tony b

To add on to what folks have already suggested, just to be clear, it's a direct cook - no deflector between the fire and the pizza stone.

While ammonia is OK to clean stainless steel, Syz's suggestion is a standard one for cleaning oven racks, a word of caution if you're planning on trying the PBW (or Oxyclean) - " Because ammonia reacts with bleach, it should never be used on any surface that might also be cleaned with bleach at some point in the near future. Even when they are not mixed directly, the chemical traces left by one could interact with the other, leading to very serious results. " While this refers more to chlorine based bleaches (Clorox), I don't know how safe it would be to mix ammonia with an oxygen based bleach like Oxyclean or PBW?? Just be careful.

@Bruce Pearson - I've not done it either and just buy it like MacKenzie. But, from what I've read, you just spread the salt out on a sheet tray and put it in the cold smoker until you get the desired level of smoke. I have one that's so smokey it reminds you of a campfire when you open the top of the container! A tad overdone for me, but it was part of a sampler pack and I like the other ones in it. https://www.seasalt.com/bonfire-smoked-sea-salt.html

Excellent point, MacKenzie. Always play it safe. I bet that bourbon barrel wood made some very nice smoke!

What do you think makes them so tasty??

Thanks to Charles for doing this experiment. We all learned something from it, I'm sure. I know that I did. Helps reinforce my natural lazy streak - LOL!

MacKenzie, did you leave the KK cold smoker running while you did the cooking part?

It was the tots that made the plate - LOL!

The addition of the cinnamon sugar coated banana threw me over the fence!

I doubt the fragrance would hurt you. Just make sure that you rinse everything very well (that goes for the PBW also!) I'll let Bosco chime in here, but from his pictures, I'd say that the Oxyclean did a slightly better job than the Dawn. But, it was a sequential process, not side-by-side.

Not surprised that the PBW won over Dawn, but a tad surprised by the Oxyclean not doing a better job. How long did you soak them in the Oxyclean, Bosco? A good description of PBW - " PBW (Powdered Brewery Wash) is a patented alkali cleaner originally developed for Coors, now widely used in commercial breweries across North America. Use 1 to 2 ounces per gallon for cleaning kettles, 3/4 ounce per gallon for fermenters, kegs, tanks, and other equipment. Soak equipment overnight in PBW solution; rinse the following morning - no scrubbing required! Will not damage rubber gaskets, soft metals, or your skin. PBW can effectively clean items that can't be reached with a brush or sponge, and is strong enough to remove thick, difficult, caked-on organic soils." [emphasis added by me] Here's a couple of homebrewing supply places that I regularly order from and their PBW prices are competitive. http://www.northernbrewer.com/powdered-brewery-wash http://www.austinhomebrew.com/Five-Star-PBW--4-lb_p_502.html Amazon is a tad cheaper, but if you have Prime, you get free shipping, which is a big bonus.

I typically go by sight and feel. I generally start with about 1/2 cup AP flour in the bag and just drizzle water in until I get it where I think it's right. My big lesson was to thoroughly mix it, even past the point where you think it's ready. Since you're not making bread, you don't worry about overworking the dough. I've had several mishaps where a splut (a highly technical term - LOL) of dry flour that was hiding in the middle will squirt out of the bag . Not good.

Yep, it needs the full 24 hours to set up. This is why we all went with blue over red (no election day jokes intended!) loctite, because it's not permanent.

Yes, they do impart some mild flavor, at least my pork roast did. It's one of the reasons it's used in this technique.

Sorta like chimichurri on ribs!

Hey Syz - loving the pic of the Ken Kesey & the Merry Pranksters on the Magic Bus. (btw - I went to Berkeley for grad school!)

My experience with PBW and soaking the roti basket and grates was everything just wiped off with a sponge - zero elbow grease. Which is great, given all those nooks and crannies in there. I also find that 4 - 8 hours is plenty of soaking time. As far as I know, there's no safety issue with mixing them. It might be the best of both worlds, because with PBW, if there's a lot of grease, a film forms on the surface of the water, which the Dawn might break up. Not a major issue, since you have to rinse everything off anyway. It's just that your hands get slimy/greasy reaching in to pull the grates out. I'll look around for oxyclean with the green lid (no fragrance?) and give that a whirl.

Pardon, but those look like whole birds to me? Still can't wait to hear how yours turned out. I did a batch of jerk chicken leg quarters last night for a dinner guest (hence, no pics). Went the whole nine yards - pimento wood chips, leaves and berries (aka Allspice) in the smoker pot. Worked great. Ya Mon!

My routine exactly, Syz! I use cheapo sandwich bags and just twist the top shut. I shoot for a consistency similar to pate a choux.

Yes, here it is: http://komodokamadoforum.com/topic/7033-kalua-pork/#comment-78419

Thanks for doing this experiment, Bosco. PBW is very good on proteins/organics, while Dawn's forte is grease. Will be interesting to see the outcome. Yeah, PBW is pricey, but it's a specialty cleaner. On the upside, you don't use much - 1 Tbl per gallon of water.

Thanks for the update. Good to know that "just in time," is the right choice.

Loved the vid. Ribs look excellent.

Thanks for the inspiration, Charles. I still have a pack and a half of banana leaves in the freezer from the Kalua pork roast cook.