Trompo King on sale for Cinco de Mayo

[GrillnBrew]

I received an email this morning from Smokeware, and their Trompo King is on sale today. After seeing pictures on here of it being used for some fine looking cooks, I knew one was in my future, so I jumped in and bought it, again spending more money on accessories for a grill I still don't have.

 

https://smokeware.com/collections/trompo-king?mc_cid=e8c3fb7d2d&mc_eid=5660248f6a

[Syzygies]

Yes, I've had my eye on that. Thanks for the heads up! I jumped. One can stack the welcome discount code "WELCOME2SW" on top of the sale.

I like the idea of this rig as a general smaller drip pan, blocking less airflow than the KK double drip pan. While we love tacos, and we'll put this to the signature use (pineapples and all) my first experiments will also revolve around Indian tandoor. The vertical orientation is even "correct", and this will allow hotter temperatures without directly burning the meat.

[Forrest]

I bought this on Amazon Deals. For $25 I’m really impressed with the quality, you can just pair this with the included KK drip pans. Makes more sense imho if you don’t want to spend a lot.




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[tekobo]

 

I bought two of these and had them shipped to me in the UK and shipped one on to @RokDok. Total cost  less than one Trompo King.  I liked the look of @tony b's cook in his double drip pan and I thought this would be perfect for that application.  Looks robust but I have not used it yet.  

[tony b]

If anyone is curious and doesn't want to search the other thread, here's the one that I got. I liked it better because it has the elevated bottom, which I thought would make carving easier.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0882VPRPS

Here it is in action with some chicken shawarma. 

[Forrest]

here's the one that I got.

Nice use of the DBDP!


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[GrillnBrew]

I do like the elevated bottom on that one.  I didn't order the drip pan with my KK, so I'll need the heavy duty pan that comes with the Trompo King.

[tony b]

I FINALLY found a good use for the double-drip pan! I have owned it since Dennis first came out with them and had only used it a couple of times. It was collecting dust in the storage rack. I had previously considered it a bad purchase, given how little I used it. No so much anymore. 

[Troble]

Whether you use a Trompo King or not it’s just great to cook vertical meat stacks. Glad to see so much enthusiasm on this topic 

 

@tony b what do you use when you smoke a brisket if you’re not using the double drip pan?

Edited May 7, 2021 by Troble

[tony b]

16 hours ago, Troble said:

@tony b what do you use when you smoke a brisket if you’re not using the double drip pan?

I primarily just use aluminum foil on the lower grate. Back in the day, I'd have used the regular drip pan. Plus, I now wrap my briskets in pink butcher paper right after the stall. 

[Syzygies]

6 hours ago, tony b said:

 

I primarily just use aluminum foil on the lower grate.

For many, many years I'd buy a 16" unglazed terra cotta planter saucer from Home Depot, and double-line it with heavy duty aluminum foil. "For many years" as in, many of those years it would crack and I'd buy another. Still a cheap but effective solution...

Edited May 8, 2021 by Syzygies

[Syzygies]

My Trompo King arrived, and I'm looking forward to a first cook, three Tandoori chicken legs.

I'm happy to have ordered their Four Spike System, and nice that it comes apart in pairs. I'll usually use it as shown.

Also nice that it comes with two center spikes. The longer spike is too tall for the main grill on my 23" KK, but would work on the lower grate. The spikes are shipped taped to the tray, and the adhesive comes off easily with isopropyl alcohol.

I'm considering returning their TK Grate, shown in my first picture. Most aftermarket grates are likely to work better, such as the closer mesh, wider grate shown in my second picture. Their grate was clearly sourced as one could also do separately. Had they designed the grate specifically for the Trompo King, it's highly unlikely that they would have been dumb enough to specify an odd number of grates, making it impossible to center. For general use their grate is not wide enough, or closely spaced enough, to do its job.

[The moderators have configured our forum to mark any post as edited after revision, with no five minute grease period for catching spelling errers. I've come to accept their looking out for us, we shouldn't spend all our time an the forum, so I'm not fixing this post wonce I submit it, not matter how much work it might stand to benefit from revizing.]

