mguerra Posted March 24, 2009 Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 My new KK arrived today, I couldn't get it in the backyard, so I just tore off the crate and fired it up right there in the driveway. Filled up the charcoal basket with Royal Oak, hit it with a MAPP torch, dialed 'er in to 225 and put on a 4.38 pound pork butt. Fitted the Maverick probes and baby, the game is on! I did all this in a major hurry, grabbed the first pork butt I saw, had no real time to figure out how to season it, so I did this: mixed up some comino, (cumin to you non- Texas folk), garlic powder and some fresh ground pepper. Sprinkled it on, patted it in a little and that's it. Got photos of the whole operation, if'n I can figger out how to post 'em. Cook started at 7PM Central. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mguerra Posted March 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 photos OK, I posted the photos to MobileMe, the gallery name is "Komodo Kamado Arrives" Go to http://gallery.me.com/mpguerra/100024 No www in there. If that doesn't work, let me know. That pile of rocks thing is my home made heat deflector drip catcher. It's a stainless steel vegetable grilling basket filled with those lava rocks they have in gas grills. I didn't want to soil my pizza stone or drip tray that came with the KK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mguerra Posted March 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 One hour in OK, I'm an hour in and my temp has crept up to 270, I'm making very tiny adjustments to the top and bottom vents to try to avoid the temp chasing errors everyone has warned about. Smells great! I've got the bottom vents open about an eighth of an inch or less and the lid just cracked a hair. Stoker has not arrived yet, since I just ordered it today! I got the Stoker because they told me I can use an Airport Express to wirelessly connect it to the internet and my home network, and control it with my iPhone as a remote, or any computer anywhere. That sold it for me, as opposed to the Digi Q, which does have some features I really wanted. (The open lid detect and ramp temp features.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firemonkey Posted March 24, 2009 Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 Damn, Eddie Van Halen delivered your KK?! Crafty idea with the lava diffuser. Drunk J will have to give it a try too, since he has been trying for more of a diffused heat than the indirect you get with the KK heat deflector. And after this greasy butt cooking (especially without a drip pan under it), the inside of that KK will be christened and you can quit worrying about getting the heat deflector dirty! You will need it dirty to match Its okay though, if you just flip it each use, since the underside will burn clean, you will always have one side nice and clean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdbower Posted March 24, 2009 Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 Congrats! I can't wait to see it in its natural habitat - or even on a sunny day with those reflective tiles. You could have it suspended so it looks like a disco ball as it twists in the breeze! After an hour or so you've probably heat soaked the KK. When you first light it a lot of the fire's energy goes into bringing the mass of the KK up to temperature. After it reaches an equilibrium more of the energy from the fire goes into heating the air than the cooker so you'll need to reduce the airflow a bit to maintain temperature. With the Stoker this all happens automatically, of course. If you've got the Stoker I'd also highly recommend StokerLog which puts a nice user interface on the Stoker. Controlling it via the Internet is a nice feature, but you may need to set up port forwarding on your home router, feel free to ask about getting it up and running if you have any issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyboy Posted March 24, 2009 Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 Oh Boy!!! That's a beauty!!! Too bad you forgot the yellow mustard. Pork butt will still be good though. Let us know... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mguerra Posted March 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 Disco ball That's so funny! When Eddie Van Halen was off loading the thing, he said, " What is this contraption, some kind of disco ball?" I chased the temps a little, they ran between 230 and 280 the whole cook. There was a plateau, just like ya'll said, and she finally hit 185 about 2 AM. The Maverick beeped, I got up, pulled 'er off, loosely foiled, wrapped it in a towel and went back to bed. Hand pulled it this morning, bagged the meat and threw it in the fridge. Having never done a cook like this before, I think it went right good. Very tender and juicy, I've got a couple of mediocre photos, I'll post at lunchtime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mguerra Posted March 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 meat photos http://gallery.me.com/mpguerra#100039 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conodo12 Posted March 24, 2009 Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 Good looking bark, Good looking smoke ring, and a Great Start to your KK cooking hobby!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tcoliver Posted March 24, 2009 Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 Wow, that grill looks sweet. Good choice!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robby Posted March 24, 2009 Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 The Metallic Bronze looks great! I like the lava rocks to keep your heat deflector from getting dirty. I went the other route. Just started mucking all the grills and accessories up, so I'd be forced to get over having everything spotless. Now we just fire it up every day and go. Can eating beef, pork, buffalo and dark meat chix, everyday be harmful to your health? I hope not. Grill on....Robby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firemonkey Posted March 24, 2009 Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 Can eating beef' date=' pork, buffalo and dark meat chix, everyday be harmful to your health? I hope not. Grill on....Robby[/quote'] Me too! If you have seen the pics of what I like to cook you will understand why. Hopefully, these folks in the link below dont know what they are talking about Uh Oh... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdbower Posted March 25, 2009 Report Share Posted March 25, 2009 Hopefully' date=' these folks in the link below don't know what they are talking about[/quote'] I guess that depends on how they define "early death" in "older Americans" - grampa lived to 108 but he could have pushed 112 if he had gone vegan! Even if true, would you really want an extra few years after a lifetime of rabbit food? Just get more exercise by lifting those huge chunks of meat onto the grill and you'll be fine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mguerra Posted March 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2009 day 3 Third day, third cook. Yesterday I bought a hunk of chuck something or other, cooked it nice and slow, wow! Had a beautiful smoke ring and was very tender. I tossed in a hunk of mesquite, very Texoid. Tonight I've got a brisket going, my temp control is a little better, too. Having a ball with the Bronze Behemoth so far. Maybe tomorrow I can get some guys to help me move the damn thing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyboy Posted March 26, 2009 Report Share Posted March 26, 2009 Doc, add a Dutch Oven and make the best chuck roast ever!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mguerra Posted March 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2009 Brisket I'll post the photos at lunchtime. My first L&S brisket came out super! I smeared on a little Amore brand garlic paste, and grated on a bit of Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper. It was as good as any brisket I've had at any of the fine Texas BBQ joints. Being an overenthusiastic newbie, I couldn't help but start a cook as soon as I got home from work (golf, actually, he sheepishly admitted). So my little brisket was just the right size to get finished about 2 AM, and I knew it. And I did it anyway. Me so tired. Next time I start a cook at 7, it's either going to be a three hour or twelve hour affair! Also, I put in about 12 charcoal briquets from a bag that I bought by accident. The Royal Oak lump and briquet bags look almost identical. Don't just grab one on a glance. Worked out fine. My cousin is a Weber Smoky Mountain devotee, and he swears by mixing lump with briquets. I just did it because I had them, and didn't want to go back to the store to return them. Actually, over at that WSM forum, they affirmatively encourage using Kingsford briquets instead of lump! Shrug. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyboy Posted March 26, 2009 Report Share Posted March 26, 2009 IMHO, for L&S, extruded/briquettes do a better job of transferring the fire from one piece to another than lump does. Makes sense why mixing both for L&S may be preferred. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mguerra Posted March 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2009 1st KK brisket photos: http://gallery.me.com/mpguerra#100047 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregR Posted March 26, 2009 Report Share Posted March 26, 2009 Damn, that looks nice... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conodo12 Posted March 26, 2009 Report Share Posted March 26, 2009 I gotta try another brisket... My first one had a great taste and nice smoke ring, but was tough. I have had brisket that literally cuts with a fork. Any ideas out there on "how to"? Great looking cook mguerra! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
