Amphoran

I live in Seattle, where the Winters are very, very wet, and have that same problem if I don't use the KK for a significant time. I've taken to keeping a container of Dri-Z-Air (a dessicant) inside the KK during the winter. That helps a lot. Mike

Just as a data point, my standard Johhny Jammies will fit over the two folding table FRAMES when folded down, but it doesn't just drop over. You have to work it back and forth a couple of times to get it lined up jus right, then it slips down over them. The larger size will definitely be an improvement. Mike

I beg to differ. I find that after 18-20 hours at 230(ish), there is almost no fat or visible connective tissue left. The fat is in the drip pan and the collagen has all been converted to gelatin. Also, its pretty easy to separate the main muscles and see if there are any packets to remove. Pulling ten butts with fork last year for the big event nearly crippled me. I'd rather use a tool than tell all the regulars that they can't have any KK pork this year.....

As someone who makes interesting gadgets for a limited market, I feel I have to support anyone doing similar things when our interests intersect. So - I got one of these. The disk is aluminum, the tines are stainless. Looks like they were shrunk in (i.e. heat the aluminum and chill the stainles tines, then assemble. When temps equalize, they are very firmly held in place). The shaft is a standard 1/4" drill extension, and is NOT stainless. Looks and feels very robust. After having had the pleasure (not!) of hand-pulling 12 butts for a large group bbq last summer, this looked to be a great solution. It is intended to be driven with a cordless drill at relatively low speed. Why would you need a second bucket with a hole? Mike

Sounds good, and it did look VERY good!

Actually, marble is perhaps not the best choice, as it will react with the acids in marinades and sauces. Is there a non-carbonate stone available in the islands? Granite would be great.

Anticipaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaation....

Happy Birthday, Dennis!

I thought of suggesting a tambour (sliding) door, but they are a bit fragile and have a tendency to jam after a few years use, at least in my experience.

I completely agree about having a door or doors on the larger cabinet. How about making one with a piano hinge at the top? The door could be lined with stainless (or laminate, I suppose), so that when it is flipped up onto the top, there is an easily cleanable working surface, but keeping the nice looks of the teak when closed up. Mike

I grew up watching him coax the most amazing things out of kids, many of those moments I still remember well. He will never be forgotten. Mike

That larger version would be TREMENDOUSLY handy! Will it be sturdy enough to be used as a sitting bench? I'm sure that people would fight over the honor of sitting on something that lux. Mike

Things work that way across a lot of industries. Most of my customers are purchasing a replacement for their original cheap still....

My technique has evolved over time. It began with some LARGE bonfires as I cleared 30 years worth of woody debris from defunct cabinet shop that had chucked all the scraps out the window..... We got a HUGE bed of coals, and found that you could toss big pacifics onto them and they'd cook quickly and beautifully. Had to use a pitchfork or long handled spade to get them off. With a bit of timing, you could have them anywhere from just warmed through to smoked. After the debris ran out, I started firing off 40 pounds of charcoal in a split barrel, with a sheet of hardware cloth over the top to hold the oysters. The barrel would get red hot. As we got older and toddlers appeared, this started to seem a bit unsafe (g), so I tried the grills and ruined them. Then I visited NC and their oyster bars, and adopted their steaming technique. I have a 10 gallon milk can that sits on a high BTU gas burner, and pipe the steam from that into a wooden box. The top of the box has a hole just large enough to hold a large galvanized bucket. The bucket has a fifty or sixty 3/4" holes drilled in it. As the steam works up through a bucket filled with oysters, it condenses and heats them up fairly rapidly (but not as rapidly as 40 lb of charcoal!) and pretty uniformly. This year's oyster roast, I'll continue to steam, but will try some in the KK with a deep drip pan. It would be nice to have the option of some smoke. That will be at the end of may, and I'll see to it that the event isn't imaginary...

Years ago, I totally ruined a relatively nice gasser grilling (lots of) oysters. These were big pacific oysters. The problem was not so much salt as the huge gush of liquid they all produced getting into the burners and clogging things up. I also tried them on an old weber, and the gush(es) extinguished the charcoal. With a drip pan with good capacity, it should work in the KK, but I've not done them in mine. These days I steam oysters, NC oyster-bar style. Mike

Maybe the best way to express it is that if you are standing in front of the KK, the top of the basket should be coming toward you and the bottom of the basket is going away from you.

I just made (imaginary) sandwiches with the leftover breast, and it has moistened up considerably on cooling and sitting in the fridge overnight. Maybe that is a compression effect, but the texture is now much closer to what I was expecting. Maybe the secret is to make it a day ahead!

Susan, You nailed the description of texture - "silky". That is what the thighs and legs of the turky were like, and to me that texture is the attraction of smoking. I've had a professionally smoked turkey before, and the breast had that character, too - something missing in my first attempt. Hopefully cooking one breast down will help get there. Cheers, Mike

Here's the photo. After brining, rinsed, dried and rubbed with olive oil. 7 hours at 230 deg. (to an internal temp of 165). Skin was dark mahogany color, and redolent of applewood, breast was slightly dry but nicely smoky (and well received); dark meat was spectacular, very moist, smoky, very much like a good ham. This was a a first try; next time I'll try cooking it breast down to see if that keeps them moister, then one in the roti. The problem with that is that you can't monitor the temperature without opening the lid. Cheers, Mike

Doc, When I'm roasting a turkey, I do them anywhere from 350 to 550, most often around 500. Today, I'm SMOKING the turkey - low and slow, lots of applewood in the basket, brined bird. Texture, color and flavor totally different than a roasted turkey - much closer to a lightly cured ham. Cheers, Mike

I'm smoking a 12 pound turkey tomorrow for Easter Dinner. Allowing 40 min/pound at 225, with a fair amount of applewood distributed through the basket. It's brining as I type in 1cup salt, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 tsp black pepper and 1/4 cup tarragon per gallon. I expect to have it on the KK about 8 am tomorrow. Photos to follow, this one won't be imaginary..... Mike

I did an imaginary one of these last week for a Reubenfest. Everybody loved it. Cooked in a pan on the upper while three racks of ribs cooked on the main. Next time I'll try on the grate over a small drip pan, to see if the texture changes. I DO recommend soaking the corned beef for a few hours prior to putting on the mustard and rub.....

I've been using Jeff Varasano's recipe (only modification: reduce salt by half) and an Italian sourdough culture for a year now, with great results. I use a very high-protein bread flour for the wet kneading, and all purpose flour for the second addition. Here's a link: www.varasanos.com/PizzaRecipe.htm I've used both the Ischia and the Camaldi cultures, slightly different flavor; both work well. cheers, Mike

OC, THANK YOU! I'm in Seattle, and will give them a try next time I go to the fisherman's terminal. Cheers, Mike

And can you share it? Mike