Mode Red

We all marinate and brine chicken. This is the same as washing it but without any running water splashing onto the chicken. You can also do this outside and scrub with lemons and limes before the soak, as in many countries. All this really makes for fresh and clean tasting chicken without contaminating the house as warned.

Great review John. I could swear it's been in the works for a couple years and we talked about this one. Or it might have been a certain chef friend I have. You are both great company for talking shop!

Nice collection Larry! I'm sure quite a few of us who've owned an Akorn years ago and frequented this forum could offer easy solutions to most problems. For instance, adding thermal mass such as bricks, a better temp controller such as Tip Top, and better gasket. Most Akorn users have done great with just a few heeded tips. The price differential is astronomical, so doing a few modifications is right in line with other types of BBQ equipment for the true hobbyist. Correct me if I am wrong bc I couldn't find this in our forums, but can't you even modify an Akorn with a Slow and Sear and new grate with a hinge for true two-zone cooking?

An Akorn vs Kamander video would be awesome. Then vs the Weber Summit Charcoal Grill. One thing rarely focused on is fuel consumption. Then temperature fluctuations. Right now the Big Joe and a Weber Ranch Kettle are at the top of my must have list. But I love my Akorn and would recommend it to anyone over every other grill out there to get them started in bbq, including over Weber kettle grills.

It seems to me that a Chargriller Akorn, or a Charbroil Kamander for that matter, increased in size to the 24" or greater range with a few competitive updates, would totally smoke the Weber Summit in the kamado market. If they put a little more R&D into the updates and grilling/smoking accessories (and eat the costs), they'd completely disrupt the entire kamado market from the low end and force the market to evolve. But since that isn't happening, is there any word as to Weber updating the Summit and fixing the smoke leak this year?

Does anyone have any experience with one of these yet?

Any updates on your book John? I would love to help you test as I have an assortment of grills (as many of us do) and would love to advocate your book and grilling in general to everyone I know.

Exactly my point keeper. Cooking methods must take into consideration the environment, time constraints, ingredients, staffing and the equipment being used and properly adjusted for and modified to suit by the chef herself. Even the context in which the food will be served changes how it should be cooked.There is no single magic recipe. 3-2-1 is more of a kamado kata than it is kamado combat.

At that size, you could have reverse-seared it on a larger Kamado and it still would have been smoky and tender but with more bark because of the higher temp at the end. With an Akorn Jr and a 2lb piece of meat, I think that is the best way to approach it as well. Shoot for whatever internal temp you wish, then sear it.

The celebrity cemetery is expanding at an alarming rate lately...

The difference in quality between the two methods is always dependent on the skill set of the chef, not the methods themselves.

Doug Gregory, I split a chicken in half or butterfly it backbone or breastbone doesn't matter. Clean and dry it with paper towels all over. Then I rub it under the skin, leaving the skin clean, and all over the rest of the meat with dry rub and inject it with a homemade, flavorful herb vinaigrette with melted butter and sometimes a little lemon and pickled hot pepper juice or fresh ground red chiles. The skin I make sure is thoroughly dry and I sprinkle kosher or sea salt and baking soda on the skin to dry it more. Let this marinate for at least an hour in the fridge (to overnight) to dry the skin and an hour at a cool room temp preferably with a fan on it. It can be left in this manner for longer if needed. Prepare your kamado with lump and a chunk of wood for indirect cooking using a heat deflector at 375 degrees. Clean moisture from the skin and flesh with paper towels and then massage the chicken halves with your hands dipped in oil and then season it generously with salt and pepper, dry rub or just used seasoned oil. Oil your cooking grate. Cook the halves skin side down with foiled bricks or a heavy cast iron skillet placed on top to ensure even cooking and great grill marks. Remove the bricks. Baste or sauce the chicken and flip it over. Cook until the bottom is browned. You can use the bricks again if you want. Baste and flip one more time to the skin side at 45 degree angle for a cross hatch pattern, removing the heat deflector if the meat is not crisped or cooked well enough. You should have the most crispy, flavorful and presentable BBQ chicken ever. Hopefully this sounds more exciting than it does complicated because it is great this way!

I have had many excellent brisket cooks using salt, pepper, fresh ground coffee and fresh ground New Mexico red chile peppers. I still consider this a simple, localized and personalized recipe. I'm living in Albuquerque. We have Rudy's BBQ nearby, what do they use? My brisket comes out better. We love the Rudy's BBQ sauce. Again, homemade is better but their sauce is peppery goodness.

And Philpom hates to be "thatguy" lol

Would this still work on top of a similar sized kamado? Most people would get a Weber off of Craigslist just for pizza, but if your kamado works...