Syzygies Posted September 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 That was quick! (I'm already getting emails from fellow K-expats who are jealous!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firemonkey Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 Ikea?? Thats the first time I have seen a KK requiring assembly! It this the new norm, to have the top ship separated from the base? Im excited for you syz. I'm looking forward to hearing your reaction to the quality comparison Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruzmisl Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 Yes all the tops ships separated from the body now. Good idea IMO. Less chance for damage. We expect pictures asap! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firemonkey Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 skewered tandoor chicken One idea - when you get it unpacked, you will find that the upper/sear grill has a set of long legs, and a short set on the reverse. The long set is intended to act as handles when you place the sear grill down on thop of the lump basket. If you place the sear grill on the lower grate, you will be able to rest skewers across those handles. With the deflector on the basket handles, you can get a nice hot indirect cook with no contact. The upper grill doesnt fit on the main grill upside down; the handles will hit the lid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisLinkletter Posted September 24, 2009 Report Share Posted September 24, 2009 Re: skewered tandoor chicken The upper grill doesnt fit on the main grill upside down; the handles will hit the lid. Why would you want the upper flipped, long legs up on the main grill? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conodo12 Posted September 24, 2009 Report Share Posted September 24, 2009 Hey - You really do own that dog! Congratulations on the arrival of your KK! I have always enjoyed your posts and will look forward to your experiences on your new cooker! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisLinkletter Posted September 24, 2009 Report Share Posted September 24, 2009 Something relatively new, 25% of KKs shipped in 2 crates Yes all the tops ships separated from the body now. Good idea IMO. Less chance for damage. We expect pictures asap! Something relatively new, actually about 25% of KKs are shipped in two crates.. Let's me get a few extra cookers in the container. I need to start listing which ones are in two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisLinkletter Posted September 24, 2009 Report Share Posted September 24, 2009 No one I'd rather ask this! 21.5" (not 22.5") !! I'll leave it to others to have fun with this. I actually went out twice. This is the outer diameter of the round grill circle. If you measure the longest straight grill rod, maybe you can eek out 21.8", and that's being generous. Well I immediately went out and pulled a string around a OTB main grill a got 71" which if it was perfectly round circle would translate into a diameter of 22.6 and area 401 sq" Dave, can I use the same formula for a circle on the OTB shape? No one I'd rather ask this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syzygies Posted September 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2009 Re: No one I'd rather ask this! (Laurie says this is as far as she unpacks before I get home from this trip.) Dave' date=' can I use the same formula for a circle on the OTB shape?[/quote'] Err, actually, no. There's this thing called the Isoperimetric Inequality. I can't explain it better than Wikipedia, but the short version is if the King gave you a roll of snow-fencing to let you claim chicken pasture on his lawn (chickens love bugs, and bugs make for the tastiest chicken), what shape do you choose to claim the most pasture? A circle. Now, if you told me the minimum and maximum diameters, the "truth" is somewhere in between, for the equivalent circle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linuxwrangler Posted September 24, 2009 Report Share Posted September 24, 2009 Re: That was quick! (I'm already getting emails from fellow K-expats who are jealous!) HEY! I deeply resemble that remark. Actually, it's the K next to the crate that's looking a bit jealous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firemonkey Posted September 24, 2009 Report Share Posted September 24, 2009 Re: skewered tandoor chicken The upper grill doesnt fit on the main grill upside down; the handles will hit the lid. Why would you want the upper flipped, long legs up on the main grill? Syz was wondering aloud about how he could cook some tandoori chicken on skewers with no grill contact. I offered the idea of resting the skewers across the long legs of the upper grill. Typically, if you want high indirect heat, you go as high up in the dome as you can, so i was explaining that he needed to use the lower grill for this suggestion, as the bigger handles hit the top. Dont worry, they dont need changed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syzygies Posted September 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2009 Re: skewered tandoor chicken I offered the idea of resting the skewers across the long legs of the upper grill. And a great idea, indeed. Can't wait to try