LarryR Posted February 14, 2010 Report Posted February 14, 2010 MORE PICTURES Well after wrenching my back lifting the KK of the pallet I got her in place and have started my first cook, two 9 lb pork butts rubbed with Chris Lilly's rub. I'm going manual but monitoring/logging using my Stoker and Stokerlog. I'm also tweeting the cook under Stoker_Ace. Currently sitting at 240 dome temp. 214.9 grate. Sipping a nice Zin, getting ready to grill a couple of steaks and asparagus for dinner. So far so good I think this is my favorite shot Graph of cook manually operated but logged by Stokerlog
mguerra Posted February 14, 2010 Report Posted February 14, 2010 Hey Larry Good job, Larry, my first cook on night one was a pork butt. It's the best use of a KK!! Don't sweat the exact temp too much, it will come out perfect at any temp between 200 and 300, I guarantee! My first cook, I was out there freaking out about the temp getting to 240, instead of 225. I soon learned this is of no consequence. Enjoy that Zin and fire up a nice cheroot.
LarryR Posted February 14, 2010 Author Report Posted February 14, 2010 Thanks Doc, after you're advice on the lid latch I'm sitting pretty at 227 grate. I had to open the bottom wheel a little and the top damper but I'm looking good. Yes, the beauty of a pork butt is how forgiving they are. I took the two I'm cooking out of the freezer on Wed. and the center was still frozen when I put them on. Stoker said center was 29 degrees. We just finished our second bottle of Zin (SO and I) and I'm breaking out some Port, Scotch and a stogie, not sure what yet, got to see what I have on hand. Here's a graph of my cook so far. Note I'm not using Stoker to run the cook, only monitor it. I do not have my blower connected:
mguerra Posted February 14, 2010 Report Posted February 14, 2010 idea After a few months of using your KK, give us a comparo relative to the WSM.
Conodo12 Posted February 14, 2010 Report Posted February 14, 2010 Great pics of that cook so far Larry! Great looking KK too! Let's see some pics of the finished cook!!
LarryR Posted February 14, 2010 Author Report Posted February 14, 2010 16 Hours In Well I'm 16 hours into my cook and once I got the lid closed completly I've been good. It's a foggy morning here and being out in the fog, enjoying my coffee (nursing a slight hangover), the smell of pecan mixed with cooking pork filling my patio, could it get any better, not in my book . . . OK, if Megan Fox was refilling my coffee for me maybe. The butt I'm temping is sitting at 172. After Doc pointed out that my lid wasn't completly closed I made one adjustment in vent/damper settings at 9:00 p.m. and didn't touch her until around 8:50 a.m. Looking at the graph it looks like she did pretty well on her own overnight. The graph us updated below. I have not opened her since I put the butts on can't wait to see the goodness that will be waiting for me. My grate temp is running about 15 degree's lower than my dome temp so I'm shooting for an average around 225. Doc, I absolutely will my thoughts on the two units after I get a few cooks under my belt
LarryR Posted February 15, 2010 Author Report Posted February 15, 2010 Done at 23 Hours As you can see butts are done, I wrapped them in foil and threw them in a cooler for a couple of hours. Cannot wait to dig in. I'm letting the KK continue to run just to see how long she'll go. Money shots later.
bryan Posted February 15, 2010 Report Posted February 15, 2010 Re: Done at 23 Hours I'm letting the KK continue to run just to see how long she'll go. You better buy another jug you are going to be there awhile.
cruzmisl Posted February 15, 2010 Report Posted February 15, 2010 Butts look great with a nice bark! Maiden voyage turned out to be quite successful.
Conodo12 Posted February 15, 2010 Report Posted February 15, 2010 Awesome Larry! Really nice job posting the pics in great detail!! Excellent cook!
LarryR Posted February 15, 2010 Author Report Posted February 15, 2010 Great Bark Butts look great with a nice bark! Thanks, the bark really was nice. I've never really been a big fan of bark, this bark however was exceptional. Very moist, not "chewy" at all and packed with flavor. I really like Chris' rub.
bryan Posted February 15, 2010 Report Posted February 15, 2010 Re: Great Bark Very moist' date=' not "chewy" at all and packed with flavor. I really like Chris' rub.[/quote'] Yes..... but "Miss Blue" did the job.
LarryR Posted February 15, 2010 Author Report Posted February 15, 2010 Absolutely! I've used this rub countless times and never enjoyed the bark like I did this cook. This was due to how moist/tender the bark was.
mguerra Posted February 15, 2010 Report Posted February 15, 2010 1st comparison There's the first WSM comparo right there, on the first cook, moister bark. I thought "What, you aren't a fan of bark?!" Then realized you have been cooking on steel.
Porkchop Posted February 15, 2010 Report Posted February 15, 2010 the bark is the best part! when that rub fuses with your fat cap and produces the WONDER FOOD that is "bark". it's sweet, savory, crisp, tender, and melty, and all at the same time. like the best fried chicken skin, or the fatty bits off a well-turned herb-coated steamship round! how'd that cooker do without a stoker? you like that learning curve? it's almost embarrassing how easy these cookers make it. of course, if your cooker is going to continue to tweet, you need to give it a name...
bryan Posted February 15, 2010 Report Posted February 15, 2010 By the way.. What will you name her. How long did the fire last?
LarryR Posted February 16, 2010 Author Report Posted February 16, 2010 Dionysus? Haven't decided on a name just yet, I'm leaning towards Dionysus but I've been calling it a "her" so this could create a problem. At 26 hours I shut her down and removed my equipment I was tired (hungover) and it looked like I could be out there late shutting down. I opened her up this a.m. and it looked like she had enough fuel to go another 5 hours. Very impressive, especially since I ran her for the first three hours with the lid slightly open (first latch position) DOH!. Running her without the Stoker was a piece of cake. It is interesting to see how she did on her own throughout the cook. First cook, pulling off a 23 hour cook only adjusting the damper three times the entire cook is quite remarkable. I'd like to add that one of the three adjustments was due to the fact that I'd run her for 3 hours with the lid partially open. Once I completly closed her it required a single adjustment. Not bad for a maiden voyage huh? I'm thinking this weekends cook will be a high heat brisket and will probably get a chicken and pork tenderloin cook in during the week.
DennisLinkletter Posted April 17, 2010 Report Posted April 17, 2010 Re: Dionysus? Haven't decided on a name just yet, I'm leaning towards Dionysus but I've been calling it a "her" so this could create a problem. Dionysus is also the origin of the name Dennis..
LarryR Posted April 17, 2010 Author Report Posted April 17, 2010 I will call you Hestia Went with Hestia, Goddess of Hearth, Home and some say cooking.
