Good Evening from Sydling St Nicholas UK

[RokDok]

Hello everyone,

Haven't got, or even ordered a KK yet - I have a similar hurdle to jump as others seem to have had to - or as Dennis has put it to me the "song and dance routine".

I wanted to build a wood-fired oven about 7 years ago but Mrs RokDok was not keen on me using about a square yard of her flower bed, so tried to make a mobile one and once I'd screwed 16 heavy duty castors to an oak sleeper base and built it up to working height I realised that I'd already accounted for 650 kg of my 1.5 tonne weight limit before even starting the dome.

It took two years of negotiation, the refurbishment of two bathrooms and the purchase of a (used) mini cabriolet for me finally to get planning permission.

This must be the most expensive piece of real estate ever.

Four months and a lot of mess and noise later (cutting each firebrick radially vertically and horizontally) I finished the 3.5 tonne oven.

It's great - we use it mainly for pizza, takes an hour and a half to heat up and will stay warm for a day or two but it really only gets used in the summer.It's an event and focus for a gathering.

I've used a 23 " Weber for 25 years now and use it as often as we can- got the hang of putting food on so we have an hour clear so we can to the pub (next door! ) for a couple of beers before eating.

Being a bit loquacious here.. sorry.

A couple of friends have got BGE, and the thought of having something that we could cook outside over winter, and that also was going to increase the range of what could be cooked was appealing so I ordered a Buffalo kamado. 

However it is not in stock and whilst I was trying to explain to Mrs RokDok what it was she had somehow got onto the KK website.

I'm hopelessly hooked.

I do a bit of home-brew and love the Blichmann gear - turn to jelly when I see something beautifully made, well engineered and using the best materials.

I can cancel my Buffalo order easily, the job is to persuade Mrs RokDok of the absolute necessity and life or death importance of getting a KK.

I've spent the day looking at sofas.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the ones that we bought when we got married 31 years ago apart from a bit of squeaking, a few stains and the odd handful of feathers which appear from them each morning.

Wish me luck.

I'm going down the pub now.

I need a break, it could be fabrics tomorrow.

 

Best

 

RD

 

 

 

 

 

[MacKenzie]

You are about to dodge a bullet, cancel that other grill and focus on the KK. You will not regret getting a KK. Not only are they over engineered but the food actually tastes better when cooked on the KK. I've had a ceramic grill and thought it was great until I got the KK. My food tastes so much better, the chickens are much more moist, etc.  I live in Nova Scotia and we do get real winters here and I still use my KK. Actually who wants to cook in the indoor kitchen after tasting KK food, not me that's for sure. Enjoy fabricville. 

Edited September 16, 2020 by MacKenzie

[Basher]

Rokdok it sounds like you have done your penance and it’s time to treat yourself.

My journey from discovery to in investment took 3 years. Once you and mrs RD start discussing colour preferences, the job is done. Besides, a KK will enhance her flower beds

if you have cooked on a Weber for 25 years, you will nail the KK techniques very quickly.

any photos of that giant oven?

[tekobo]

13 hours ago, RokDok said:

whilst I was trying to explain to Mrs RokDok what it was she had somehow got onto the KK website.

Welcome to the UK KK owner's group @RokDok.  I don't think that is premature.  The fact that Mrs RokDok found the KK site is a big bonus.  I see a 32KK in your future.  All that remains is the colour and pebble/tile decision. 

Here, I will go back to waiting for my replacement KKs having sold my first two about a month ago.  Coincidentally The Husband and I are also looking at fabrics and choosing a new sofa.  Have fun, the sofa could well be the gateway drug that gets you your KK.

[RokDok]

Thanks for the welcome,

It's a sofa fabric discussion rather than cover fabric discussion at the moment, although I do think it would be cute to get something to match.

Mackenzie - I have just cancelled the order for the other ceramic oven.

Tekobo - gateway drug - I like that.... fixing up to have a look at some gear at a sofa maker on Wednesday.

I also got my acoustic drum kit together and photographed it and it is going for sale on Gumtree and Reverb in the next day or so, so there will be a bit of cash freed up .

I did cook on the Weber last night and had a couple of beers in the pub next door. Mrs RD was at home watching her favourite comedian on You-Tube - Konstantin Kissin - otherwise known as KK - I'm not usually superstitious but I think this too much of a coincidence.

Basher - the 3.5 T includes the fairly substantial foundation and Portland stone slab base so the oven isn't really that giant. Internal diameter is 3 feet, the walls are one foot thick,  it's about 7 feet long and about 6 ft + high excluding chimney.

As requested : a pic (or two)

The first one when I realised that mobile wasn't going to work.

 

 

 

 

[MacKenzie]

Thanks for posting the pizza oven pixs. 

