Can You Use A Kamado Grill In The Rain
Is a kamado grill safe to use during inclement weather? Yes, as long as it is safe to be outdoors you can use your kamado grill. Ceramic kamados are not affected by cold weather or rain although using a grill cover is recommended to protect your kamado when not in use.
Choosing A Kamado Grill
The Big Green Egg and Kamado Joe are the most popular kamado grills.
Although the Big Green Egg is the most popular type of kamado grill, its by no means the only option. In looking at kamado grill reviews, theres a lot of debate between Kamado Joe vs. Big Green Egg. Some kamado grills are even designed to work with Big Green Egg accessories.
So how do you know which model to choose? It comes down to a few factors: shape, price, and whats included with the grill.
Most kamado grills have a similar shape, but a few have oval cooking surfaceslike the Extra Large model of the Primo grill. These oval-shaped kamados give you enough space to move the coals around and create a two-zone fire . With round kamado grills, youll need a ceramic deflector platelike the ConvEGGtor for the Big Green Eggto cook over indirect heat, which may or may not be included in the price of the grill.
Speaking of price: None of these grills come cheap. You can find a few models at the $300 range, but most start at $700. Looking at Big Green Egg reviews, you may notice that some kamado grills arrive barebones: grill only. If you want a side table or a stand, thats extra. Adding these types of accessories can add up pretty quickly. Luckily, the more expensive kamado grills are built to last a long time with proper care and maintenance, and many of them have fantastic warranties. But, theres no denying that buying one certainly requires an up-front investment.
Are Ceramic Grills Worth It
There are many advantages of ceramic grills vs. traditional grills. Cooking on ceramic is a totally different cooking experience. The special dome shape and ceramic materials used in the construction of ceramic grills, allows for more efficient use of charcoal, and retains heat much better than traditional grills.
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Pros And Cons To Know
Kamados have a long history and there is no question as to why they still exist today. However, not everything can be good and there are always drawbacks to every product. Our chef team will now go into the pros and cons of a kamado-style grill.
Kamados are excellent for versatility. As our team mentioned, people centuries ago relied on one tool to cook everything, which is what kamados today are known to do. The cleanup and maintenance of kamado grills is also much easier compared to some other models.
Perhaps the most famous feature of kamado grills is the cooking techniques. This style of grills maximizes heat retention and distribution plus insulation, which results in rich flavors. They work well in small spaces and in cold weather, and they are made to last. They also take less resources to operate compared to some other grill styles, which can make them cheaper in the long run.
Unfortunately, kamado grills are not without fault, but the drawbacks are more than manageable. For example, this type of grill doesnt come in super large sizes that are suitable for a banquet. This isnt much of a disadvantage to some because cooking for over 30 people isnt something the average person usually does.
It can take a little longer to wait until the temperature within the ceramic walls heats up to the right level, but it isnt usually more than 15 minutes. Conversely, it also takes a while for the ceramic body to cool down before you can get to cleaning.
Can You Leave Big Green Egg Unattended
A Big Green Egg is designed to remain closed while cooking, using the patented air control devices to regulate temperature. Leaving the dome open will accelerate the flame and temperature to levels that are counterproductive to cooking properly and can be dangerous if left unattended.
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You’ve Heard About Kamado Grills But Never Tried One What’s All The Fuss About And Are They Worth The Hype Take A Look To Find Out For Yourself
Family Handyman
If youre used to smoking meats and flipping burgers on your gas grill, why not switch things up and try a kamado grill? These grills are versatile and sturdy, heat up quickly and thoroughly, and make it possible to cook, grill, smoke and serve up mouth-watering cuisine year-round.
On This Page
Can You Use Regular Charcoal On A Kamado Grill
Almost every kamado grill manufacturer recommends using lump charcoal.
Almost every kamado grill manufacturer recommends using lump charcoal over charcoal briquettes. Many of them even sell expensive private-label charcoal. In our experience, briquettes may cost less, but lump charcoal is better suited for a kamado grill. It can reach higher temperatures and it tends to smell better as you cook it, too.
If you do want to use briquettes, read all the fine print to make it wont void the warranty of your very expensive grill. Youll also want to skip the instant-light varieties and never use lighter fluid. It can absorb into the uncoated ceramics in the firebox, and no one wants their food to taste like fuel.
Check out our comprehensive charcoal review to learn more than you ever wanted to know about these lumps and bricks.
