9
THE FUNDAMENTALS
DISTANCE
The Fundamentals of Distance
FINDING THE SWEET SPOT
Perhaps your first lesson about fire, heat and distance came
from the great childhood s’more. Maybe you were patient
in the pursuit of the ideal golden toast and you held your
marshmallow high over the fire, waiting. Maybe you craved the
crispy char of a blackened outside so you zipped yours in and
out of the flame. Whatever path you chose to marshmallow
bliss, the lessons learned about proximity to flame apply for
your kamado, too.
THERE ARE THREE WAYS
TO COOK OVER A FIRE:
Typically, when you’re looking for good color and char, you’ll
cook your food close to direct heat. A grill rack installed in
the high position over direct heat delivers incredible flavor as
your food cooks. If you want an extremely hot sear for foods
like burgers and steaks, you’ll cook over direct coals with the
grill rack in the low position. When you’d rather let a steady
fire and flavorful smoke work their magic on foods like brisket,
breads or ribs, you will position your food farther away to take
advantage of indirect heat.
Close and quick > direct heat
Far and slow > indirect heat
DIST
ANCE
10
THE FUNDAMENTALS
DISTANCE
TWO WAYS AT ONCE
Sometimes you’ll want to cook two different ways at the same time. That’s
why we created the Divide & Conquer flexible cooking system. Its innovative
design allows you to create multi-level heat zones—so you can sear a steak
and slow-roast your vegetables simultaneously.
The beauty of this system rests in our signature half-moon design.
First, the halved heat deflectors can either partially block heat to create
two-temperature cooking zones, or completely cover the flame to produce
the ideal indirect heat for baking, smoking and roasting. Using both heat
deflectors effectively converts your kamado from a grill to a charcoal-fired
oven—meaning that anything you cook in an indoor oven can also be cooked
on your Kamado Joe. Installation is flexible, too, allowing you to move
cooking grates and heat deflectors up and down for achieving different high
and low temperatures.
Next, we’ve made our cooking surfaces half-moon shaped as well, giving you
flexibility with what and when you cook. Use one surface for searing pork
chops over open flame and another to roast sweet potatoes—at the same time.
Flexible Cooking System Rack
Halved Cooking Grates
Two Halved Heat Deflectors
Accessory Rack
DIST
ANCE
Far and quick > direct heat
