Geo

Those look incredible, wilburpan! Gotta ask one question... And this might show how new I am... Did you have to rotate the bottom and top racks of ribs in order to get them all to finish at the same time? Thanks for the info.

I've read that dial-type thermometers are notoriously inaccurate. If that is the case with this thermometer, you wouldn't want the KK name on it.

As to temperature scale(s), I'd vote for dual scale.

Wait... Wait! There's a theory among bicycle enthusiasts, that the ideal number of bikes for any person is N+1, where N is the number of bikes they currently own. Now, considering that a bicyclist can only ride one bike at a time, and that it is quite possible to cook on more than one KK, I'm thinking that the "N+1" rule may apply to KK's as well!

egmiii,

 

 Being a low & slow smoker type, one of my biggest concerns is the time it will take to heat sink a 32" or 42" in the cold weather (planning on cooking tonight in 15*F/-9*C)  .

 

From reading about Dual-Fuel KK's on the website, I think that Dual-Fuel is only available on the 21" & 23" KK's. It may be that the 32" cooker can be modified to accept the Dual-Fuel box, but there isn't any indication that it has been done previously.

Thanks, Ed, for taking time to talk on the phone, and for thoroughly answering my questions. You were very helpful.

In addition to answering my questions, I came away from the conversation with the feeling that with a KK, I can prepare meals much better than any I've produced in the past... Maybe even better than the rotisserie chicken I used to make on my old gasser! I'm also thinking that I may do more low-and-slow and less grilling when I get a KK. This leads me toward spending money on accessories instead of the dual-fuel option.

One last thing... One of the first posts that I read when I found this forum, was from a guy who said he bought a KK because of the helpful people on the forum. I can see what he meant! Thanks for all your help.

Thanks much to all of you for your replies. I especially appreciate the feedback from egmiii since he owns a dual-fuel KK. Here are my questions primarily directed to egmiii...

Do the gas burners produce enough heat to sear a stake similar to the way lump does?

Are the burners easy to ignite?

Is it quick & easy to switch from gas to lump, or do you just use whichever setup you have (For grilling) at the time?

Has the availability of gas changed what kinds of food you cook?

Does the availability of gas result in you using the KK more often?

Have you used the rotisserie with gas? What were the results?

If you were to make a purchase decision with the experience you have now, would you purchase the Dual-Fuel cooker, or use the money to purchase lots of optional accessories, or maybe a larger KK?

Thanks so much. I really appreciate your experience. If you prefer, you are welcome to reply via Private Message.

Geo

My neighbor saw me replacing the hinge on my kamado. (Obviously NOT a KK... I doubt that a SS hinge would ever need replacing!). We got to talking about cooking, and he told me that he never uses his BGE anymore... That it is "so much quicker and easier to just use the gas grill".

That got me wondering if any of you ever considered getting a "Dual-Fuel KK" (http://komodokamado.com/pages/dual-fuel-komodo-kamado)

It seems like using gas would make for much-easier lighting, have no ash to clean out, no fuel to add, and probably other advantages. The Dual-Fuel KK also allows a quick change back to using lump... Something that I haven't seen in other cookers!

So what are your thoughts/experiences with the Dual-Fuel KK? I'd sure appreciate your thoughts.

Also... The word "Gas" isn't allowed as a Search term. It sure would be nice to be able to search for posts about the Dual-Fuel KK.

Great-looking Meatloaf, Hugo. Makes me want to try it. Which meatloaf on the smokingpit site? There are several of them.

Congratulations, croadie. Yoda really adds to the already-lovely setting. You're gonna enjoy some serene time out there while Yoda works. Just one question... How did you lift the lid back onto the base? Seems like a lot more than I could lift. Enjoy. Geo

After all the weather-related delays, don't you dare forget to send pictures when it arrives on Friday. That matte blue/black pebble has got to be a beauty. Congratulations, Croadie. Hope you get some sleep over the weekend. I doubt that I would. :>)

Thanks for the replies. For those that can't open the picture (I can't open it now), here is the link. (It is a picture on the KK website, so no worries about opening the link.)

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0360/7533/files/1908313_706738429383563_7690654397103128822_n_ed0fa96a-fd6e-438f-81e7-68e5a772835f.jpg?4592012462436639305

That is an awesome amount of meat loaded onto two grates. To think that the meat would still turn out consistently done, is amazing to me!

Thanks again.

Geo

Saw the attached picture in the Gallery section of the KK site. Shows what I think are 4 chunks of meat... 2 on the upper grid, and 2 on the main grid. When I have cooked multiple items on my pellet grill, I've had problems getting even smoking and doneness if I don't leave quite a bit of space between items so the smoke/heat can circulate. Have you ever tried cooking two large chunks right next to each other? How did it come out? From the picture, it really looks like the cooking surfaces are overloaded!
Thanks.
Geo

You're making me sooooo jealous! I'll be looking forward to your thoughts after you receive it, and do your first cook. Congratulations

I'm in Robson Ranch on the south side of Denton. Just moved here 16-months ago.

What an incredible 1st cook on your KK! Your experience with other kamados is clearly evident. Thanks for including pictures. You've set the bar pretty high for those of us who have yet to get a KK.

My thanks to all of you for the warm welcome. I've posted my first question "Is weight a problem?" Under the KK Pre-Sales heading.

Reading the specs on the KKs is really thought-provoking. The weight of the Big Bad 32 for example, is nearly a half ton, all sitting on 4 casters (Just a few square inches of contact with the floor).

Has this caused problems for any of you?

Do the casters get a flat spot if the KK is left in one place for an extended time?

Is it difficult to move the KK? (I'm thinking of storing it under the covered part of my patio, and moving it out to operate it. My patio is concrete with pavers on top.)

For those of you with wooden decks/porches... Does your KK leave dimples in the flooring?

Thanks in advance.

Let me introduce myself... As you might have guessed, my name is George and I live in Texas. Recently moved here from the mountains of New Mexico. Because of the fire danger, there was very limited opportunity to use my Medium BGE while in NM. I enjoy both the time spent cooking, and of course, the eating! Now that its safe to grill, I'm doing it a lot more. My reason for looking to replace my BGE is that while it is fine when I'm cooking for myself, it doesn't accommodate cooking for even a few friends. The reasons I'm considering the KK is that I really appreciate quality in things that I own, and I'd really like to have a rotisserie. On my BGE, I've never been able to make chicken as good as I could make on a gasser with a rotisserie. Maybe that says something about my lack of cooking skills, but the rotisserie sure made it easy to cook wonderful chicken. I don't cook a lot of beef. My preferences are Baby Backs cooked on my MAK 2-Star General, Pork Butts for pulled pork, and pizza... Who wouldn't love pizza on a kamado cooker! 

I have SEVERAL questions, and will ask your help with those under the appropriate headings. The questions might come across as kindergarten questions, but please know that I value your answers/opinions.