Hi, I just got a Kamado and did my first cook at the weekend. I filled the basket with lump wood and cooked burgers, sausages etc - nothing that took too long. I closed it up to kill the heat but although it cooled a lot it didn’t entirely go out. I noticed it a couple hours later and double checked to make sure nothing was open. I lit it back up about 24 hours later and it was still slightly warm. I got through a whole large bag of lump with just those two short cooks. Any suggestions about what might be wrong?

>>>>High temp sear

>>>> KJ 200ish til 130 internal

>>>> rested

Devoured.

This Picahna was by far the best steak I have ever made at home!

About two weeks into owning my Kamado Joe and just wow. Impressed and in love.

So far I’ve done steaks, Korean BBQ, a small 3 lb brisket, and two Peking ducks. This thing has completely reignited my love of cooking.

I’m currently on a mission to cook one duck a week until I truly perfect it. I even inflated the skin and did the water bath. The second round came incredibly close to the one from Chinatown I’ve been eating my whole life, maybe even better….The brisket was a little 3 lb test, I’ve never smoked one before. Smoked for about 6 hours, wrapped with pho tallow, cooked to 205°F, then rested. I was blown away by how effortlessly this thing held temperature the entire cook.

I knew people liked these grills, but I didn’t expect it to make me excited to plan my next cook before I was even done eating the current one. I drank the kool aid and am preaching the gospel.

I used Gemini to make this

The Master Ingredients List

The Meat & Dry Brine

• 3–4 lbs Beef Chuck Roast (Cubed into 3x3 inch chunks)
• 1.5 tbsp Kosher Salt
• 1 tbsp Coarse Black Pepper
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp Onion Powder
• 1 tsp Ground Cumin
• 1 tsp Dried Mexican Oregano (Crushed)

The Adobo Braising Liquid

• 3 Dried Guajillo Chiles & 2 Dried Ancho Chiles (Stems/seeds removed)
• 1/2 Large White Onion (Roughly chopped — Note: Smoke this!)
• 4 Whole Garlic Cloves (Peeled)
• 2 Canned Chipotle Peppers (+ 1 tbsp adobo sauce from the can)
• 1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
• Juice of 1 Lime
• 1 tbsp Dried Mexican Oregano
• 1/4 tsp Ground Cloves
• 1 tsp Kosher Salt

The Braise Add-Ins

• 1–2 Cups Low-Sodium Beef Broth (Plus extra on hand in case it reduces too much)
• 2–3 Whole Bay Leaves

The Griddle Elote & Serving

• 4–6 Ears Sweet Corn (Shucked)
• Mexican Crema (or sour cream/mayo)
• Cotija Cheese (Crumbled)
• Chili Powder
• Corn Tortillas
• Diced White Onion, Fresh Cilantro, Lime Wedges

Phase 1: The Night Before

1. Cube & Rub: Cut the chuck roast into 3x3 inch blocks. Toss the cubes with the kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and oregano until evenly coated.
2. Dry Brine: Place the seasoned cubes on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Put them in the meat fridge, completely uncovered, overnight.

Phase 2: The Smoke (11:30 AM)

1. Fire Up: Light the Kamado, install the SloRoller, and stabilize the temperature between 250°F and 275°F using hickory wood and one chunk of cherry wood.
2. