15" Kick Ash basket: Game changer.. or...meh?

[ModernMan]

For those whove used the KAB for a while already, compared to the stock Keg setup or even a stainless steel colander - is it a significant, life-changing game changer wrt Keg cooks?

In case it is - thy're free shipping to U.S. addresses for the next couple of days.   
http://www.kickashbasket.com/store/product-detail.php?product_id=19

[smokey]

meh

[SmallBBQr]

Life changing...no.

A great accessory that makes charcoal handling easier...yes.  Better than a steel colander for sure...much wider, holds more lump etc.

I regularly rotate now between both my BK Charcoal basket and the KAB.  The KAB is my main basket for long low/slows, and I also raise it up higher in the keg for inferno searing.  Sits nicely about 2" below grate level and adds more flexibility.

My keg charcoal basket I use for smaller cooks and let's me easily swap in/out special lump I pick for a particular flavor etc.

You can do any of this with a colander as well though...just not quite as cleanly/as designed.  I'll never just dump lump in the bottom again once you start using baskets.

If you are struggling over a $60 expense...probably not worth it in terms of making your food taste any different.  But if you cook $20 steaks, smoke $15 cigars and drink $100 bottles of wine, it's a great accessory to make keg cooking a little more convenient...everyone has a different measurement of value.

[kite]

SmallBBQr well thats the truth!

[smokey]

I use some grummy old gloves,  move the charcoal with my hands.  I will remove reclaimed stuff if I need to go hotter.

I pick out fresh  big chunks make a base, then I scoop up smaller fresh stuff put that in the middle.

The old stuff goes on the top,  because it won't spark.

No one way is better, it's part what you are used to, I like my MAPP torch, my lump and my gloves.

What I'd really like is to go to small's house for a steak,  a cigar and a drink



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[ModernMan]

Yup, can I get an invite also?
;-)

Kidding aside - thanks for both your valued inputs.

Re.  I

f you are struggling over a $60 expense...probably not worth it in terms of making your 6food taste any different.  But if you cook $20 steaks, smoke $15 cigars and drink $100 bottles of wine, it's a great accessory to make keg cooking a little more convenient...everyone has a different measurement of value.

This helped me decide to pass.
Especially for the Keg 5000.

Why?
-  "...probably not worth it in tetms of making food taste any different..."

-  Mine already has more than enuff air circulation, even after sealing, it still breaths over the lump very well - making low/slow tempertures challenging as it is.

-  In terms of '...being more convenient...': Perhaps for previous Keg models; however, the 5000 has a removable tray. After the coals have cooled down, I simply stir them around a few times with the ash tool, then slide tray out and empty the ashes and small pieces of lump which drop into the tray, it in a garbage can.
I suppose one has to lift the KAB out of the keg and shake it over a garbage can, then replace into keg. Perhaps with some dust/ash/small pieces lump falling onto ground in the process.

Thanks for the analogy SmallBbqr. It's not the $60 per se.  It's my fetish w gadget accumulation which I'd like to curb - especially if I'd risk not using it and/or the gadjet is redundant (for me anyways, although I understand it's totally awesome for others - especially non-5000 owners perhaps).

I also splurge(d) on totally 'unnecessary stuff' (in a relatively pragmatic sense) such as: Islay single malts, high end carbon fiber road bikes/gear, audiophile stuff, etc... because of "perceived value" I place(d) on them.
Just trying to simplify stuff/ eliminate redundancy these days.

A chacun son gout.
Merci!

[smokey]

When I had disposable income,  I'd buy all the gadgets.  I made my own baskets, different types of prototypes.  AFAIK the baskets were invented on this forum. It was one of those things,  you guys can look at the archives.  I think mid 2010, right around the creation of ports, and exploration into all things diffusers.  The official accessories did not exist. There was also no such thing as support, or spare parts and you could not buy a keg if you wanted to.
I'll tell you all about it over dinner and wine at SmallBBQ's.

Hopefully he still has some of the Caymus,  even without the steak it melts in your mouth. Nothing like a heavy bodied Cabernet.



Kidding aside if you like food and wine you need to go to Napa.  Once you taste a good wine you will be spoiled for life. No matter how cheap you are you'll be shelling out the big bucks after tastings....

Modern you will be touched by the Chef Knife addiction, I'm sorry to tell you this. You have all the symptoms.  Especially since you are a cyclist and are considering more vegetables.  I think it will start with an antique Sabatier,  I'm soooo sorry,  but I thought you might want to know.

