Kamado grills have been a recent buzz in the market. It is a charcoal-based grill. Kamado grills have thick, insulated grills that absorb more heat than the normal grill and make food cook evenly. Initially, Kamado grills were made with clay which is more commonly used in China, India, and Japan but recently it is modernized by using ceramics and porcelain glazes which makes them durable. These grills work like an oven since their sides trap heat and allow food to be cooked more evenly. These grills are known for their heat retention, durability, and versatility.
Kamado was originally invented in China over 3000 years ago. Chinese during the Qin dynasty developed ceramic cooking vessels and exported them. Later it spread to Korea and slowly found its way into Japan. The name “Kamado” is a Japanese word that means stove or cooking range. Kamado slowly found its way into japan households in the name of “mushikamado” which was movable and used to cook rice. Mushikamado is a round clay pot with a lid mostly found in southern japan. This slowly caught the attention of Americans after World War II. It is now found in the US as a Kamado barbeque grill or cooker.
Kamado Grills 101
The Kamado grill which is now sold in the market is an oval-shaped green grill. This is the reason why customers often refer to it as “big green egg”. This grill was developed by Japanese entrepreneur Ed Fisher. These grills are made of ceramic. Usually heavy and closed which allows the device to trap heat. It functions like an oven by cooking food evenly with the help of the heat that is retained. But nowadays the Kamado grills come in different shapes and sizes. There are no rules as to how they must look.
In recent times there has been a shift in the construction of Kamado grills from ceramic to aluminum. Cast aluminum is highly appreciated for its versatility, durability, and easy maintenance. Kamado grills are charcoal-powered grills. Manufacturers recommend using lump charcoal over charcoal briquettes which is quite costly compared to charcoal briquettes. The main reason is that this charcoal can provide high temperature and smell better on your food.
The Importance Of Ceramic Foundation
High Return On Investment
Ceramic grills offer a high return on your investment. They offer higher durability. And also results in fuel savings as ceramic traps heat and takes a long time to transfer heat which results in a slower rate of consumption of fuel as compared to other grills which consume more charcoal.
Perfect Heating
Ceramics have excellent heat retention properties. This helps in retaining more heat and results in better cooking. This is the reason why often these Kamado grills are referred to as ovens. When compared to other grills the temperature control and consistency are best in Kamado grills.
Consistent Moisture
If you want your meat to be juicy then the Kamado grill is your perfect choice. The top ceramic lid helps to trap moisture and retains it in the grill. Since the grill is covered it prevents the meat from exposing itself to dry hot air which will otherwise make them dry.
Stroller Hyperbolic Smoke Chamber
This cannot be achieved by all the grills. Only Kamado grills can produce heat and smoke in recirculating waves. This is backed by the Harvard science smoking process. This will reduce the spots and increase the flavor of your meat.
Easy Cleaning
Kamado has made the most difficult task easy which is nothing but cleaning. There is also a slide-out ash drawer that collects all the ash, all you have to do is to take it out, drop the ashes and place them in. Also, the most important ceramic built has made cleaning easier than any material on which you have to put so much effort scrubbing them off. The ceramic material is of such material that does not allow anything to stick to them that’s why it is easy to clean as the residue comes off easily.
The Accessories Backed By Science
Of course! It is interesting to know that there is so much science behind the working of the Kamado grill. The semi-circle-shaped top is what gives us a great cooking experience because it retains heat and adds flavor to your food. Raised racks and deflector plates direct heat and smoke to cook your food better.
The heat control is one of the best features that make everyone fall for Kamado grills. There are so many grill and smoker accessories that allow you to cook anything on this grill. These are developed by manufacturers all over the world. Various other accessories apart from those that are in-built are available in the market such as Kamado pizza accessories, JoeTisserie, hand protection, etc. which can add more value to your grill.
Things To Know About Kamado Grills
The most interesting thing about the Kamado grill is that while most grill makes food dry it retains the moisture content in the food. The main reason behind this is that it was initially designed for cooking rice which cannot be cooked without moisture in it. Also, the semi-circle is shaped to help in better circulation of heat and smoke and adds beautiful flavors to your food. The temperature could range from 250 ºF- 750 ºF. The best part about this grill is that they get to a temperature quickly and it is easy to maintain them.
Also, it is easier to clean than other grills which require disassembling the grill. Kamado grills can be used for many things like smoking, grilling, as an oven, etc. these are similar to wood-fired ovens because they can roast as well as bake. The best part of this is its versatility to cook everything. And it can last for more years, till you drop it down! The cooking areas of this grill may vary from one to another but it usually has a good amount of space to cook your food sufficiently.
Cleaning The Kamado Grill
As we all know cleaning is a hectic task that everyone hates. Well, cleaning a Kamado grill is quite easy compared to others because of its ceramic outlay.
Ensure that you remove the ashtray after you have cooked and the grill is completely cooled. Remove the ash and place the tray inside. The next step is cleaning grill and the mold completely for this, heat the grill up to 560 ºF for 20 minutes. Let it cool.
Once done, scrub the grill with chemicals or soaps. If you have a pizza stone in your Kamado then don’t use it in your kitchen oven or use soap chemicals or soaps for cleaning. You can either use a simple brush or go for a flip cleaning method. The next step is cleaning the heat deflector, for this, you simply have to allow it to cool and just clean it off with a brush. Since it is made of ceramic it is very easy to clean them.
How To Choose Your Kamado Grill?
Well, this is the most difficult question to be answered. Because choosing a grill for oneself depends on various factors, not just one. Various factors like what I need the grill for? How much can I afford? What do I look for in the grill? How frequently am I going to use them? Is there anything that I would add to them? The answers to these questions are not the same for everyone. Moreover nowadays due to the increasing demand for the Kamado style grill more brands have started producing and selling them in the market.
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They started a customer-oriented marketing approach and there are many new features that these grill makers are trying to incorporate to keep their products competitive in the market. The most popular Kamado grills are big green egg, Akorn, blaze kamado, Duluth forge, Kamado Joe, and the Kong. Which one to select among these is purely your choice. If you are looking for a grill to cook for a large family or to party with your friends then akorn is the best choice as it has a large cooking area. If you are looking for a grill that takes up little storage space then you must go for Duluth Forge or Kamado Joe.
These are just a few suggestions that could help you out in buying your Kamado grill. The ultimate decision is all yours. Ensure that you have gone through the features, review the price, and the warranty details before you place an order. Apart from these features that come along with Kamado grills, there are also other accessories that are commercially available in the market to add extra value to your grill. Although the price range of these grills starts from 500 dollars it is advisable that you go for a Kamado grill that ranges between 1000 to 2000 for higher quality. It is not always necessary to buy one from the market with good quality clay pots. You can also build one for yourself.