Kamado 101 - Frequently asked questions

[12x7]

I found this forum really great for information to learn how to use a Kamado. I discovered some of things I needed to know I found out by stumbling over them. You don't know what to ask if you don't know. A bit like the chicken and the egg. So to help the new or potential Kamado user/owner, here's a collection of topics to help you out. Over time I will update and add things as the adventure continues. As usual half the fun is searching the forum and reading the many interesting topics. The list I have following is just the tip of the iceberg. Enjoy!

Should I buy a Kamado?

Quite a number of Kamado owners were and still are Weber users.

A nice discussion about the Weber and Kamado buying decision.
http://www.aussiebbq.info/forum/viewtop ... =2&t=10061

if you are thinking about buying a Kamado for smoking you might find this review useful. It has a short summary of 7 different types of smokers such as Pellet Grills, Smoker Ovens and Kamado.
http://bbq.about.com/od/smokers/ss/barb ... kers_7.htm

Benefits of Kamado Style Ceramic Grills


What to look for in a Kamado


What Kamados are available to buy

A great summary by Magnus
http://www.aussiebbq.info/forum/viewtop ... f=2&t=6723

Kamado Assembly

The Grateful Griller putting together a Kamado Joe


"Let's get it done" putting together a Vision Kamado


Some musicians putting together a Dragonfire Kamado


Some accessories to get you started
http://www.aussiebbq.info/forum/viewtop ... =2&t=11182

Where to buy charcoal

I found Tandoor Living has a good list of suppliers.
http://www.tandoorliving.com.au/Charcoa ... ralia.html

Experimenting with different types and size of charcoal has added an extra dimension to cooking on the Kamado. Using different type of charcoal and blends you can add extra magic to the feast you are cooking, some are better for the slow cook, others for the fast searing heat, others for adding the romance of orient, the adventures in South America or out bring back memories of camping and bushwalking in the Aussie bush.

Can I use Heat Beads in my Kamado?
http://www.aussiebbq.info/forum/viewtop ... f=2&t=8755

Charcoal storage
http://www.aussiebbq.info/forum/viewtop ... =14&t=6777

Sure fast ways to get the charcoal burning

Charcoal Chimney


Looftlighter



Digital Thermometers

Getting that temperature right. It seems after people try out the cheap digital thermometers they go for the more expensive models as they continue to work

Maverick ET-732
http://www.bbqsaucereviews.com/review-o ... meter-set/


Thermoworks Two-Channel Thermocouple with Alarm
http://www.thermoworks.com/products/han ... W8060.html
http://www.bbqsaucereviews.com/review-o ... ks-tw8060/

Thermapen Professional Temperature Probe
http://www.aussiebbq.info/forum/viewtop ... ers#p87269


Kamado cooking configurations


The slow cook

There are quite a number of topics about seasoning the Kamado the first time you use it. A popular method is to do a slow cook.

First meal - A blow by blow account with slow cooked pork
http://www.aussiebbq.info/forum/viewtop ... f=2&t=6009

Great discussion with some awesome temperature graphs
http://www.aussiebbq.info/forum/viewtop ... =2&t=10353



How to get the Kamado really hot

The Dwelling Technique
http://www.aussiebbq.info/forum/viewtop ... f=2&t=6756


How to sear steaks on the Kamado


Kamado burping

Essential knowledge when running the Kamado hot.


How To Quickly Reduce the Temperature In An Overheated Kamado

<< This is what NOT to do !!! >>



Flashback

Some Kamado owners really like to push the temps with their Kamado to the 700-1000F range. At these high temps you really have to watch out for flashbacks. What is flashback? The Naked Wiz has an excellent article on flashback.
http://www.nakedwhiz.com/flash.htm



The Naked Wiz has released two videos on flashback.

Original 2001 version


Updated 2010 version



High temperature gloves

For cooking at high temperatures quite a number of forum readers like to use the 'Ove Glove'. The flame-proof oven glove is made of Kevlar and Nomex and handles temperatures up to 250C/540F. At around $15-$20 a pair on ebay they are quite a bargain.


http://www.chiapet.com/index.php?option ... Itemid=109

How to get grill marks every time - Get yourself some Grill Grates

If you want restaurant quality grill marks and some of the tastiest steaks, try these out!





Reverse Sear
http://www.aussiebbq.info/forum/viewtop ... f=2&t=6436

Dual zone set-up
http://www.aussiebbq.info/forum/viewtop ... =2&t=11520

Kamado Joe - Divide and Conquer Flexible Cooking System
This is standard on the 2014 model.