[Troble]

Looking forward to seeing your efforts @Syzygies

[Basher]

My Trompo King arrived, and I'm looking forward to a first cook, three Tandoori chicken legs.
I'm happy to have ordered their Four Spike System, and nice that it comes apart in pairs. I'll usually use it as shown.
Also nice that it comes with two center spikes. The longer spike is too tall for the main grill on my 23" KK, but would work on the lower grate. The spikes are shipped taped to the tray, and the adhesive comes off easily with isopropyl alcohol.
I'm considering returning their TK Grate, shown in my first picture. Most aftermarket grates are likely to work better, such as the closer mesh, wider grate shown in my second picture. Their grate was clearly sourced as one could also do separately. Had they designed the grate specifically for the Trompo King, it's highly unlikely that they would have been dumb enough to specify an odd number of grates, making it impossible to center. For general use their grate is not wide enough, or closely spaced enough, to do its job.
[The moderators have configured our forum to mark any post as edited after revision, with no five minute grease period for catching spelling errers. I've come to accept their looking out for us, we shouldn't spend all our time an the forum, so I'm not fixing this post wonce I submit it, not matter how much work it might stand to benefit from revizing.]

Syzygies with the 23”, it fits on the middle grate so if you want high heat and indirect, you can place foil on the grilling rack.
I’m sure you will work this out.


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[Syzygies]

I've described my first Trompo King tandoori chicken cook here.

I love indirect on vertical spikes, however one manages that configuration. I had been using my Solo Stove for quick grilling a lot of the time, because it works so well with so little effort, but now I can see the KK staying hot all summer as I work through every tandoori recipe I can find.

Planning my next tandoori cook (I'll slip an extra shrimp on the barby for you), I noticed Ranjit Rai's recommendation to use a piece of potato as a skewer spacer. That's a better way to lift tandoori cooks up the skewer a bit. One less grate to clean, and this would work with any of the skewer alternatives in this thread.

Edited May 15, 2021 by Syzygies

[Syzygies]

H&W Brazilian Gojo Barbecue Barbecue String
29cm/11.4in long, 0.7cm/0.28in diameter stainless steel tandem rod

Skewer Hack Removable Vertical Rack (tony b)
rod 10in length and 0.25in diameter

SEAR'D Vertical Spit Skewer BBQ Stand
8" and 12" Skewers - 3/8" Diameter

Trompo King - Four Spike System
1/4" hole (measured, matched spike measurement)

Were I starting over (and I always start over), I'd just buy the Trompo King Four Spike System, and the Skewer Hack Removable Vertical Rack, and find my own way for how to handle the heat shield / drip pan.

Issues to consider are cleanup, and heat deflection. One could lay heavy duty foil on the KK double drip pan, or line a terracotta plant saucer, or source a pan slightly larger than the Trompo King pan. Paella pans for example come in many sizes, and once one has made a thorough mess of a cheap carbon steel paella pan dedicated to this purpose, one will learn to relax about cleanup.

This is all predicated on the Skewer Hack actually measuring 1/4". Using a dial caliper, I measured true 1/4" for both the Trompo King spike and hole, close enough to make me wonder how it slides so smoothly. Any deviation will affect the fit. The alternative vertical skewers are the wrong size.

Edited May 15, 2021 by Syzygies

[tony b]

20 hours ago, Syzygies said:

This is all predicated on the Skewer Hack actually measuring 1/4".

I don't have a precise measuring tool, but simple eye ball and tape measure said it's pretty damn close to 1/4" (~6 mm) - best guess 0.25" +0"/-0.0156". As we used to say at back in the day "close enough for Government work."

[Syzygies]

16 minutes ago, tony b said:

I don't have a precise measuring tool, but simple eye ball and tape measure said it's pretty damn close to 1/4" (~6 mm) - best guess 0.25" +0"/-0.0156". As we used to say at back in the day "close enough for Government work."

I ordered one to "take one for the team." I'll probably prefer it to the Trompo King drip pan; I have an unused 38cm (15") paella pan that will be perfect. Better coverage, more uniform tandoori cooks.

Edited May 16, 2021 by Syzygies

[tony b]

Let us know how it works out for you? I have to admit that I've only used mine once so far. I keep procrastinating on the Al Pastor pork tacos. 

[tekobo]

On 5/15/2021 at 9:52 PM, Syzygies said:

Issues to consider are cleanup, and heat deflection.

I am going to post details of this cook elsewhere but, in the meantime, here is a photo of yesterday's cook.  First time using the double drip pan under my new vertical spike.  Indirect on the 32.  Lots of stickiness from the balsamic element of the marinade.  The double drip tray cleaned up very well.  The Husband did the washing and it just took a half hour soak in ordinary dishwashing liquid and hot water and a bit of elbow grease with a curly kate to get it nice and clean again.  No biggie.

 

Edited May 18, 2021 by tekobo