tekobo

Tee hee. This forum is particularly good at assisting you with finding new ways to empty your wallet. So, I think I have grown up and become you. Our (max) five times a year barbecuing habit was because we turned it into an event with our Argentianian BBQ - burning wood to create the embers to lay under the food. The KKs have made life a lot easier and I light one or two up at the drop of a hat. I live with my husband and four cats. The cats are on a raw food diet so I imagine our day to day cooked food needs are similar to yours. Most times I get by with one KK. A quick firing up to cook some wings for one or a recent dinner with three friends where I cooked brisket low and slow through the afternoon, added pork ribs part way through and then put my friend's son's mac n cheese to cook alongside the ribs while the brisket was resting. All perfectly easy and I didn't need anything more than my faithful 21". However, it doesn't take much to make it worth extending to two KKs. Some examples here: Sunday lunch with the in-laws. Nothing special but convenient be able to roti alongside the side cook. Japanese dinner for eight. This cook was early on in my ownership of the KKs and it convinced me of their versatility. I could have sworn that I used both KKs but I really cannot tell from the close up photos. And here I argue against myself, showing what you can do on a 23 - two fat ducks, followed by a klafoutis dessert. I was less brave then and the sides were cooked indoors. Now, I would cook them on the other KK. Both KKs come into their own when we have parties. We had an all day party for 100 in the summer. The 21 held its own through the day, smoking two lots of brisket while I got friends to help with regular cooks of wings and sausages on the 23 through the day. That is an extreme example but I would do the same for 20 if I wanted grilled bites alongside low n slow. A single 23 could well be fine for your needs but I'd go for two KKs over most any other cooker option, any day of the week. Supplies? I buy cocoshell briquettes from : https://www.macsbbq.com/charcoals/proq-cocoshell-briquettes. I buy 25 at a time and they come to £17.20 per box delivered. Haven't tried anything else for regular KK cooks and would be interested in your experience with Lord Logs. Jealous of your ODK plans. Here I have a make shift space in the garden. Trouble is, I can't quite make the decision to swap plant space for more kitchen space and I can't, quite, get used to the idea of moving to the country to get the space I need. Thanks for posting, looking forward to following your journey.

My technique is a little different to yours and it takes 1 to 1.5hrs to get the binchotan white hot. I generally start a fire in the KK with the binchotan sitting on top of cocoshell briquettes i.e. I set it all going at the same time. As with all fires in the KK, I go back after ten, then twenty minutes to blow hard with my leaf blower. Almost always works. I did wonder if this was over kill and I was going to try starting the fire directly in the konro. Not sure how that will work out but will give it a go as I don't have a chimney starter and don't want to buy one just for this purpose. Keen to know how you get on though.

Been meaning to ask @Pequod: how are you getting on with binchotan? I have only ever used coconut shell briquettes in my KK and binchotan in my konro grill and so don't have many comparators. I find the binchotan burns cleanly and creates no odour problems with indoor cooks but I don't know if other options are different or better.

Woo hoo! This looks like a great addition. It means I can set my 23 up in a permanent 2 zone/roti configuration with my 21 available for other types of cooks. Add to cart. Alongside that hot/cold smoker accessory. Yay.

Hi there Alex. A fellow UK KK'er here. I have a 21 KK and a 23 KK. The thing that may change your perspective on whether your 19 will be unloved when the 23 arrives is your ODK. I found that the revelation that you can "switch" a KK on and off when you need it and having an ODK meant that we shifted from the usual UK model of 5 or so BBQs a year to cooking outdoors all year round - at least twice a week in the summer and at least once a week all through the winter. I just don't bother roasting meat in my IDK anymore and have been exploring starters, desserts and everything in between with my KK. The type of cooking that stops you having to flit between IDK and ODK generally warrants a two cooker combo. Hard to say what choice I would make if I had my decision again. I love the 22 TT and the 42 and might like that combo if I had no space restrictions. I shudder to think of having only one KK but if I was going to go down to a single KK I would definitely go for a 32. Whatever you do, I hope it works out for you. Kemi

That looks awesome Charles!

I mostly rely on measuring internal temp and the cook time predictions from my MEATER. In my IDK past I used to use these Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall estimates: http://iolarfood.blogspot.com/2017/01/roasting-meat-hugh-fearnley.html That should give you a good estimate, but checking internal temp during cook will be key.

