tony b

Thanks. It was tasty, but I would have liked it better if I'd hit my planned internal temp of 145F - the short side of medium. After a 2 1/2 hour rest in the cooler, it was probably was on the high side of medium (160F). I like pork roasts/loins/chops just barely past the pink in the middle stage.

Try the new Guinness Blonde. Beats the crap out of most "lights." But, it's a bit heavier - 149 cals. Here's a bit of trivia for you - Despite its heavy appearance, a bottle of traditional Guinness has only 124 calories, or just 14 more than a Bud Light. No excuses, mate!

Always an extra seat at my table for a fellow KK'er! But, sorry, I just finished dinner. Maybe next time, CC! Here's a couple of pics out of the cooler and sliced open.

Just a warning Amir, the Guru is great (own a DigiQ-II), but windy days can play havoc with the Guru too. If it's windy, leave the Guru damper almost closed. Top vent is usually just cracked open using the Guru on a lo & slo, so that part of the equation is OK. In my case today, I just got busy doing other things and didn't check on the KK after putting the meat on. Since it was a short cook, I didn't use the Guru today. C'est la vie!

Hey CC, a big fan of Woodford's myself, particularly partial to the double oaked. But, we seriously need to upgrade your choices in beer to match your taste in fine bourbon and wean you off the Miller Lite! Need my fellow homebrewer, BGrant3406, to have my back on this one!

Killer looking steak cook, Norm! Here's my cook for today. Bacon wrapped pork roast. Injected with Butcher's BBQ pork marinade overnight, a little 3EYZ rub. Smoking pot with pecan, hickory and peach woods. Started out at 250F, but it's was seriously windy this afternoon and the temps jumped up to 375F before I knew what was happening (Damn that Bernoulli!!), so the roast finished out at bit higher than I was shooting for - pulled it at 150F. Because the grill temps got away from me (busy in the basement, thinking I had hours before it was done), had to wrapped it in foil & towel and it's sitting in the cooler resting until supper time. So no pic of the interior. May post one later if I remember.

Yummy looking ribs for a rookie, Wilbur! Nice job!

I believe that Soju was the genesis of Karaoke. Serious stuff! I don't know what there is about it, but it packs quite a punch for the alcohol level. I have an iron liver and it kicked me pretty hard - much harder than Sake. Only "ta-kill-ya" packs a bigger punch in my liquor cabinet.

Susan, my buddy told me to cover the pepper mash/salt mixture with a cheap white wine, something on the sweeter side, like a Riesling. It adds a bit of sugar to help start the fermentation and the alcohol helps keep "bad bugs" (a homebrewing term) out, too. BGrant3406 - glad to have another homebrewer in the group. I can attest to plugged airlocks leading to explosions. Major explosion first time I made a clone of Southern Tier's Creme Brulee Stout. Here's a picture of the permanent stain on my basement ceiling where the airlock shattered after it was blown completely out of the carboy. Would have uploaded a couple of short videos that highlight the activity, but looks like we can't upload mp4 files.

Welcome! You're gonna have so much fun you won't be able to stand it! Big Fan of the Wicked Good charcoal. Weekend Warrior is all I can get around here, but it's one of my "go to's." Use Royal Oak lump, too, since it's cheap and plentiful around here. Not the best, but does the job. If you are looking for a good resource about charcoal, check out the Naked Whiz's database. http://www.nakedwhiz.com/lump.htm

Posted Today, 06:29 PM Tonight's cook was "country style" pork ribs. Two and half hours @ 325F (indirect) on main grill, smoking pot with hickory and apple woods, rubbed with Dizzy Dust; final 30 minutes closed up grill, with a basting of homemade BBQ sauce (a riff on NC style vinegar, but with some tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar tossed in). No in-process cook pics, just the final result. Was feeling "Cubano," so the side was black beans and rice.

Wilbur is correct (and good call on Bernoulli, btw - brings back too many horror stories of derivations in grad school - shudder!!). I experience this a lot, as my grill is on an elevated deck (about 8 ft off the ground) and it sits between two houses that can channel the airflow, which is perpendicular to the lower vent. I can even lose control of the temperature using the Guru on a seriously windy day, which is another piece of evidence about the top vent being the dominate factor, seeing as the lower vents aren't open at all when using the Guru and the wind can't force air through the Guru port.

By George, I think he's got it!

