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Curing the Komodo Kamado 38
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Introduction
The Komodo Kamado Curing Process
What's up BBQ fans! Today I'm taking my new Komodo Kamado 38 Goldilocks edition through the curing process. This applies to every Komodo Kamado model.
Do you have to cure it right away? No. If you're doing low and slow smokes under 400°F, you can push the curing process down the road. My first cook on this one was ribs. But before searing, pizza, rotisserie or anything above 400°F, you need to cure it. I have a higher-temperature cook coming up, and I really want to grill a steak.
What Curing Does
There's a solvent behind the tiles that holds them in place, and the grout expands with the kamado as it heats. The factory kiln-dries them to cure most of that solvent, but sometimes not all of it. Curing at home gets it hot from the inside for longer to finish the job. Don't be intimidated. It's easy. My 32 was uneventful, and sometimes it's already 100% cured from the factory.
Storage Basics for New Owners
Top vent: just close it until it touches. Don't crank on it, or you'll ruin the gasket.
Shutting down: close everything, wait 20 to 30 minutes for the fire to go out, then crack the top vent.
Latch: the handle has two clicks. The first click is storage/venting mode. It takes pressure off the gasket and lets a little air through, so condensation and mold don't build up. Push firmly to the second click for cooking mode. If the handle is hot while cooking, it isn't locked in all the way.
Set Up the Fire
Three-quarter basket. Slide the basket splitter over. Leftover lump from your last cook is fine to relight.
Good lump. I used some Fogo I'd had for a few years, with nice big chunks. Cheap lump fizzles out and fluctuates. You get what you pay for. My go-tos are Komodo Kamado Coco Char, their coffee wood lump and Fogo.
Light a small area only with the GrillGun (use code: RUMANDCOOK to save 10%). About a minute is all it takes. Light too much and it gets hot too fast. With wax cubes, use two or three scattered around.
Bring It Up Slowly
The ceramic is thick, with an insulation layer, so it takes a while to heat-soak. Go slow and use this as the perfect time to learn your vents.
Start with the bottom vent wide open until about 200°F, then set it small and do everything else with the top vent. Under 400°F, the half-moon on one side is plenty. Don't adjust the bottom and top together, or you'll chase temperatures all day.
Step up in about 20-minute blocks: 250°F, then 350°F, then 400°F.
A little goes a long way. Make a change and wait 5 to 10 minutes.
More air in and out equals more heat, just like a Weber kettle. Less air up top with more at the bottom traps more smoke.
At 375°F, I was 3½ turns out on top with the bottom at a quarter. It wouldn't climb further, so I opened the bottom to half and it hit 400°F right away. At 525°F, I was at three-quarters on the bottom and four turns on top. Your settings depend on your lump, how much you load and your model. On the 23, use a full basket.
If it overshoots, cut the airflow. Close the bottom down to a quarter and be patient. A heat-soaked kamado takes a while to come down, but it will.
The Cure
Hold 500°F to 525°F. I went about 2 hours 45 minutes at 525°F, then 45 minutes at 550°F to make sure.
Watch the grout. You may smell the solvent, see a little bubbling or white spots around the tiles, and get hairline cracks. All normal.
If a tile starts lifting, poke a small hole in the grout with a nail to let the pressure out. Push the tile back down as it cools.
Fill hairline cracks while it's hot and expanded. Dab grout on your finger and brush it in. After 8 to 12 hours, rub with a soft, non-abrasive sponge and soapy water. The grout sticks to itself but not the tile. Fill cracks so moisture can't get behind the tiles.
Mine was very uneventful. I smelled the solvent, saw a few white spots and hairline cracks, and no tiles lifted. I only used about half the three-quarter basket.
Clean-up tip: Zep 505, 409 or Simple Green takes the white solvent residue right off. Zep 505 will become your new best friend for grease on the stainless top, too.
Final Thoughts
Give yourself most of a day. I started around 11:00 AM and was done by 4:30 PM. Once it's done, it's preheated, so you could throw on some burgers. Next up, a video that shows just how big the 38 really is.
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!
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