djami

Dennis,

Glad to hear you are recovering well from your rotator cup surgery.

Very good new video.  I also watched the follow-on 20'ish minute video where you detail the construction and functions of the KK.  Another great video.

Question:  The owner's manual may not cover the various ports and stuff built into the KK, but the 20 minute video covers most of them.  My question is what is the large port or slide out gizmo used for?  It is located on the left-bottom side.  I have never used it.  Did not see it covered in any video.

Put this video on your to-do list.   A video showing the ways to properly load the fuel basket and light the KK will be very useful.  That sounds very basic, but I have noticed in this forum some KK owners were lost on how to properly load and light the KK.  The owner's manual briefly addresses lighting charcoal but only discusses what fire starters or appliances to use; but that coverage is not helpful in my opinion.  This basic video is essential because it leads to more enjoyment using the KK when the fire ignites the charcoal effortlessly and provides a hassle-free hot bed of coals which is essential for a good BBQ experience.  If someone can not light the charcoal properly, we always blame the charcoal grill.  Lastly, I feel it is important to emphasize that charcoal should not be stirred around after they are ready.  I read about coal-stirring a few months ago in this forum, and thot someone needs to master the basics.  Just my pet-peeve Dennis.  Master the basics ... inch by inch it is a cinch ... yard by yard its hard.

Thanks and have a good day.

                    djami

Tony,

YouTube is your friend.  I am doing the same thing for Christmas dinner.  There are several YouTube videos shows various methods.  Many of the videos are crappy and show everything but rotisserie BBQ cooking, so view several videos.

I have done several prime rib roasts.  Sometimes I simply put the prime rib on the upper rack, offset from the coals.  Other times I rotisserie cook.  Sometimes I put an aluminum pan under the rib roast while other times I let the juices drip into the fire similar to when I do hui hui chicken. 

In my opinion, offset rotisserie BBQing is best, but seer all sides first.  I am somewhat a minimalist related to spices however I go big on [garlic] butter throughout the cooking process to keep things moist and flavorful.  Recommended cooking temps range from 125* - to - 135*.  Bottom line: do not overcook the rib roast.  As you know, it will cook more after you cover the roast and it rests. 

Good luck.

                 djami - Virginia

This is a non-KK cooker ...

           djami

I luuuuuuv the smell of BBQ in the morning

Thanks guys for the comments about calibrating thermometers.  Never thot cold weather would throw them out of whack.

How do you recalibrate them?

               djami

I luuuuuuv the smell of BBQ in the morning

Everybody -- thanks for your comments.  Will do -- will keep 'er covered when not using.  I have one of Dennis' fantastic covers.  It is a few years old and still looks new.  For beau coup years I have cooked during cold weather and the snow using an aluminum or steel grill.  Was worrying about the extreme winter temperature changes when cooking and its affect on the KK ceramic and tiles.  Y'all convinced me to fire up the KK year-round.

              djami

        I luuuuuv the smell of BBQ in the morning ...

Denis,

Just wondering ... is it safe to do regular KK cooks in the sub-freezing winter time?  An extreme may be KK getting up to 500* or so when it is 25*F outside.  I am worried about cracking some of the ceramic and other components.  What say ye?   I trust you will say not to knock off the ice on the KK and then cook.

           djami - Virginia

For all who visited the great Dizzy Pig store in northern Virginia ... it is time to weep.  Not only did they move, but they totally changed their operation.  I loved going to Dizzy Pig because it was like going to the BBQ candy store.  They moved to a facility about two miles away but they are not carrying all the cool BBQ toys and various charcoal brands.  Instead they are concentrating on the production of their rubs and spices which they produce there.  They do have limited stocks of upscale Victorinox knives and things, but most of the front part or sales area of the store is devoted to their Dizzy Pig products. 

I hate to say it, but they probably made a good business decision to focus on their main strength.  Having said all of that ... in my area it seems like Ace Hardware store easily replaces the Dizzy Pig stuff ... but Ace does not carry many quality or cool things found at Dizzy Pig.