Smoking with your Kamado


Australian Native Timber Matrix for Smoking
http://www.aussiebbq.info/forum/viewtop ... =39&t=7924



How much food can I cook at the same time in my Kamado?
http://www.aussiebbq.info/forum/viewtop ... =2&t=10786

Buying a Vacuum Sealer
When you start to cook those feasts and want to eat them another day, cooked too much to eat at one sitting, age your meat, reduce the time to marinate, what do you do?
Try vacuum sealing your food.

http://www.aussiebbq.info/forum/viewtop ... lit=vacuum

Food

The Kamado Smoker and Grill Cookbook: Recipes and Techniques for the World's Best Barbecue



You could consider this as a possible default companion book for Kamados like the Complete Australian Barbeque Kettle Cookbook has been for every new Weber Kettle sold in Australia.

Availabe in hard cover and electronic download, this book is a great book for the beginner or a person who is considering buying a Kamado as it show many different ways you can use a Kamado to cook many different type of food.

The author, Chris Grove also has a web site loaded with Kamado recipes.
http://www.nibblemethis.com/

Complete Australian Barbeque Kettle Cookbook

An Australian classic. The recipes are easily adapted to the Kamado and the book can be easily found secondhand on eBay for as little as $20.

BBQ Pit Boys

A great site with lots of recipes.
http://bbqpitboys.com/

The great thing about this site is nearly every recipe is accompanied by a video.

Here's a video example. Stuffed Alligator Barbecue. Taste "GUUD"


Big Green Egg Recipes

Lot's of recipes for the Kamado
http://www.biggreenegg.com/recipes/

The Naked Whiz's Ceramic Charcoal Cooker Page

Over twenty free cookbooks to download in pdf format. Download onto your iPad/tablet to enjoy reading or cooking from.
http://www.nakedwhiz.com/cookbooks.htm

Pork Crackling on the Kamado

I found making pork crackling on the Kamado a bit of a challenge until I received some handy hints from some of the forum readers
http://www.aussiebbq.info/forum/viewtop ... =2&t=11332

Urbangriller has a great technique here to use the charcoal leftovers to make great crispy pork.
http://www.aussiebbq.info/forum/viewtop ... =2&t=12861
http://www.aussiebbq.info/forum/viewtop ... =2&t=14247
An example of Urbangriller's cooking expertise


Plank Cooking Basics


Chicken Brining
http://www.enjoy-how-to-cook.com/brining-chicken.html

How to make and cook a Pizza


Tandoor cooking
http://www.aussiebbq.info/forum/viewtop ... =2&t=11744


Kamado care and maintenance


Replacing the Seal/Gasket

One of the things you know you will have to do one day.
http://www.aussiebbq.info/forum/viewtop ... hilit=seal



Installing a Nomex Gasket on a Big Green Egg parts 1-3




Kamado Lid Adjustment


The Naked Whiz's Ceramic Charcoal Cooking FAQ

A site with lot's of information about Kamado's
http://www.nakedwhiz.com/ceramicfaq.htm#cold

amazingribs.com - The Science of BBQ & Grilling

http://www.amazingribs.com

A site for the BBQmeister covering many facets of BBQing.

One of the nifty features of the site is when they do an equipment review they include links so you can connect to a site such as amazon.com to see how much is costs.

Owner Manuals

Kamado Joe Classic
http://www.kamadojoe.com/downloads_publ ... SIC_EN.pdf

Big Green Egg
http://www.biggreenegg.com/wp-content/u ... Manual.pdf

Vision
http://www.visiongrills.com/wp-content/ ... es_Web.pdf

Primo
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/B1yDyR86QbS.pdf

Komodo Kamado
http://www.komodokamado.com/ForumPhotos ... 2:2:12.pdf

DragonFire
http://www.northlineexpress.com/media/w ... manual.pdf

Akorn
http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/pdfIma ... a77a30.pdf

Owners Stories and Experiences
If you are at the end of my post and you're still wondering should or shouldn't buy a Kamado, here's a selection of stories to get you motivated to buy a Kamado tomorrow. For the rest of the you who are Kamado owners, enjoy.

