Kamado cooker goes back thousands of years, and the kamado grill we use today is just as useful and functional. Understanding how the insulated, egg-shaped kamado grill works can be challenging initially, but once learned, a chef can produce amazing meals with burgers, pizza, kabobs, vegetables, and meats.
How is Kamado cooker is Made?
When comparing kamado cookers, notice how they are made. Usually, they are ceramic, but some can be cast iron or steel. They have thick walls that provide great insulation, and they can maintain very high or low temperatures. A kamado cooker has a lid with a hinge and has space above and below the grates for air to freely move. They are perfect for grilling and smoking foods.
There are several kamado grill manufacturers, and the grills come in many sizes and colors. Some kamados are small and portable. They are perfect for taking along on a camping trip. Other kamado grills are huge and can roast larger cuts with ease. Manufacturers make them to last, and they come at a high price tag. They typically range from $750 to $1300, but some think their cooking abilities make them worth every penny.
Kamado: The Ancient Method
People think that the Chinese brought the idea of clay cooking to Japan around 300 A.D. The Japanese changed these cookers over time and finally made the first rice cooker, the mushikamado. This pot held the rice and could keep the rice slowly cooking. The Japanese used these until they invented electric rice cookers in the mid-1900s. They then added cooking grates to the mushikamado so they could cook meat and fish.
After World War II, soldiers who had been in Japan brought these cookers back to the United States. They changed the designs, added vents, and eventually invented the kamado grill we recognize today. Ed Fisher created the first American kamado cooker, the Big Green Egg, in the 1970s. He made the excellent improvement of using high-quality ceramic for the grill so that it would last longer and perform better.
Why a Kamado grills well
Kamado grills have advantages over other charcoal and gas grills. They are made of ceramic and are better insulated, so they do a much better job retaining heat. After the grill reaches the set temperature, it can maintain that temperature very efficiently, using less charcoal. Kamado grills help food stay moist even during long, low-temperature cooking.
Versatility of Kamados
Kamados are fantastic for smoking and cooking meats. They are also excellent at cooking pizzas because they move hot air around in a way that melts the cheese on top and keeps the crust crisp and chewy on the bottom. Kamados cook chicken, burgers, steak, and even bread beautifully.
Kamado Charcoal
Most manufacturers recommend natural lump charcoal to fuel their kamado grills. Lump charcoal is made of just natural hardwoods, burned, then bagged. It lights quickly and burns hot. It is easy to control the heat when cooking in the kamado because of the air vents. This hardwood lump charcoal gives a great tasting and pure smoke flavor to all the foods cooked inside.
Start doing some research now to find the perfect kamado grill. Families that enjoy grilling may find that once they use a kamado grill, all other grills must go.
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