Soon to be new owner!!!

[tony b]

20 hours ago, Alohapiggy said:

I really miss Wicked Goods Jake’s blend charcoal.

Never tried the Jake's, but was a HUGE fan of Weekend Warrior - Competition Blend. 

[tony b]

7 hours ago, merrill said:

thanks for the info. 

ftr I have been using mostly Rockport in the past.  There is a very nice grill and saw store in Holt, MI where I can get it.  I do have, I think 4 bags of coconut, coming with the grill from Dennis. I bought ten bags of coconut extruded back in 2005 from RJ, ie  Kamado.  Most of it was moldy and I couldn't use it.  That is when they went out of business.

 I did a cookout for 12 people over the 4th. We had chicken, ribs burgers and dogs.  Everybody raved about the food.  It's almost like the old K7 knows it is being replaced and he is doing the best he can to prove his worth.  Hoping to stick around a little longer!  We just had to put one of our dogs, Kirby, down.  He was 19,  blind and deaf and going down very quickly overall.  We scheduled three different dates to have the vet come and put him down and had to put them all off.  Its almost like he knew or suspected something and each time made a stark  improvement.  I kind of feel like that with my old K7 and K3.  Despite all their shortcomings, I am going to miss them.  I will keep the 7 around for the holidays when I can use two cookers.  The K3 is toast.

thanks everybody for sharing all the good info.

Sorry to hear about your pooch! It's really hard to let them go, but you knew it was time. Do the same to your POSKs - a nice quarter-stick of dynamite from your local fireworks purveyor and make putting them out of your misery a spectacle. Post videos, please! Were you surprised that the quality of what you received from RJ didn't live up to expectations?? 

[tekobo]

On 6/15/2019 at 3:05 AM, PVPAUL said:

Tekobo, I tried two different variations on the “pork belly burnt ends” with the first recipe based on a You Tube video from FOGO charcoal people and the one today from Vindulge. 

Thanks for the tip @PVPAUL.  I used the Vindulge recipe.  They are super yummy and I have had left over burnt ends for breakfast a couple of times to counter pangs from looking at photos on this forum.  Why were there any left over?  I didn't tell anyone about them when I first made them, that's why. 

 

 

[PVPAUL]

Hey Tekobo glad you liked! Last year we were on vacation in Europe and stopped in Nottingham to see ELO in concert! ELO was my 4th concert to see when I was a kid and it was a blast seeing them again about 40 years later! In June this year my wife and sister did a trip to Oxfordshire area on a “Midsummer murder” tour. This  fall we are heading to Ireland (25 years since our last time there) to go see Jimmy Buffett perform in Dublin (yes we’re big Parrotheads!). In any event this is a very cool international forum we all belong to hear.

This weekend we’re having company so no big meats going on the KK. Tommorow we’re doing Mexican......everything will be homemade including Carnitas sous vide, Frijoles, arroz and handmade family recipe tortillas and salsa y guacamole!!!

Best,

Paul

[tekobo]

On 7/27/2019 at 3:24 AM, PVPAUL said:

Hey Tekobo glad you liked! Last year we were on vacation in Europe and stopped in Nottingham to see ELO in concert! ELO was my 4th concert to see when I was a kid and it was a blast seeing them again about 40 years later! In June this year my wife and sister did a trip to Oxfordshire area on a “Midsummer murder” tour. This  fall we are heading to Ireland (25 years since our last time there) to go see Jimmy Buffett perform in Dublin (yes we’re big Parrotheads!). In any event this is a very cool international forum we all belong to hear.

This weekend we’re having company so no big meats going on the KK. Tommorow we’re doing Mexican......everything will be homemade including Carnitas sous vide, Frijoles, arroz and handmade family recipe tortillas and salsa y guacamole!!!

 

Hi Paul.  Your travels sound like fun.  We are rediscovering the UK as a holiday destination and are finding that there are many beautiful places to be explored, right on our door step.  Do get in touch when you are next headed over to England or Wales and I would be happy to supply any tips that I have and even meet up with a fellow KK'er if the timing is right. 

Texan friend brought back some soft corn tortillas on Friday.  We have been eating tacos ever since.  I am interested in your family recipe tortillas.  Are they different or better than store bought and do you have to have to have learned the technique over years to get them coming out right?

[PVPAUL]

Hey Tekobo, yes I’m happy to share this recipe. (Just don’t tell my sister!)

