tekobo

I had fun with my 21" today. Started with a brisket cook. Grass fed Dexter. When done, rested it in butcher's paper in a cooler. Prepped cauliflower steaks with a thick cheesy sauce and chopped bone marrow. While that was happening I browned off some sous vide chicken legs on the KK. Looking forward to my work lunches next week! On goes the cauliflower, topped with a mix of panko breadcrumbs, more bone marrow and cheese What shall we do with this celeriac and beetroot? I know, add lots of butter and wrap in foil! The cauliflower turned out nice As did the brisket Tasty dinner The KK is still going, cooking the celeriac, beetroot and a lamb shank casserole To be continued...

@tony b glad you had good experiences with Airbnb. I have pretty much stopped using hotels now. I am currently working away from home in Wales and am trying different places out. Small dilemma comes with reviewing places honestly. Last week I was staying in a v nicely appointed apartment but I didn't like the area at all. The host can't do anything about the area so it seemed a bit churlish to say that I didn't like the fact that there were no chi chi coffee shops and the eggs in the shops were from "caged hens". Felt too snobbish and middle class and so left that out. Must get on to some product reviews as I rely on them from others but generally don't get around to leaving my feedback. As to why I wrote my original and rather pompous treatise about how I use reviews? Well, it stopped me writing what I really wanted to write which was: " Hey you, why are you taking more notice of a random anonymous reviewer on amazon.co.uk than of me, your reliable KK friend?" There, I have said it.

I love reviews. I stay in Airbnb a lot and use tripadvisor for bars and restaurants so I rely a lot on other people being honest and clear about their experiences. The proviso is that we also have some tests. We try to figure out how much like us (or not) the reviewer is, what else they like (that we don't) and, after all that, we decide whether we are just going to be bloody minded and find out for ourselves. In this case I went for the last option and am pleased with the result. I promise to do my patriotic duty and do the review on amazon once I've cooked something. Chicken hearts anyone??

Yeah, I also have the Japanese Grill book and it is great. My mileage does vary though. I do very much like the Chicken and Charcoal book and may even get around to putting a review on Amazon once I get around to trying out a recipe or two.

This could get very pricey. I love the soft bread roll in your photo but wouldn't it be great if we could commission @Pequod to make sandwich bread, you to fill them and then ship them around the world? We might have to go for a regional variation with @Aussie Ora supplying beetroot for the Australians.

Really interesting cook @alimac23. I have cooked loads of lamb shoulders low and slow but never de-boned and never hot and fast. Hmmmm, looks tasty. As for that beef sandwich @Steve M. Can I contract you to make my work lunches? Every day until I get out of this working game???

I'm so jealous! I wonder if they are discriminating against us non-US customers? Harumph. That aside, I have bought what looks like a great book in readiness. See if you can resist buying this: http://amzn.eu/d/ep4mKfe

I love Einkorn too. Happily, the nice lady at our farmer's market appears with it once a month and I get to eat it without having to do any work, other than that required to get the money to pay her. Loving these posts even though I am a long way from finding the time to get into bread again.

all quiet on the crackle front at the moment. will get to it soon and i promise to report back!

Lovely looking ribs @Aussie Ora. Gonna take me a while to get used to your new profile photo - didn't realise it was you at first!

You mustn't forget to feed the gods. They get angry otherwise! Great looking table. I am so jealous that you've already got your grill. Latest prediction I have received is for November delivery at the earliest. Wondering if @amusedtodeath and @Pequod will get theirs in time for Christmas. Is that foil that you have lined your grill with in the picture below? If so, why have you done that?

That's a great shot Tony. I bet it tasted juicy and tender. Yum.

Nice reminder... will try some spatchcock chicken on the top rack tonight. Have you decided on your weekend cook? Char siu pork could be good. The Husband had a thing about tapping the tiles with a wooden mallet during the burn-in - he said the lifted/lifting tiles made a different sound. I couldn't really tell. Two tips I am sure about: make sure you have strong lighting or a torch in case the burn-in extends into the night and keep wiping as you go along to avoid stubborn white streaks that are harder to get off at a later date. Good luck!

Well, the meal looks tasty in any case. I guess the Maker's Mark didn't go to waste. I went over to the kamodo guru forum to look for the post that @parisbrownep referred to and found it here: https://www.kamadoguru.com/topic/28353-crackle-on-the-jt/. The crackling on that belly looks great. Do you masquerade as Aussie Joe over there? If so, kudos for that crackling. Looking forward to my next attempt, will take some of the tips from there as I am keen to do the porchetta the "authentic" way, on a roti.

What can I say??? I like the idea of living hard and dying young but if I get to be your age I hope to be in a position to have just as much fun as you all seem to be having in your retirement.

Hi there. Did you get the desired crackle?

Oh yes it is! I want some....

Wow! I had somehow managed to persuade myself that a 42 was a sensible choice until I saw you standing next to it @Wahoo. She is indeed beautiful and you are definitely not sensible. Well done for jumping in at the deep end. Looking forward to your cook.

Happy Birthday! That pig looks devilishly good. I was born in '68 too and finally feel I can say that I am grown up having reached the grand old age of 50! Welcome to the club.

I used to be in with the beetroot haters but I grew some on my plot this year and made myself eat some. Sorry @Aussie Ora, I am still not quite at the point where I can bring myself to put beetroot in burger but beetroot rosti and beetroot peeled and baked whole and then chopped up and dressed with vinaigrette and wilted beet leaves are both very tasty. Best of all is an awesome smoothie with ginger, carrot and apple. Gloriously pink and delicious! I went away on holiday and came back to find my beets had grown to massive proportions. I think you'd need a monster burger to take a slice of one of these!

@Pequod, there are two ways to play this life thing. There is what your mother/father told you: " if you can't say anything good, don't say anything at all". That might be good advice for me but I much prefer the other route. More interesting and you would be soooo bored if we all just said "welcome back Pequod, you're wonderful!".

And...? Looking forward to your results.

You're nuts, but in a good way. Good to see you back. I like your bread but I won't be milling anytime soon. Going to do a Chicago Southside thin pizza soon though. We've got friends who are very fussy about the particular sourdough pizza that they like. Not going to try to compete. Just aiming to shake their world with a bit of square cutting.

Sometimes the simple things are best. Tonight we started dinner with rocket (arugula to the Americans) and three different types of cured meat: KK smoked cured goose breast, proscuitto and capocollo. Followed by grilled quail. They look so small and vulnerable being cooked but they are so so so tasty! Shout out to Movida Next Door in Melbourne for introducing us to how wonderful the quail can be.

Oh yes, we are... It is the UK, so I have to talk about the weather. It is absolutely chucking it down where I am. I hope you are having better weather for your burn in/first cook!