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Using your grill for the first time
•
It is necessary to “cure” your grill when you use it for the first time, curing your ceramic charcoal barbecue is important for its long-term operation
and care. Avoiding the curing procedure could lead to damage on the unit. If the first “burns” are too hot, they could damage the felt gasket seal
before it has had the chance to mature with use.
•
DO
NOT
remove the grey felt bead from the joining edging of the base and the lid, This gasket provides the air seal for the grill around the centre.
•
It is advised to do a longer slower burn in the your grill the first time you use it or before you first cook with your grill, this will allow the seals to
cure and will help remove any smells or residues that may be in the grill following manufacture and transportation, it will ensuring a better first
cooking experience as well as prolonging the life of the materials in the grill. This process provides an excellent opportunity for you to see how
your Kamado grill burns and how to control the temperature, this grill offers a large temperature range and excellent controllability so take this
opportunity to learn how to safely control your grill.
•
After the first couple of times you use your grill when it is cool check all the fixings and hardware and tighten where required, use a small amount
of light oil or
WD
40 to lubricate the hinge and hasp lock, this process should be repeated regularly to ensure the good working condition of your
grill.
• Warning! High temperature cooking - Get into the habit of opening your grill by 3-5cm and pausing for two or three seconds before
fully opening the grill, introducing a large amount of air quickly could cause the grill to dangerously flare up this is more likely at higher
temperatures.
Lighting your grill
• Open the lid and remove the grill, Open the bottom inlet vent fully (and the top exhaust vent in the hinging top section) fully. Fill the inner ceramic
fire bowl with a good quality charcoal to approximately 3-5cm above the ventilation holes. Using a natural solid fire lighter block and place into the
charcoal lumps.
• Leave the lid open for 5-10 minutes until the charcoal is well alight. It is recommended that the charcoal is not moved to stoked after it is well
alight, you will get a move even and better heat if they are left alone. Close the lid and set the vents as described in the section “Regulating the
temperature”.
•
DO
NOT
not begin cooking with your grill until the charcoal pieces have a good coating of ash on them, only handle grill components with heat
resistant gloves.
• Close the lid to allow the temperature within the grill to rise, ensure the air vents top and bottom are initially open, you can now begin to regulate
the flow of air through the grill and so the temperature.
• Try not to add fuel to the grill during cooking as this will alter the temperature dramatically and affect the evenness and length of the cooking
process.
• For the best results we recommend you use natural charcoal or untreated wood for cooking and untreated wood chips for smoking for the best
possible flavours.
Regulating the temperature
•
Open vents will allow a greater flow of air and create
HIGHER
temperatures.
• Nearly closed vents will allow less air through and result in
LOWER
temperatures.
•
Closed vents will almost completely remove the flow and air and will slowly extinguish the grill.
• Once the grill begins to get up to your desired temperature (normally between 150ºC and 200ºC) reduce both the upper and lower vents down to a
minimal level, allowing the grill to stay alight but maintain temperature.
• Fine tune your temperature by adjusting from there, always try to keep the upper and lower vents in unison (both half open, both a quarter open
and so on).
• When the thermometer indicates the desired temperature, you can start grilling.
Extinguishing
•
After you have finished cooking do not add any further fuel, close the lid and shut of the air vents to starve the fire of oxygen and allow the grill to
die naturally and cool slowly.
•
Never try to cool the fire with water or any other artificial means as this can damage the grill components and ceramic liners.
Storage
• When not in use, and if stored outside, cover the ceramic charcoal barbecue once completely cooled with a suitable rain cover.
• It is recommended the ceramic charcoal grill be stored under cover in a garage or shed when not being used for long periods of time.
Cleaning and Maintenance
•
Charcoal can be reused if you have unspent fuel left in your grill from a previous use, although, always ensure the fire bowl is cleaned of ash,
spent fuel and other debris which may restrict airflow before relighting.
•
Vents, grills and air holes must be kept clear and cleaned before each use, this will maximise your Kamado’s efficiency and give you the most
control.
• Outside surfaces can be wiped down with a damp cloth or sponge using a mild non abrasive detergent, ensure the grill is dried well before use.
• The inner surfaces of the grill will self clean during the heating and cooling process, although food debris can be brushed down with a stiff non
abrasive brush.
• The ceramic surfaces can be wiped over the a
DRY
soft cloth or brush
DO
NOT
use water or other fluids, ceramics can be porous and if heated
could crack, ensure all components are cool before starting and dried thoroughly before being assembled back into the grill.