Dennis - you will be happy to learn that Dizzy Pig dropped their line of Green Egg stuff.  They not only sold the Green Egg line of cookers, but also they stocked many of their accessories.

How does the Ace jingle go ... Ace is the place ... the helpful hardware / BBQ place ...

        Ciao,

        djami - Virginia

Hello PenulimateGriller,

Your fire may not be hot enuff.  Even tho you may have had good blue smoke when you started BBQing [maybe you didn't] ... your fire may have cooled down somewhat or the fire is beginning to burn new, unlit charcoal chunks or wood chips or briquettes in your coal basket, in your case.  [agree with others - briquettes are not a good idea.]  

When you fill your basket with lump charcoal [recommended by most - not those wimpy grocery store briquettes ] ensure you light the entire basket of charcoal.  If you light a portion of the charcoal hoping the heat will eventually spread to the other unlit charcoal in the basket; the newly ignited charcoal will give off white smoke which we do not want.  This likely your problem since in your original posting you admitted to having an "unlit side" and lighting your fire in the "front right of the basket," etc. 

Recommend lighting the entire basket of lump charcoal.  For standard KK BBQs, I see no need to transfer coals from a chimney "for use later."  [yes, there may be times when that is needed but not for "standard" KK cooks.]   Properly size and fill your charcoal basket and properly light it so the entire basket of coals is ignited.  Use your KK vents to properly regulate the temperature and do not add or stir around burning charcoal embers.  Use your Komodo Kamado "technology" to do your heat distribution for you.  That includes vents and deflector plates ... and the resizing of the charcoal basket to accommodate  an adequate amount of charcoal for your cook.

Bottom line: your charcoals are not hot enough nor have they been burning long enough.  White smoke is a sign of a dead or dying fire - and you want to be cooking on a live one.  Possibly a dying fire in your case.  Also, make sure you remove ashes frequently so the air flow is not disrupted.  Finally, ensure your bottom and top air vents are properly set for good air flow and temperature.  I do not believe you have a wood problem - rather you may have a fire problem.  Just my thots ...     

Here is a good article on white vs blue smoke  https://barbecuesgalore.ca/blogs/master-your-grill/charcoal-bbq-tips-what-is-bad-thick-white-smoke-vs-good-thin-blue-smoke    Sorry Dennis - I did not see the komadojoe in the article. 

Good luck.

      djami - Virginia 

Dennis,

Great video.  Very informative and well done.  Looking forward to viewing the next ones.  Don't forget to do one on the basics of lighting the fire and controlling temperatures for various type of cooking, i.e. stakes, roasts, brisket, chicken, fish, veggies, rotisserie cooking, pizza, searing and bringing temps down [or up] from searing, etc., etc.  We realize our recipes will tell us the temps, etc; but show us how to get to and maintain those temperatures.

      djami - Virginia

jefshoaf & Tyrus -- thanks for your comments   -- djami

Bunji,  per your initial July 3d posting, you mentioned you bought a big 3-pack of Costco ribs ... and mentioned you would freeze the left over ribs.  In my opinion ... only my opinion, you might as well feed the left overs to your parakeet than freeze them🙂 Just kidding.  Seriously, many people freeze a lot of cooked food, but that stuff never tastes good after freezing.  We occasionally have leftovers and put them in either glass or plastic storage bowls and place them in the refrigerator. 

In fact, many times the refrigerated BBQ takes on a more enhanced taste after sitting in the frig for a day or two.  Then we nuk 'em for 30-45 seconds just to warm things up and get the juices flowing again.  Guess the flavors permeate somewhat in the frig which adds another level of flavor to your BBQ.  Guessing this is like a post-BBQ marinade. 

Costco sells smaller packs of ribs ya know.  I usually buy the two-pack.

          djami

Jeff & Roger,

On Saturday, I emailed a long-time friend who lives in Hilo.  His family has lived there for well over 100 years.  One of his kids owns and operates two [?] Japanese restaurants.  This is an extract of his reply to my email ...  "Most common wood used for huli huli chicken is Kiawe which is well known in Texas, Arizona, and south-western US and Mexico as mesquite!  It’s a very dense wood that burns very hot and is also used for in making bar-b-que charcoal.

