tony b

Looking great in it's new home. But, you need to do something about that white interior! 😄

It was a Kirkland brand rosé from CostCo. Nice simple wine to go with this meal. Wanted to try it out, decent price point. I like to drink a lot of different rosés in the summer, from milder ones like this one, to more substantial ones with heartier fare. Recently got a nice Tavel from Trader Joe's that I'm hoping to stock up on next trip to the store.

A 20F delta is pretty common during heat up. Like Pequod said, once you're heat soaked, this will drop to only a few degrees. Remember the basics of thermodynamics - hot air rises.

I real dilemma, for sure. The simplest answer is the 2nd KK, (well done, ckreef!) Another thought, is to leave the KK on the ground, but build a hand-cranked pulley and picnic basket (or cooler) assembly to lower and raise food/materials down from the upstairs deck so you don't have to schlep the stuff up/down stairs. Mount it on the deck rail, with a pivot, so you can swing it in to load it up/swing it back out to lower to down to the KK. Like the bucket for a well. If you wanted to get real fancy, use a motorized wench to lower/raise the basket of goodies. I faced a similar decision about my beermaking when I retired. I knew that I'd be brewing more, with the newfound time, but I was tired of hauling all the gear from the basement up to the kitchen to brew, then haul everything back downstairs to clean and put away (trust me, cleaning 5 gallon carboys in a phone booth shower stall is not any fun!) So, I brought in my contractor to build me a new brew room in the basement - several thousand dollars later, problem solved! Don't regret spending a single penny. Point of the story - figure out what's going to work best for you in the long run and will remove any recurring tedium, so you can enjoy your grilling to its full potential, then budget accordingly. Just like not regretting your initial purchase of the KK, you won't regret whatever you decide to do and spend, if it makes you happy.

Thanks, everyone for the nice compliments on the pot roast. Last night was Mojo chicken thighs. Started out direct on the upper grate to help with any flareups from the injected marinade (Dinosaur BBQ). Outside dusted with Badia Adobo, TX Gunpowder, with extra cumin, oregano and white pepper. Coffee wood chunks on the coals. After 45 minutes, I upped the temp from 325F to 375F and moved the thighs down to the main grate to crisp up the skin. Plated with wild rice medley and sautéed zucchini and onions.

Never seen that charcoal before. I'd try a different brand to see if it makes a difference for you. There's plenty of good stuff out there - Fogo, Jealous Devil, KJ Big Box, Rockwood. Everyone has their favs. If you're ever in doubt, go check out the Naked Whiz's database. http://www.nakedwhiz.com/lumpindexpage.htm?bag

Last night's dinner - pot roast. 1 lb chuck roast, indirect, with post oak and mesquite chunks in the smoker pot, started out at 275F, but it drifted up on me after 3 hours to 325F. I wrapped it in pink butcher paper, just like a brisket, at an IT of 165F. Rubbed with Gunpowder and Dizzy Pig Raising the Steaks. Just before wrapping. Pulled off at an IT of 204F. Plated with sous vide mashed potatoes and mushroom gravy. Side salad. And Yes, I drank the f-ing Merlot! Leftovers made a nice open faced sandwich for lunch today. (no pics of that, you'll just have to imagine it!)

Nice recipe, despite having to clear out the spice rack to whip it up! 😄 I actually have all of those spices in my pantry right now! My "house" lamb seasoning is a bit simpler - 3 parts Penzey's Greek seasoning, 2 parts Penzey's Turkish seasoning, 1 part Penzey's Berbere seasoning. No toasting, no grinding - easy, peasy!

Nicely done!

Indeed. Even today's cook, in the mid-50s with a steady drizzle, isn't so bad. I was out in a t-shirt setting it up. Was a tad cool, but bearable.

Last night's dinner - St. Louis ribs, indirect @ 325F. Hickory and peach wood in the smoker pot. Dry rubbed with 3-Eyz Original and Sucklebusters Bamm. With an hour left, brushed on some sauce (Cackalacky Cheerwine mixed with Gochujang and soy sauce). Plated with airfryer tots and hushpuppies. More of that homemade cold slaw. Aioli on the side for the tots.

Congrats, and Welcome to the Obsession! Looking forward to the delivery and pictures. No beating around the bush - jumped right in with the double KK order! A serious upgrade to those Primos. Hopefully the 2 year hiatus won't have dampened your grilling skills. That pooch has a serious look on its face - saying, that's my master's food in there, so you'd better keep your distance! He knows that he's going to get a reward for his guard duty!

That girl really likes to whack things with that clever. Don't be messin' with her! But that double-fried pork belly (porchetta), looks to die for! 😋

Dennis, just being Dennis again. He got tired of replacing everyone's knobs, so he came up with this heat shield idea and I retrofitted my KK with one. It's standard equipment now.

Aussie, you must have been sending me brain waves, as I did an au gratin potato casserole last night to go with the ribeye. Have to admit that the casserole was done in the convection oven. Thought about cooking it on the half grate, but realized that I didn't have the time. Plated with a nice salad and some blue cheese mushrooms. Now to catch up on Friday night's burger cook. Was just Jonesing for a good burger and remember that I had one in the freezer - cheddar & jalapeno burger from the butcher counter. Even though it has cheese in the patty, gotta have more cheese! Pepper colby/jack. Duck fat airfries and some nice coleslaw round out the plate. Aioli and chipotle ketchup for the fries. That's one of my homemade beers - a red IPA made with Zappa hops! (yes, they named them after Frank!) I call this beer Chunga's Revenge! Look Ma, no beets! Just mustard and a kosher dill pickle slice. As God intended it!

You're going to need to beef up that chandelier chain if you're planning on doing any swinging from it! 🤣

That heat shield has a secondary function as well. It keeps the bottom vent door from getting screaming hot, which burns up the knobs, which are wood. There's a gap on each side of the heat shield for the air to flow freely.

Yep, no pictures, it didn't happen, just hearsay!

It's so he can swing from it after each successful cook! 😄

Smart to wait and get the tile color to match the new digs!

I had to take my 23" up 7 steps in my house to get it to my deck. I built a ramp for it of 3/4" plywood. It took 5 of us to push/pull it up those stairs, with the dome removed. Rolled it through the living and dining rooms, then over the transom of the kitchen door out to the deck. We did it, but it was a chore! Glad to only have to do that once! If I ever sell the house, the KK is staying with it. I'll buy another one for the new place, just so I don't have to move it off the deck again! Good Luck!

Keep us in the loop on what you decide to buy/color/tile shapes, etc.

That's always the $64,000 question - where is it going to go once it's here?

Great news on the purchase and Welcome to the Obsession! You and the Mrs will be blown away once you see it in person! We look forward to the pictures when it arrives. Then, you'll be even more impressed once you cook on it. If you have any more questions, like "must have" accessories, etc., feel free to ask. We've all been there. As Alohapig said, get as many boxes of cocochar and/or coffee wood lump, as will fit on the pallet. Cheapest that you will ever pay for it and both are excellent charcoals.