[Tyrus]

19 hours ago, RokDok said:

so we can to the pub (next door!

Unbelieveable, a tap room next door, you lucky dog. Well, I can understand your reluctance of parting with the old sofa...after so many years returning from the pub the sofa must have become an inseparable friend. There's some history in that sofa, I'd think this over carefully. The short beams look to be all oak, a rare find indeed. A beautiful pizza oven it is, it deserves center stage....move it at night to the middle of the yard, just for a reaction, you can always move it back later. Best of luck with the new KK, like the color.

[RokDok]

Brilliant idea Tyrus !

The oak isn't screwed into the Portland stone base so should be straight forward enough to pop a piece of blanket under it and pull it into the middle of the lawn.

Mrs RD will be so overjoyed to get the square yard of bed back that she'll probably insist that I get several KKs. 

Is there a collective noun for KKs ?

Maybe a Euphoria of KKs ??

You're right - I have run into trouble on occasion with the pub being so convenient and have had to sleep with the dog at times. Thing is - he wasn't allowed on the sofa , so it was the floor for me and him.

Best 

RD

[Basher]

That's an awesome looking oven RD.

A KK will compliment that yard beautifully.

[Bruce Pearson]

Welcome to the forum RD! Here’s hoping you wind up with a beautiful KK to go with that really nice OD oven. 

[RokDok]

Thank you for the welcome.

The sofa search is progressing well. (Tekobo : Duresta )

I mentioned to Mrs RD that I had cancelled the order for the Buffalo Komodo grill and received a refund- she replied 'Good the others (meaning KK) are much nicer.'

So, green light in the nicest way.

Busy next few days -nice things- but will be choosing a KK soon - something I want to savour.

I think I know which way I'm (we) are heading but will have a few questions, eg  23" v 32".

Thank you

Very Happy !

Best

 

RD

 

 

 

 

 

 

[MacKenzie]

That's great news RD. 

[tekobo]

6 hours ago, RokDok said:

Very Happy !

[tony b]

Reach out to Dennis - he's super nice and easy to work with. He'll answer all your questions without any pressure or upselling. 

[RokDok]

Yes I will do Tony - I had some email exchange with him a couple of weeks ago - I think he is expecting to hear from me !

 

[Braai-Q]

On 9/12/2020 at 6:36 PM, RokDok said:

I can cancel my Buffalo order easily, the job is to persuade Mrs RokDok of the absolute necessity and life or death importance of getting a KK.

Welcome to the UK corner @RokDok. I'm a fellow UK owner and I see that you've met the usual suspects although @tekobois far from usual and on the suspect part, my wife does get suspicious when I chat to @tekobo. We tend to aid and abett each other. We're here for you on the 'life and death' line and I'd think this forum is pretty 'ride-or-die' when it comes to the KK cause. 

If I can help with any questions from a UK centric perspective, feel free to ask away. I moved house* to justify getting a 32KK so I'm going to provide all sorts of sensible answers. I also convinced my wife that we needed two so I'd like to think I have form. To be honest, after the first one, she didn't need convincing of the need for a second.

Impressive looking outdoor oven. I'm looking at a Pavesi Forni but given lockdowns and logistics, have been on the fence as I don't want it sitting in transit for eternity risking damage. 

 

 

*slight exaggeration

[RokDok]

Good Evening Braai-Q,

This is a great forum - what a friendly bunch ! It's clear there is a lot of passion here.

I've read quite a lot of topics and posts and I see that my queries on 32 " v 23 " have to a large extent been answered, I think. Tekebo foresaw I was to be edging towards the 32".

Just the 2 of us at home now, but the 3 kids are back home pretty frequently. I'd like to think that is because they like to see us, but if I'm honest I think it's because I brew beer and so they have an unlimited supply of free booze - and the pub is next door. So cooking for two most of the time, but quite often quite a few more.

So fears about a 32" being too big to fire up just for two I think are allayed. That was my primary concern. What would you think are the essential extras ?

We are quite lucky here, we have a small allotment next to the village hall so have lots of fresh produce and a friend of mine in the next village keeps a few rare breed pigs - or at least he did until Mrs RD and I helped him take them to the abattoir last Sunday. We had some thin slices of liver fried in butter last Thursday and had some large chops on the Weber tonight. Lovely but I think they could have been cooked better 😉.

I give him beer and he gives us pig - it's a good deal.

The sofa thing is real, - we need* three to replace the two old ones and two decrepit armchairs. I really am not superstitious, but Mrs RD found the KK website, her favourite comedian is KK- she watches his live podcasts 4 times a week , we have looked at hundreds of fabrics and the one she likes best is called ......Charcoal.

You 'moved house' to accommodate a 32" - That almost happened to me when I wanted a WFO, but fortunately I was allowed to stay.