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What Size Green Egg Should I Buy
A 20 pound brisket will feed 20 of my closest friends. 10 burgers, 8 steaks, or 5 whole chickens get me to a dozen or so, especially if done in stages. Bring in the Big Guns! If you like to entertain and cook for more than 15-20 people then the XL Egg, Big Joe Kamado Joe, or XL Oval Primo is the way to go!
The Upper Vent And Exterior
The upper vent is made of a powder coated cast iron and the top of the grill has a gasket to keep it in position. Because the grills top has the same dimensions as the vents opening, theres no need for you to remove it when grilling at high temperatures.;
Open the side and you have the vent at its widest setting, and it shuts down tightly putting out any fires once youre done grilling.
The body is made from a fire resistant ceramic material, and the surface also has a heat resistant coating. Theres a built-in thermometer with a;150 to 900°F range;and the 3-1/8 dial ensures its visible and the nut and washer keep it in position.
Because the stem is 2-3/8 long;you dont have to worry about incorrect readings or food been ruined.
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Is Kamado Joe A Smoker
If that sounds like a regular grill, its because it mostly is. That middle item definitely gets some bonus points, but what I really like about a Kamado is the ability to smoke and grill on a single pit. And not just sorta smoke and grill, but superbly do both. Im talking 12hr smokes at 225°.
How We Test Kamado Grills
Testing kamado grills is an intense experience for a griller. It requires playing with fire and high temperatures, though in a controlled, responsible way. The most critical element to kamado performance is heat, specifically temperature control and how well a grill holds to one temperature. To smoke meat low and slow, that magic number is 225 F. Good smokers, kamados or otherwise, will stick to this temp for as long as 12, 15 or 20 hours. This means the temperature gauge is key and so is the ability to control airflow via air vents or dampers.
We monitor the internal temperature of the kamado grills as they go.
To capture temperature data, we put a thermocouple on each kamado grill. Essentially a sensitive temperature sensor made of a probe and a connected wire, the thermocouple hangs suspended just 1 inch above the grill grate. It’s connected to a data logger and ultimately a computer that records changes in heat levels over time.
Then it’s time to fire up each grill.
We try to run temperature tests on all the grills simultaneously. We also use the same weight and brand of lump charcoal , often from the same bag. That’s true of fire starters too .
A stable heat level is key to good performance for a kamado smoker.
We carefully fiddle with the vents to get there. Lastly, we let go of the controls and observe.;
We smoke ribs along with other food for anecdotal tests.
Burgers, anyone?
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Kamado Grills Are Smartphone Compatible
While this cannot be said for all kamado-style grills, Kamado Joes line of grills, at least, is smartphone compatible. Their product, the iKamand, allows you to check your meats temperature, regulate heat, and configure other settings. Instead of hovering over your grill for a few hours, you can set it and forget it.
This cannot be said for other types of grills. Many of these products have not yet made the transition into the digital age.
Smoking On A Kamado Cooker
Thanks to the insulative properties of ceramic, charcoal kamados are great smokers in terms of both cooking power and fuel efficiency. They can smoke for up to 18 hours on a small load of charcoal , making them the most economical smokers by far. The round design of most kamados encourages smoke to circulate through the entire grill body and around your food before exiting the top vent, which is all the more reason to add a smoker box for even more complex wood flavors. If theres a drawback of kamado grills, its the single analog thermometer. These thermometers are highly accurate, but we still recommend you invest in a remote BBQ thermometer to alert you when your grill or food has reached a certain temperature.
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Kamado Grills Have Certain Advantages Over Other Grills
People who swear by propane or charcoal grills have never used kamado grills. Some of the advantages over these egg grills include:
- Their airtight seal allows you to maintain and keep high temperatures while at the same time allowing for adequate airflow. It also prevents moisture from affecting your meats taste.
- It will not rust over time since it is made out of ceramic.
- They are easily moveable. Even though the Kamado Joe weighs about 180 pounds, it comes on wheels, meaning that you can easily move it from your porch to your deck.
Kamado grills also provide even, stable heating. This cannot be said for charcoal-powered grills, which can be hot in one area and lukewarm in another.
Why Is The Green Egg Grill So Good
The ceramic cookers use lump charcoal, not briquettes, and can smoke and grill any kind of meat. They can even bake pizzas, pies and cookies. Unlike steel smokers, Eggs can hold temperatures for more than 18 hours without adding more coals. Heat can reach more than 600 degrees to sear steaks like high-end restaurants.
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Why Are Ceramic Grills So Expensive
While traditionally they were built out of clay, the Big Green Egg is built out of thick ceramic. This is one of the reasons why they are so much more expensive than traditional charcoal barbeque grills. A kamado grill can hold a steady temperature without finicking with coals or fancy igniters.
