Firemonkey

If you were using that thing like you should be on a Saturday night, it wouldn't have any snow on top of it

Re: And these photos are where? They were on my mom's camera. I had to wait for them to make the email circuit back to me Here it is a couple of hours in...this is the first time the grill was opened since adding the turkey... Here it is with about 30 minutes to go. I am adding the nasty parts for my guests to enjoy. Personally, I think its a toss up between giblets and Mah Dong for "things I would prefer not to have in my grill". ...keeping a watchful eye and being really quiet, not wanting to be the next fowl on the grill. Done!

I did my turkey on the KK, as I usually do. But I think this is the best turkey ever to come off either of my ceramics, and I have done mad max, a spatchcocked bird, apple cider brined, etc. This year, I simply unwrapped the turkey, rinsed it, ground some pepper and salt over the top, sprinkled it with some thyme, rosemary, and onion powder INto the cavity I tossed some whole pepper corns, juniper berries, and rosemary. Fueling the fire was KKEC, with a few chunks of apple wood and a few chunks of peach. Once the smoke thinned and the grill was up to 375, it hit the grill. Pulled it 3 1/2 -4 hours later and it was perfect. I am quite pleased with the KKEC and its neutral flavor, especially on poultry.

Congratulations, Dave! ... So can you hook me up with some VIP passes to Daytona next year?

not sure about better infusion, but probably more concentrated, or at least less muddled with other combustion flavors. So how much did you light, and how long to cooking temp? How well did it snuff out when you were done?

You might be onto something with the wood theory. Now that I think about it, I see about a 10 degree spike when the fire catches a new chunk of wood, and that is with manual controls. I would expect that your log-sized wood would flame up easily when the fan hit it. I dont recall seeing any kind of temp jump when the wood pieces buried in the lump pile burned, only those on the outside edges.

I have been wondering about what Tony just mentioned. I have a few hundred lbs of Dennis' EC in my garage that I have yet to open. When I use it, should I fill the basket and snuff it like regular lump? Or should I estimate how much I will need and add an extra stick or two for a margin of error? I dont want to waste it if it will smolder along when I shut it down, or crumbles up after burning. How well has it extinguished for those of you that have used it? My other concern is that I only occasionally do low/slow. I usually just light my leftover lump, and pour more on top until I have enough. If I save the EC for low/slow or delicate meals or "occasions" will I be able to just pull out the leftover chunks and put them back in the box? Or is it more hassle than its worth and I should just mix the leftovers with lump for the next cook?

Larry, Sanny is correct - this discussion relates to the OEM deflector. It sounds like you are using a smaller deflector in your saucer, and your pizza pan which makes up the size difference likely allows more heat to escape, so you might be fine. What I found out (the hard way) was that if I used the heat deflector for even moderate temps (375) a huge crack opened up around the circumference of the cooker, right at the spot where the deflector sat. I am just cautioning that before you run up to 550 at the dome, with your deflector in place, you should feel the grill and assess the temperature gradient at a more modest temps. On mine, even with 350 dome and a deflector in place the area under the deflector is radiating about twice as much heat. A scary proposition unless you want an excuse to get a new KK Nevermind the firebox just cracking, mine is broken into four pieces and laying in the bottom of the grill Like Sanny said, cracking the cooker itself is a bigger concern. In fairness, your cooker is several years old, and hasn't cracked yet, which is surprising in itself, so you might have no issue. But it would be a shame to let anything happen to it if you can avoid the problem in the first place. Your suggestion of staggering the levels seems like a good one to me. Putting your roast on the top rack also sounds ideal as that will put you higher in the dome, where there is more radiant heat available, too.

I would only caution you about the high temps with a deflector in place, while using the brand of grill you have. Richard Johnson, the manufacturer of your grill, has blamed the cracks in my grill on the fact that I used the heat deflector he provided. I know you are using a smaller saucer and a thinner pizza pan combo, so you might not see quite as much heat buildup under the stone. But you should definitely take caution to feel the differences in the external temperature of your grill from just above the level of you deflector and just below. In my case, the differences are quite large, and as you know, thermal differences are not handled well by portland cement. As always, YMMV.

No i still have a bird (parrot), and she gets reeeaaaallllyyy quiet when the fire and grill implements come out. The Cockatoo went to live with some of his displaced bird family. Its a long story, but the readers digest version is that the bird grew up in a house with several other large birds. The owner became ill with a terminal illness, and the birds went to several different homes. After several years, and a few different residences before mine, the Molluccan would still call out for one of the Macaws by name. I knew the owner of the Macaw, and the Macaw desperately missed my bird as well, so when my son was born, I let the bird move in with his long lost macaw friend. He had trust issues with male humans (I have a scar or two on my hand to prove it), and since he was big enough to take off a toddlers arm, that made the decision easier.

