tony b

Thanks, Dennis. High praise from the Sensei.

Thanks Dennis, but have to come clean. The picture came from the Amazing Ribs website.

Absolutely nothing! Hey, at least you didn't call them your "Schwetty Balls!"

We have a local joint that does a pretty good Juicy Lucy. Thursday's Juicy night and you can custom order yours (or pick from one of the house versions). They are harder to do than you think (lots of blow-outs!) So, Hat's Off to CC for going for it!

Sweet! I've come to use the middle grate more on steak searing than the lower one myself.

While OK, that's on the low end. Traditionally, they'd be cooked to about 160F to make sure all that tough collagen is broken down. Just curious as to why you want to sear them at both ends of the cook?

Nice looking lobster! Did you use the basket splitter for such a small amount of charcoal?

While I don't like my ribs "falling off the bone," I do like them slightly more done than competition. And I wholeheartedly agree about the over-the-top seasoning part. They are like "but this one goes to 11," while I like bold, but more like an "7 or 8."

The competition test for correct doneness is to bite into a meaty section of the rib. The meat should pull away easily from the bone, but leave a bite mark (smiley face!)

NEVER! We love food porn on this Forum. We're addicted to it! LOL!

I just scored the 3 pak of St. Louis ribs at CostCo. Hoping for a break in the weather this weekend to sneak in a cook on the KK. Dennis is an advocate for the "bend test" to check for doneness on ribs. Pick up the slab with a pair of tongs and bounce them slightly. If they are ready, the slab will bow until the meat starts to crack on the surface, as shown in the picture. A small crack means you need a little more time. It should be close to breaking when you lift the slab. This is "competition done" (i.e., with a bit of bite to them, not "falling off the bone," which is actually overdone. Or worse, a sign that they were boiled/steamed first!)

Don't thank me, the idea came from Dennis. He likes to sear his steaks first, then put them in the bath to finish.

Seriously, dude, I don't think so! You crank out some crazy food already. You're going to have too much fun with the Anova. Another good tip from Dennis, for your 2nd tri-tip, sear it first, then bag it and dunk in the immersion bath to finish. Compare the 2 techniques and see if you have a preference?

OK, Uncle, Uncle! Just ordered the JT850 from Amazon Prime. Will run by the hardware store tomorrow and pick up a canister of MAPP for it.

You'll have to share some of those marinade recipes with us!

You in the food photo biz? Stunning plating!

Here ya go, Doc. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUtdXzBSVaU

Nope. Lots of good ways to start your cook. Each has their own +/- .

Thanks for the tip, Doc! Just ordered a second one at this price. I know a couple of folks that this might end up as a gift for. BTW - Where you been lately??

Yeah, there are several good books in Amazon on the topic. So far, this is the only one that I've gotten. It will more than get you started off on the right foot.

Good deal, CC. I've owned my Anova for some time now and can give you some tips. But, it's almost foolproof. Here's the book that I bought as a guide, but mainly use it now for the charts in the back of suggested time/temp for various foods. http://www.amazon.com/Beginning-Sous-Vide-Temperature-Techniques/dp/1456336975/ref=sr_1_9?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1424202346&sr=1-9&keywords=sous+vide+cooking I did a sous vide T-bone on Sunday, as it was too f-ing cold to fire up the KK. Almost didn't need the reverse sear (cast iron skillet on the stove). Damned tasty!

Dave, I use mitts that come up to my elbows, so I've never had a concern with dumping out the coals in the chimney. I bought a cheap, small grill grate that fits on top of the charcoal basket handles and I set the chimney on top of that. The deepness of the KK is actually helpful in that you don't worry about a stray coal exiting the grill and landing on your deck/patio/foot/dog/kid, etc. I hear yah, Robert. That's why I only fill the chimney about 1/4 full for a lo & slo, up to about 1/2 if it's for a high temp steak cook. The only time that I've gone over 1/2 full was when I was trying the "cook the steak on top of the chimney" trick to not waste a lot of charcoal on a very short cook. But, now that I have the basket splitter, don't need to do that anymore. Plus, I follow this tip from Dennis, the chimney is a good way to use up the smalls in the charcoal bag and save the medium to large chunks for filling the basket (better airflow).

Super looking tri-tip. As you are probably aware, there's no harm in going longer in a sous vide cook; but, I'm not sure that you're going to see much difference in texture with the extra 2 hours, as there's not a lot of collagen and fat to break down in a tri-tip. If you think that it's a bit on the tough side, consider using a quick marinade with papaya to help break down the proteins a bit more. Be careful, if you marinade it too long (or put it inside your sous vide pouch), it might break down too much and get mushy. I'd start with 30 minutes to an hour. Almost forgot, don't put it in the fridge, the papain reaction doesn't happen at low temps. Here's some info from one of my favorite sources - AmazingRibs.com Fresh pineapple, papaya, and ginger have enzymes that tenderize meat. Papain, the enzyme in papaya, is an enzyme in papaya and the main tenderizing ingredient in Adolph’s Meat Tenderizer. These enzymes work fast. Within 30 to 60 minutes the meat is ready for the grill. Alas, pineapple and papaya add very little flavor to the meat in such a short time. Some people like the softer meat, others feel it is mushy. You decide. The enzymes are destroyed by the canning and bottling process, so be sure to use fresh pineapple, papaya, and ginger if you want the tenderizing. A bit more info: http://www.indiacurry.com/faqhints/papayatenderizemeathow.htm Also, pineapple and kiwi fruits also contain enzymes that tenderize meats. Again, be wary of too long contact or risk the mushy meat syndrome!

I use a standard Weber chimney. Never had any problems with the handles fitting.

Not in my book anyway. We all have to learn sometime.