Everyday Misc Cooking Photos w/ details

[KidCactus]

I’ve had my 23” Ultimate for a couple months now and have had some really successful cooks, most recently these tri-tips smoked at 225-250 dome temp until rare then reverse seered on bottom rack at 500 dome temp for a couple minutes on each side. The roasts turned out more medium than medium rare but they were still incredibly tender and juicy (pics below)! I also made a home made Chimmichurri sauce to accompany the meat.

Questions:

1) I can’t seem to get temps to stay at 225 or below. I was reaching 245 to 250 with a tiny crack open in the bottom vent and the top dampener opened about an 8th of a turn. Any tips on how to maintain 225 or even lower?

2) Are there any drawbacks to having a full charcoal basket at the start of each cook? I’ve noticed a lot of you aim to have only the charcoal you need for a cook.

[Tyrus]

Nice job, perfecto.///  Check for air leaks and make sure you have a good seal around the doors, flush. Does it shut down without all the coal disappearing?

Edited February 15, 2021 by Tyrus

[Tyrus]

Flank steak pinwheel with garlic cheddar, spinach, prosciutto & feta. Cooked half basket, slid over to opposite side with a cherry balsamic sauce to set. Home fries on the new outside wok and burner from Bass Pro. These tatoes are dedicated to Tekebo's search for the perfect tata. Soaked in a salt brine and cooked in olive oil till done. Finished with a little Maldon flake then bombed with Heinz. Crisp out soft inside. Fresh veggies yum

[Basher]

Kid cactus you have nailed that tri tip.
As Tyrus said, check everything is sealed, and do you have the lid closed to the second bump? Top flue 1/8th and the bottom can still be 5- 10mm open. Less than that and my fire goes out.
Fill your basket with each cook. No advantage to a smaller basket of charcoal, and it’s a pain if you run out mid cook.

Tyrus the colour on the outside of that steak is very pretty.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[tekobo]

11 hours ago, KidCactus said:

1) I can’t seem to get temps to stay at 225 or below. I was reaching 245 to 250 with a tiny crack open in the bottom vent and the top dampener opened about an 8th of a turn. Any tips on how to maintain 225 or even lower?

2) Are there any drawbacks to having a full charcoal basket at the start of each cook? I’ve noticed a lot of you aim to have only the charcoal you need for a cook.

Hi there @KidCactus

I usually only have the top vent just cracked open to maintain 110C.  1/8th on my 23 would be too much to achieve maintain that temp.  I do have the bottom vent open on one of the larger right hand holes, with the left hand bottom vent closed.  Do get there I start with all vents wide open, hit about 80C and then wind back to the settings above.

I always start with a full charcoal basket at the start of each cook.  In fact, that is part of my routine once the KK has cooled down:  sweep out if I have done a few cooks, top up the charcoal basket, open up the top and bottom vents and cover up with Sunbrella cover.  

[tony b]

@KidCactus - @tekobo is correct; 1/8 turn is too open for 225F. Just barely off the seat so you just see smoke exiting the top vent should put you in the 225F range. 

I don't always start out a cook with a full basket - generally out of pure laziness. I gauge how much is in there and what type of cook am I doing - temperature & time, and add charcoal as needed. If I'm doing a butt or a brisket, I'll seriously load up the basket then. 

[Forrest]

Steven Raichlen’s caveman reverse seared choice grade NY Strip W/pepper medley (I added some Serrano’s for heat). Washed down with some Yuengling Lager and Heady Topper IPA. I can not wait to get my Komodo Kamado 21”!






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[MacKenzie]

On 2/15/2021 at 6:20 AM, tekobo said:

  Best baked beans you have ever tasted?  They must have been good.  Can you wangle a copy of the recipe for us?

I did and here it is.

Baked Beans from Tanya

Add to 1 pound of softened yellow eyed beans:

1 medium onion

1/4C crumbled bacon

¼ C +2T maple syrup

1/3C +2.6T brown sugar

3T molasses

3T ketchup

3t dry mustard

1t salt

1t pepper

 

Soak or parboil beans (around 60 mins or so) until they are soft. It there is too much liquid in the pot use a ladle to scoop some off but save it in case you need it later. Do not rinse the beans! You just need enough liquid to just cover the beans. Add all the above ingredients and bake at 350F for 2 hours or so, if you need more liquid use what you ladled off earlier. You can also use a lower temp. and a longer time. Depend upon how you like them.