An end grain cutting board!
Now that is a necessity.

Other must haves?
Meat grinder
Sausage stuffer
Books for smoking,  and all things Chartucurie
Vacuum sealer
Small kitchen scale
Japanese water stones
Cast iron,  and Cast Iron enameled cookware
Canning pressure cooker
Cream whipper
Second keg
Cordilite stones
Cold smoke generator






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[ModernMan]

 
 

ps. Been to Sonoma for a day, several years ago, following a work-related trip to SF.
 Yup. Beautiful scenery, tasty wines , passionate, knowledgable, wine-loving owners AND staff at the many wineries we visited.

[smokey]

Never see so many alcoholics in such a small area.
After posting I realized that SmallBBQ and I did not clarify a unique feature for baskets.

There is a school of cooking that believes that the best way to cook a good steak is at extremely high temperatures.
You can accomplish this by two methods,  proximity and a bigger fire.

The basket will allow very close proximity to the coals. In the past people have built lower grates.

Because the basket is elevated air circulation is unimpeded,  this allows for more charcoal to burn,  you effectively have a bigger surface area.

I do not really cook that way,  but others do.  Those that cook that way speak wonders of the results.

So if you do have expensive meats often then try it.

For me it's still meh.....

Also this highlights an advantage that the keg has over other Kamados,  it is more resistant to high heats.  Clay may crack if there is a bubble,  not to mention the materials that the seals are made of,  felt.

Hope this helps.


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[ModernMan]

Yup
Am familiar w very high temperature seared steaks
Here's another way Ive done it in my Keg (albeit 1 expensive steak at a time) using a Weber style chiminey .
    http://amazingribs.com/recipes/beef/extreme_steak.html

[SmallBBQr]

What I'd really like is to go to small's house for a steak,  a cigar and a drink

Hehe...OK...perhaps I need to clarify.  I was only trying to make a point on value.

To set the record straight, *I* don't eat $20 steaks (well, not very often anyways), and I only smoke the occasional $1 cigar (I buy the odd pack of colts once in a blue moon - never acquired the taste to smoke anything (but something about camping and smoking any cigar goes together for me - I just detest the way my mouth tastes afterwards!!)).

I do admit to an expensive wine addiction though.  Like Smokey said, wine is one of those things (probably similar to cigars, scotch, etc), where the higher you set your standards, the harder it is to lower them.  My advice....if you drink $10 wine and enjoy it, DON'T start splurging on good $25 bottles - it is hard to go back.  And once you get into the better $25 bottles, you start looking for the great $40 ones...and so on, and so on.

Smokey nailed it with the proximity comment though...#1 use for my basket it bringing it right up to grill level and searing at blistering temps.  Though...searing steaks on metal I prefer even more.

If I was starting from scratch, my accessory would be the grilling steel (not sure if you have one) with preference over the extra basket.

*sigh* I'm screwed...heading down to Napa and then the Solvang/Santa Ynez area in October....got to up the budget for wine spending.

[smokey]

I can recommend some wineries.
A good place to eat is the Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena,  not as expensive since the students are practicing.

The Caymus that I once had, it's been over 10 years and I can still taste it.  Our next door neighbor used to be this elder widow,.  I was kegging and she poked over the fence, so I invited her over.  She brought a bottle of Caymus.  The thing about good wine, you take a sip, then another. Your mouth does not stop craving the taste. Pretty soon your figuring how to get the last glass before the wifey.
My neighbor sold her house in St Helena to the owners of that winery,  they gave her a case.  I had been there before,  they charged $25 for a tasting.

If you stop drinking wine or drink bad stuff you can recover, but never entirely.

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[kite]

Interesting list Smokey,

You forgot a pasta press...

I want a meat grinder/stuffer but it will have to wait.

It is funny, I don't have tons of money but I try to buy the best things I can. I cannot abide buying cheap junk and re buying cheap junk over and over. It is very true the list changes with pocket depth.

[smokey]

Not a pasta press, but close.  I forgot the mixer with attachments.  You'll get the pizza bug too

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[smokey]

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?url=http%3A%2F%2Fforum%2Ebigsteelkeg%2Ecom%2Findex%2Ephp%3Ftopic%3D3382%2E0&share_tid=3382&share_fid=19307&share_type=t
Mixers


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