Gazza Posted March 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2013 Re: Just learning about our new KK Thanks Doc, Dennis talked me out of the Roti ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EGGARY Posted March 16, 2013 Report Share Posted March 16, 2013 Re: Just learning about our new KK I agree with Dennis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mguerra Posted March 16, 2013 Report Share Posted March 16, 2013 Re: Just learning about our new KK Is the roti necessary? No. But it's fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazza Posted March 16, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2013 Re: Just learning about our new KK I reckon cleaning it'll be the best fun ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mguerra Posted March 16, 2013 Report Share Posted March 16, 2013 Re: Just learning about our new KK Oh no, I never clean it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazza Posted March 16, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2013 Re: Just learning about our new KK Still on the learning curve I've noticed that the charcoal still glows even after a few hours after shutdown. Its clearly losing heat but not as fast as say heat beads or as described on several videos of all brands of cookers. Is there any way to expedite the process as it seems like an awful waste of energy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
talisker63 Posted March 16, 2013 Report Share Posted March 16, 2013 Re: Just learning about our new KK Gaz, it should go out completely in about 10-15mins. If not then you are leaking air in somewhere. I too had this issue until I have the top vent a firm twist to make sure it was closed. KK stays hot for a few hours but that is retained heat the coals should be out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mguerra Posted March 17, 2013 Report Share Posted March 17, 2013 Re: Just learning about our new KK The tiniest air leak will prevent your fire from going out. Check every possible opening. In particular check your bottom vent sliding door to see it is pushed firmly closed and flush all the way around. A tiny piece of ash can hold it open. After you remove ashes through this door, take a paint brush or similar, and brush the entire mating surface on the KK frame and the door itself to remove ALL traces of ash. Sometimes I will scrub these surfaces with a damp soapy rag to ensure a clean and thus tight seal. That bottom door represents a BIG potential leak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5698k Posted March 17, 2013 Report Share Posted March 17, 2013 Re: Just learning about our new KK Make sure you check both bottom doors. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EGGARY Posted April 14, 2013 Report Share Posted April 14, 2013 Re: Just learning about our new KK I am cooking my first Pork Butt. I have lit my KK and letting it come up to temp, 225. From what I have read, I have the bottom vent opened the thickness of a Quarter and the Top Vent 1/4 - 1/2 a turn. My question is, will the temp go to 225-250 at those settings . How long does it take . Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EGGARY Posted April 14, 2013 Report Share Posted April 14, 2013 Re: Just learning about our new KK I am cooking my first Pork Butt. I have lit my KK and letting it come up to temp, 225. From what I have read, I have the bottom vent opened the thickness of a Quarter and the Top Vent 1/4 - 1/2 a turn. My question is, will the temp go to 225-250 at those settings . How long does it take . Thanks. It is stuck at 170. The Heat Deflector is in there as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mguerra Posted April 14, 2013 Report Share Posted April 14, 2013 Re: Just learning about our new KK The fire or the meat is stuck at 170? If the fire, open the top just a smidge more. If the meat, just wait it out. The heat deflector won't affect the final temp, but it does have some thermal mass and will absorb a bit of heat as the temp comes up and stabilizes. A pork butt low and slow is not very demanding of precise temp control, if you get it anywhere between 200 to 280 ish it's going to come out perfect! 225 is "The Number" you see all the time, but it's not that important. Having said that, I do shoot for 225, but don't worry if it's off some. You can even start with a frozen one and it comes out perfect. Just pull it off the fire when the meat is 185 to 200 and everybody at your house will think you are a genius. