Good Evening from Sydling St Nicholas UK

[tekobo]

12 minutes ago, tony b said:

Here's a tip for monitoring the dome temps from afar - rotate the dial so that your target temperature is at 12 o'clock. Then you just have to look at the dial and see "what time is it?" relative to your target. 

Tee hee.  I logged on to tell @RokDok just that.  It is a tip that I learned from you Tony and it is great for monitoring without having to get up close and personal with your KK on a wet or cold day while you are waiting for it to heat up.  

Congratulations Dok!  I am so happy that you and Mrs RD are happy.  It is a mad and all consuming obsession but I am sure that you know that and are up for the journey.  

[Braai-Q]

Those steaks look good @RokDok I'd call that a very successful first cook. 

I'm not sure if you have a cover but watch the teak controls on the vents, they'll deteriorate left wet so might want to dry before covering.

You've tried the grill, assume a slow cook is up next? I trust you are taking @tony b advice and grabbing adult beverages and getting to grips with the air control first?

Good to see some pictures of Mrs RokDok proving she survived the experience of acting as anchor too! 

[RokDok]

Hopefully @HokieBen we'll get a non-rainy day next week and I can do the burn in and get to grips with the controls & temperature- nice and slowly.

Thanks for the 12 O'clock tip @tony bTony that will come make things easier - I think you've also advised somewhere on her how to do the burn in and log the temperature control.

@Braai-Q - I have got a cover for it - I remember you talking about the sunbrella fabric and matching outdoor furniture that you have. It's a very good design and cloaks the oven right down to the ground. I like the way it's shaped to fit over the top vent handle - I think I must sort something similar for my WFO.

It's MrsRD's birthday next week and she wants duck breasts cooked on the oven a la @tekobo , once the burn in and temperature control is sorted I think it'll be a low and slow that'll be another first.

 

[tony b]

2 hours ago, RokDok said:

I think you've also advised somewhere on her how to do the burn in and log the temperature control.

As noted by @Braai-Q, 1st stock up on the adult beverages and settle in for a few hours. For temp control training, load up the basket with cheap lump (assuming that you aren't going to cook anything, so don't waste the good stuff!) and just start a small fire, and open the top vent just barely off the seat (just so smoke exits) and bump open the left dial to about 1/2 open (it doesn't control the temp, so it's not that sensitive to position when you first get going). Let the KK come up to its natural state (stops increasing) and make note of the dome temperature, enjoying that adult beverage in the process. Next, bump open the top vent about 1/8 of a turn and repeat. Have another adult beverage while waiting.  Keep doing the 1/8 turn increments until you get to about 400F. That should cover most of your cooking range. These vent settings are very repeatable.

If you want to keep going to do the burn in, start opening the top vent in 1/4 turn increments to speed up the process. You might want to top off the charcoal at this point, as this part will take a few more hours. You will also need to open the left dial/lower vent all the way.  Keep going until you start to smell the solvent (typically around 550F dome.) Then stop the increase and just let it ride itself out until the smell is gone. Make note of any weeping white goop and/or lifting tiles. Have a rag handy to wipe off the goop (be careful as the outside of the KK will get very hot during this process). If you see any bulging spots, have a safety pin (or similar) handy to poke a small hole in the grout to let the solvent vent out. Keep tabs on the lifting tiles, (carefully inspect just about everywhere (except the legs) as you will want to remember where they are so you can press them back down into place as the KK cools off when you are finished with the venting, so they can re-set. Once cooled down, smear some grout around any tears that you see. It wipes off the tiles with a damp cloth. And, you're done - have another adult beverage to celebrate! 

[RokDok]

Thank you @tony b, brilliant advice, great plan.

I really do need a dry day.

There should be one after the weekend. Can't wait to fire it up again.

Many Thanks

 

RD

[Troble]

@RokDok congratulations! Looks beautiful and you deserved multiple stouts! Enjoy that lovely addition to your family!

[tony b]

@RokDok  De Nada; it's what we do here on the Forum!

[RokDok]

@tony b, four hours in now.

It's around zero here at the moment and quite windy.

I found that with even with the top just off and the left vent open a quarter of a circle ( ie half open) the oven went quickly to 250 F +, So I closed the left vent and opened up the right vent on the smallest hole.

With the top open just an eighth the temperature dropped to 150 F.

I left the top on one eighth open and slowly went up on hole size on the bottom vent which gave me control between 150 and 245 F.

So that gives me some low and slow temperatures.

With the top at one eighth and the left vent at half open  it went to 392 F

There is clearly a bit of windchill here, so with the lower vent fully open and the top 1/4 open it is sitting happily at 630 F.

I've got a tiny bit of bubbling from a couple of pinholes, and a few hairline cracks in the grout, but that's about it at the moment.

Adult beverages on standby at the moment - it's Mrs RD's birthday - we'll celebrate the end of the cure in a few hours and put on some duck breasts.

Cheers RD

Edited February 9, 2021 by RokDok

[tony b]

The bottom vents shouldn't have that much influence over the dome temperature. The top vent is the controller.

How windy is it? If it's fairly windy, you can get what's called "vacuum drag" across the top vent, which pulls more air out of the KK than normally would flow out for that same vent setting in calm conditions. 

Good luck with the rest of the burn-in and enjoy those Birthday adult beverages with the Mrs! 

[Paul]

5 hours ago, RokDok said:

it's Mrs RD's birthday

Happy birthday Mrs. RD!

[RokDok]

Thanks @tony b,  It was quite windy and I think you are right.

It has given me a pretty good feel .now of what I need to do to get the desired temperature.

