Basher

Aussie that third last photo looks like the KK is going to eat those ribs in 1 bite,,,,,,, Pacman style! Is that Harvest Gold Pebble? I'm thinking this is my colour choice. Show me the purple crack bacon ending,

The baking posts here are amazing and have inspired me to bake some breads- never done this before. I've started the starter and am curious whether you experienced bakers have tried different additives to your starters and seen a difference in flavours. This is the simple form after 3 hours per reading from today. It's easily doubled, maybe even trebled and seems active early. We are close to mid winter here and night temps get down to 10C( 50f) and the days are about 25C( 80f) Anyone crushed a few pepperberries? Maybe tried feeding your starter different ground flour other than wheat, rye? Ground nuts, Sorghum, Psyllium Husks? Some of the Belgian brewers open ferment there beer in spring and get a different flavour each year depending on the wild yeasts blowing at the time. Is this the same with sourdough starters?

That's a great post thanks Pequod. I hadn't found this one before. I thought I had read just about every post. BTW, Loved the Archimedes principle in play with the beer. Very clever. While I'm handing the compliments out, Pequod your bread posts are amazing. Never realised there was so much science to such a simple( and delicious) product. I could get into the habit of trying to master this early every Sunday morning.

This is a funny post. I see Pequod has his wish with the 32" Personally, I'm liking the Steve Raichlen set up with 42" and the Kalamazoo. Absolute overkill for me........ but awesome cooking options. He could pull a JC and feed 5000 with these rigs. Something about those adjustable Parrilla grills with the built in adjustable spit rotisserie.

I like that cork option and will definitely be trying it. Thanks Back on track, is there a significant temperature difference over the indirect area in a front fire to a back fire?................ Pretty sure I'm going to have to buy a 23" to find out!

I'm not sure which part of England you are in Tekobo. I spent a few years between London and Gloucestershire and never had to travel too far to find apple, peach, oak or cherry trees in public commons and also in private gardens. Start collecting twigs and pruned cuts and store them in a dry place for a year- Are there space in England dry for a year? lol. You will soon have a pipeline of smoke flavour options. Probably wrong time of the year to start, from memory, Oct/ Nov will see more available after the fruit is picked......... Or buy some pellets- not sure what options you have in the UK. Keep an eye out for the Cornish Pepper Leaf. That's what we are calling Tasmanian Pepperberry AKA Purple Crack. Not sure this can be smoked? I'm keen to try the coffee wood from Dennis, however, not sure it's viable to get this through Aus customs. Might have to source some from North Queensland.

Thanks for further explaining Pequod. Based on this, the 2nd set up in the photos above will create more convection heat given the circuitous flow required for the heat to exit the KK. Meathead's description also seems to be focused on temperature control within the indirect area with minimal regard to temps over the direct area. Am I right in suggesting you want the convection air flow around the food on the indirect area? Therefore you wouldn't set up with the fire directly underneath the top dampener where the heat has a more direct exit flow? Do you set up the roti with the fire at the back or front of the KK?

I read your comments Pequod about the distance squared and 10 times heat in another article. As with the reverse flow smoker, there seems to be a massive amount of heat carried through with the smoke- although the smoke just allows us to see the heat travel. Would you refer to the heat in an off set smoker as radiated heat? There is a big difference with the heat distribution in the reverse flow design. They are trying to slow the heat movement so it disperses evenly.

I have been reading many articles around 2 zone kamado cooking from here and other sources and note the 23" can be set up for 2 zones, however, it has been suggested the 32" set up for 2 zones may be better as the larger zone areas can create a greater variation in temperatures within the zones(and more cooking area). This may have had me leaning towards a 32". I don't really need this much cooking space. However, The 23", having a round fire basket, has the advantage of setting the zones front to back, or left to right. I have not been able to find any discussion about the variation of front to back zones may have on temperature variation. Is this significant? Surely this set up above will create a greater temperature variation to the set up below? through radiated heat from the dome alone? In the same way reverse flow off set smokers distribute the heat more evenly. I am theorising, but wouldn't this make a significant difference? Was the flute set towards the back for thermo design reasons or to distribute the weight over the hinge? Sorry about the amatuer sketch and vandalising your artwork, I have fat fingers!

That sounds horrible. It reminds me of a uni race we used to run. Half way around the track we had to eat a cold meat pie and skull a warm can of fosters! It makes me wretch just thinking about it........... It sorted out the athletes though!

Hammo that 32' looks amazing. Well done on pulling the trigger. I'm getting excited for you. What's the ETA?

That matte black does look good. I was preferring the cobalt blue until I saw the last 32" in matte black. Does the cobalt blue pebble come in the black grout? The photos I've seen have a white grout.

This cook ended up melting tender. Cooked the shank at a slightly higher temperature wanting to melt some connective tissue. The main part could be cut with forks

The charcoal is more about it being a fuel when freighted. Freight companies need to treat it with a higher risk. coffee wood chunks like any untreated wood may contain borers or other insects that can become a threat to native species. Australian customs don’t like imported timber products.

I hear you Aussie Ora. Very similar to roo Tyrus thanks for this advice. I've worked with this colleague for close to 30 years and yes he has been a good friend and mentor from when I was starting out. I'm going to run with your instruction and tone the sous vide down 52C( 126f) and maybe extend my sear time, only by a few minutes. As mentioned, I can get the smoke into it, just leaking a bit with my ability to stabilize temps with the imposter. Yes I know I've butchered the leg ( when aussies say we've butchered something it means we have killed it, it's an aussie slang, not a good thing) Started out as the hind leg of a hind. Who knows by the time I've finished with it. The meat felt good, tender and it has been suggested this deer was not an old stag. I'm feeling the pressure to do it justice with the cook. It'll be fun. Given the quantity of meat, it's a good excuse to invite some friends around.

