tony b

I 2nd that!

Trying to get in a couple of cooks before the deep freeze hits on Wednesday (single digit highs and lows 10F below zero). Chicken thighs on the main grate, 325F, direct. Plated with mushroom risotto with some truffle salt, Greek Salad.

Celebrated the successful break-in of my new, electric snowblower yesterday. We'd gotten over 6" of snow Friday, with significant drifting (close to a foot). Steak night! Prime NY strip, marinaded in Shio Koji with SPG, then rubbed with SureShot Sid's gunpowder (my go-to steak rub now). Grilled direct on the lower grate with some mesquite chunks. Plated with a nice 2x baked spud with some cheddar on top, sauteed mushrooms and spinach in Bearnaise sauce. A nice bottle from Trefethen (interesting blend of Petite Verdot/Cab/Merlot).

@Mcjudsten - very clever setup with the backstop pan! Good job! @alimac23 - your vid links don't work anymore. Care to share the actual recipe in text form, if possible?

Yeah, that's "normal" to see some moisture leaking out the vent door. Doesn't happen all the time, but don't freak out if you see it. Only if you don't maintain your grout. Check your KK periodically for small cracks in the grout and repair them. Internal moisture from a cook is never a problem. On the other hand, don't ever let the inside of your KK get very wet (a rarity) - not good for it. Requires another venting procedure.

That's even true for the 32" and possibly for the 23" as well (if you add up all 3 grates). I know my 23" is bigger than any BGE.

Exactly! I was talking about an "in home" visit by someone with their industrial grade slicer.

@Poochie - At least you poked fun at yourself for once!

An added expense, but one thing that helps "simplify" the setup process, regardless of grill size, if you have the basket splitter - get a 2nd charcoal basket for it. Then, it's just a matter of swapping them out without having to fiddle with unused charcoal bits and assembling the basket splitter. Granted, with the bigger KKs, the basket splitter has more options for setup than my 23" does, but I still think that it would make things simpler for setting up a cook to have a separate charcoal basket for it.

@alimac23 making up for lost time with those nice cooks! Everything looks yummy!

I 2nd that thought! Party on, Wayne! 🥂

Another @Poochie classic! 🤪

Another @Syzygies rabbit hole that I will not be following him down! For that kind of $$, I can hire someone to slice the meat for me!

No need. I glow in the dark after working at a nuclear power plant for 30 years!

Indeed. I cook in the rain all the time, when it's snowing, too. Just don't let the inside of the KK get wet. As long as your grout is in good shape, the outside will be fine.

@johnnymnemonic - one of the "tricks" to crispy skin - baking powder. Rub it on the skin before you airdry it in the fridge (preferably overnight) with some salt and maybe a bit of cornstarch (makes kind of a paste to hold everything on). Changes the pH as well as drying it out. Lightly brush it off and apply your seasoning rub before cooking.

As noted, the benefit of the 23" having the round basket so you can put the fire in the back, as Dennis noted on the upswing side of the rotation. Nice job with the longways basket splitter. Dennis is always looking for upgrades, so I'm sure that he's already working on this one.

That would most people's reactions to poochies jokes! 🤪

I'm notorious for having a pantry FULL of spice rubs, most of which get used a couple of times and then forgotten. A few spices will lose some flavor over time, but nothing ever "goes bad." This post reminds me that it's time to do a pantry clean out/purge!

Nicely done on both cooks! Congrats on your Dad's 70th! I did a Prime Top Round roast that I found "buried" in the downstairs freezer. Indirect, with Guru at 250F, smoker pot of mesquite and post oak. Cooked to 195F. Wrapped in butcher paper slathered with Wagyu beef tallow at 170F. Took a bit longer than I had anticipated (an extra hour), but I was happy with the outcome - crazy smoke ring! Plated with sous vide mashed potatoes with gravy made with the shallot crack sauce (awesome!) and some "roasted" corn (LOL - I over did it a bit and the paprika got really dark!)

I built it so long ago, that I don't recall. I "believe" it's stainless. It's never shown any signs of oxidation.

You "cleaned it up" a bit, too!

I have both and use both. Each has its own advantages depending on the cook. Whole birds do better in the basket. Individual pieces do better on the spit with forks. Plus, I fabricated a cage for the basket to roast chile peppers in - works great. YMMV

That's your company? Way Cool! I've been reading about these solar shingles lately.

An oldie, but a goodie! That would be @Poochie's wheelhouse! 🤣