First post, first sous vide cook

[tomahawk66]

Hi all, I've been lurking on the forum for a while now. I found this community when reading about Big Green Eggs.

I'll be moving to Singapore in January next year and was looking for a way to buy one there when someone on a forum suggested getting a KK as they are made in Indonesia. When the original poster said "no way, I don't need a Rolls Royce ceramic cooker" I knew I needed to check out the site...

After reading the forum for a couple of weeks I'm set on either a 21" or a 23". I've even been given the ok by SWMBO! I will choose my condo / house purely based on outdoor space for a KK. I may need some advice from Cookie on this as I'll be new to Singapore. Although I do work for a relocation and moving company so getting the manpower to muscle 500lbs of Kooker up to a roof garden should be fine! 😉

In the meantime I'm a Brit based in a pokey 2 bed apartment in downtown Shanghai, China with no outside space so no BBQ 😭

A while back I 'MacGyvered' a sous vide set up before taking the plunge and getting an Anova Precision Cooker and here were the results:

I started with a 3lbs Australian grass fed Tomahawk steak (I envy you in America as this piece of meat had to be flown in from Aus and the total cost was a cool 100 bucks 😢)

Salt, pepper, butter and garlic (I've now learned that garlic powder is better) sealed in a ziplock using the water displacement method:

An induction plate with a Le Creuset cast iron casserole to keep it at 54 degrees C:

(Real pain in the proverbial as I was running the cook for 3.5 hours and had to check it every 10 mins and turn on or off the hot plate!)

Finished with a sear from my propane blow torch:

And carved at the table for the money shot:

Served with asparagus and gratin dauphinoise (no photos unfortunately)

Started the meal with foie gras on melba toast with toasted macadamia nuts and a cherry conserve:

Followed by a broccoli & walnut soup with a goats cheese iceberg and parma ham crisp:

After this I was hooked on sous vide, got an Anova and even an industrial chamber vacuum sealer (great being in China as it only cost me 150 USD!) just picked up a much more powerful torch and a searzall to tide me over until I can get a KK.

Ok wow... So that was a long post! Sorry for boring you all. Can't wait to move to Singapore, get a KK and really get cooking!

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[CeramicChef]

Tomahawk - WOWZERS! What a labor of love that cook was! And that's one beautiful money shot. You'll love that ANOVA. And a great score on the vacuum sealer.

Now all you need is the KK to finish off the deal! Now that SWMBO is on board, what color are you considering? The 21 or 23 will serve you beyond your wildest dreams. I'd urge you to get the 23 because it's a larger size and to me, size matters. Is better to have the size and not need it that to need the size and can't get it. Further, the 23 has a 3rd grate that doesn't come with the 21. Either 21 or 23, you won't go wrong! Have you started the conversation with Dennis?

Welcome to the world of KK. There are some amazing KK Chefs here and I learn something every time I log on here.

[MacKenzie]

Tomahawk, very much enjoyed reading about your SV adventure and I'm positive now that you have the real McCoy life will be so much easier. Here's to your getting a KK very soon. You will have so much pleasure from it, you can't imagine how much.

[tomahawk66]

Thanks Chef!!

I haven't spoken to Dennis yet as I'm a while away from moving so won't be able to take delivery until January. SWMBO will get to choose the colour: that's the deal (and a very fair one for sure!). I'm thinking the 23 also and I see that Cookie managed to get his up to the roof garden of his Condo in Singapore so that makes me feel better!

That cook was actually in November and I got the Anova in February so have had some great fun since including this brisket:

I use an Esky for bigger cooks:

Can't wait to seat in the KK in future and it'll open the whole world of low-n-slow smoking that I'm new to: I love seeing those cooks on this forum!

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[tomahawk66]

Tomahawk, very much enjoyed reading about your SV adventure and I'm positive now that you have the real McCoy life will be so much easier. Here's to your getting a KK very soon. You will have so much pleasure from it, you can't imagine how much.