If it was on Oahu, it was probably kiawe.  As far as the aroma, it is a common practice to strategically channel some of the rendered drippings to some charcoal to create palu (chum) to trigger salivary glands!  You can use mesquite charcoal, but the kiawe wood just seems to give that extra spike of Onolicious!"

           djami

On 11/11/2022 at 1:04 PM, tony b said:

It's the tree that Allspice berries come from. I use the wood chunks, leaves and berries when I do jerk cooking. I put the leaves and berries in a foil pouch with a couple of small holes punched in. The wood chunks just go on top of the fire. In Jamaica they actually put the meats on pimento wood branches for the "grate" over the fire. I can't replicate that unfortunately but do the best that I can with what I can buy.

Tony B,

Thanks for sharing your consideration of allspice.  I would remember allspice because of many things.  The most likely place to see allspice trees in Hawaii is perhaps only in one place and that is at Foster Botanical Gardens in Honolulu.  That is a fantastic place and perhaps my favorite botanical gardens ever.  We used to visit the gardens often.  There are relatively few [from my observations - so not the gospel] allspice trees in the Hawaiian islands, but Foster Gardens was established in the 1800s and brings a vast array of tropical trees, bushes, and plants ... flora and fauna to Hawaii for research and sharing the gardens with the people.  By the way, agriculture is very controlled in Hawaii for many good reasons.  Most flower bulbs, seeds, etc are not allowed to be mail ordered or to be introduced into the state.  Please see Jeff's response about kiawe.  That is likely the unique wood many Hawaiian use for huli huli chicken.  Having said all of that and considering allspice is a Caribbean area tree, it sounds like a great BBQing wood providing special flavoring.  Thanks again Tony B.

           djami

Jeff,

Thanks for doing the research.  That wood sounds familiar and is likely the wood often used for huli huli chicken.  I Googled kiawe and learned the State of Hawaii classifies kiawe as pest vegetation since its arrivial in Hawaii in 1978.  Not sure when the popular huli huli chicken gained its notarity; but it is quite likely the wood.  The name kiawe certainly sounds familiar. The kiawe pictures look very familiar.  Guess I need to return to Kauai and find out for sure🙂

          djami

17 hours ago, jeffshoaf said:

Roger Mooking has made the trip to Hawaii on several episodes of Man Fire Food; I don't recall the name of the Hawaiian wood they use for some of the cooks, but I think they said it was similar to mesquite. I associate mesquite with Texas beef but I've never had any Hawaiian food except pineapple so I can't compare.

Roger - thanks ... that could be the wood which I referred to.

   djami

20 hours ago, tony b said:

The cinder block pit and chicken wire rack reminds me of upstate NY's Cornell chicken. It's a staple at local fundraisers, fairs, etc. Very similar to Alabama white sauce chicken. 

Technique is also reminiscent of Jamaican jerk chicken, cooked on/over pimento wood. I used to be able to get pimento wood on Etsy, but the US Ag dept changed the requirements for importing it and it became too expensive for the folks that I bought it from to keep selling in the US. I think that you can get it on eBay, but it's a bit pricier. 

I'd always been lead to believe that to make "true" Huli-Huli chicken, that you had to have the red Hawaiian sea salt (same as used in Kalua pig). I've seen both Emeril and Fieri make it on TV. I have a recipe from Raichlen's BBQ Bible that I've used before. All use a similar mopping sauce - cross between ketchup-based BBQ sauce and teriyaki. I've not tried this twist, but I'm guessing that Yakiniku (yakitori sauce) would be excellent on it? 