Thats a beautiful bird, Steve. I used to have a Molluccan. After seeing your pictures, I can still hear the cries of "eek, eek, eek" that only another Molluccan owner can appreciate

Larry, When I used to do turkeys on my #5, I had to put the bird on the main grate, and the drip pan on the lower bracket. Your concern about the drippings burning is a valid one. My simple fix was to set a few nuts or spacers on the flat heat deflector so that it wasn't making direct contact. As long as the drip pan doesnt make too much direct contact, you are fine. Since you are using a saucer, the ring around the outside and a support in the middle might be enough support. Since getting a KK and having grill real estate to spare, I have occaionally set a rack directly on top of a roasting pan, and putting the whole rig on the main grill. That gives me the best of both worlds, easy access to the drip pan if I see it starting to burn, and it keeps the meat up out of the roaster for more even cooking. You might consider this approach - use a sturdy roasting pan as a drip pan, put it on the main grill. Set your upper grill (not the legs, just the grate) right on top of the roasting pan. Now you have the desired airflow under your pan. I also advise preheating the grill, just like you do your oven when you cook a turkey.

Have a look through the cooking pics, Steve. As new pictures are posted, you are seeing the current state of affairs of each cooker. Some have been in service longer than others...you can get a general feel for the relative age by the date the person joined the forum.

I take that cylon comment back...the shot with the light reflecting off the top reminds me of the MGM in Vegas I think it has reflective bronze windows. Dennis - any more shots of the brown one? That almost has the look of fine leather, like a monkey pimp can appreciate

I must be odd man out on this one...The bronze reminds me of a cylon from Battlestar Gallactica - only darker, like a tarnished cylon. ....but what do i know, i have a POSK of questionable color, too.

Good work! Do you know where I can get a rod firebox for a #5 POSK?

I have dumped lit coals from a chimney in my ceramics, and it is fine. In the one like yours, I usually lit the full basket from underneath with the gas burner. Of course, mine does have cracks all over it, but I doubt that is due to the way I lit the fuel I have done a few turkeys, spatch-cocked and regular roasting. Brined and whole roasted Spatchcocked Your procedure looks good to me. I often get lazy and skip a step or two, like drying the skin, or icing the breasts. Anymore, I just cook them like an over-sized chicken, with good results. The few times I have followed in depth recipes (like mad max) I couldn't recognize enough benefit for the additional labor involved. I do preheat the grill, and I drop in the wood chunks about 5-10 minutes before you plan to add the bird.

This gives a whole new meaning to "pray a jury trial" as they say in Maryland http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,438224,00.html And he responds... http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,297618,00.html Since I live in a hurricane area, I wonder if we could form a settlement class and go after some damages for our higher than they should be insurance premiums?

High temp silicone. Its as permanent as you need it to be, and yet removable should the need arise. It works fine to hold the guru tubes in a KK, so it should work fine in your case as well. It takes some chutzpah, but many people have also gone ahead and drilled a hole in their grill (KKs come with the port already) to attach the guru/stoker. They just use the silicone plug when not in use.

I think you would be surprised how non-South Beach I really am. I'm sitting here in a swimsuit and t-shirt, with some quality programming like Jerry Springer on the TV. I am not really that refined, unless the specific situation requires it A neighbor commented that i must be conflicted after watching me while cooking, relaxing in my hammock and drinking a glass of wine, but with something like Godsmack rolling from the outdoor speakers.

No, no. You aren't supposed to wear shorts to dinner in the dining room on a cruise. To do so would be a faux pas, but the appropriate flip-flops with khaki or linen pants would complete a perfect ensemble

Sounds like my kind of guy...I bet he has a pair of dress flip-flops as well

Party shirts?? You mean those types of shirts are for "occasions"? Damn....I wear them daily

Dennis has some door knobs that have threaded inserts in them to solve your issue. Which revision of KK do you have? On my Gen2, I need to keep the gas door open about an inch or two for the burner to be centered in the grill, and allow proper airflow for combustion. Maybe you could pull your door open slightly to keep it cooler? I remove the burner completely when using lump. Sorry - I cant help on the latch, mine stays tight. maybe filing a small notch on the underside of the catch would be enough resistance to hold yours in place?

Nice job, JB! Now all you need are some side tables to be delivered and you can sell a few of those covers