LarryR

Great Bark Thanks, the bark really was nice. I've never really been a big fan of bark, this bark however was exceptional. Very moist, not "chewy" at all and packed with flavor. I really like Chris' rub.

Done at 23 Hours As you can see butts are done, I wrapped them in foil and threw them in a cooler for a couple of hours. Cannot wait to dig in. I'm letting the KK continue to run just to see how long she'll go. Money shots later.

I had the same problem early in my first cook last night. Turned out my lid wasn't completly closed. See this POST Once I closed the lid completly I've been golden for the last 14 hours.

16 Hours In Well I'm 16 hours into my cook and once I got the lid closed completly I've been good. It's a foggy morning here and being out in the fog, enjoying my coffee (nursing a slight hangover), the smell of pecan mixed with cooking pork filling my patio, could it get any better, not in my book . . . OK, if Megan Fox was refilling my coffee for me maybe. The butt I'm temping is sitting at 172. After Doc pointed out that my lid wasn't completly closed I made one adjustment in vent/damper settings at 9:00 p.m. and didn't touch her until around 8:50 a.m. Looking at the graph it looks like she did pretty well on her own overnight. The graph us updated below. I have not opened her since I put the butts on can't wait to see the goodness that will be waiting for me. My grate temp is running about 15 degree's lower than my dome temp so I'm shooting for an average around 225. Doc, I absolutely will my thoughts on the two units after I get a few cooks under my belt

Thanks Doc, after you're advice on the lid latch I'm sitting pretty at 227 grate. I had to open the bottom wheel a little and the top damper but I'm looking good. Yes, the beauty of a pork butt is how forgiving they are. I took the two I'm cooking out of the freezer on Wed. and the center was still frozen when I put them on. Stoker said center was 29 degrees. We just finished our second bottle of Zin (SO and I) and I'm breaking out some Port, Scotch and a stogie, not sure what yet, got to see what I have on hand. Here's a graph of my cook so far. Note I'm not using Stoker to run the cook, only monitor it. I do not have my blower connected:

MORE PICTURES Well after wrenching my back lifting the KK of the pallet I got her in place and have started my first cook, two 9 lb pork butts rubbed with Chris Lilly's rub. I'm going manual but monitoring/logging using my Stoker and Stokerlog. I'm also tweeting the cook under Stoker_Ace. Currently sitting at 240 dome temp. 214.9 grate. Sipping a nice Zin, getting ready to grill a couple of steaks and asparagus for dinner. So far so good I think this is my favorite shot Graph of cook manually operated but logged by Stokerlog

HELP - How do I install this Handle is on the draft door/out side. It slides on the guide rods from the inside towards the door..

Matte Blue Gen II, feel free to PM me if you want to swing by.

WOW PICTURES Cannot find words to express how impressed I am with this cooker and it's craftsmanship. "Wow" is about all I can come up with. Starting with how your KK is packed for shipping to the CNC parts, 3/8 steel grates, the deflector, the tile work, the two piece fire-box, someone stop me. She's un-crated sitting in my garage on the pallet waiting for SO's son to come help me lift her off and I'll be wheeling her to the backyard tomorrow for her first cook. As great as the pictures are, they really don't do these cookers justice.

So looking down with the open end of the socket facing up to fit over the bolt I'm going counter clockwise. If I was looking up from the floor clockwise. Do you tighten it with the lid open or closed?

Rather than starting a new thread for this question I figured this was as good a place as any. What direction do i rotate the bolt to get my lid to stay open on it's own? Looking down from the top? I thought counter clockwise but don't want to screw anything up so I thought I'd ask first.

She's here! We couldn't navigate the corner from the driveway around the side of the house with the pallet jack so we put her in the garage. Will un-crate later in the day and wheel her around back. Popped the top of the crate off and she looks beautiful!!!

Yes, the majority of my smoking experience is on the Weber Smoky Mountain and I'm and active poster on The Virtual Weber Bullet forum. I'm a former K owner, recently sold it to upgrade to the KK. Rancher worked well in the K and I'm sure will preform even better in the KK. Nice long and even burns, however it can be a bit ashy when compared to good lump. I got in on the Home Depot $2.99 a bag sale, if memory serves me correctly I purchased about 50 bags, I'm down to my last 2.5. I have about 6.5 boxes of Dennis' Extruded Coconut that I'm saving for cooks down the road. Cooker will be here tomorrow between 1 - 3, cannot wait!

Briquettes LOL, yea I'll be using The Original Charcoal Company's Rancher Original 100% All-Natural hardwood Briquettes. Been using it for a couple of years and really like it, prefer it over lump. Looking forward to seeing how long of burn times I can get with it in the KK. I can do a 20 hour cook on my WSM with just over 10 lbs. (with a Stoker). Imagine in the KK I should be able to get the same out of about 7 lbs. Yes?

Minion Method I'll fire her like I fired my old cooker for low and slow, 5 - 6 lit briquettes. Let her come-up nice and slow, more time for drinking No worries, she'll get plenty of love at her new home.

Manual I'm going manual my first couple of cooks to get a feel for the temp. control. I'll use a wireless thermometer to monitor my pit and meat temp. with high/low pit alarms. Sounds like it's butts on main grate, drip pan on lower grate and deflector on charcoal basket? Any other first cook suggestions? I'll be lighting-up a big fat stogie and sipping some 18 yo Macallan on her maiden voyage.

Where are most placing their pork butts for a low and slow cook? In my former cooker I found I got best results on raised/top rack. Where do you find you get best results? Also, depending on which rack you place them on where are you putting your deflector and drip pan? My first cook on yet to be named cooker will be this weekend, two 9 lb boneless butts. Let the games begin! Any other first time cook tips are also greatly appreciated.

Direct? I notice that the Pizza Stone is directly above your fire; I've always read one should use a deflector, is this not the case on the KK?

Question on moving the KK to the backyard. I assume they'll drop it in my driveway, from there I'll uncrate and lift off/out with my SO's son and one of his buddies (any tips here are welcome too). From there I'm trying to decide whether it will be better to wheel it around back or carry it as shown HERE. I have concrete sidewalk the entire route. Your input is greatly appreciated.

We're having a little gathering for the game, we'll be serving: Burnt ends Fatty Wings Pulled Pork Sandwiches A few sides and snacks Should be a good day

Here she is . . . Should be here next week!

Finalized things with Dennis last night. Some very serious cooking in my future. Looking forward to my first cook on her, think I'll do pork butts. Can't wait to fire her for the first time. Thanks for all your help Dennis, and to everyone who's been so helpful in answering my questions lately.

Anyone else see this - Pork better for sex than Viagra? Pork butts this weekend!

Wood is wood What I'm gathering is I'm over thinking it and the KK works well on what I've been using and have access too. I have a buddy who picked-up some peach wood for me, can't wait to try it. BTW, if you're in Orange County I can highly recommend The Woodshed for smoke wood as well as firewood.

Picture I buy Cherry, Red Oak, Apple, Pecan, Hickory and French Oak Wine Barrel Staves from him so I'm good on types of wood. I'm more curious in the form people are using. Below is a click-able image for comparison. On the left a piece of apple from The Woodshed, on the right Smokinlicious chunks. Does one work better than the other in the KK? Ignore the size difference as I'd split the piece of apple in 1/2 for a KK cook.