tony b

As noted in the article (Thanks Tekobo!), so-called "nitrate free" bacon/ham, etc. is just pandering to the "healthy food crowd," as they use substitutes like celery juice in their brines which has naturally occurring sodium nitrate in it. So, in the end, it makes zero difference in how the sodium nitrite gets into the bacon, so why play that shell game and just use Pink Salt and be done with it?? Just sayin'!!

I'm currently using a bag of Fogo Argentine lump - this stuff is very nice. Like the other Fogo's, some of the pieces are a bit too large, but a screwdriver and a mallet take care of that in short order. @ckreef - glad it survived the trip. Was a bit worried having to go land the whole way and who knows how many hand-offs?

Anything above 250F. That's pretty much my lower limit for a "lo & slo" cook. I find that going lower (225F) just adds time to the cook and doesn't improve the results - YMMV.

According to the tracking number, it's out for delivery this afternoon!

I've never seen U5 shrimp before. Best I can do here is "colossal" - 10-12 count. The stuffed ones look awesome! Great surf-n-turf birthday dinner!

I think that you may be right about the basket splitter in the 32" only being left/right. Oh well, there goes that idea, but you can still just light the charcoal in the back half at each end and see how that works out for you? You will like the consistency of using the Guru controller - a good crutch until you get more comfortable with the vent settings. One tip about using the controller - don't open the top vent more than just off the seat. Let the fan do all the work. And for lower temps, half close the damper on the fan. You don't want a natural draft, as the temperature can drift up above the setpoint, especially on a windy day, and at that point, the Guru is worthless - it can't lower the temperature. I think that you will like the Fogo much better than the RO lump. It will be a tad harder to light, but burns slower (more dense). While I have the cold smoker, I still use my Syz smoker pot for most of my hot cooks. I have to use it if I'm using my Guru, as I only have the one port in my older KK. Make sure that you set it on top of your lit coals so it has a better chance of getting the smoke going.

Maybe hot smoked, depending on how long you keep it above 140F?? But definitely NOT cold smoked, unless you have an affinity for botulism!

Do you have the splitter basket? I'd consider putting that in with the fire in the back, lighting the basket of charcoal across the width of the grill, and using the rotisserie to cook the birds. Plan B - spatchcock the birds and do them direct on the main grate. That way you can flip them every 20 minutes or so and move them around the hot spots in the charcoal.

Just some bureaucrat flexing their "muscles" to prove to themselves that they have a meaningful job and doing something important! Sad indeed!

Come to Iowa, and go visit the Amana Colonies. It's an old German immigrant community from back in the late 1800s. It was a commune and they had big kitchen halls where everyone came to share what they had, cook and eat together. Now they are very nice rustic restaurants - all served "family style" - large platters and bowls of the main proteins and side dishes. Pretty authentic stuff. The local brewery makes a nice brew to go with the tasty food, too. My favorite is the rouladen. But the wiener schnitzel is very good too!

Because it's all high praise! You are truly worthy of all the accolades!

Rock steady!

I've never seen one of those before? I assume that the 2nd hose is just an air hose, using vacuum drag to pull in air beside the gas hose?

We all marvel at MacKenzie's pictures - they are magazine worthy! And we know that the foods is as tasty as it is great looking!

Money!

Schweinshaxe was everywhere when I first visited Austria and Germany back in the early 90s. Beer, haxen, kraut, potato salad - heaven!

Don't forget Vanilla Ice ripping off the bass riff from both of them!

Love the meat hook idea! That's a new one on me here in KK land! Hat's off to tekobo! Not sure that the "double smoke" idea is necessary? But, this is an experiment, so we'll see how it turns out?

Gorgeous lamb cook! Yellow beans for breakfast - must be an English/Canadian thing??

I've heard them called prairie oysters before, but sweetbreads are the thymus gland of the cow. Andrew Zimmern once proclaimed to have eaten the testicles of just about every mammal known to man - and I believe him!!

Indeed!

Glad you found your dog and he was OK. I've never tried to do a "caveman" style cook (directly on the coals). Closest that I've tried was Alton Brown's version of putting the steak under a roaring chimney of charcoal. Was fun, but I only tried it the one time.

In the US, when we say "lamb fries," we mean the testicles. LOL!

@Pequod - where the F did you find a chicken that big??? @MacKenzie - nice looking beefies. I bet you're addicted now - LOL!