Thanks Pequod. I have two concerns. 1. This meat is extremely lean and can dry out quickly 2. I'm cooking on an imposter and have little confidence that I can hold the temp low for a long period.

One of my staff has kindly given me a leg of red deer today from a young hind he shot last weekend and dragged out of the bush. It's a good chunk of meat with bone in. I'm thinking a dry rub and sous vide first, then chilled, then into a hot kamado for a little bark and smoke. (sorry Dennis, I still have an imposter in my yard while I'm working through the learnings of freighting in a KK) Or would you smoke first then sous vide? Not sure there is enough fat in venison to effectively pull it apart. Anyone successfully cooked a lump of venison? It was handed to me wrapped in a garbage bag covered in ice. It was bigger than i thought and had to cut it up to fit in my vac bags. I'm not a butcher! Wanted to get it all in the same bag. Oiled to meat to help the rub stick and also to open the spices up at 60c( 140f) Including generous amounts of the new Purple Crack- thank for the tip into this. Its now bagged and sitting in the cold room. Planning to chow into it 40 hours from now.

Haha Thanks ckreef. I feel honoured. I've just been given a leg of venison to cook over the weekend. I'll have to smother it in purple crack and let you know how it goes.

Keith, Aussie and others, thanks for the heads up on this purple crack. I placed an order and it arrived today. I couldn't help myself, had to pop one whole. Tastes like wattle seed, the smell reminds me of the australian bush.... and gin....... Weird, almost has a juniper berry smell. What's amazing though, is I am drinking a cup of tea, and the next sip after popping a berry, my tea tastes like it has 3 teaspoons of sugar. My tea is black with no sugar. This tasmanian pepper berry changes your palate. The last time I experienced this was with some Miracle Fruit we used to grow. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synsepalum_dulcificum When we popped this fruit then sucked on a lemon, it made the lemon taste like lemon sherbert. Red wine taste like port. They were using the miracle fruit in cancer wards where kids had to swallow very bitter medicine. The miracle fruit sweetened the medicine. Small relief.

John did you end up buying a KK? I’m looking into bringing a 23” into Brisbane. I have found out Australia has a trade agreement with Indonesia so providing Dennis can provide a statement saying its manufactured in Indo, zero import duty. GST is applicable, however, if you are registered this is refundable through an input credit. just waiting to see what the agent charges to get it through customs and delivered to East Brisbane. Also checking if I can get a better freight deal and if there is a better deal with multiple units. They look to be about 1.5m3 once crated?? i should know more within a week. oh, also, customs don’t like wood or charcoal coming in from Indo so coffee lumps and coco char are out😪

Nice Charts Tony. Have you worked through the list? Not sure why they warn you off Eucalypt wood. There are 700 different species of this tree and I can't think of one being soft. Most wood burning restaurants here will burn eucalyptus logs, particularly ironbark. For lump charcoal is Gidgee Wood- I havent tried the coco Yet. Gidgee is rated the 3rd hardest wood in the world at 1,300kg per cubic meter. https://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/top-ten-hardest-woods/

Thought I’d share a favourite table I’ve used. All woods can be found in Australia and plenty in other countries. i highly recommend exploring different timbers. As a rule of thumb, stay away from soft woods, especially sappy trees like pine and mango.

What’s the lowest temperature you are able to hold the KK at without worrying about snuffing the fire?

Thanks for this feedback. so point 1 is the guru solution when internet connection is limited? It still works, just less sexy feedback through hard wired screen. both have different adapters for different smokers, however, the guru list is more comprehensive. Both fit the KK. and there no way I’d be packing up a KK for a camping trip 🏋🏼‍♀️

I have been putting this question out amongst a few BBQ tech mates and one came back to me with this. Obviously a Smartfire user and fan. Can the CyberQ fans challenge this research? Bold represents perceived differences. Smartfire Features: · Professional grade temperature monitoring and pit control. · Bluetooth Low Energy capability has been added to make setup easier and provide convenient connectivity on the road, whether competing, catering or camping where internet reception is limited. (Guru doesn’t have Bluetooth) · Designed for convenience, Internet connectivity when connected via WiFi means you can keep tabs on progress remotely via the Smartfire app (Smartfire were the first to develop internet/cloud connectivity, the founders background is IT, they understand high availability high volume IT systems (think online banking) The platform is cloud based with automatic scaling so they don’t have outages due to insufficient server resources on Thanksgiving and Christmas etc like Guru and Fireboard do.) · Smartfire regulates the BBQ temperature by automatically controlling the smoker airflow supply so you can walk away without adjusting vents · Integrated controller and fan unit - it's smaller, easier to store and has minimal wires to get tangled Guru is multiple physical units. Their history is having a LCD screen, smartfire history is a native Smartphone app (which is now 3 major generations and 4 years old) · Smartfire features a variable speed fan control with an engineered fan throughput to enable SmartAir small puffs of air to maintain target temp - they don't suffer from 'see saw' temperature spikes and dips and get rock solid temperatures! Guru fan is either on or off and its large, so isn’t as accurate as Smartfire or able to maintain regular airflow · Advanced control via temperature ramping to avoid overshoot, open lid detection to prevent flare up and temperature graphing to watch progress Smartfire is a newer product with advanced robust technology. · Easy USB power (i.e. no outdoor power required if you have a power bank) that is convenient worldwide whether at home, camping or competing. Guru uses 12v so get ready to drag around a large deep cycle battery if you don’t have mains power where your smoker is (let alone if you do competition or catering) The other point is price. Smartfire is marginally cheaper