What is a kamado, what can you do with it, and is this ceramic barbecue really so much better than a standard barbecue? The kamado has added a new dimension to barbecuing. Baking pizzas, bread and pies, grilling, slow cooking, smoking or steaming, you name it. You can make the most delicious dishes on a kamado.
How does a kamado barbecue work?
A kamado is no ordinary barbecue. Its strength lies partly in the combination of the oval shape and the possibility to regulate the air flow. Ceramic kamados also have the advantage of the material, which insulates and reflects heat.
You need to close the lid during cooking. This has to be done after each action and with every cooking technique. As soon as the lid is closed, the shape of the kamado creates a current of hot air. Because only some of the air can escape, the heat circulates around the ingredient or dish, a bit like a charcoal-fired convection oven. By closing the lid, you make sure that as little heat as possible is lost and that the ceramic barbecue maintains the desired temperature. This gives you good control over the cooking process.
The advantages and disadvantages of a kamado
If you already have a kamado, you know what the advantages are and you know it is well worth the investment. It adds unsurpassed flavour to ingredients and dishes, it cooks them evenly and it keeps them nice and juicy. If you are thinking about purchasing a ceramic barbecue, we recommend making a list of the advantages and the disadvantages. Our most popular formats, such as the Large and the XLarge, are a lot heavier than a standard barbecue. That can present problems, although a base with wheels solves many of these problems. It is also certainly a considerable investment, but you can do so much more with a kamado than with an ordinary barbecue. You can use it to grill, bake, cook, smoke, steam and stir-fry and also for low and slow cooking.
Are you worried that the ceramic material may be fragile? Read the Warranty Terms & Conditions. They vary per brand. In the case of Big Green Egg, we offer a limited lifetime warranty on the material and manufacture of all ceramic parts. The ceramic material is so important because it reflects heat and has powerful insulating properties, whereby charcoal consumption is a lot lower than that of a standard barbecue. In addition, you can regulate the temperature accurately, which makes it very easy to use.
What is the maximum temperature of a kamado?
The Big Green Egg not only allows for accurate temperature regulation, it also has an enormous temperature range of 70 to 350°C. It can go even higher, but this is not really necessary and it affects the durability of the felt around the ceramic base and lid. Do you want to bake pizzas with a delicious crispy base at a high temperature? Fire up the charcoal by fully opening the air vents. This will allow the oxygen to do its thing, making the charcoal burn more intensely and causing the temperature to rise. If you’re going for a low and slow session to make pulled pork, for example, just limit the amount of oxygen and this will lower the temperature. You will soon discover how easy it is to regulate the temperature of your kamado.
Get the most out of your kamado with accessories
Accessories are not essential but they do make your ceramic barbecue more versatile. You can create a barrier between the glowing charcoal and your ingredient or dish with a heat shield under the grid, allowing you to cook indirectly. This is the perfect setup for baking crispy bread or delicious pie or a low and slow cooked dish. If you place a pizza stone on your grid, you can turn the kamado grill into a stone oven for a perfect pizza. Or how about a Flammkuchen with a delicious crispy base?
If you want to cook or stew, a good heat-resistant pan such as the Dutch Oven is indispensable. And for smoking, you’ll need smoking wood or chunks.
You can grill on a standard grid, but for genuine grill masters, a cast-iron grid is the perfect tool for creating a beautiful grill pattern. There are many accessories available to make cooking on a kamado even more versatile!
Which kamado sizes are there?
Before you buy a kamado, it is important to decide what you’re going to use it for. Do you like travelling and are you planning to take your cooking equipment with you as often as you can? Then one of the smaller models will probably be the best choice. Is the kamado intended as the main feature of your outdoor kitchen, do you have a big family or do you often have friends over for dinner? Then you should consider a Medium, Large or XLarge model because they are more versatile. Do you think you’ll need an enormous cooking surface, because you’re a professional and you use your kamado for events, or because you have a huge outdoor kitchen? Then a 2XL might be perfect for you. If you’re not sure, you can always go to one of the stores that sell kamados and ask for advice.
Why is the Big Green Egg a unique kamado?
Are you convinced that you need a kamado in your life? Then you’ll want the best you can get, of course. Reliability, ease of use and delicious results are incredibly important, as is the corresponding service. Big Green Egg, the kamado pioneer, more than meets these requirements. Big Green Egg was launched in 1974 and is unique in its kind. It is the only kamado barbecue that is produced in a state-of-the-art factory in Mexico and is made of a ceramic material based on NASA technology. The unique ceramics and the protective, weather-resistant double layer of glaze give the Big Green Egg extremely high insulating properties. This makes the kamado remarkably economical in terms of charcoal use and resistant to extreme outdoor temperatures. It also keeps the temperature within the EGG very stable.
The ultimate combination of construction, manufacturing process and unparalleled ceramics gives the Big Green Egg a longer lifespan than comparable kamados. No matter how often you use the Big Green Egg, the quality of the product remains 100% guaranteed!
About Big Green Egg
Want to know more about Big Green Egg? Read all about our long history, our unique ceramics from Mexico and everything else that makes the EGG so special here.
