Unwrapping The Beast!

[CeramicChef]

So that's all folks.  If you are a current owner of a KK, what goes before you know so well.

 

If however, you are contemplating buying a KK from Dennis, I will tell you the following ...

 

You may have apprehensions sending the kind of cash overseas that you're going to send.  Forget about it.  Dennis is as solid a man as I have ever met in my life.  Like me, his word is his bond.  I'd do business with him on a handshake and never lose a minute's sleep.

 

As for the Komodo Kamado itself, It's now a couple of months that I have been using The Beast as I call my KK BB 32".  Simply stated, it is the best cooker I've ever used.  Why I didn't purchase one earlier is beyond me.  You can sit down and look at pictures all day long.  The attention to detail, the engineering, the construction, are all stunning, and I'm an engineer and I know all about this stuff.  

 

However, what pictures and words can never hope to get across to you is how much better the food is when cooked on a KK.  I've been cooking on kamados for over 20 years.  Most recently I had a Primo XL, arguably the best of the mass market kamados.  I was a very good cooker.  But the KK is in a league by itself.  Pulled pork is pretty much pulled pork ... EXCEPT when cooked on a KK.  Same with brisket, ribs, ti-tip, loins, etc.  What comes off most kamados is better than you'll get off a kettle or gasser or stick burner.  What comes off the KK is so much better than anything you've ever tasted.  Pulled pork, brisket, etc. is more moist, more tender, and the taste if indescribable.  All this is because the KK is so efficient that you never have to worry about dried out, over cooked meat.  You know why you spritz cooks?  You know why you always had to put a water pan under the cook?  It was because your cooker leaked air like a sieve leaks water!  Not so with the KK!  

 

So if you're looking at buying a KK, get on the phone, call Dennis, and talk to him.  You'll be joining the KK owners club shortly!

 

PS - I'm not getting paid a thing for one word of the above.  It's just the truth.

[amir]

Well said!  Agree 100%.

[CeramicChef]

Well said!  Agree 100%.

 

 

Thanks, Amir, I appreciate the sentiments.  

 

Those of us who have a KK know full well what we had before and what we now have.  This post if mostly for those that will follow and help them make that decision that takes their cooking talents to a whole new level!

[tinyfish]

Thanks CC, very nice, cant wait to see Beauty beside the beast.

[ckreef]

Just now checked out these unpacking pictures. They look awesome glad I saw this thread but ..............

If I remember correctly you sort of ripped us off (1/2 way through) with the unpacking thread on another forum (and I was holding my breath during it)

Bad CC, Bad Guru

[Pale Rider]

My uncrating yesterday was almost identical though I did not take the crate apart. I got someone to help me lift the crate off once the 8 lag bolts were removed. But all the pics here are great. One note I would add, that I believe I saw elsewhere, is that the Beast ships on a pedestal. In addition to all the wrapping and strapping and wood traps, the body sits on a pedestal that prevents the wheels from making full contact with the wood floor, and thus making rolling almost impossible. I believe one approach was to remove the lid, and then get help lifting the bottom off the pedestal. This didn't make any sense to me, unless you specifically want to save the bottom pallet base intact. Like another member, I cut the pedestal down so the KK could make contact with the base and then be rolled onto the ramp. BTW, that ramp, built into the lid of the crate, is just ingenious.

 

P.S. Anyone have easy access to a 32BBKK owner's manual they would be willing to share? I still haven't received one yet.

[CeramicChef]

Pale - send me a PM with your email address and I'll send you a copy of mine. There is no owners' manual per se for a 32". But everything in the manual I have applies equally as well to your BB. The main thing you want to do is a high temp burn in before you do any high temp cooks or sears. This high temp burn in helps sets your tiles in the elastomeric grout.

[Poochie]

Is the pedestal you're talking about the small wooden box right in the center?  I just got my PDF of the owners manual today and it said one way to get the Komodo off of it was to place a 2x4 against it and hit the 2x4 with a hammer or whatever to collapse the box. The second way is to rock the Komodo until it comes off of it. I believe another member did the rocking thing recently. 

[KevinD]

On November 8, 2014 at 3:19 PM, CeramicChef said:

Ok, so here we go.  I don't mean to be pedantic with the number of photos and verbiage, but I'm going to try and bring each of you into my garage as I get this Big Bad ready to cook.

 

The first thing I looked at was the Coconut Charcoal.  I ordered 40 - 20# boxes.  That came on it's own pallet.

 

 

 

When or if I ever move again, I'm asking Dennis Linkletter if his guys can come and pack and ship my stuff.  Here is a pic of the way each and every box of coconut charcoal is shipped.

 

 

As you can see, every seam is taped, and I do mean taped very well!  Now let's take a look at the coconut charcoal in its box.

 

 

All charcoal is wrapped in plastic.  To insure that condensation doesn't ruin the charcoal, there is a paper towel on top so that the charcoal doesn't absorb water and lead to problems in starting.

 

Now to the charcoal itself.

 

 

 

In the three boxes I inspected, only this one had a cracked piece of charcoal!  

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Ok - perhaps a stupid question from the newbie...

Themchar appears to be fairly large and is uniform in size.  Does anyone take a hammer and bust these up and then load the firebox or is this really more dependent on whether your are after a hot/fast cook vs. low/slow?

[CeramicChef]

Kevin, just knock the Coconut char one against the other over your basket.  I generally bust mine Coconut Char into thirds and it works just fine.  Just let the pieces fall where they may.  No need to be anal as was this cowboy and arrange them.  Just let's fall into the basket and you'll be fine.

Have fun!  Keep the pics coming.

[tony b]

No big diff between lo/slo and hot grilling as far as the size of the chunks. Agree with CC. Just hit one stick with another and they break off nicely.

One piece of upfront advice - Coco by itself in the basket will take some effort to light. I like to put some smaller chunks of lump on top and light those first. Once they get going, they'll light the Coco and you're good to go. 

[tjarrell]

simply said ....AWESOME, my 32" Big Bad is on it's way to Gray, Georgia. Going to build up structure on deck before I uncrate......it's going to kill me to have to wait to unpack, but better safe than sorry, especially when I have 10 people standing around in AWE

[ckreef]

6 hours ago, tjarrell said:

simply said ....AWESOME, my 32" Big Bad is on it's way to Gray, Georgia. Going to build up structure on deck before I uncrate......it's going to kill me to have to wait to unpack, but better safe than sorry, especially when I have 10 people standing around in AWE

Welcome to the world of KK's. I live in Danville, GA only about 40 minutes from Gray. If you need help moving it let me know. I'd be more than happy to come help. I've move a few in the past. 

Charles 

 

[tjarrell]

Charles, 

thanks for the offer, I’ve have several friends that are going to help. Beefing the deck up is going to be the biggest job. Ive got several friends that live in Dudley, Montrose and Dublin. Maybe when I get everything setup you can come up and we’ll cook something. 

tommy