10 Mistakes Every New Kamado Owner Makes | Don't Be Next
Avoid These and Make Better BBQ Faster
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Introduction
The 10 Kamado Questions Every New Owner Asks
What's up BBQ fans! Today we're talking about the kamado mistakes almost every new owner makes, how to avoid them, and a few tips to make better barbecue. I'm filming on my Komodo Kamado 38, but these apply to any kamado. Let's get into it.
1. Fighting Your Vents
This is the most critical thing to master. Every kamado works the same way: air comes in the bottom vent and out the top, and more airflow means more heat.
Set the bottom vent and leave it. For 225 to 350°F, open it about an inch to an inch and a half, then do all your tweaking with the top vent.
Only open the bottom more if the top is wide open and you still can't hit temp, usually around 350 to 375°F and up.
Never adjust both at once.
Make tiny changes. On my top vent, a 16th of a turn moves the temp about 5°F. On a slider, millimeters matter.
Wait 5 to 10 minutes after each change. Adjust every 2 minutes and you'll be pulling your hair out.
Shut down early. If you want 275°F, start closing down around 250°F. Once a kamado blows past your temp, it's very hard to bring it back down.
2. Skipping the Burp
A kamado is airtight, so the only air coming in is through the bottom vent. Throw the lid open at high temps and you flood it with oxygen, which can mean a flare-up in your face. Burping is simple: lift the lid about an inch, let the air equalize, then open it all the way.
3. Cracking the Ceramic
Cracked fireboxes on mass-produced clay kamados aren't very common anymore, but it can happen at the extremes. In the winter, don't go from freezing to a 700°F pizza fire in 15 minutes. Bring it up slowly, like you wouldn't pour cold water into a hot glass.
When you store it, leave the lid resting on the second lip if yours has one. It takes pressure off the gasket and lets air circulate. A kamado closed tight for a long time can grow mold, and you'll have to burn it off with a hot fire.
4. Expecting It to Heat Like a Gas Grill
Lump is dense and takes time to catch, and the whole kamado needs to heat-soak. That heat soak is what gives you the 360° radiant cooking that turns out such a great product.
To speed it up, get a GrillBlazer GrillGun (use code: RUMANDCOOK to save 10%). I resisted propane for a long time, but it's like a flamethrower. It gets a large area of lump going in about a minute and saves me at least 15 minutes every cook.
5. Using the Wrong Charcoal
No briquettes, ever. Use lump. It's denser, burns hotter, and lasts way longer. I've been using Bear Mountain lump lately and it's been extremely good. Fogo is the premium option, and Jealous Devil and B&B are solid too.
Cheap lump will hit 600°F for a sear, but it has no staying power. You'll also fight temperature swings, and you'll burn a lot more of it, so the cheap bag often costs you more in the long run.
Brands taste different, too. Fogo is lighter on charcoal flavor, Jealous Devil is heavy, and Bear Mountain sits in the middle.
6. Using Lighter Fluid
Absolutely not. On a Weber kettle you soak the briquettes, light them, and leave it open until the chemicals burn off. You can't do that on a kamado without running it to 800 or 900°F. You'll never get rid of that chemical taste.
No GrillGun in the budget? A starter cage with a straw or wax starter, buried in lump, works. My rule of thumb:
Under 225°F: one starter
275 to 300°F: two
Over 450°F: three
7. Wasting Leftover Lump
Say you loaded half a basket and only needed a quarter. Close both vents when you're done. That starves the fire, and the leftover lump is ready for next time. I top it up with a little fresh lump and light it. I've reused the same lump two or three times.
8. Not Enough (or Too Much) Smoke
You're the pitmaster, so it's your fault. But here's what works for me:
Aim for 10 to 15% wood to lump.
Bury 3 or 4 chunks (like Bear Mountain Cherry) at the bottom, under the lump. They smolder through a hot fire and give you cleaner smoke.
About 10 minutes before the meat goes on, add another piece or two on top.
Heavy white smoke is fine early, but cook in thin blue smoke, or you'll get a bitter, acrid taste. And you can add wood mid-cook. It may flare up; close the lid and it'll settle. Meat stops absorbing smoke inside around 160 to 165°F, but the surface keeps catching it, especially with pepper and some moisture on it.
9. Ignoring the Ash
Too much ash chokes the airflow. One day your usual vent settings won't hit temp, and that's why. Clean it out as often as your kamado needs, and more is better.
Wait 24 hours before vacuuming. Ash stays hot a long time.
Scooping sooner? Use a metal bucket only. Ash can reignite when you move it.
On the 38 I scrape ash aside to keep the air channel open and shop-vac it every couple of months, cooking every weekend.
10. Starting With a Brisket
Don't. There's nothing worse than spending 12 to 14 hours and $100 to $150 on a brisket that turns out terrible. Build up to it:
Grill first: burgers, steaks, a reverse sear. Holding 350 to 600°F is easier than holding low temps.
Whole chicken: you'll never buy a grocery store rotisserie chicken again.
Then pork: ribs (4 to 6 hours, about 3 at 275°F) or a pork butt (8 to 9 hours). Pork is forgiving.
Then chuck roast, a shorter cook that still turns out delicious.
Then brisket.
Final Thoughts
Have patience. Tweak once and wait. Barbecue is a craft that takes thousands of hours, so study, learn from other people's mistakes, and have fun. Stick with it, and in five years you'll be making even better barbecue.
Thanks For Watching
Whether you're a seasoned pitmaster or a novice, these tips will enhance your cooking skills and leave your family and friends raving about your delicious, smoky creations. Don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel for more step-by-step videos, and let's together become the barbecue heroes we were meant to be!
*Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. You will pay the same price, but I will earn a small percentage, which will help support the channel.