The Pavesi Forni ovens look fantastic -  but with the possibility of Lockdown II have you thought about building one instead ? I really did enjoy it. Maybe take a look at the UK Woodfired Oven Forum - it's where I got all my information. My build is on there somewhere.

So - you have two KKs - a lot of people here seem to have more than one. I like that, and am looking forward to getting my arm twisted in that direction in the future.

* need = necessary pre-requisite for KK ownership.

Best

 

RD

 

 

 

 

 

[tekobo]

Beer, allotment, pig, pizza.  Perfect combo.  You are just missing a KK or two in your life @RokDok.  I did the dancing girl/bouncing emojis in my last post to avoid going in too hard with selling the 32.  I have never owned a 32 but I suspect that it is true that it gives you all you need if you are only ever going to have one grill/smoker and are going to sometimes have to grill for larger groups. Now that you are on the hook...I suggest that you consider getting two KKs at the same time if you can/want to.  The tax and duty will be proportional to your spend but the handling and delivery charges to your house in the UK don't increase by much if you get more than one.  That's  my excuse for getting three this time.  Of the three - a 16, 23 and 32 - I am really looking forward to trying out the small 16 and seeing whether it fulfils the promise of allowing me to light up and quickly grill for one or a light meal for two.  You can certainly do that in a 32 with the fire basket splitter at the minimum setting but, as a clean grate girl, I like the idea of only having to wash a little grate after a small cook. 

I wish @Braai-Q wouldn't go posting links to pizza ovens here.  It is a very pretty one too.  Thank goodness all my money belongs to Dennis - for now at least.

As for sofas.  We had time to investigate while we were on holiday in Italy.  Bought one.  Now our only risk is it not getting to us before we hit Brexit at the end of the year.  A good idea to get a new sofa.  We are going to need something to sit on to watch telly  through the coming winter lock down.  Boo.  

 

[Braai-Q]

Hey RD

I started with a 19" and would have had a 23" but the limitations of a house in Central London meant that the width of a Victorian terrace hallway was my limiting factor. I posted elsewhere about my travails which would have involved a crane and taking down power lines. Common sense prevailed and besides, it was never going to be our long term home. That said, I never found myself complaining with a 19" in the end, it was only when we grilled that I missed having surface area and batch cooking can be a bit tedious but if you're doing anything low and slow, the capacity of the 19" is impressive and certainly adequate for two.

To be honest, I ticked every box on the accessories because to order anything later at the size of 32 scale means shipping is going to be disproportionate due to the steel and scale of the 32. There are also considerations for import fees which are self evident. 

Answering what accessories are essential depends on what you're going to do with the KK and how many people you'll be cooking for. That said, I'd recommend getting the side tables - left and right mean that you can keep one side for raw, one side for cooked. If you have temperature probes (like Fireboard), it gives them somewhere to sit without worrying about an entanglement of cables. I have the stainless steel topped versions which are great. I'd go for the rotisserie setup which means adding the drip tray and I went for the double thickness model (weighs a tonne). If you like ribs and do them regularly, the rib rack is useful. I just use the one we have for the 19 between both as it's perfect for two and easier for storage. I'd recommend a pizza stone but with your pizza oven, you probably won't see the need but you could get a baking steel which I've been pleased with and they're commonly available in the UK. The other thing I'd add is a cover - the Sunbrella material they're made of is marine grade and does a good job protecting the KK from the elements. Great colour choices and we managed to match up to outdoor sofas we have in the same material which never happens. You can do without the cover but in the UK climate, the teak will take a bit of a battering and I just like to look after my kit, particularly at this price point. I do cook on it all year round though so it does sit in inclement weather uncovered. I think the 32 makes a lot of sense if you grill, I can just get a medium to large spatchcock chicken on to the grill of a 19KK. After it has cooked for a bit and I can split it, it's not as tight of course. The 32KK laughs in the face of such issues!

I had thought of building my own pizza oven but I like the fact that on the Joy 90, you get a decent size oven of a very high build standard that you can move. I was going to build an outdoor kitchen but changed plan when I thought about where the sun fell in the garden (I did a whole lot of elevation mapping) and having everything mobile (KK + Pizza Oven) allows us to move with the weather. It makes it a bit more social versus the person cooking being relegated to where the kitchen is. 

What sort of beer do you brew? My father in law is obsessed with beer and while I like beer, we have a lot of small breweries near us and a great beer shop (Beautiful Beers) so it suits the lazy drinker!

Look forward to hearing more of your journey... 

 

A

[Braai-Q]

18 minutes ago, tekobo said:

That's my excuse for getting three this time.  

You see, this is where it starts with @tekobo. I'm sure she is a secret sales agent employed by Dennis! 😄

@tekobo in all seriousness, do you think the 16" is sufficiently portable to take on to the beach?