 

 

Edited February 16, 2021 by MacKenzie

[tony b]

5 hours ago, Forrest said:

Heady Topper IPA.

[tony b]

Happy Fat Tuesday (aka Mardi Gras) everybody! Still too damn cold outside to fire up the grill, but since it's the special day anyway - beans & rice. I had some Andouille and Tasso in the freezer. New secret ingredient - Nigerian Pepper Soup spice! 

Bon Temps, ya'll!!

[MacKenzie]

Looks simple but deeelicious, Tony. 

[tekobo]

8 hours ago, tony b said:

New secret ingredient - Nigerian Pepper Soup spice! 

Tee hee.  You do have a lot to use up!  Nice looking dinner Tony.

13 hours ago, MacKenzie said:

Baked Beans from Tanya

Thanks Mac, and Tanya.  Looking forward to trying this out.  The concept of "crumbled bacon" is super odd to this non-American.  Pancetta or lardons make everything better so I will ride with that. 

13 hours ago, Forrest said:

 

I am very pleased to say, Forrest, that you won't need that chimney configuration to light your KK.  I look forward to your delight when you learn how efficient it is at acting as its own chimney.  

[Forrest]

I am very pleased to say, Forrest, that you won't need that chimney configuration to light your KK.

This is actually one of the few times I’ve ever used the chimney (I wanted an even bed of hot ashed over coals on top for the caveman sear. I normally just light a small portion of the charcoal with my grill Gun inside the Kamado itself.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[tekobo]

1 hour ago, Forrest said:

This is actually one of the few times I’ve ever used the chimney (I wanted an even bed of hot ashed over coals on top for the caveman sear.

That's funny, I have a similar use case. I use my KK to heat up the coals needed to create an even bed in my Argentinian barbecue.  I just put the amount I need into the KK fire basket, light it and come back when they are glowing.  The Rapicca gloves have made the transfer of the fire basket to the Argie Barbie much less perilous!

[Pequod]

My primary chimney use case is Binchotan. Only way I've found to get it lit and go nuclear enough for the Konro.

[tekobo]

2 hours ago, Pequod said:

My primary chimney use case is Binchotan. Only way I've found to get it lit and go nuclear enough for the Konro.

Hi Pequod, my success using a chimney is very hit and miss. I have found starting binchotan easiest in a KK, interspersed with a few cocochar briquettes. The fact that the pieces of binchotan are long and stay whole makes it relatively easy to lift them out of the KK and into the konro using a set of fire tongs.  The things we do for our stomachs.  

Edited February 17, 2021 by tekobo

[tony b]

9 hours ago, tekobo said:

Tee hee.  You do have a lot to use up!  Nice looking dinner Tony.

I keep finding new uses for it, so we'll see how long it really does last??

[KidCactus]

On 2/15/2021 at 3:41 PM, Tyrus said:

Nice job, perfecto.///  Check for air leaks and make sure you have a good seal around the doors, flush. Does it shut down without all the coal disappearing?

From what I can tell their are no air leaks. It shuts down quickly when everything is closed and never burns out much more than when I close it up. Is there anywhere common that I should be checking that might have an air leak aside from the main opening seem?

[Tyrus]

Sometime that bottom door can slide out a bit, make sure it's snug up and flush. Guru port was a concern once for another owner, I believe he overlooked checking it or needed another plug. There aren't many areas for air to sneak through, go with the slightest you can and see if that has any effect. For long cooks my 23 has a tendency to creep up, it 's not a concern unless it goes beyond 250 for me. Process of elimination

On 2/17/2021 at 5:12 PM, KidCactus said:

air leak

 

[tony b]

Finally got warm enough here (15F) to fire up the KK last night for dinner. First time in a week and a half! Flat iron steak, marinated in shio koji for 2 hours. Gunpowder rub. Lower grate with chunks of post oak and mesquite.

Plated with roasted smashed potatoes, with Peruvian green sauce, sautéed mushrooms, and a nice salad of greens/radicchio, orange slices, pomegranate seeds and pistachios with an orange mint vinaigrette.