KevinD

On June 9, 2016 at 7:16 AM, tony b said:

Yes, there was. It came to mind as I wrote this, but I can't remember the name of the damned cigarettes. I  think "100" was a part of it. 

 I too can hear the jingle " a silly millimeter longer, 101's" - was that Virginia Slims? I'm not a smoker and isn't memory funny thing? I can't remember what I did a few days, ago but I can remember a stupid commercial from decades ago – heavy sigh… 

I would be very interested in this as well - thanks!

Thanks – the only drawback of placing Pele where I have, is that because my grill island is so big if I'm standing in my house looking out in the backyard I can barely see the top...

 Ultimate Gen 2.6; Terra Blue

3 hours ago, Bruce Pearson said:

Aloha Kevin you From da island brah? Pele is a great name and great color What part of California are you from? I live in Fremont. Close by any chance? 

I have a BB 32 in about the same color as yours. I know what you mean about the drought my back yard is completely dead so all my pics are of just my patio. I'm ashamed to show the back yard especially after seeing all the great yard pics here in the forum. Thinking about putting in artificial turf. 

Aloha Bruce!  Nah brah - Haole...

 I live in Southern California roughly 30 miles east of Los Angeles in a city named Chino Hills.  I do on occasion get up in the bay area to visit friends I've got up there and I have a brother that lives in Santa Clara. 

I thought about taking out all of the grass in the front and side of my house and removing a fair portion of the back grass as well but I have not really been able to decide on xeriscape plantings and design.  Up until two years ago my backyard grass was really nice green but after the last two years it's pretty ratty looking and if we have a really hot summer down here, I'm pretty sure it'll finish off the back grass.  

4 hours ago, bosco said:

looks like some killer grub to me.

How did it compare to cooks on other cookers?

There is no comparison.   With the KK I can literally do it in my sleep. The other cookers that I have used in the past required constant vigilance and attention and quite frankly could be a pain in azz.   I do understand though that there are people that thrive on "the mystery and magic barbecue." The KK makes it so easy and has others have said, once you get the hang of getting to and maintaining your cook point, the game is all but over.  Having said that I certainly don't want to minimize the care that goes into the pre-cook preparation and of course the finish effort once it does come off of the grill.

The results are beyond  anything I had ever achieve before!

I hear you. I grew up in a family of good cooks who made most things from scratch.   All of my life I have had a high standards that most restaurants won't live up to food-wise.   On the rare occasion when I do go out it is because I don't feel like cooking and it's just a break, and since I don't have high expectations I'm normally not disappointed – LOL! 

 As for good barbecue it typically is not to be found in Southern California. I have lived in other parts of the country including the south and I know what a good barbecue is and isn't.  It's nice to know that I now have the means to more easily achieve excellent barbecue results at home. But more importantly to me, this helps me to do what I really love and that is to cook for friends and family.  The KK is an excellent tool that will allow me to do more of what I love...

7 minutes ago, bosco said:

looks like some killer grub to me.

How did it compare to cooks on other cookers?

7 minutes ago, bosco said:

looks like some killer grub to me.

How did it compare to cooks on other cookers?

Very tender & moist and as was discussed in the thread, I bypassed wrapping in foil during the during the cook. I did let them rest about a half hour under a tent for foil  before slicing them up to plate. 

 To borrow a line from Colonel Sanders – Finger lickin' good! And as was noted, they were extremely meaty, succulent even.   I am not a fan of barbecue sauce so I tend to be a dry rub fan but for this cook I did use a mix of a couple of sauces that I cut with a little bit of water and cider vinegar, for a single baste taking me through the final cook time.

Light-years beyond a popular barbecue chain out here named Lucille's, that I swear, serves ribs from anorexic pigs!   I didn't know that such creatures existed!  Of course the answer is whomever their supplier is, cuts so close to the bone as to leave nothing.   When they come to the table, not only do they look like they come from an anorexic pig, they look desiccated too... It has been quite some time since I have been there and every time I pass by the place, it is absolutely mobbed with people – I just don't understand how it can be so...

 The results… Outstanding!

Wasn't there yet when I opened Pele about an hour ago.  Not close really.  I decide to try again in 90 minutes, and I have @35 to go...I'm hoping they will be ready then or very close!

Thanks for reminding me Steve! I will have to make some of that to go on sandwiches, or on the side for those that just don't know how pulled pork is to be served in sandwich form!  LOL.

 Well I just got back from a Costco run… The  above posts inspired me. Not only did I pick up a 13 pound prime brisket but I also picked up a couple of pork shoulders. One shoulder will have to go in the freezer but the other one will see a low and slow cook very soon for some juicy pulled pork.    One of the cookbooks that I have is called Cooking with Smoke and Spice. There is a recipe in there "Vaunted Vinegar Sauce" - OMG!  It is apple cider based with Red-pepper flakes, black pepper, salt and just a couple of other seasonings.   It is so good on pulled pork I can't even begin to describe it.   When I do the shoulder I will absolutely find that recipe and share it.

