DennisLinkletter

I suggest you explore using a Baking Steel for your Neapolitan pizzas.. you will get the leoparding on your crust at half the grill temp.. the steel will transfer to your dough the same temp as a porous baking stone at 800-900f and much more safely.. https://modernistcuisine.com/shop/baking-steel/

Anytime there is browning involved I suggest using the upper grate.. this puts your food closer to the heat coming off the walls/ceiling. I'd also suggest trying putting the baking steel directly onto the grate without anything between it and your fire. If adjusting the heat does not get the top bottom balance you need, then you can shield the bottom with something to reduce the baking steels's heat while increasing the top heat. Of course what you want is to find a temp that the crust gets the leoparding you want and the top browned just right. If you find the steel too hot at the temp that cooks the top how you like.. even adding some foil underneath the baking steel on the main grate will reduce the steel's temp.. you don't necessarily need to block all the direct hot air, covering up half the area will drop the temp less than the whole steel of course so you can fine tune.... Have fun post photos!

You can also reverse sear, take it to desired temp then remove and let sit to dissipate heat before searing or even refrigerate until the next day and sear hard with the precooked meat cold, when you get the crust you want, put it indirect with a probe and heat to just above 120º and eat.. The cold will prevent you from overcooking the meat when searing long and hard.. Just an idea.. I've done this with Tri Tips.. Cooked them to 130 and finished the next day cold.

I put the chips into a bowl and then heat them in the microwave to blow off some steam/lower the moisture content .. They seem to smolder much better if you reduce the moisture.. at least here in humid Bali.. I think it also burns off more undesirables when drier, so a bit cleaner smoke too..

LOL you mean everybody does not have a maid, gardener and driver full time? Ahh the joys of third-world living! Who cleans your grates when they are greasy? And you thought I lived here for the fun and sun..

I don't pitch on this forum.. Lot of information in the FAQ section of the home page. Would he be able to convince you there is no difference between an utility car and a luxury performance one costing 4 times a much? And yes.. Of course someone knows how many grills are sold annually.. Send him this link.. Forbes Mag KK Review

Early on about 15 years ago.. I loaded up a 23's charcoal basket and then topped it off with 2/3 a volleyball volume on top, only large pieces. Had built a simple manifold in the front draft door for a full size leaf blower.. Fired that baby up without a damper top and after a few minutes we had a two foot rocket flame shooting out the top.. after 10 minutes the entire neck was glowing red. Grill survived the test and is still being cooked on by my security staff. Wish I had videotaped it.

Best bet to put this on Craig’s List.. get in front of local audience.

He misunderstood me... He told me that he was going to do a video of the burn in and I said it was not really necessary because the grills we are now building don’t really vent any more.. Only the last few containers of 2019 don't need venting. The May 2018 date was when his grill shipped.

And of course I make Glu-Lam 100% Teak Decking - End matched up to 4 meters- Designer designated lengths Raised Grain Anti-Slip Texture

No there should not be a flame ongoing.. it should be smoldering.. I'd use only one small lit piece of charcoal at the cross pipe area and blow air with a blower or hair dryer until it gets things going to where a flame shoots out the other side of the smoker than let it die and smolder.. I think the best and most clean smoke is with the pump in it's lower settings.. best to slowly fill the grill. I've found that putting the meat in as cold as possible and not opening it until after you have reached the plateau creates the best dark red purple smoke rings.. I'd bet that the smoke generator air pump should be dialed way back for less airflow..

You might want to try covering the top with rock salt, just pack it on and put it in the grill.. it pulls moisture and transfers heat to the skin and makes great crackle..

Using my welding gloves, I grab a medium-size chunk of lump charcoal and smack it against the wall of the grill to break it into little tiny pieces. I carefully pile these in the middle of the grill on top of the charcoal. These can be lit using a lift lighter or the heat gun-type lighters a map torch or a wax starter. Because the pieces are small they light almost instantly. Now you want to hit the small burning pieces with a blower.. this could be a cheapo hair dryer or even a bellows. I personally use a Milwaukee shop blower. It's lithium powered and has a variable speed trigger and is about 30% the size of a standard leaf blower. Great tool. When the burning charcoal gets the increased airflow it glows madly and immediately lights all the charcoal below it, which immediately glows madly also and in 90 seconds you have a grapefruit volume raging and you are off to the races..

