An unexpected GRAIL.

[OoPEZoO]

I have no clue what I would do with a grill that size, but I'd love to have one. That's a great score. I can't wait to see what you cook on it first (we expect PRON)

[MaxBobcat]

Nice score!  It is in killer shape! 

[LightningBoldtz]

Very cool, congrats on your unexpected grail.  I would have no place to put something like that.

[BigRix]

Awesome grill.

I don't know why but I want one.

Speaking of cooking for band functions, when my daughter's marching band went to state championships this is what they were cooking on.



They guy with his back to us was not using that aluminum tray to put food in.

He was using it as a shield to keep the intense heat away. they had that thing really going, but it couldn't save the horrible burgers they were cooking.

I thought to myself, they should have used a Ranch Kettle.

Especially after looking up the price on that grill. Same as a RK new.

[mike.stavlund]

Congrats, sax!  What an incredible find, and a great story.

I've often wished that someone would rent an RK for big events (in my case, for WeberFests).  It'd be a show-stopping feature, and I'll bet folks would pay good money to have it delivered and taken back.  You could charge even more for your chef services. 

[kendoll]

Great story and a great (unexpected) score!

I'm not sure what I am more taken aback by, the RK or the fact that it fits comfortably in the back of your truck.

Ken

[GC8]

This thing is screaming for a Twin Cities area get-together!

[saxart]

You could use that thing as a tornado shelter!

It should have bats hanging from lid.

Could be used as Hobbit home.

Christopher Columbus tried to get to the other side but gave up.

Chuck Norris was affraid to use it.

"no BoomBoom soulbrotha! Too bookoo!"

So big...its got an echo
So big...its got an echo
                           an echo
                                   echo

Mini-
This made me chuckle so loud my wife came in and asked what was so funny...   

G-
Yeah, I realized those hooks were in the wrong spot right after I took those pics a couple days ago, and switched them out right after that.

Thanks for all of the comments guys.   Well.................................we no longer have a "NEW" grill!   

First off, I wanted to show the mods.    Since this grill is going to be Low-N-Slow only, I wanted a charcoal basket so that it could keep things contained and not damage the side of the kettle by piling hot coals on it's side.   After cutting two strips of expanded metal and welding them together end-to end I couldn't decide what size to make the basket, so I ended up just leaving it as a "wall" and tack welded it right to the charcoal grate.   The welds are very small and could easily be ground away without ever knowing they were there.







Here it is with fire-bricks to keep the heat from "cooking" the food, and foil to help direct the airflow and catch the drippings.



The other mod I did was to remove the one hinged side of the cooking grate toward the back of the grill.  Since this is primarily used for smoking/slow-cooks, this mod allows us to get to the coals more easily.  A large cold-chisel driven between the crimp of the grate leg separated that section, and it can either be used separately if needed, or replaced as a hinged panel again by sliding it in place and closing the leg shut with a hammer.  I'll probably hang that piece on a nail in the garage and never touch it again.

Here is kind of a funny size-comparison picture showing that grate-panel removed:



Here we are loaded up with the bird. (13.78lbs)  (It looks like a tiny chicken on that huge grill!)  We just coated it in olive-oil and gave it a shake of Lowrys Season Salt and Tyme to keep it simple.



Temperatures were tough to regulate until I realized that closing up the large lid damper about halfway would make things less "touchy".  After that she hummed right along @ 325deg.   Prior to that it had gotten as high as 365deg with only two of the three bottom dampers open and would have kept going up had I not reeled it in.

And we're cooking....



Two hours later, this is what it looked like.   It was almost done, but I guess wanted to wait for the Vikings to finally beat those pesky Bears before emerging...   



On the platter, going in the house for a rest.  (I'm not sure why the breast-skin split like it did in the two spots)



It was a very juicy and well favored bird, so all was good with that.  In the end, I'm hoping to try more in-direct cooks with this kettle.  Ultimately I'd like it to replace the WSM, but only time will tell if that can happen.  For now it's just going to need a lot more cooks done on it to get that nice rich coating on the inside so that it cooks better.  I guess the family is going to have to suffer through some more of these 'horrible' cooks.  Poor them!!!   

Here's the comical part to all of this.  This past summer I sold my Performer because......   It took up too much space in the garage!  LOL   

[saxart]

This thing is screaming for a Twin Cities area get-together!

GC8-
I was thinking the SAME thing as the bird was cooking.  We need to figure out a date to cook some chow and drink some suds.  Thanks again for your email on this kettle!!!

[glrasmussen]

Very nice! I bet next time you will cook more food. Chicken, Ribs, Chuck and some turds, with a 14# Turkey. Would have used the same amount of fuel. Remember, you don't want to have to pay the price in March... Will be on my wish list.

[zavod44]

Is this mothership V, VI, VII?

[saxart]

[pbe gummi bear]

Sax, imo the ranch trumps the wsm for smoking due to ergonomics. I can't really comment on the fuel consumption because I've only smoked on the rk a few times.

[saxart]

PBE-
You have a Ranch too?  (Pics!!)

[MINIgrillin]

I was told by a winning competition bbq dude that he cooks on his RK when at the house instead of firing up the 20k trailer pit and can turn out the same quality.

Now I need one too. I have already bumped into the capacity limit on the 26r with 8 pork tenderloins and since a RK makes turkeys look like Cornish game hens.... Anyone ever spatchcock an ostrich?