4 cups AP Flour, 2 tsp salt, 2 tsp Baking Powder, 2 TBS Olive oil. 

2 cups of Water, 1 cup of yellow cornmeal.

Directions: Mix flour & Salt together. Add baking powder and mix again. Add Oil and break up oil into flour into small pieces and set aside. Add yellow cornmeal and water together is small pot and heat until cornmeal and water fully blend together. Let it cool down until you can handle (about 100 degree F.) Add yellow cornmeal mixture to flour mixture and form / knead into a large ball. Once it’s the right texture then break off into individual balls (a little larger than golf ball size). Place back into original mixing bowl. From this recipe I typically yield about 18 tortillas. If possible and you have time cover bowl with damp cloth and then cover the whole bowl in foil. Hand roll with a rolling pin until 8-10” diameter. Heat up cast iron pan until very hot...Place tortillas on hot cast iron until it starts to bubble (about 10 seconds) then flip over and do the second side. That’s about it. Some comments based on years of experience. In the old days my family likely used Lard but most of us now use Olive oil. For the yellow cornmeal the finer the texture the better. I now use “Goya brand” “Pre-cooked” yellow cornmeal. This is super fine and I no longer have to cook the cornmeal...just add warm water. 

It will take practice / experience to achieve the right texture....if to dry the edges of the tortillas will be jagged.....too moist and the dough will stick to your rolling pin and be hard to work with. One other trick that seems to make the the final tortillas somewhat silky is to proof the dough for 30 minutes to a couple of hours. The dough doesn’t really rise but it seems to make them more pliable / soft. Try to use minimal flour for dusting etc as any dry flour on the surface can / will burn when cooking the tortillas and not too desirable. 

Some of the lucky family members have cast iron rounds that come from the old cast iron stoves in which you had a fire below. These are about 9-10” diameter and about 1/4” thick. These work grate as there is not as much mass so you don’t have to pre-heat these as long. 

When heating to eat you’ll learn that we Mexicans all have gas stoves and heat tortillas directly over the flame.....many of us like a little burn on the tortillas.

These tortillas are nothing like you can buy in the store and 100% make any taco better. I have never seen store bought tortillas like these...they are typically either corn or flour. Great for enchiladas......everything. 

If you decide to make these please let me know how they turn out for you!

Best,

Paul

 

[tekobo]

Wow.  Thank so much for sharing @PVPAUL.  I am definitely going to try this out.  I have a good cast iron pan that I bought in India for making their rotis and parathas.  I think it will be perfect for this.  The Husband is off to NYC in a week and I know for a fact that the market near his hotel sells Goya products so he will be detailed to find the flour.  Have you ever had the Goya ginger beer?  Blows my nostrils off and makes holes in my skull but I always try it when I find it.  

[MacKenzie]

Goya ginger beer, now that sounds very interesting.  I bet it's not like the local ginger beer I can get.

[tekobo]

5 hours ago, MacKenzie said:

Goya ginger beer, now that sounds very interesting.  I bet it's not like the local ginger beer I can get.

I thought I might have misremembered the brand and so went looking online.  Here is a review from someone who bought some on Amazon.  More eloquent than my holes in skull description but same effect:

"This ginger beer may not be to everyone's taste, but for those who like theirs spicy and not fruity, this is the only one. If you inhale through your nose right after pouring the ginger will sizzle your sinuses. For me, this is the only ginger beer I ever get, and it's kind of hard to find. It makes a *perfect* dark and stormy when mixed with Gosling's or Kraken rum and a squeeze of lime. Without the rum to cut it, it can be a bit biting. Yes, that's right, it's better when you cut it with booze. That's how snappy it is."

Indeed

[MacKenzie]

The more I read the better it sounds. 

[tekobo]

On 7/29/2019 at 2:44 AM, PVPAUL said:

I now use “Goya brand” “Pre-cooked” yellow cornmeal. This is super fine and I no longer have to cook the cornmeal...just add warm water. 

Hi Paul.  The Husband has returned from his foraging, sorry business, trip to NYC and he came back with these.  Are they the right sort to be using for your tortilla recipe?  I think they are, from your description.  

 

[PVPAUL]

Hello Tekobo, yes! You got the right stuff! Hope your tortillas turn out great....Keep me posted!

Best,

Paul