First Cook on a Smoke Kings BBQ by still_cookin
http://www.aussiebbq.info/forum/viewtop ... 19#p119719


SpiralGalaxy and his Kamado Joe
http://www.aussiebbq.info/forum/viewtop ... =2&t=12958


Naths 10kg pulled pork adventure
http://www.aussiebbq.info/forum/viewtop ... =2&t=12322


Royal Tandoor! by Busio90
http://www.aussiebbq.info/forum/viewtop ... =2&t=11744


My Kamado Joe by greenie03
http://www.aussiebbq.info/forum/viewtop ... =2&t=10202


Bear Grills has arrived by Shane_H
http://www.aussiebbq.info/forum/viewtop ... =2&t=10236


Royal Kamado back from the dead by food&fish
http://www.aussiebbq.info/forum/viewtop ... f=2&t=6615


a NYE feast - Pulled pork and pizza by beaver
http://www.aussiebbq.info/forum/viewtop ... f=2&t=9506


Komodo is here! by talisker63
http://www.aussiebbq.info/forum/viewtop ... f=2&t=8432


A big birthday cook on the Kamado by livewire
http://www.aussiebbq.info/forum/viewtop ... f=2&t=7317


A Royal Brisket and Ham Hocks by livewire
http://www.aussiebbq.info/forum/viewtop ... f=2&t=7061


My New BGE by Smokey Mick
http://www.aussiebbq.info/forum/viewtop ... f=2&t=6948


XL Primo by Woody
http://www.aussiebbq.info/forum/viewtop ... f=2&t=6967


321 ribs possible? by Austy
http://www.aussiebbq.info/forum/viewtop ... f=2&t=7015

[talisker63]

Do not do what that crazy guy does when he has the vents closed and throws open the lid wide!

You can get seriously burned by back draft. Always burp your Kamado

[Smokey]

Do not do what that crazy guy does when he has the vents closed and throws open the lid wide!

You can get seriously burned by back draft. Always burp your Kamado

So it wasnt just me that fell off my chair ducking for cover when he just lifted it up like that


Well done 12 X 7 compelations like this help out lots of folk

[DaveW]

I hear that! I automatically flinched when he opened that lid!

Nice work on the 101!

[magste]

Good stuff! I started a project last year to create a FAQ, but I never had time to complete it & didn't get any input from other forum members. If you want, you are welcome to use whatever useful I put together in your summary. The working doc is here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Cry ... sp=sharing

[12x7]

Good stuff! I started a project last year to create a FAQ, but I never had time to complete it & didn't get any input from other forum members. If you want, you are welcome to use whatever useful I put together in your summary. The working doc is here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Cry ... sp=sharing

Thanks Magnus, I added some of your topics to the 101

[Joeka]

Great work, 12x7.

One thing I'd add which I don't think is there at all is www.amazingribs.com - this is a resource I use all the time. The guy goes into an insane level of detail on all manner of things, from choosing a thermometer to cooking brisket or ribs.

[12x7]

Great work, 12x7.

One thing I'd add which I don't think is there at all is http://www.amazingribs.com - this is a resource I use all the time. The guy goes into an insane level of detail on all manner of things, from choosing a thermometer to cooking brisket or ribs.

Great site. Over the past week I spend countless hours exploring.

[Gumb]

Great work, 12x7.

One thing I'd add which I don't think is there at all is http://www.amazingribs.com - this is a resource I use all the time. The guy goes into an insane level of detail on all manner of things, from choosing a thermometer to cooking brisket or ribs.

Interesting comments about grill marks on steak.

[Joeka]

Great work, 12x7.

One thing I'd add which I don't think is there at all is http://www.amazingribs.com - this is a resource I use all the time. The guy goes into an insane level of detail on all manner of things, from choosing a thermometer to cooking brisket or ribs.

Interesting comments about grill marks on steak.

Presumably, this bit here:
http://www.amazingribs.com/tips_and_tec ... _meat.html

I was reading another article in the past month or so, I think on the Sydney Morning Herald, about the myth of flipping steaks once. Interesting that amazingribs guy also doesn't believe in that one. And he's got Harold McGee on his side. That's a winning combination.

Heh: "Those beautiful grill marks are merely superficial branding, just coloring on the surface -- like the freckles on Lindsay Lohan, cute, but lacking substance"

[Card Shark]

Good thread 12x7. A couple for the list. Adjusting lid alignment and seal.



Fred's gasket change video is quite entertaining too. The end of part 3 testing the seal with a flat bit of paper (US currency) will save a lot of charcoal and promote consistent temperature control.

[12x7]

Thanks for the videos Card Shark. I added your links to the main post.

[12x7]

Been cleaning up the post and adding new information.

I found the topic on how to add pictures on the forum which has been helpful.

viewtopic.php?f=12&t=5380

[Card Shark]

Another helpful one for the list on pizza stones. http://nakedwhiz.com/pizza.htm

[Stevem109r]

Hello,
Thinking about getting a kamado, from smoke king BBQ, before I do can anyone tell me the real difference between a$800 and a $1400 on of these.


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