Hey toni b -- wow - pimento wood.  Always thot pimento came in little jars!  That sounds fantastic.  My take on cookbooks and TV cooking shows is they are pimping their sauces, rubs, recipes, and theatrics.  Don't get me wrong - I like most of them.  Basic salt and pepper and chicken juice on a rotisserie is too simple ... keeping in mind the "real" hui hui chicken guys used a magic teriyaki sauce; which is good on almost anything.  In fact, I have been known to put teriyaki on peanut butter & jelly sam-iches!  We live on the mainland now but visit a few times a year.  Sadly, the famous huli huli chicken guys are no longer along Nimitz.  In fact, they may be "retired" or whatever the word is.  But I do not see their place when I return.

On 11/10/2022 at 8:27 AM, Bunji said:

A couple of years ago I had to spend some time in Augusta, Georgia for work. A couple days into the trip I stumbled upon a Hawaiian BBQ spot near where I was working. I had never had Hawaiian food before, so I stopped in to try it out. I didn’t eat lunch anywhere else the whole time I was in town! I of course had my fill of kalua pig, but their chicken was also fantastic, although I’m not sure if it is true huli huli.

Since you’re in northern VA, if you ever get the chance to check out the food truck called Kam & 46, I would recommend it. They do Hawaiian and Filipino fare, and the women who run the show are absolutely lovely. They mostly show up in DC, but now and then they cross the river into Arlington or Alexandria. I try to make a point to show up whenever they do.

oh yea -- sounds like you have been exposed to some of the Hawaiian delicacies   Thanks for the food truck tip.  I will have to track them down.  Too bad we are running out of warm weather for awhile.

     djami

This is more than you want to know about huli huli chicken.

My favorite chicken in the entire world is huli huli chicken; often pronounced as hui hui chicken in Hawaii.  It is very simple to make but too many people put way more spices and junk on it and destroy the taste of real hui hui chicken.  Cook books and internet recipes provide a long list of ingredients such as brown sugar, pineapple juice, soy sauce, mustard, etc., etc.  Some recipes call for soaking chicken in a marinade overnight.  

That is all good and I have no problems with those recipes.  But in my mind’s eye, that chicken is not hui hui.  True hui hui chicken must be flipped over in wire racks or prepared on a rotisserie over coals, and not baked in an 8x12 glass dish in an oven.  I can not comment on the "true" nature of the marinades, rubs, or spices, but I believe they should be kept to a minimum to bring out the essence of the juice distribution from the flipping or rotisserie effect.

Real hui hui chicken is very simple.  We lived in Honolulu for many years and often drove on Nimitz Highway to Waikiki on Saturday mornings.  As we drove on Nimitz, we always passed a huge hui hui chicken operation.  We could see the smoke and smell the BBQ chicken blocks away.  From Nimitz, we could see people mopping the chickens with sauce and turning the chickens which were sandwiched between wire mesh resting on top of, as I recall, long cinder block fire pits.       

We learned later they mopped a certain teriyaki sauce on the chickens.  That place perhaps gets credit for being the original huli huli operation.  However, hui hui chicken has been prepared by other Hawaiians somewhat differently.  On Kauai, the best [my opinion] hui hui chicken is prepared using a certain Hawaiian wood to BBQ with.  I do not recall the type of Hawaiian wood, nor can I find mention of it on the internet.  But it is uniquely hui hui because it is fixed the traditional way of flipping the chicken in wire mesh over hot coals.  Some folks use rotisseries.   I doubt this technique is unique to Hawaii … but the special Kauai wood certainly is.

On my KK32, I prefer spit roasting chicken on a rotisserie with just light salt and pepper.  Even without the special BBQ wood, this chicken is absolutely the best!  It is amazingly moist and tender.  The key thing is when the birds turn on the rotisserie, they baste in their own juices ... and some of the juices drip on the coals.  Those drippings cause some smoke which also helps add taste to the chicken.  Al la hui hui rotisserie chicken. 

I am bragging in this video!  Not only am I rotisserie roasting at 350*, I am showing off my Jackery solar generator which I use to power the rotisserie motor since I do not have electricity to my lanai area.  Of course, I am enjoying Peter White doing “Groovin.”  Listened to tunes on Spotify for about two hours as the rotisserie chicken roasted.