It's more about the results.. burn less fuel, create less airflow, less evaporation, and BINGO more retained moisture.. the holy grail of low and slow!

I sell a coffee wood lump charcoal with a wonderful flavor profile that I often am unable to keep in stock because if shipping/sea freight issues, nothing to do with coffee. That being said, coffee grounds will impart some flavor.. not sure what it would be like.. I'm guessing most of the oils/flavor has been extracted. I've smoked chicken with rosemary leaves.. Less is more!

Yes, all Komodo Kamado grills used to come standard with heat deflectors.. I've learned it's easier to give people what they want than to educate them. I supply them because people coming from the glazed-pot Kamado world think they're very important. Glazed pot Kamados are basically uninsulated and when the ambient temperature changes/drops their temperature can crash. Having a heat deflector reflecting heat back into the firebox gives these grills thermal mass/ a heat sink to help stabilize temps during these ambient temperature swings. Their deflector and firebox are the only components that are not exposed to the changing ambient temps. The thin glazed pot walls are unable to hold and give off heat the way a big thick cement hot face that is also insulated can. Because KK's are so well insulated, this is not a factor. The heat deflector requires you to burn more fuel, creating more airflow, more evaporation, and less retained moisture in your meat. I suggest preheating the grill empty and then putting foil on the lower grate, the size, and the area you want to be indirect. You only need the foil to be large enough to block the infrared radiation coming directly off the coals from hitting your meat. Put your drip pan on top of the foil, install the main grill, and put your meat above the area with the foil. Put the upper grill on top of that and more meat. You're off to the races. The foil is much higher above the charcoal than where the heat deflectors sit and will not trap/reflect as much heat back into the firebox. That being said, I have not used the heat deflector in one of my grills for probably 10 years. Your results will be better using foil to create an indirect area. You will burn less fuel, create less airflow, less evaporation, and will have more retained moisture in your meat.. Will the forum family please chime in how they feel about using foil or the deflectors so I can use this post as a reference..

Amazing ribs are not paid reviews.. I know I sent Meathead grills to play with. Here are a couple of links ref. Kamdo Joe being bought by a Private Equity Group. http://vrapartners.com/news/vra-partners-advises-kamado-joe-majority-recapitalization-dominus-capital/ https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dominus-capital-invests-in-kamado-joe-300717060.html

I don't want to sound judgemental but do they sound a little confused here with where to cook what? "Place the grate in the lowest position for a gentle heat, ideal for smoking “low-and-slow” barbeque," LOL

I use that large "T" tool that ships with your grill.. It's about a foot long and has an allen key welded to 1/4" SS rod. I slide it into the feed tube when it's cold and can chip out the stuff that builds up.. the pull-apart and soak works of course too.

I always suggest putting an ad on Craig's List.. Best way to sell KK grills if you don't have the original shipping crate.

That's dedication to good food that I respect.. My wife used to discover roadside stalls that served something special and then get a craving for what they have. I'd be driving 45 min each way to go eat something special. But we would always get another 5-6 portions bagged up to take home also.

And remember you can always call me if you have any on the spot questions..

I’m flying back from Bkk, and will be back taking calls again if you need me tomorrow.

First I’d like to thank everybody for the outpouring of love, prayers and calls from literally around the world, we were touched. We saw a specialist in Bangkok today who was able to clarify things and make us understand what probably happened. She was diagnosed with a group of conditions lumped together to describe “a myocardial infarction with nonobstructive coronary arteries” known as MINOCA. We were able to reduce them to a vasospastic angina.. She will take a three-month course of anti-spasmatic meds among other things and we’ll come back and see him. So looks like we dodged a bullet and of course she will have to make some lifestyle changes.. i.e reduce her workouts to an hour or two a day etc.. LOL Thanks again..