CRUZMISL

I've cooked literally hundreds of pounds on my old Kamado with no flare ups or other problems. To maintain 225 to 250 degrees requires only smoldering coal. Since the airflow is restricted there is no where near enough oxygen avaialable for a flare up. For ribs I don't use a tray but for pork butts I sometimes do but not always. It just makes clean up a bit easier.

My unit comes with a lower grill and a 1 1/4" thick pizza stone. I wrap the stone in foil and place it on the lower rack. This way the heat is diffused by the stone. It works really well. As far as the coal is concerned I only use lump hardwood charcoal. I have no idea what is on the ingredient list of briquettes so I prefer not to use them. I haven't tried pizza yet but if it turns out like the rest of my food I'll be happy. Joe

It works awesome I seared some steaks tonight and smoked some side ribs for 5 hours yesterday. If I could get to the camera before my family gets to the food I'll try and post some pics of it's fruits

The grills are made of 1/4" stainless steel. They should last a very very long time. I had my old Kamado for 6 years and the grills were similarly constructed. I sold it with the original grill. It wasn't new and shiny like mine is but was certainly not anywhere near worn out. Joe

It works like a traditional western grill even though it appears like it doesn't. Prices range from $1064 to $1976 depending on what options you choose. I'm not sure if it's OK to post outside links to the company but I'll do it anyway and if it's not OK a mod can edit my post. www.komodokamado.com Here are pics of the inside. The coals sit in the bottom grate. If you elect to use gas the burner is just below the lower grate. I'd take more but I am experienceing the remnants of Ernesto.

Hi All, I got my new BBQ straight off the boat from Indonesia. It weighs over 500lbs and is truly a work of art (IMHO). I has another brand of ceramic cooker before this one (although I don't think portland cement and volcanic ash constitutes "ceramic") and comparing the two is like comparing a Lada to a Ferrari. It operates off coal or gas. The dome is self opening by a spring so no effort is required to open it. It's also one of the only ceramic cookers to have a rotisserie. Any questions feel free to ask. Joe

I ate there last week and while it was great I agree the abalone was like chewing on cartilage. Not very yummy but everything else was....

Thanks for the tips. I'll try them out. I like the McCann steel cut oats. They're big and hearty oats but take a ton of time to cook properly. Btw, any tips for getting great rice out of the Zo? THe directions leave a lot to be desired. Thanks! Joe

Hi All, I just got my Zojirushi fuzzy logic rice cooker and was curious if anyone has figured out how to cook steel cut oats in it? Any thoughts or ideas? Thanks, Joe

Thanks for the advice. I'll spend the dough and get the "Z" Neuro logic 5 cup. I too love steel cut oats and the slower they cook the creamier they are. Besides I need another kitchen gadget and this is a good excuse to get one:)

Hi All, Any ideas on a good rice cooker? I was thinking of the Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy 5 cup model. Any thoughts or other suggestions? It's just for my wife and I so the 10 cup seemed too big. Thanks, Joe

Good advice. I'll give it a try. Thanks, Joe

Interesting. I may have let my last sourdough proof too long which may have been the reason for the lackluster spring. I always add 2 cups of boiling water to a half sheet pan that is under my stone. I let it go a bit longer than usual in hopes of getting a bit more flavor but ended up with a flatter loaf. No one likes a flat loaf

I'm all for it!

Thanks, great info as usual. I'll give it a shot.

HI All, Any tips on how to maximize oven spring? Some loaves I make puff like crazy while others are a little less enthusiastic even though the methods are the same. What influences oven spring the most? Thanks, Joe

Hi All, I like to make my chicken stock in my pressure cooker sinc e it only takes an hour or so. The stock tastes fine but the pressure cooker is very turbulent and doesn't yield the clearest stock. After I strain it through cheesecloth it is still not as clear as I'd like. Is there any way to clarify it? Thanks, Joe

I couldn't agree more about the Lark. What a joke that place is. I'll never go back. I innocently forgot to sign my CC receipt and the owner (some old codger) confronts me in the middle of the dining room and shouts "you didn't sign your credit card receipt!" It's called discretion you old b@stard and you could have at least waited to confront me in the lobby. The food wasn't that great anyway......average at best. Last weeks dinner plans got moved to this Saturday so I'll report then.

Too many replies so what I say may have been said already. To clarify I am not an expert in the field, just offering my 2 cents. Invest in a heavy breadstone. I bought mine from a restaurant supply house and it measures almost an inch thick. I also have a bread peel which I use to put the bread in the oven with. I always place a half sheet pan under my breadstone so I can pour a cup of boiling water after I put the dough in the oven. This creates lots of steam and contributes to a good oven spring (along with appropriate slashes in the top of the dough). Be very careful though as it produces a tremendous amount of steam and you could easily get a nasty steam burn (ouch) I like to use fresh yeast as opposed to the dry stuff but it's just a preference. I always use a sponge and like to let it ferment in my wine cellar that is kept at 57f . This adds a lot of flavor. A scale is priceless. I weigh everything and if it's a good recipe I rarely ever have to adjust. I also prefer KA flour but in a pinch can use any unbleached AP or bread flour, depending on the recipe. Also make sure your oven is the right temperature (confirm with oven thermometer) and use an instant read to ensure the bread is fully cooked. A pic of my last sourdough loaf that has been posted before is below. My advice is keep at it regardless of how "bad" the loaves may look. In time you will know what the dough is supposed to feel like and also learn the subtle idiosyncrasies that make bread making so much fun. It will take time and an investment in the right tools. The trouble is once you perfect your technique you'll never like anyone elses bread

joe, anyone out there? care to elaborate on, confirm or deny this rumor? ulterior epicure. ← All I heard was that it was a rumor. I have dinner plans with some friends in the business this Saturday. I'll ask them and see if they know anything and post back

Haven't heard of those solutions but then again I'm not an expert on the topic. The difference in the flours is the protein content. You could make it with AP but your cake will not be as tender.

he he...not sure my wife will pay extra since she doesn't pay anything now I agree it doesn't look too bad but I wanted to ask what other people have experienced.

Thanks for the thoughts. A picture of the evidence from a sourdough loaf I just removed from the oven.

Hi All, Usually I just use my razor sharp kitchen knife to make the slashes in my bread dough. I since bought a Matfer lame from bakerscatalog.com and have used it a few times. Trouble is while it makes the slashes, it seems to really pull on the dough so I get ripples where the slashes are (I hope that makes sense) Is this normal? I actually prefer my chef's knife because it makes a cleaner cut. Any thoughts? Thanks, Joe

I heard a rumor that Seldom Blues was in receivership.......... I used to frequent Sweet Georgia Brown (same style as SB) but they went downhill big time, I'll never go back. As for great restaurants in the the downtown core you cannot beat Jimmy Schmidt and the Rattlesnake Club. I am there a few times a month and the service and food are always stellar. I (against my better judgement) went to the Rattlesnake on New Years Eve this year. I wasn't expecting much since days like this (New Years Eve and Valentine's Day) always result in poor service, food and inflated prices. To my surprise the service was fantastic, the food even better and the prices were the same as any other day. I enjoy Tribute too but find their prices a bit high. The Snake is a much better value IMO. Joe