tony b

Not even Dennis uses them, so that tells you something!

Next time go all the way - slather the Wagyu beef tallow on the brisket before you wrap it. Makes a difference!

Looks like you're off to a great start with the new KK, poochie!

Well, glad to see your cooking in something these days Bruce, even if it isn't in your KK! 😄

There really isn't an "assembly" manual, as it's pre-assembled in the crate. What are referring to by "extra pieces of insulation" - the pizza stone, deflector plate(s)?? There is an "owners manual" that Dennis will email you. Ping him if you haven't received it yet?

Getting dried out poultry in a KK is almost impossible. @ckreef did an experiment years ago where he actually tried to dry out a bird. Took extraordinary effort to do so. So, don't be afraid to bump up that breast meat temp a bit more to ensure that you get it done all the way down to the bone.

Spun some chook the other night - jerk chicken thighs. Foil pouch of pimento wood chips, leaves and berries (aka allspice). Plated with some roasted spuds and homemade coleslaw. Yah mon!

Just have to ask - 142F seems low for poultry? But, the pictures show that it looks perfectly cooked.

@Poochie - I think the trick is to heat it up slowly, just like a KK. Don't blast it with high heat right out of the gate. Just like BBQ - low & slow is the way to go!

That's our favorite pastime here, besides cooking, of course! 🤑

@Poochie - there are two "models" of tagines: serving tagines are elaborately decorated and cooking ones, which has less decorations on it. I have no issues with putting mine directly on my gas cooktop - just warm them up slowly and don't go over medium heat. If you research them, they are traditionally set on top of charcoal fire in another clay pot. I own 2 of them and use them several times a year, as I like Moroccan food. Here's a link to a good source for both "models" of tagines. Moroccan Cookware | Treasures of Morocco No different than the Donabe pots that many of us here have for cooking rice. Goes right on the gas stove. I also have Bulgarian "clay pots" for making stews, which typically go in the oven (cold) so everything heats up uniformly.

I've owned my Viper fan for over 12 years now. No worries.

That's my greatest fear about this virus - losing smell/taste. I'd be devastated. Lucky that when I tested poz back in October, I was totally asymptomatic. But, I'm not taking crazy chances with Omicron.

As if??

👍😄

I was pushing from below with my back into it, so my hands stayed free!

I had to move my 23" up a flight of 8 stairs in my house to get it on the deck. I built a ramp for the stairs out of 1/2" plywood. It took 5 of us to push/pull it up the stairs and I had taken the top off first! 3 guys with straps/ropes pulling from the top of the stairs and 2 of us below to steady it and hold it from sliding backwards as it went up the ramp. Footing was the main issue, as my feet wanted to slide on the ramp. If you rent hand trucks, get one for moving refrigerators; they can handle the weight, have larger wheels and often have a belt/pulley assembly for strapping it down. Good Luck! ☘️

You wussie! +26F windchill, pfft! Get to work! 😆 Congrats on the unpacking!

@DennisLinkletter says that it's due to the volatile compounds that need to get burned off first to promote the "good" smoke (bluish in color).

Better than when mine would do that while snoozing in my lap! 🤪

Between you and @Syzygies, I don't know who makes my brain hurt more?? Evaporative Cooling, Heat of Vaporization, Departure from Nucleate Boiling - You guys are dispelling the idea that making good BBQ, especially on a KK, is NOT Rocket Science! 🚀 Let's pose the question in a less academic way - how does one achieve the best crust/bark on: 1) a high temperature sear, like a steak; and 2) a low & slow cook, like a brisket or pork butt? Are the best techniques the same or are they different? For example, to get a good sear, one pats the steak with a paper towel to remove excess moisture and you want a very high surface temperature (for the geeks - less evaporative cooling and better heat transfer - more Maillard reaction); but on the brisket/butt, we spritz the surface with moisture to promote smoke retention (more evaporative cooling and sticky surface - better particulate adhesion) and we cook at a much lower temperature to render fats and collagen breakdown (tenderizing). Different cuts of meat - different techniques to achieve the desired results. Does our cooking improve if we know the "why?" these techniques work or are we just content to rely upon "tribal knowledge" to achieve the desired results? I leave that answer up to the individual - this Forum can accommodate both! The beauty of this community!

That's not a dog, that's a horse! 😆 Unfortunately, big dogs like that don't live very long. 😢

Looking forward to your next attempts and updates!

A little rain won't stop you, @Poochie! You've waited too long for this to arrive to just stare at the crate!