1st real Yakatori Grill meal

[ckreef]

Reef's definition of Yakatori - Cook your own damm food - LOL

It was an awesome family event - everybody cooking for themselves and laughing - good times

Here we are coming to temp. Chicken breast skewers, Cherub tomatoes, and mushrooms. Seasoning station - oil, garlic/parmesan, Weber Kickin Chicken, and Montreal Chicken. Dipping - Peanut sauce, Orange sauce, and Sweet Chili sauce. With some Jasmin rice on the side. Let the fun begin.

Tomatoes on.

Mrs skreef at the seasoning station with mushrooms on the grill.

Chicken at various stages of cooking. Keep track of your own food or I'll smack your hand when you try and grab mine - LOL

No plated pictures as we were cooking and eating. Very good purchase. I already want to buy the high end, bigger, model. And maybe a nice picnic table for this cook.

[MacKenzie]

ckreef, sure looks like lots of fun. Just like a fondue

[bosco]

that is so cool... Must resist urge to spend more money

[tinyfish]

CK I had this grill in my shopping cart like three times but haven't pulled the trigger(costs more in Canada). But seeing this cook I'm hooked. You guys just helping me spend my money.

Do you have a link to the bigger model your speaking of. Would it make more sense to buy the bigger one.

[PRippley]

Oh, that would be perfect for our bacon wrapped albacore, I am like you bosco, must resist, pushed my sweetie far enough on the KK!😳

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[ckreef]

CK I had this grill in my shopping cart like three times but haven't pulled the trigger(costs more in Canada). But seeing this cook I'm hooked. You guys just helping me spend my money.

Do you have a link to the bigger model your speaking of. Would it make more sense to buy the bigger one.

The one I bought was the "Akorn" model of these grills. It's really only good for 2-3 people

The one I want (now that I realize the fun factor) is this model.

http://korin.com/Charcoal-Barbecue-Konro?sc=56&category=20227123

It is 3 chamber at around 30". Could easily handle 6 people. Would also allow for different temp cooks, just load each section up with a different amount of lump (small pieces are best). Mind you this is the "KK" version and will cost you a bit more.

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Edited August 18, 2015 by ckreef

[Poochie]

That thing looks like it would be a lot of fun to cook on.  And food is so tasty when direct grilled like that too. Enjoy!

[Syzygies]

I'm enjoying this book:

The Japanese Grill: From Classic Yakitori to Steak, Seafood, and Vegetables

They recommend wrapping two rows of bricks in foil (I'd use "fire" bricks meant to take the heat), as a yakitori skewer platform on a conventional grill. On their side, but in taller position, 4" apart to expose yakitori food but not the sticks to fire.

 

I can also imagine asking a local metal shop to weld together some plates for me, to create a custom heat deflector with a 4" gap for yakitori, to put in my KK. Or get Dennis to design one. Or do it myself, to get over my embarrassment at not having "basic metalworking skills" as called for in Franklin Barbecue.

 

I've seen a version of this in Chinese street food in Flushing, NYC: A giant letter "L" on its side. The vertical part is a charcoal chimney to get perfect coals ready. Then they rake the coals along the long trough, over which they cook skewers all day. I'd like to design a small version to sit inside my KK.

[ckreef]

Will have to check that book out. This was a very simple meal with store bought sauces etc..... I want to up my game with this a bit.

What you are describing about the KK is the reason I bought this. I like kabobs but unfortunately Kamados (without what you are describing) aren't the easiest grill to do kabobs on.

I don't have a good table to do this on so we sort of winged it. In the end I invision sitting around this grill for an hour or so partaking in adult beverages, cooking and eating at a leisurely pace.

[GoFrogs91]

Cool reef. Looks like fun

[tinyfish]

The one I want (now that I realize the fun factor) is this model.

http://korin.com/Charcoal-Barbecue-Konro?sc=56&category=20227123

It is 3 chamber at around 30". Could easily handle 6 people. Would also allow for different temp cooks, just load each section up with a different amount of lump (small pieces are best). Mind you this is the "KK" version and will cost you a bit more.

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Thank you CK for the link.

That looks nice but since you have the one Yakatori already wouldn't it be a lot cheaper and give you more room to buy a second one of the same size. That would give 34" total length compared to 30" plus more flexibility.

[ckreef]

Thank you CK for the link.

