jonj

While having lunch yesterday at a favorite place for the first time since pre-pandemic, I noticed steak caesar salad on the menu and decided to make it for dinner

Tri Tip on the KK

Rested

Post-rest and sliced

Dinner: Steak, caesar salad, baguette, with a 2011 Caymus Special Selection Cabernet.

Tiles!!

5 hours ago, LudicrousSpeed said:

The hardscape crew has this nifty machine (pic included) that they use to haul dirt, crusher, pavers, etc. up and down the side of the house and have laid down thick plywood to facilitate.

Please don't use that thing to move your 32KK. Very little good can come of it.

Another great recipe, @Troble! Thanks

I'm glad you put this video together. This little dampener accessory was one of the decision points when I bought my Billows. Well done.

Top vent and perhaps not fully heat soaked...

I agree with Robert that a large part of the issue is too much top vent. A 1/4 turn on my 23KK would be 275 or more. Try 1/8 turn or even less and see if it helps.

While I agree with Tony in principle, in this case Forrest's 21" KK basket (and firebox) appear to have a squared-off rear, so it may only fit in one way. On my 23" KK, both my baskets were "generally" round, but I had to persuade the basket I use with the splitter into a bit more perfect roundness with a 4 pound hand sledge so it now fits into the firebox in all directions. YMMV.

Whatever works!

Beautiful pig and great spread. I would be proud to bring wine to such a feast!

That is one fine looking pig! I wish I was there to help you with the eating part 😉

I used Weber Smokey Mountain cookers for over 30 years before getting my first KK. I kept my two WSMs, thinking I would use them as extra space. After using the KK for a couple of years, and not using the Weber's, I gave them both away. They are fine for what they are and I made some very good food on them, but for me there was no going back after the KK experience. 

You have great equipment!

Another great video, Oscar! Very clear.  Well done!

I think you have this very well thought out. Your guests will surely be pleased with everything and a whole pig presentation is something few people actually see in person. Best wishes for a terrific party!

@Troble, I imagine your first decision point re: head on or off will be whether it is a 20 or 30 lb pig. @tekobo's was 9.8 Kgs, or the lower point of your range. I can't wait to see the next episode!

On 5/18/2021 at 12:30 PM, tekobo said:

Started the day putting this dish in the KK.

That is a seriously large chamba!

@Syzygies: And this is why I stress keeping the bean-molasses mixture to a simmer or below.

@Aussie Ora, that looks really good!

@Troble, my BBQ bean recipe is not very sophisticated and I pretty much make it up as I go each time. The basic components begin with canned pork and beans, with the “pork” and liquid removed, then rinsed. This is just to get basic cooked beans for the dish – I have made them in the past starting with dried beans and cooking the day before, but found it not to be worth the effort. 

I sauté bacon (or pancetta), chopped onion and minced garlic (to taste), then add the beans, some of the same kind of marinade I’ve used on the meat (about 1/3 cup or if I have just used a rub instead, a healthy sprinkle of it), some molasses (about 1/3 cup), a dash of Worchester sauce, and some of the BBQ sauce I plan to serve with the meat (about 1/3 cup). All this is basically to taste. I sometimes added some cayenne or crushed red pepper if I think the meal will need some spice. 

 This typically results in a pretty loose mixture, which I heat on the stove to just a simmer, then transfer to my bean smoking pan and place in the smoker for 30 -45 minutes (depending upon the smoker temperature) to gain some smoke flavor and thicken to the right consistency. If left in the smoker too long, the beans will dry out. When the meat comes off the smoker, I carve off some of the edge meat with bark and add to the beans. That’s it.

I'd planned this cook for Sunday, but it rained 4.25" so it was postponed to today. Two slabs of baby back ribs and a pork loin, marinated in Wicker's for 36 hours, smoked at 225°-245° with hickory chunks, no wrap.

With BBQ beans, grilled corn and a 2011 Merry Edwards Meredith Estate Pinot Noir.

Beautiful steak, @MacKenzie!

30 minutes ago, Troble said:

but I just want to sit at your table one night to drink your wine, man do you drink well

Anytime you are in town, just let me know!

Seems it was steak night for many of us. I cooked a large ribeye last night. Duck fat and Montreal seasoning, cooked direct at excessively high temp.

Plated with baked potato and broccoli with a 2007 Jericho Canyon Cabernet. Nothing exotic, just steak night. Very tasty. By the way, I wasn't kidding when I said "large ribeye"; the plated version is only 1/2 the steak.

I agree; this is a very good video of the uncrating.