I have a Himalayan salt block and use it like a griddle. It is susceptible to breaking from thermal shock. It works fine on my inside gas range because I can heat it slowly. I want to use it as a tabletop cooker, sort of Korean style. I can’t put a block at 500 degrees on my table and I can’t think how I could put a trivet under it without risking a broken block caused by the cold trivet.
I'd just get an appropriately sized block of untreated wood and set the hot trivet on that, then the block on the trivet. If you use something cheap like pine, just toss it when it gets too unsightly.
Hi, my name is Darrell. I'm an OTR truck driver for over 25 years. During my off time I love doing backyard cooks. I have a 48" Lang Deluxe smoker, Rec-Tec pellet smoker,1 Weber Genesis 330, 1 Weber Performer (blue), 2 Weber kettles (1 black and 1 Copper), 1 26" Weber kettle, a WSM, 8 Maverick Redi Chek thermometers, a PartyQ, 2 SnS, Grill Grates, Cast Iron grates, 1 ThermoPop (orange) and 2 ThermoPens (pink and orange) and planning on adding more cooking accessories. Now I have an Anova sous vide, the Dragon blower and 2 Chef alarms from Thermoworks.
Wood, or a dedicated small chopping block would work. They do make trivets, or a "holder" for these things but unless yours came with one to size, probably outta luck. A wooden chopping block would be cool. I would not worry "too" much about shocking it as you place a huge cold slab of meat on the top.
I don't use salt blocks, but I do use Lava rocks. I use them a lot. Not as big a worry about shocking as salt, and I usually heat mine to the 600 mark or so. Salt does melt at 800. Mine do have trivets, then the trivet sits in a very thick serving tray to carry it all to the table. Then you slap on a huge raw steak, some veggies and feast like never before.
Use the kamado a lot. Seriously. Each one is different, even within the brand. For example, my LBGE has a hot spot in the right rear center, someone else’s might have a hot spot in the left rear or front. Mine might hold 250* with the vents at 1/8â€, another might need 1/4â€. The more you use it, the more second nature everything will get.
Have you considered a small butane burner for the block Barefootbob it could work well tableside. On a side note, message me with any Kamado questions. Cheers-
I just got on to cooking with a salt block after having a huge rib eye served on one in Mexico. I bought one off Amazon the day I got home. It came with a steel frame and handles I heat mine slowly in the oven, then put it on an old wood cutting board. I take a 1.5-2" rib eye, sear it on the grill, then let it cook on the block as I eat. I love it. Doing garlic shrimp on it today. I am going to make up a frame for it and sit it over my little portable electric range so I can use it as a table top cooker like you mentioned.
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