That looks nice but since you have the one Yakatori already wouldn't it be a lot cheaper and give you more room to buy a second one of the same size. That would give 34" total length compared to 30" plus more flexibility.

That is what Mrs skreef said also, but .......

That's like saying why didn't I just buy a second Akorn instead of the KK I bought. I had no issues maintaining temp and producing killer cooks on the first Akorn and I would have had more space.

It's just not the same. Once I get the better one (maybe for Xmas) I'll relegate this one to camping duty or give it away to a good home.

It's the inner KK in me sneaking out. Sometimes you just want the very best.

[tony b]

Mine arrived on Friday and got to cook on it for the first time Sunday. Sorry, no pics. But, the ceramic inside reminded me of Pepto-Bismol - LOL!!! It's that color of pink. The metal parts are so thin (flimsy) that you'd almost think that they are plastic. But, it was only $54, so what do you expect? 

 

First cook, as always, was a learning experience. I probably didn't put enough coals in it, as it took a while to cook the veggies (onions, zucchini, yellow squash, and red peppers). For the proteins (pork satay, shrimp 3 ways - cajun, jerk, and Old Bay), I raked all the lit coals over to one side. Took a tad longer to cook in stages using only one side, but the extra heat sped things up and made sure everything was cooked properly. 

 

I think it's gonna be a fun little toy to play with. Can see doing apps on it, sipping cocktails, while the KK is taking care of the main course and sides. And ckreef has a good point - great way to use up all those little pieces of charcoal that you'd normally not bother with in the KK. 

[tony b]

Just ordered the book. Here I go, spending more money because of you folks here and all your great suggestions!! 

[ckreef]

Awesome tony b - it's a fun grill - who doesn't like playing with fire and meat.

A user on Guru got one for her and her husband. She asked me to post any tips or hints after my next cook. Below is what I posted for her.

.......................................

Have plenty of skewers on hand. The Weber flat ones are really good but a little thick for delicate food like the mushrooms. Use long skewers so part of it is hanging off the side.

Don't load the skewers too full. More, skewers with less food per skewer works better.

I like separating the different foods since everything has slightly different cook times.

Fill the chambers up with lump to just past the middle divider. If you totally fill it the fire will get really hot in the end - good for steaks but not so good for chicken.

Use smaller pieces of lump and light in 2 spots per chamber. Keep bottom vents open and give it 15 minutes or so for the hot coals to spread. MAPP torch works really good for this.

Depending on the table you have you might want an extra board under the grill as it gets hot in the end.

Lastly there was one modification I did. The cook screen comes with a little fence on the top side. This is so hot dogs won't roll off. I took a pair of pliers and carefully bent that fence out just a little (mainly at the corners). This allowed me to use the cook screen upside down so the fence wasn't in my way. Once you get the grill this will make more sense and you can refer back to my pictures for comparison.

[tony b]

All good to know, ckreef! I second the advice about not putting everything together onto a single skewer, like a "kabob," as everything cooks at different rates. Unless you are skilled enough to be able to cut all the food pieces to their appropriate size so everything cooks together. I, am, not, that, skilled!!

 

I'm laughing because that's how I thought the grill was supposed to go on!    Turns out it was upside down?? Worked just fine that way for me and the skewers laid flat on the grate. 

 

Here's the skewers that I bought on Amazon. Pack of 100 for $4.70 (Prime). Nice 7" ones that fit perfectly. 

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0019V101M?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01

[Syzygies]

A pair of 15" half round kiln shelves would fit nicely on my 23" ultimate KK main grill, separated to allow a 4" gap for grilling the skewers. Or get two pair, for more height? I'll report back.
 
One could push these together for a pizza stone. I found a similar kiln shelf had the wrong thermal characteristics for bread, and tended to burn my crust. I now use that shelf underneath a matching Fibrament baking stone, for bread.

[CeramicChef]

ckreef - BINGO! I'm doing Yakatori for my next party! Syzygies, thanks for the pointer to the book.

Charles, that's one beautiful cook! Kudos to you!

Thanks again for the next party idea! This is gonna be great.

[Syzygies]

 

This is the idea I'm going to try: Two 15" half round kiln shelves, on two kiln bricks, on the lower KK grill. $40 all in at a ceramic supply house for potters.

 

[tony b]

Waiting eagerly to see how that works out for you, Syz!