Do Big Green Eggs Ever Go On Sale
Thanks to something called the Minimum Advertised Price or MAP, brands such as Weber and Big Green Egg and Liebherr, Viking and Miele rarely if ever go on sale in stores. They just cant advertise those prices. You may have looked for an items price in print or online and seen call for price.
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Why Are Pellet Grills/smokers So Expensive
As you will have guessed by the fact my website is called PelHeat I bat for the pellet team when it comes to BBQ grills and smokers. Then again, if you have ever read some of my other posts you will know that doesnt mean Ill avoid talking about the potential downsides of pellet grills/smokers. Just check out my pellet vs kamado grill or pellet vs gas grills posts as examples. On the topic of the downsides of pellet grills, Ive previously been asked why are pellet grills so expensive? Well, expensive is obviously subjective, and depends on how much you have to spend on a grill/smoker. But as Ive stated in the past I accept that on average you have to spend more on a pellet grill than your typical charcoal/gas grill, but why is that? Well, lets discuss that, along with their benefits.
I believe most people would regard something like a Traeger Timberline as an expensive pellet grill starting at $1,799. But why do pellet grills cost more on average?: Image Traegergrills.com
Disclaimer: Hey! By the way any links on this page that lead to products on Amazon or other sites are affiliate links and I earn a commission if you make a purchase.
Whats So Great About A Kamado
A cursory look at Kamados reveals a price range from about 150 bucks for a small, entry level cooker to $4500 for an XXL top of the range model. The bulk of the selection seems to fall roughly in the $750-$1300 range, however.
Regardless, thats a fair chunk of change considering you can pick up little charcoal grills for about the price of a case of beer, or an electric smoker for a couple of hundred bucks! So what makes a Kamado worth the splurge?
First of all, as I said before, this is an investment. They are a finely crafted piece of cooking equipment, and it will last for years and years, so long as you keep up with the minimal maintenance required.
Secondly, the cooking experience is second to none. Most grillers, once they go Kamado, never go back. This is more than a hot surface for searing steaks and barbequing burgers. They provide versatility galore.
For example, because of the precise control you have over the airflow, with a little practice youll learn how to hold a desired temperature for as long as you need.
Low and slow cooking of meats like brisket and ribs is a piece of cake on a Kamado. But, if you like your outdoor cooker to act more like a solar flare, you can open the vents wide and watch the thermometer rise and rise and rise! High heat is perfect for searing steaks. You can also bake, roast and cook pizza on a kamado, as we discuss further in our guide to using a kamado grill.
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How Can I Adjust The Vents On My Kamado Grill
Close the lid of your kamado grill while ensuring the vents are completely open. Check the thermometer closely. Once the temperature dips 100F below your target, you can start closing the vents. Shutting the lower vent halfway should be enough to achieve this. As with all aspects of using a kamado grill, be prepared to spend some time experimenting at first until youve got things mastered. As you near your target temperature, make adjustments using the top vent.
What Makes Kamado Grills Special
Kamado grills are known for allowing the userto keep a sustained temperature for a long period of time. Thats due to thembeing built out of clay or ceramic , depending on the manufacturer. While traditionally theywere built out of clay, the Big Green Egg is built out of thick ceramic.
This is one of the reasons why they are somuch more expensive than traditional charcoal barbeque grills. Whereas acharcoal grill is a fairly simple thing, it isnt as easy to build large grills made out of ceramic.
Yet, the benefit is obvious: ceramic is abetter insulator, which means that kamado grills typically perform better thancharcoal ones built from metal. A kamado grill can hold a steady temperaturewithout finicking with coals or fancy igniters.
Typically, these grills are also larger andheavier while Big Green Egg makes smaller grills, chances are if youve seenone before, youve probably seen one in their Large or XL sizes. These grillsarent just large in size, theyre also heavy: so much so that you typicallyneed a special stand to accommodate them. You wouldnt just want to lift onearound by yourself, or just stick one on a typical outdoor table.
A simple look into the fanatical communitiesrevolving around kamado style grills will yield a staggering number of obsesseddevotees who claim nothing comes close to their performance. Barbecuers fromall skill levels seem capable of wielding a control over their final productsthat leaves the mouth watering.
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What Is The Best Kamado Grill This 2021 Top Favorites + Guide
The kamado grill, a versatile and unique-looking ceramic cooker that can be used to create a delicious feast with one unit. Are they really as good as they are advertised to be or are you better off spending your money on dedicated grills? Lets find out with this review on kamado grills by our team of chefs and engineers.;