Tonight's whole chicken on a vertical roaster. Injected with Butcher BBQ's Bird Booster, in the fridge overnight, uncovered, with just some S&P to tighten up the skin. Rubbed with Plowboy's Yardbird just before going on the KK. On the KK @ 325F for an hour, 375F for 45 minutes. Indirect on the main grill. Crispy skin (I ate almost all of it with dinner!) Breast was a touch dry, but still tasty. Rest of the bird was excellent. Going on the KK. Up close. Ready to come off. Done.

I have a Cambro box for doing larger sous vide cooks; just use one of my stock pots for smaller ones. I got the sliding lid for it. It doesn't completely close up with the circulator in it, but close enough. Didn't want to try and cut a hole in a regular lid, so I went this route based on some posts in Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001MRVN6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1#

That's a lot of cluck! Will have to experiment myself with sous vide chicken. Have a whole one in the fridge to dry out the skin (injected yesterday, S&P on the skin). Will go on the KK this afternoon on my vertical roaster (And NO, it's not beer can chicken - eeewww!) Will try and remember to post pics.

Hosted a Korean themed dinner a couple of Saturdays ago for my supper club. As host, I was responsible for the entree, so I did the Kalbi. My local butcher can get the 3 bone ribs. Made my own marinade, but didn't have the Asian Pear. Will look for the bottled stuff next time I'm at the Asian market. I have another pack of ribs in the freezer. Because I was hosting, couldn't take time out to take any pictures - Sorry! A bit of advice, if offered Soju (Korean liquor made from rice) - pass! We had a bottle at the dinner, can make a decent cocktail with it, but doing straight shots like the Koreans is a bit rough! I am a huge fan of gojujang and like to put it in a lot of things, second only to maybe sriracha! Only wish I could get the hotter stuff - our markets around here only carry 3 chiles hot. Decent spiciness, but I'd like to see what 5 chiles is like. Speaking of hot sauce, a buddy in my homebrewing club taught me how to make fermented hot sauce. A neighbor was kind enough to give me a batch of chiles from his garden - Caribbean Red Habaneros and Ghost Peppers. Took 3 weeks to ferment. Then into the blender with carrots, fresh garlic and salt. This base is then cut with what ever vinegar you like (I made 3 different versions - white cider, rice, and white balsamic), with a bit of xanthan gum to tighten up the consistency. Had a bit of fun with labeling the bottles.

I've done sous vide on beef mostly, not a lot of experience with chicken. I just wonder if you can get the chicken to crisp up before you overcook the bird? I say go for it - brush the skin with a little oil and more tsunami spin, 400F dome, skin side down, direct on the lower grill until the skin tightens up and browns. Let us know how this experiment works out.

Tried the sear before sous vide for the first time tonight. A Denver steak. Seared on very high heat on the sear grill (splitter basket) - 2 minutes on the first side and one minute on the other. Sealed up in the Foodsaver bag. Tossed into a 130F sous vide bath for about 3 hours. Came out perfectly rare. Notice that there is no gray zone - just seared outer layer and beautiful red interior. Used the jus out of the sous vide bag in the sauce for the mushrooms. Twice baked potato, salad, sour dough bread, and a nice Merlot - call it din-din!

Thanks, Susan!

Boo-hoo! My cable provider doesn't carry the Cooking Channel, just the Food Network. Hello???

From the bottom up - steaks, chops, on the sear grate to start, then move up to main to finish (or off to the side if using the basket splitter). Use the lower grate to roast and reverse sear larger/thicker cuts of steak, but mainly for the heat deflector/drip pan. If I want to do cajun blackened anything, the cast iron skillet goes on the lower grate. Main grate for all "low and slow" cooks, sausages, burgers, fish, veggies (squash, zucchini, corn on the cob, etc.), vertical roasting whole chickens, roasting turkeys. Upper grate for spatchcocked chicken or chicken pieces, pizza, bread. If I'm cooking for a crowd, I will use both the main and upper grills simultaneously. Try to take advantage of juices dripping from upper to main grill, if possible. Example, pan of roasting potatoes underneath the chicken to catch all the yummy drippings onto the spuds! I'm sure that I'm leaving a lot out, as there are so many combinations of grates and indirect/direct cooking. One of the reasons we all love the KK so much!

Probably nice to live near it, too!

Love lox with capers (and red onions & chopped boiled egg), but never thought about putting it on a pizza - Hmmmm!

I'm more in danger of ending up looking like Orson Welles! And, I will drink wine before its time - often!