When
looking at the structure of kamado, it looks like an ordinary charcoal grill.
However, the big advantage here is that the thick walls are great for keeping
heat inside the grill. I like Kamado because it is both a griller and a smoker.
It is perfect for both, it can grill for many hours at low temperature
(approximately 225 degrees), and can reach high temperature (approximately 900
degrees Fahrenheit) to grill delicious steaks or hamburgers.
The
key to all this is to control the vents through which the air flows.
Traditional
charcoal grills make it possible to use direct or indirect methods of cooking.
For kamado
cooking, the default method is to radiate heat from the charcoal
directly into the food.
On
the other hand, if you want to use the indirect method to cook on kamado, you
need heat deflectors. These are special ceramic plates that can divide the
cooking area into different sections. In this way, you can quickly and easily
divide the space into a two-zone cooking space, or completely separate the
charcoal from the food, thereby providing perfect conditions for slow roasting.
Depending on the kamado grill you have, you need to find accessories that match
your model.
How to set up a Kamado for different cooking methods？
There
are many ways to cook with your kamado
style grill, and here, we will provide you with what you need to know
in order to prepare for the best results for each cooking method.
Smoking
•Use a full
load of charcoal
•Only use
new charcoal
•Place heat
deflector above the fire ring
•Place the
grille on the shelf above the deflector
•Place the
drip tray under the grate (optional)
•No need
for drip tray
•Target
temperature: 225F – 275F (149C – 232C)
•Open
bottom vent 2″
•Close the
top vent and fully open the daisy wheel (if applicable); adjust the scroll
wheel to increase/decrease the temperature and wait 15 minutes
•Lid closed
•Use a few pieces of smoked wood that you added
at the beginning.
Grilling
•Use a full
load of charcoal
•Only mix
new and old charcoal, or brand new for higher temperature
•Do not use
heat deflector
•Place the grate
on the rack above the fire ring
•Where
possible/needed, use half of the upper layer and half of the lower layer for
zone 2 grilling
•Target
temperature: 400F-600F (204C-316C)
•Fully open
the top and bottom vents; close the top vents halfway to fix the target and
adjust as needed
•The lid is
closed to reach temperature, but you can open it for short grilling (hot dogs,
very thin cuts, vegetables, etc.)
Searing
•Use a full
load of charcoal
•Only mix
new and old charcoal, or brand new for higher temperature
•Do not use
heat deflectors
•Place the grate
on the rack above the fire ring
•Where
possible/needed, use half of the upper layer and half of the lower layer for
zone 2 grilling
•Target
temperature: 500F – 750F (260C – 399C)
•Open the
lid for 10 minutes
•Fully open
the top and bottom vents; close the top vents slightly to fix the target and
adjust as needed
•Put the
lid on, but don’t leave it at high temperature for too long
Roasting
•Use a full
load of charcoal
•Mixing old
and new charcoal is acceptable
•Place the heat
deflector above the fire ring
•Place the
grate on the rack above the deflector
•Place the
drip tray under the grate (optional)
•Target
temperature: 300F-450F (149C-232C)
•Open the
top and bottom vents until it is close to the target temperature, then adjust
accordingly
•Lid closed
•If needed,
use a small amount of smoked wood
Baking
•Use full
charcoal
•Mixing old
and new charcoal is acceptable
•Place the heat
deflector above the fire ring
•Place the
pizza stone on the heat deflector
•Target
temperature: 300F – 450F (149C – 232C) baking; 500F+ (260C+) pizza
•Open the
top and bottom vents until it is close to the target temperature, then adjust
accordingly
•Preheat
the pizza stone for 10 minutes
•Lid closed
•Smoking
wood is not recommended
For
those who are just starting to use Kamado or grilling as a whole, this may seem
like a daunting and complicated task. In fact, it is not difficult. With a
little practice, you can easily reach and maintain the required temperature.
The
only thing you need to remember is that it is always easier to raise the
temperature in kamado than to lower it.
This
is why you have to plan in advance what you want to do. If your plan is to cook
the ribs at a low temperature and then burn them on the grill with a small
amount of charcoal, don’t add any more. However, if you want to cook food at a
higher temperature, such as steak, you can add a lot of charcoal at will to
reach the highest temperature possible.
How to control the temperature on the Kamado grill?
High Temperature
• First close the lid and keep all the ventilation holes open.
• Use one of the methods detailed above for charcoal combustion. Then wait for your Kamado to warm up and partially close the top vents (keep about ¼ of the vents open) before it reaches the desired temperature (preferably about 20-25 degrees before the target temperature).
• Then wait a while and see if the temperature is right.
• If the
temperature inside the grill is too high, close the top air outlet to lower the
temperature, but if the temperature is too high, open the top air outlet
accordingly to quickly increase the temperature.
Low Temperature
• If you
plan on grilling at low temperatures, you have to make your kamado grill burn a
little differently. Start by burning a small amount of charcoal. Why? Too much
charcoal can cause the grill to overheat and it is difficult to lower the
temperature.
• Then half
open the top vent and half open the vent door. Close the lid and wait at least
half an hour. At the same time, the grill should be heated to a low enough
temperature, do not add more charcoal, otherwise the temperature will be much
higher.