I forgot to mention the one thing that seems to make the most difference to the speed of lighting - how I build the fire. I use coco shell briquettes which can be quite difficult to light. I find that seeding the centre of my fuel pile with part burned briquettes from the previous cook means that I can get the fire going much faster. I just train the MAPP torch on the part burned briquettes and they take really quickly. @DKMC2000, have fun experimenting!

I love being on this forum because there is always new stuff to discover. I have the same MAPP torch and blower routine as @Pequod but I never leave the lid open. Instead I wind the top hat to three turns to get the fire going and then wind back to 1/2, 1 or 1 and 1/2 turns depending on the cooking temp that I am trying to achieve. It has never occurred to me to pull out the plate at the bottom. In fact I only ever open the large bottom vent half way when I am starting the fire and it seems to work. I am curious about whether leaving the lid up and/or pulling the bottom plate out will get me to heat and eat quicker but I suspect that inertia will see me sticking to my same old routine.

I cook lamb on my KK but couldn't have described it any better than @tony b has above. I don't usually add smoke but internal temp is key. Depends on your taste but I cook to 50C (122F) and leave to rest, after which the IT rises a few degrees and the meat is at the perfect level of rareness for me. Whatever you do, try not to take it to the dry and grainy stage.

I've used that rub on chicken before too. I like the way Meathead doesn't include salt in his rubs. Gives you the chance to brine/salt to your taste and then add the rub without having to guess on seasoning. Nice job!

Yay! KK meat, veg and a wrap - winning combination.

I am very happy to learn from your addiction Dave. I did a lot of research a few months ago and the two I was planning to buy were the rice cooker and the soup and stew pot. You confirming that they are your "go to" donabes leaves me free to indulge in a Miso-shiru when I do come to pull the trigger on a second donabe. Validation. Hurrah.

There was such a bewildering variety available that I decided to go to the source and buy what looked most "original". I'm hooked now and am planning to try out some of the rice recipes that I found in this book: Donabe: Classic and Modern Japanese Clay Pot Cooking by Amazon.com Learn more: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1607746999/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_0QHRCbQR85A39 I see more donabe pots in my future but will remember to consult @tony b first!!!

When I first saw this post I thought there would be no point in buying a donabe kamado-san. I had no problem cooking rice and thought "how much??!" when I saw the cost of the pot. However, slowly, slowly I got drawn in and I finally bought one direct from Japan a couple of months ago. Well....I have to say that the rice does come out lovely and extra fluffy. Definitely better than my non-donabe efforts. Plus there is a range of recipes for cooking seafood and meat in with the rice that I really must try. Thanks for setting us off on this path @Jon B..

Tequila or vodka is more my thing. I would have to be REALLY ill to turn to neat whiskey!

Thanks, I'll give it a go. I am a fan of high temperatures for wings and having the rotisserie doing the work of keeping them moving seems like a good thing to try.

Hi Dennis. I hope your trip home today goes smoothly. Good luck with the recovery. I have found that the first 72hrs, when you are still high on the stuff the docs pump into you, feel great. Give in to the crash when it comes!

Those wings look good @Aussie Ora! I don't have a kebab rotisserie thing like yours but I wonder if the wings would work well going round in the flat(ish) fish basket that I have. Did the wings taste different or better than when grilled direct on the grate?

Wings again? All great looking cooks. And thanks Mac, you've reminded me of an old trick of mine with wings and other chicken pieces. I would sous vide with spices/marinade for an hour at 80C, cool down and freeze. Great for taking with me when I travel for work. They cook up under the grill at the aparthotel much faster and taste great. Yum!

Great video and beautiful KK. Glad you are happy with it already and look forward to seeing your first cook.

Hmmm. I looked through this post on my Macbook Air just now and could see all the photos. Maybe someone's fixed the problem @Scotte?

Congratulations to you and your wife @alimac23. In answer to your question about whether that is enough food, it sounds like oodles for 40 + 10 halves. It also sounds like a lot of work. I had a party for 100 that went on all day and my main learning was that, even though it was fun having small bites like sausages and chicken coming off the grill all day the thing that people remembered and raved about was the brisket. To give yourself time to enjoy the day you may want to focus on low n slow and wowing them with how well the KK delivers.

Good looking pizza @ckreef. When our teacher in Italy taught us to use a pan when making pizza I thought it was cheating but really appreciated how the outcome was a nice round, professional looking pizza. You are convincing me that these Lloyd pans are a good thing. Might have to add that to my Lodge pan addiction.

Very nice Mac. I just love how the cheese envelopes that burger so nicely. Yum.