23" KK

[EGGARY]

From the Naked Whiz Review the Grill size a a bit smaller than the XL EGG, not that should be a big difference. However with the three levels there is more space. When using your KK, do you use more than one level at times ? Which level do you use for steaks ? I notice the lower level would be good for searing steaks. What about the upper grill? When would that be used ? I know what I have on my EGG, from the Plate setter, the Cooking grill that came with the EGG, some accessories to hep raise the grill along with a grill with 4 carriage bolts to cook at higher into the Dome.

I hope I am not too wordy. I just have questions. Is there anybody here who has/had a BGE that can tell me the difference between the two. From what I see the outside of the KK is easier to touch when hot compared to the EGG.

When the EGG is hot it is hot on the outside. Does that mean with the KK, most of the heat stays in the INSIDE ? What is the hottest has your KK gotten ?

Does the 23' refer to the grill ?

Thanks again.

[Paswesley]

Re: 23" KK

A great deal of heat DOES remain inside the KK, due to the very fine insulating material that Dennis has sandwiched in between the kiln grade hot face and the outer skin. How hot the outer surface gets depends on the internal temp, the ambient temp and whether or not the hot face within has become heat soaked. I have been able to lay my hand on the lid of my Mable when she was heat soaked at 500 degrees and above. When you cook in an ambient temp of below freezing, there is virtually no internal temp that will cause the outer skin of the KK to burn you. This is my two cents worth after using my KK for a year and a half.

The upper grill is good for getting a good brown on breads and meats. Once the KK is heat soaked, at say 400 degrees, the entire hot face radiates the heat from all directions. At the same time, the engineering of the upper vent combines with the irradiating heat to create convection. Over time, you will develop skills and techniques that will permit you to get the maximum utility out of your KK. Yet, you will get awesome meals out of it from the very first. I have cooked on two levels frequently. It is simply the finest cooker of its type that is available. I would not hesitate to repurchase a KK. My only regret is that I did not purchase mine several years earlier.

[Loquitur]

Re: 23" KK Grill Cooking Heights

From the Naked Whiz Review the Grill size a a bit smaller than the XL EGG' date=' not that should be a big difference. However with the three levels there is more space. When using your KK, do you use more than one level at times ? Which level do you use for steaks ?[/quote']

There are 8 potential heights you can cook on with the 3 grills that are provided with the KK but you can't use them all at the same time. The sear grill has low handles on one side and tall handles on the other and can be inverted to provide two different cooking heights. From lowest to highest, you can use the sear grill on the coal basket on either the low handles or tall handles for positions 1 and 2. Then you have the lower grill for position 3.

Positions 4 and 5 are the sear grill set on the lower grill on either the low handles or tall handles. Position 6 is the main grill. Positions 7 and 8 are the sear grill set on the main grill on either the low handles or tall handles. This

provides the ability to cook high in the dome, which works really nicely with chicken cooked over direct heat. The most levels you can cook on at the same time would be 3 which would be positions 1, 3 and 6 or 3, 6 and 8.

I like to cook steaks at position 1 with the sear grill on top of the coal basket which is the closest position to the charcoal because I like it rare but crispy and charry on the outside. But some people like to cook steak at a higher level from the coals for various reasons. What is so great about the KK is that you have all this choice as to where to locate your food in relation to the heat source. I use the sear grill alot sitting it on the lower grill or main grill on either the low handles or tall handles because its very easy to lift it on and off with the food on it.

The KK can get VERY hot. I don't know how hot exactly but I have left it alone a time or two for too long and when I got back to it, the TruTell thermometer was completely around the 700 deg mark and up to 200 deg mark for the second time around. One time I actually thought my fire went out until I opened the lid - YIKES - it was hot!!

Tha Naked Whiz would be your expert on Big Green Eggs and KK's and their dissimilarites. I never owned a BGE but I have read about them. The only feature I could see that BGE has that KK doesn't is the accessory with a hole in the center to hold a wok over the coals. I can't imagine you would regret purchasing a KK - the quality is outstanding!! When I cook on the KK it just makes me feel good to have such a fine instrument for the task.

Susan

[mguerra]

Re: 23" KK

On a somewhat tangential note: I usually cook salmon on the main grill, direct. Today I had a brisket and a chuck roast going on the main grill, indirect. And realized I needed to cook a hunk of salmon TODAY. So I put it up high in the dome on the sear grill resting with it's tall handles on the main, above the chuck and brisket. It was the moistest, juiciest, yet fully done salmon we have ever cooked on the KK. I may start cooking it this way all the time.

[DennisLinkletter]

Re: 23" KK

From what I see the outside of the KK is easier to touch when hot compared to the EGG.

When the EGG is hot it is hot on the outside. Does that mean with the KK, most of the heat stays in the INSIDE ?

The drastic difference is that your BGE is a simple glazed ceramic pot with a firebox to protect it from the high temps of the charcoal. While the dense mass holds and releases heat it does not contain any actual insulation, where the KK has two different actual insulations which reduce heat loss.

This insulation lets you burn less fuel to maintain your cooking temperature, burning less fuel requires less airflow, the result of less airflow is meat that is more moist (imagine a hairdrier blasting/drying your meat for hours) But not only will you meat be more moist but the reduced airflow means that the smoke will spend more time in the grill where your meat is the coolest item. This results in the smoke/vapor condensing on your meat and giving it more flavor.

What is the hottest has your KK gotten?

Not that I recommend it because the expansion should be avoided but a KK with large pieces of charcoal to permit lots of airflow can easily bury the needle on a 1000ºf TelTru thermometer and that's in the dome! I know that 700-800º dome is 1,200-1,400 ºf in the charcoal.

I have a grill that we filled with charcoal and then blasted with a large leaf blower.. It went well past the 1,800º the thermocouple was capable of recording. Flames shot out the top and more than 1" of material was glowing.. The refractory hot face is rated for 2,200ºf That was about 7 years ago and It is still being cooked on by my security

Does the 23' refer to the grill ?

Yes, it's the width and the across from the back corner to the opposite front corner.