Sorry to get carried away with the huli huli chicken stuff.  But what comes first - - the chicken or the egg ... KK!

           djami in northern Virginia

agree -- I have not bought any more

11 minutes ago, jeffshoaf said:

I've found the best price/performance ratio with B&B lump now that there's an Academy Sports in town; Ace Hardware has it too but Academy's price is much better.

I've pretty much given up on ordering lump for delivery; rough handling by UPS and FedEx results in too much dust and small chunks. Before Academy opened, I tried Jealous Devil ordered from Amazon; I don't remember whether it was delivered by Amazon (or one of their contractors) or FedEx, but the bag was torn and taped and there was tons of dust and small chunks in it too. I tried several brands and varieties of lump from Lowes and Home Depot but again had lots of dust and small chunks from poor handling with the occasional decent bag; I think I had the best luck with Royal Oak from them but the B&B has been consistently better.

Academy carries Jealous Devil too but I haven't tried them again due to B&B's price advantage. I did get an off-taste that I attributed to my Amazon-sourced JD, but that was probably because I was in a hurry and poured directly from the bag into the KK and dumped in a lot of dust.

I like B&B too.  If I am not mistaken, I used B&B for a brisket because the lump charcoal is big.

    Danny

2 hours ago, Bunji said:

As a Northern VA resident myself, I’m glad I took a look at this thread, otherwise I never would have known that Dizzy Pig existed! I’ll have to take a ride out there one of these days

Bunji - Dizzy Pig is easy to overlook so keep you eyes open.  They retail a lot of rubs and sauces which they make there.  The are also a Green Egg dealer.  Don't tell Dennis but I bought a bag of Green Egg lump - nothing spectacular. 

On 10/26/2022 at 3:39 PM, Cheesehead_Griller said:

I was under the same impression about Cowboy lump. Apparently, they stopped using scrap wood back in 2013. Naked Wiz has an update on the top of his review for Cowboy. Either way, I used it once and will no longer since reading the review. I didn't have the best experience with it either. My experience with JD was very good. However, pieces were small and price was quite high. I have had the best luck with FOGO. 

Where do you find the best price on JD?

thanks for the update on Cowboy.  Like you said JD is very good.  However I goofed up one time and bought JD briquettes - yep they make briquettes.  Was not expecting briquettes but they were in something like a square package.  I should have read the package closer.

On 10/26/2022 at 2:03 PM, 5698k said:

I’ve used Jealous Devil, Fogo, and Rockwood, and have been pleased with all three. JD is currently my go to simply because of availability. CoCo Char is my favorite, I’m about to order some more actually.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Roger that Robert.  JD is my favorite too.

         Danny

On 10/26/2022 at 1:16 PM, tony b said:

This guy lost immediate credibility when he included Cowboy in his list. Worst lump charcoal on the market (IMHO). It's made from scrap lumber, so you don't have any idea what wood it is (or if it's been treated!), burns up in a flash and produces a lot of ash. If you want a better source of info about charcoal (including KK cocochar), go read Naked Whiz. 

The Lump Charcoal Database -- Naked Whiz Charcoal Ceramic Cooking

Capt Morgan - that is just what we need to hear.  I know I have used Cowboy but is was probably in my pre-KK days.

                Danny

Hello All,

I have used various brands of lump charcoal since acquiring my KK a few years ago.  Most brands do OK.  Just read this Food&Wine article about the best charcoals.  I believe the author knows what he is talking about.  Surprisingly I use many of those lump charcoals.  Besides cheer leading for various charcoal brands, the author describes the cooking characteristics and flavor affects for each brand.  My favorite brand is Jealous Devil ... but did not realize it came from South America.  Read the article at   https://www.foodandwine.com/lifestyle/kitchen/best-charcoal-for-grilling

Dennis - the author obviously has not sampled your coconut charcoal.  Maybe he would be enlightened if you shipped him a bag.  It would be nice if we could buy your coconut charcoal at our local high-end BBQ supply dealer.  Here in northern Virginia ... that would be Dizzy Pig for me.  However, I understand that mass distribution does not always fit in every business model.

Have a good day.  Happy BBQing.

          Danny