket handles should be turned (left/right or front/back). Mine only go in one way. This probably has more to do with the way I like my steaks more than anything. A decent sear and on the rare side of md rare. Charles - Prometheus 16.5", Cassiopeia 19" TT

I usually do mine on the lower grate but the Reef's all like theirs md rare and can even go on the rare side of md rare. Whenever I've used the main grate when the Sear gets to where I like it the steak is usually more md. Of course this all has to do with how thick the steak is cut so each time I evaluate the steak and come up with a plan. Charles - Prometheus 16.5", Cassiopeia 19" TT

Let me clarify my statement. You said you were doing this during the burn in. I really don't think you want a deflector in place for the burn in. You also said regular store bought stone. Without the deflector in the bottom position you need to be careful about burning the bottom of the pizza on a regular pizza stone. If this wasn't the burn in you would want the deflector in the bottom position using a regular pizza stone. If you were talking about the KK baking stone I would go no deflector regardless of burn in or not. Charles - Prometheus 16.5", Cassiopeia 19" TT

Great looking pizza. Charles - Prometheus 16.5", Cassiopeia 19" TT

TY everyone. A quick, simple weeknight meal. Charles - Prometheus 16.5", Cassiopeia 19" TT

Harbor Freight - you can probably get an entire set for about $10. Charles - Prometheus 16.5", Cassiopeia 19" TT

P. S. Using the deflector on the main grate is generally a bad idea - trust me on this one. I'll post my KK disaster details one day. Charles - Prometheus 16.5", Cassiopeia 19" TT

I would go no deflector. Heat soak the KK to desired temp for 1 hour with the temp stabiluzed. Then add the pizza stone on the upper grate and heat soak for 30 minutes (assuming a normal pizza stone). Temp will drop when you put the pizza stone on. Don't touch just let it come back up to temp. Cook the pizzas. Charles - Prometheus 16.5", Cassiopeia 19" TT

That would work. Charles - Prometheus 16.5", Cassiopeia 19" TT

Quick work night cook. Charles - Prometheus 16.5", Cassiopeia 19" TT

I do have laugh about those 2 comments. Our worst night this winter was only 26*f and it only lasted 2 nights. Tonight it's about 65*f outside. We have turned the corner into spring. Sorry MacKenzie maybe soon you'll turn the corner. Charles - Prometheus 16.5", Cassiopeia 19" TT

Long shaft/T handle, 5mm, ball end Allen wrench works to keep your knuckles intact. Charles - Prometheus 16.5", Cassiopeia 19" TT

I own 2 Terra Blue KK's - like all KK's they look much better in person than in pictures. Charles - Prometheus 16.5", Cassiopeia 19" TT

That was a great deal still new in the crate. Nice tile color. Congratulations. Charles - Prometheus 16.5", Cassiopeia 19" TT

Great first cook but you definitely over thunk it. Where to start........... Come home from work, get the lump basket filled then fire up the KK. Park it where you want it - even if it takes you two hours to prep the food the KK will be waiting. When figuring out the top vent, open it about 2 turns then give it a good free spin towards closed. Where it lands is where closed is - go from there. You never have to tighten the top vent down - just barely snug is good enough. What I do for 350* - fill firebox - light really good in one spot (get yourself a MAPP torch) - top vent 3 turns - bottom vent fully open and stroker plug removed - at 250* close top vent to 2 turns - at 350* close top vent to 1 turn, put stroker plug back in, set bottom vent to about 1/4". Give it about 15-30 minutes and it should Park right around 350*. This whole procedure should take about 1 hour, maybe a little more with heat deflector installed for indirect. One hour should be about right to go inside settle down from work and prep the meal. I use this basic method almost every night where I get home between 5-6 and go to bed 9-10 - you just have to manage your time properly. In what you posted it seemed like you left the dome open to long getting the probe in which got the grate temp high even though the heat soaked temp as a whole was actually lower. Get the grate probe setup right after you lite it. Having the dome temp plunge right after basting is normal. If fully heat soaked it should recover within five minutes or so. I only open my bottom vent before opening the dome if I'm doing a 400*+ CI sear or a 500*+ direct sear. Well that's the way I roll anyway - hope that helped a little. Charles Charles - Prometheus 16.5", Cassiopeia 19" TT