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mk1 Posted April 14, 2013 Report Share Posted April 14, 2013 Re: Just learning about our new KK I am cooking my first Pork Butt. I have lit my KK and letting it come up to temp, 225. From what I have read, I have the bottom vent opened the thickness of a Quarter and the Top Vent 1/4 - 1/2 a turn. My question is, will the temp go to 225-250 at those settings . How long does it take . Thanks. It is stuck at 170. The Heat Deflector is in there as well. It could take a good 1-2 hours depending on how little charcoal was lit and the ambient temperature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EGGARY Posted April 14, 2013 Report Share Posted April 14, 2013 Re: Just learning about our new KK Much ado about nothing. All is good. The KK is sitting at 230 and I am happy. The Pork Butt is doing its thing. I seem to make a big deal about nothing. The idea of after lighting the KK and opening the vents a little for the top and bottom and the temp is going to get to 225 - 250 is baffling me. I just opened up the vents according to get it up to or close to temp and then I close the vents accordingly. I guess it's what works for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadMedik Posted April 14, 2013 Report Share Posted April 14, 2013 Re: Just learning about our new KK I was going to suggest that. Just be cautious, cause if you get distracted and overshoot alot, then that could be a problem. I almost always open vents way too much at the beginning, then as approach desired temp, close down to where I know they should be. Just don't overshoot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loquitur Posted April 15, 2013 Report Share Posted April 15, 2013 Re: Just learning about our new KK Me too. I don't have the patience to wait an hour or more for the grill to come up to temperature. I open it up to get it going and then start shutting down as I approach my temp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazza Posted April 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 21, 2013 Re: Just learning about our new KK Just back from the USA trip and ready to cook our first pork butt for Monday night dinner with the kids. Last night filled the basket set up the grill for an hour. It settled on the the 240 mark so I put on the meat and went to bed an hour later at 11.30 with all good. The top vent open a quarter turn and the bottom open 4mm. Woke at 3.30 and had a look. Temp had risen to 380deg. Closed bottom vent to 2 mm and when I awoke 4 hours later the temp had risen to 400. Meat temp was 212.Cracked the bark and to no surprise the meat is dry. I've wrapped it in foil and will let it rest in KK all day as the temp comes down. I thought in the past weeks that I had the temp control all sorted but apparently not. There are 2 issues I'm wondering about: There was a fair amount of charcoal dust placed in the grill as it was the end of the bag. Does this matter? and It was fairly windy overnight. Is it possible that this fanned the fire? Or of course............ is 4mm just too open?It seemed OK at the start and I didn't want to close it more for fear of a snuff out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5698k Posted April 21, 2013 Report Share Posted April 21, 2013 Re: Just learning about our new KK I have found that the top vent needs to be closed more than you would believe. There is a point, when closing, you feel the gaskets make contact. Back off to just before that point, as little as an inch of lateral travel. The bottom should be closer to the two mm mark, but the top is just as important. Make SURE both bottom doors are pushed completely closed. I do believe that higher winds, if your grill is directly in line with them, do make a difference. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
talisker63 Posted April 22, 2013 Report Share Posted April 22, 2013 Re: Just learning about our new KK Gaz I'm gutted. I saw that butt and it looked like a champ. Met up with Gaz during the week, what a gent he got me a Grill Floss from his trip, to the USA! Totally agree that the top vent is just cracked open and the bottom about a coin width is plenty. This gets me to 225 - 250. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisLinkletter Posted April 23, 2013 Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 Re: Just learning about our new KK Last night filled the basket set up the grill for an hour. It settled on the the 240 mark so I put on the meat and went to bed an hour later at 11.30 with all good. The top vent open a quarter turn and the bottom open 4mm. Woke at 3.30 and had a look. Temp had risen to 380deg. . Advance temp control 202 Please keep in mind that temp is airflow. Charcoal always burns at the maximum volume for the allowed airflow. Temp stability is only achieved when the body has become completely heat soaked.. before that point you will get a false reading because the body is absorbing heat like a sponge. If you start with a very cold or frozen grill this will take much longer to achieve. The good news is that your temp/airflow settings are the same every time you cook. When you have a stable temp, take notes of the settings for future use. First time start slow with only a tennis ball volume of charcoal lit and the top cracked a quarter turn from where damper top first touches the gasket. Put on a chunk of wood directly over the burning charcoal this will let you actually see the air/smoke exiting out the top. Because the KK is so well sealed, over opening the damper top creates more vacuum by decreasing/releasing the back pressure of the raising heat. This additional vacuum of course increases air flow and raises your grill's temp... That being said if your lower draft door is just barely cracked it won't matter. Most first time users can't imagine it is so small.. I'll take shots of airflow setting s this weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