it. Meanwhile, in my first support exchange, Dennis cleared up my confusion between latex (for not holding tiles on other manufacturer's cooker) and acrylic (for holding tiles on new cooker). Doh! You'd think I'd know the difference. Tired of repainting my NY apartment, I used artist grade titanium white acrylic paint (in place of the latex paint you're supposed to reapply every four years) and years later the paint job still looks brand new, saving energy on lighting as a bonus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffB Posted September 24, 2009 Report Share Posted September 24, 2009 Re: skewered tandoor chicken The upper grill doesnt fit on the main grill upside down; the handles will hit the lid. Perhaps Dennis made a change in the upper grill because mine fits fine on the main grill when flipped upside down (that or I am missing something). There isn't much room between the long legs and the lid so not much room to rest skewers but they would still fit. Personally, if you wanted to do this I think you are better off using a couple fire bricks on the main grill. That way you can adjust for different skewers lengths. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syzygies Posted October 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2009 The cooker is dead, long live the cooker This is a comical picture to stare at for a long time. On the left is the Komodo Kamado ceramic cooker that we just uncrated, on its inaugural test run. On the right is an idle cement cooker from a different maker, a bit worse from wear. Ask yourself which shape is historical accident, and which shape was carefully thought through. Considering that we need more room for the food than the charcoal, how would you have a cooker curve? Which looks bigger for use, without towering over the yard, or looking like it could topple in an earthquake? I must confess that at one time I thought the KK shape was odd, and the K7 shape "normal". The side-by-side pictures make everything clear for me. I can't tell whether I'm grinning or laughing. I only moved the K7 close for this comparison shot. Laurie wants it out of sight! I'm wondering if we should call the new cooker "Fellini". It's clearly not a seven, it's an 8 1/2. But Laurie reminds me, we're not naming the cooker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syzygies Posted October 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2009 Another transition question: For a 225 F low & slow controlled by a Guru, what fraction of a turn from closed do people set their damper? The KK is night-and-day tighter than my old K, and better insulated, so I do have a new learning curve (and 24 lbs of pork shoulder, butt is waiting to go on tomorrow!). Friends would red-line my VW GTI in first because they'd never had a gas pedal so responsive; I'm in the same boat here, learning again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffB Posted October 3, 2009 Report Share Posted October 3, 2009 I don't have a Guru but the advice I have seen given previously is to open up the top damper a couple/few turns while the temperature comes up. Once you get close to your target temp you then close it down all the way and then open it back up a crack (1/8 to 1/4 turn I presume). As you said, the KK is so much tighter and better insulated that it is actually very easy to do a low and slow without a Guru at all, and if you are good, only one adjustment in settings when you reach heat soak. I haven't quite graduated to that level yet but I am getting close. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syzygies Posted October 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2009 Thanks. Actually, using a guru is always different than not using a Guru. Your advice is a good translation to the KK of how to proceed without a Guru. With a Guru, one wants the minimum opening that creates enough fan-assisted draft, without creating the possibility of a draft that could run away with the Guru fan off. Because the damper fits so well, it would appear to me that even a 1/8th turn from closed shut is plenty. But I was curious what other Guru owners had settled upon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruzmisl Posted October 3, 2009 Report Share Posted October 3, 2009 I get the best results from the top damper just barely cracked. I've even closed it completely and been just fine. I have a 10cfm fan so it "pressurizes" the K and forces air out what ever tiny air gap is in the cooker. I've had it open too much especially when its windy and the fire can get out of hand. I like to start my fire an hour or so before I plan to put the meat on in order to let the temps stabilize. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tucker Posted October 3, 2009 Report Share Posted October 3, 2009 Manual Temp control on KOmodo This is an excerpt from the beta manual Dennis provided when I received my 1st KK. Helped me tremendously with controlling the temps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loquitur Posted October 3, 2009 Report Share Posted October 3, 2009 Syz, with my Stoker, I close the damper until I start to feel the resistance of the damper against lid. Then I turn it back the other way just a little bit - maybe 1/4 inch. Susan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