Thanks MacKenzie. I wish I could move sooner so I could get a KK sooner! Unfortunately I'll probably be looking at Jan/Feb next year before I can. Until then I'll just have to stretch the limits of the Anova & Searzall!!

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[bryan]

Great cook. I vote for the 23 with all options.

Many things other than SV food can be vac'ed in your unit.

Great for emergency rations to include water but product must be cool to vac.

Welcome to the forum. Looking forward to your post.

[CeramicChef]

tomahawk - looks as if you've got this Sous Vide thing very well in hand.

So what's your take on the liquid smoke on that brisket? I never thought about doing that. I'd like to know the details of that brisket cook.

[tomahawk66]

So what's your take on the liquid smoke on that brisket? I never thought about doing that. I'd like to know the details of that brisket cook.

Hmmm.... Liquid smoke? I'm not convinced. This was the second time I'd used it and went heavy (quarter bottle) as I couldn't taste it the last time. It doesn't get you a smoky flavor really in my experience.

The brisket cook was with a Cajun dry rub along with the liquid smoke. Into the water bath at 137 F for 3 days then finished in a smoking hot CI pan on a gas burner with a blow torch from above simultaneously. Got a good medium rare plus and some very tender brisket! Next time I'll not bother with the liquid smoke and will play around with a different rub or maybe a marinade.

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[tomahawk66]

Great cook. I vote for the 23 with all options.

So what options are there? I've heard of the rotisserie, drip tray, heat deflector and pizza stone... Anything else to add? (In for a penny in for a pound I say!). Gonna be very tempted by the matching tile inlayed teak cabinet I saw Dennis post on the forum a while back!!

Many things other than SV food can be vac'ed in your unit.

Great for emergency rations to include water but product must be cool to vac.

Welcome to the forum. Looking forward to your post.

Ahem... Yeah, cool liquids only: I learnt the hard way re-bagging a Chinese 'Hong Shao' pork belly (think lots of soy, mirin, honey etc) mid cook. I had to dismantle the chamber to clean it all out after that explosion!

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[CeramicChef]

Hmmm.... Liquid smoke? I'm not convinced. This was the second time I'd used it and went heavy (quarter bottle) as I couldn't taste it the last time. It doesn't get you a smoky flavor really in my experience.

The brisket cook was with a Cajun dry rub along with the liquid smoke. Into the water bath at 137 F for 3 days then finished in a smoking hot CI pan on a gas burner with a blow torch from above simultaneously. Got a good medium rare plus and some very tender brisket! Next time I'll not bother with the liquid smoke and will play around with a different rub or maybe a marinade.

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Tomahawk - thanks! Whenever my Father was out of town, which was often, and Mom felt like BBQ, she thought liquid smoke in a braising pan did the same thing as my Father's smoker.

Of course she was wrong, wrong, wrong, but I sure as hell wasn't about to tell her! Neither was anyone else. She was raised in Toledo, Ohio. Enough said!

[GoFrogs91]

So what options are there? I've heard of the rotisserie, drip tray, heat deflector and pizza stone... Anything else to add? (In for a penny in for a pound I say!). Gonna be very tempted by the matching tile inlayed teak cabinet I saw Dennis post on the forum a while back!!

Ahem... Yeah, cool liquids only: I learnt the hard way re-bagging a Chinese 'Hong Shao' pork belly (think lots of soy, mirin, honey etc) mid cook. I had to dismantle the chamber to clean it all out after that explosion!

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Welcome hawk. Glad you found us. You will likely want either a cabinet or the side tables if you will be on a balcony or porch. I recommend the basket splitter and pizza stone for sure. I don't have the rotisserie, but several do and love it.

Here is my 23".

[tony b]

Tomahawk66, the drip tray and heat deflector are standard equipment on all KKs. The rotisserie and pizza stone are options. The other "must have" option is to get the second charcoal basket with the basket splitter. It's up to you whether you get the optional side tables or cabinet, it will depend upon your setup in the new home. Also, don't forget to order coconut charcoal with your grill. You can get about 15 boxes on the top of the shipping crate of a 23". 