Thank you for the birthday wishes Tony and Paul - I passed them on to a delighted and surprised Mrs RD.

We had some sparkling Vouvray and a lovely Nimes - to go with the duck breast and sauté potatoes cooked in the residual heat.

Thanks Again Tony,

 

Best 

 

RD

[tekobo]

On 11/25/2020 at 8:38 PM, Basher said:

Tekobo can you and Braai help rokdoc our with his oversupply of beer?
He’s making me thirsty.

I blame @Basher

The Husband and I made good on my promise to go and visit @RokDoklast weekend.  We got the full RD and Mrs RD experience in the space of 36 hours:

1. One full evening of cider tasting - loved them all.  Just my style, dry.

2. Wood fired oven pizza - yum! RD kept them coming and we ended on a sweet pizza with Nuttella. 

3. Got drawn down a rabbithole - if The Husband hadn't restrained me, a really expensive apple mill and hydraulic press combo would be heading our way about now.  I still have the links....

4. Watched RD drumming at a gig - super fun.  We got to be roadies and groupies all in one arvo. 

5. More cider, wild beer and stout - The Husband declared RD's special black stout stupendous.  His elderflower wine was also delicious.  

6. Cooked on RD's KK - yay! Fun fun fun.  We had marbled port, followed by chicken schawarma and we were just plating up the perfectly cooked steaks when...

7.  RD and Mrs RD were called away for medical emergency - the neighbouring pub needed help with someone who had collapsed. Ambulance service was a shambles.  I put the food straight back into the KK and dialled temp right back.  We finally ate the steaks about two hours late.  Tasty nonetheless and good to hear that the patient is now back home. 

8.  Came away with a new baking stone for my 32 - RD received an extra baking stone that was marked as a "second".  He kindly gave it to me because I didn't order one of my own and need one for my big bread cooks.  Hurrah. 

We had a blast.  It was lovely to meet RD and Mrs RD.  I read back over the rest of this post and laughed again about their trials and tribulations with choosing a sofa.  I can confirm that they still have not chosen a new one.  I did not test the existing sofa for comfort but I am guessing must be too comfortable to force them to make the change.  

It was hilarious being introduced to friends as "someone I met on the internet" and we laughed a lot when the RDs told us that the oldest RokDokette was horrified that they were entertaining us.  She thought we would be scammers, looking to empty her parents' house out.  Tee hee.  If you get the chance to visit a KKer you think you might like, my advice is: don't hesitate, do it!

[tony b]

I've had the good fortune to meet a couple of folks from here in person, but haven't gotten to cook with anyone yet. It would be fun, I have no doubts! @Jon B. and I have been conspiring for years for him to come over to cook with me when he visits his sister here in town. Maybe one day?

[Basher]

That sounds like a lot of fun Tekobo.


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[MacKenzie]

@ Tekobo, sounds like fantastic time, great food and drink, common interests and the possibility of a new toy to buy, what more could one ask. 

[RokDok]

It was an absolute blast having Mrs & Mr @tekobo over.

We never stopped laughing - of course helped by the frequent sampling of various vintages of home-brew / cider.

And great watching Mrs T cook and sampling some different food / cooking styles - definitely recommended to get together with other KK owners - there is so much in common.

We'll be meeting up again soon - we have a gig which would really interest you @tony b - it's at our local brewery (The Cerne Abbas Brewery) - it's in the countryside just outside the village next to the fields where the organic Maris Otter is grown before being floor malted....

Was really hoping to convince Mrs T that an apple scratter and press was an essential extra bit of lateral kit for the KK - we'll see. 

Did get hooked though by her sending the link for the marbled pork - ending up getting that plus a couple of suckling pigs - your turn now @tekobo.

 

 

 

[Paul]

On 6/28/2021 at 11:46 PM, tekobo said:

It was hilarious being introduced to friends as "someone I met on the internet" and we laughed a lot when the RDs told us that the oldest RokDokette was horrified that they were entertaining us.  She thought we would be scammers, looking to empty her parents' house out.  Tee hee.  If you get the chance to visit a KKer you think you might like, my advice is: don't hesitate, do it!

My daughter had the same reaction when she found out I was meeting @tony b in Santa Rosa. She asked if I ever watch TV?! People wind up missing all the time after a face to face with someone they met on the internet she told me. 

[tony b]

[remi]

On 7/1/2021 at 3:28 AM, RokDok said:

It was an absolute blast having Mrs & Mr @tekobo over.

We never stopped laughing - of course helped by the frequent sampling of various vintages of home-brew / cider.

And great watching Mrs T cook and sampling some different food / cooking styles - definitely recommended to get together with other KK owners - there is so much in common.

We'll be meeting up again soon - we have a gig which would really interest you @tony b - it's at our local brewery (The Cerne Abbas Brewery) - it's in the countryside just outside the village next to the fields where the organic Maris Otter is grown before being floor malted....

Was really hoping to convince Mrs T that an apple scratter and press was an essential extra bit of lateral kit for the KK - we'll see. 

Did get hooked though by her sending the link for the marbled pork - ending up getting that plus a couple of suckling pigs - your turn now @tekobo.

 

 

 

That sounds amazing. Love me some Marris Otter; TT Landlord clone is my next brew in the pipeline.

If our government ever releases us again, I'll be keen to visit!

[RokDok]

11 hours ago, remi said:

TT Landlord clone is my next brew in the pipeline.

One of my first ever brews - there's a great recipe which gives a really authentic tasting brew - ping me if you'd like it !

Be good to see you if you're in the UK - Mrs RD & I worked a while in Melbourne in fact she spent an hour zooming her old pals in OZ today - it's a monthly thing.