wrandyr

As one of the klutzes using a FireBoard, I haven't experienced the kind of problems @Mcdddy describes. A few things to check: Do you have the open lid detect on or off? I find that it can be a little glitchy. On a low and slow, once the KK is well heat soaked, you don't really need it. If you are running the fan off the FireBoard battery, it will not run at 100% unless the FireBoard is freshly and fully charged. Even then it will start cutting the fan back before long. Plug the FireBoard into the AC charger, and it will then run at 100% as long as it needs to. Yep, another wire. Where is your pit probe? The closer it gets to your meat, the more the meat will cool the probe, resulting in the fan blowing more. If the probe has a line-of-sight path to burning fuel, it will pick up some radiant heat and the fan will blow less. It's just another thing to try to be consistent with. I use a Looftlighter to get 3 or 4 chunks of lump with spots glowing, then close the lid and let the KK and FireBoard do their thing. It usually takes an hour to get to temp, although I wouldn't say things are heat soaked until another hour after that.

My site had a non-uniform and slightly sloped surface surface, so I ended up making my own chock/levelers. Not terribly elegant, but they did the job.

The advent of wireless thermometers seems to have led to some new ideas about what is going on around food as it cooks. There is a body of thought that claims there is a cloud of cooler temperatures around the food as a result of internal moisture moving to the surface and evaporating. The effect is also said to be the mechanism that causes the stall in low & slow. It makes sense to me, and is consistent with my experience. The logging features of these new thermometers and controllers make for a lot of fun watching what is going on throughout the KK. @skoell is correct, things vary considerably while it is warming up. That pan of handsome potatoes probably had some effect as well.

The shape looks like a shamrock to me.

@dstr8Nice work with the lame.

I have a Fourneau, which ships with a perforated silicone mat to bake on. Might be an option to the parchment.

I have a couple of Combustion probes, and I have been having all kinds of geek fun with them.

I am of the opinion that the dough contains all the moisture it needs for the bake, as long as you can keep it in the vicinity of the loaf. To that end, I have had good success with simply placing a preheated metal bowl over the loaf on a sheet pan or even just a piece of parchment paper on the oven rack. It's a lot easier to handle than hot cast iron and seems to get the same result.

While I am not keen on the wires, I really love being able to collect a log of what went on in the cooker. I have really learned a lot. Plus, the zen of KK temperature control still eludes me.

My assumption is that the purpose of the levain is to increase the amount of active yeast so that there will be enough activity to rise the final dough faster than the gases can leak out. So it would depend how much active starter you had on hand. Of course, many of my assumptions have turned out to be incorrect.

My current starter is between 9 and 12 years old. I only bake about once a week, so I keep it in the fridge and refresh it every 4 days or so. I have been using a firm starter-it's more like dough than batter-and its pretty well risen when I use it.

@C6Bill Your formula yields a handsome and tasty loaf, but alas, the tang still eludes me . . .

How about "What is the ratio of water to flour in your starter?"

@C6Bill Thanks! I try it the next go round and report back. What hydration is your starter?

I have been trying for 50 years to get an any kind of tangy loaf. How is it done?

When using a temp controller for low & slow, my practice is to gradually limit the fan speed (or time on) percentage as the temperature gets to about 150°F, and I know the fire is going. Once the fire gets to my target temp (say 225°F), I'll have it down to 5%. This keeps the controller from getting too much fuel burning, which seems to contribute to spikes early on. I also leave the grates out until the temperature hits the target, then put them in for the heat soak time.

I have used the Duro/Loctite Extend product with good success.

I have gone for 12 hours in a 21" at 225°F using B&B extruded, with almost half the basket left at the end. I was using a Fireboard controller. I made a point of starting just a couple of bits of charcoal (with a Looftlighter) and as the temperature started to come up gradually limited the fan speed to 5%, so the fire never got too big. I have not mastered just setting the vents by hand. The charcoal in the box of Cocochar I received was wrapped in plastic, for what it's worth.

I guess it depends on what you have laying around. In my case, it was wood from the crate, 4 auto jack stands, and some threaded rod. I put wood across a pair of jack stands front and back of the KK. Then wood perpendicular to those under the KK. Put the threaded rod through holes in the wood, top to bottom. By turning nuts on the threaded rod, I could raise and lower the KK incrementally. Mine is a 21".

Packaged seasoned salt should work, although it would be hard to determine how much of the mix is salt. Try searching "dry brining".

The ideal solution. Get him in the videos!

I took delivery of my 21" KK last May. I struggled with the cost mightily. But, as I learned in my professional life, good tools are generally a good investment. @PVPAUL has hit the nail on the head. Dennis is clearly doing this as a labor of love, and it will be a challenge for him to find someone equally passionate to carry the torch when the time comes. That said, I am a handy fix-it guy who likes to take things apart, and the KK is built to last (see this thread for a worst-case scenario) . As others have mentioned, about the only thing you are likely to wear out is the gasket. Get a couple of extras, put them somewhere you (or your heirs) will be able to find them many years from now, and direct your attention to enjoying the cooks. Nothing that has come off my KK so far has been in any way a disappointment.

Thank you for the suggestions. I was under the impression that the bottom vent was the more critical of the two. The spring sounds like a good solution if it comes to it.

Ah! The grapefruit paradox is solved! Thank you! Since I am really bad at estimating, I made marks on the top stack at 15° of rotation intervals so I could keep better track at where things were. I did notice the vent wanted to move a bit when I opened and closed the lid. The sensitivity you describe could easily come into play. I could have the ratios between the top and bottom vents set in some odd fashion as well. I was running at 500°F with the bottom dial half way open and the top vent at about 105° rotation from closed, a little more than a quarter turn.

I did not make any adjustments to the vents while the chicken was on. I forgot to mention that there wasn't any wind to speak of at the time. I, too started out with a grapefruit-sized amount of charcoal. I realized that the temp wasn't going anywhere and added more. I think maybe a small jackfruit-size amount would yield a more fruitful experience.