 The brisket will go on Saturday night followed by a rest in a cooler wrapped in towels for at least a couple of hours.  After that, let the mayhem begin! 

I'm definitely going to make the first check at three hours to "feel" them; the question is whether to wrap for the remainder of the cook, however long that ends up being?   I think I will not wrap them since this is my first attempt on the KK and from there, I will make my decision for future cooks of ribs.   Since these are just for me today, I'll deal with the results now matter what they are! 

 The scent of the ribs and smoke on the air is already enough to make me crazy!

My first cook is underway though a couple of hours late...

Last night for my burn-in I used some old lump charcoal that I had left over from who knows when - ugh, what a mess as it left a ton of ash that I had to clean out today before I could light a new fire for my first cook. While I was cleaning out the ash I received some Fogo charcoal I had ordered so I used some of that as starter for Coco-char that I'm using as the main fuel for my cook. As promised by others it took a while for the Coco-char to catch and burn, but now I am approaching my desired cook temperature. I'm hoping that my decision to forgo the preferred hour-long heat soak does not hurt me since I decided to add my ribs now, with a couple of chunks of cherry wood for my flavoring agent. I am very closely watching the temperature  to make sure it stabilizes and holds at 250° for what I expect to be a 5-6 hour cook. I might expect a little bit of a shorter cook if I had allowed the normal heat soak to occur before putting on the ribs  – we shall see! 

  Well I think we can all say that it will eventually end up on the proverbial slow boat from China… 

Thanks MacK... I wish my backyard were looking better but my grass is beginning to die because of lack of water. Trying to abide by our water conservation rules  due to our on going to drought out here in California. Central and Northern California received a fair amount of rainwater but our mountain snowpack was not nearly enough and we continue to pay the price. ..

 I ended up naming mine "Pele" for the Hawaiian Goddess of Fire...

 OK it's about 1:15 in the morning Pacific Coast time and I just closed up Pele after about seven hours of running time.  I did not bother checking the calibration of the  thermometer before  mounting it so I'm hoping it is accurate. I didn't get any smell until approximately 650°.   I had it sitting at  550°  for a couple hours and then took it up to  600° and still nothing so gave  650° a shot and then I began to get "the smell."  I let it run at  650°  for about a half an hour and then closed the cap Just a bit to back down below  600° and kept it there until just recently. I observed dribbles of the white material in a few spots though no lifting of tiles. Backed it down to about 550° and then 500°, and have now closed Pele up for the night, lightly snuggling down the cap  followed a couple of minutes later by closing down the lower vents.

 But for the higher temperatures I needed to get "the smell", I seemed to have had an uneventful burn-in… 

Forgot to post the obligatory truck unloading shots...

On July 11, 2016 at 7:19 PM, tony b said:

In all this excitement to finally get delivery, DON'T FORGET THE PICTURES!

Yes, but that's ok...holding at 250 for the next hour and then will start to go up 50* every 1/2 hour eventually arriving at 550* and hold there for a couple hours.  I'm hoping for "the smell" somewhere in those 2 hours.

While not not ideal, I do have some backyard lighting and will augment with a big adjustable flashlight to help with sighting any lifting tiles, white oozing, combined with feeling for raised spots and go from there.   I have my trusty t-pin to relieve any observed venting.  I know after that point I should be able to allow Pele to cool while pressing down on any raised spots. 

I will do my first rib cook tomorrow during the day,  followed by another gradual rise to high temps and another venting opportunity… 

I find it rather appropriate that Pele will be venting since that's what volcanoes do as part of their natural course...  

Houston - Pele inaugural burn commenced at 2000 hrs PDT...

Houston - this is Pele control.  Reporting transition from garage environment and successful ascent and landing on the back patio with minimal issues.  Found that rotatation while maintaining forward trajectory was the best way to acheive and maintain target pathway across plywood placed over grassy surface. Despite many cracking sounds from plywood compression, we achieved the goal.

Proceeding to staging platform for unwrap and set-up stage.  Next communication should commence shortly before loading of fuel and ignition for primary burn in.  Regret to report that initial cook will not, repeat, will not commence  until tomorrow at approximately 1100 hours PDT.  We will however immediately commence consuming cold liquid alcoholic supplies as we progress into the evening hours...

Pele control, signing out...

Well,  it felt like a moonshot project as a one-man job...

It is the side yard for me as no matter which direction I take her through the door I have either a 30 or 31" width to fight which is too big to fit through my door.  Side yard it is...perhaps I can use the crate top as a ramp to make the rise from the plywood on the grass to my patio.  Will have to hope that with my own body mass and leg strength I can get it done - ugh!