[5698k]

There is a standard drip tray that comes with the kk, but Dennis offers a grill shaped stainless drip pan, either single or double bottomed, I have the double. It's heavy duty.

Definitely get some coco char. Depending on your particular set up, definitely look at the various teak table options offered, they're stunning.

Robert

[MacKenzie]

The standard drip tray looks good enough to be a drinks serving tray;) I have the double bottomed one as well.  

[CeramicChef]

Dennis made me a heckuva deal on the Coconut charcoal and I have never regretted ordering 80 boxes. Now I wish I'd ordered twice as much. For anything low-n-slow, it's the only charcoal I use. For high temp cooks I use only FOGO.

I ordered the baking stone and I highly recommend it. It's great for pizzas, breads, and cobblers and pies. I also have the teak side tables. Indispensable for my style of cooking. They are incredibly well made and works of art. People marvel at them.

I got a second charcoal basket for switching out between the regular lump charcoal and the KK Extruded charcoal. Well worth the money. I only got one basket splitter and it's a keeper.

I also have the rotisserie and love it.

Unlike Rob, 5698k, I don't have the double walled drip pan. I don't know why, but I imagine it would be a worthwhile addition to my KK arsenal. The drip pan that came with both my KKs are simply beautiful and do a really fine job. Either way you go, you'll be very happy.

Every KK accessory I have is just like you'd expect: very high quality, heavy duty, incredibly well thought out, and they add to your cooking in ways you have never thought they would. Case in point. The baking stone is massive. The thermal mass means you can cook successive pizzas without having to even think about letting the stone regain heat so the crust on the 2 or 3 or 4 pizza won't be a mess. There is simply nothing else like it.

[bryan]

Love my KK rib rack.

Maybe Dennis will post us a reminder list of extras.

[5698k]

Don't worry, Dennis usually asks about extras when you place your order. You can get everything after the fact also, except you save a bunch on shipping when you piggy back the cocochar with your grill.

Robert

[CeramicChef]

Love my KK rib rack.

Maybe Dennis will post us a reminder list of extras.

Bryan - I remember so well Dennis actually talked me out of a rib rack when I bought my KK BB! He told me to keep my money in my pocket. He said with the 32" BB I'd have more than enough room for lots of ribs. He was so right!

It's so very refreshing to have the owner of the company tell you to hold off on an option that you can always add it later. Dennis did the same thing with the rotisserie.

The arsenal of accessories for a KK is truly impressive and at first, it can be daunting. Listen to Dennis when you order. He simply doesn't steer you wrong.

[tomahawk66]

Thanks all for the great replies!

The pizza stone is a must (Mrs. Tomahawk has spoken on that 😄) as is an additional basket with a spitter as I plan to use the KK as my main oven and usually that means cooking for 2, soon to be three as we are expecting a new addition to the tribe any-day now (due date today but no signs of labor yet!)

As for rotisserie, I have one in my electric SMEG oven right now and it's the only way I'll cook chickens:

So I think I'll need that too!

With regards the Coco Char, my only concern is storing it in Singapore with the high humidity, but then again it's the and weather as Indonesia so I guess it shouldn't be a problem? I will have to chat with Cookie and other KKers based in Singapore with regards availability of wood for smoking and other lump: otherwise I'll just use the Coco for everything! How does it work for high temp searing?

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[CeramicChef]

Tomahawk - nice color on that yard bird you spun! The KK rotisserie system is really nice and you'll love cooking with it.

Congrats on the new papoose! You're gonna have to let us know when s/he shows up. Please. Understand babies know absolutely nothing about due dates. They just don't read those memos! My daughter was born 9 days late and they had to induce labor at that! Here's wishing you and your lovely bride a boring, uneventful, uncomplicated, and short labor and delivery!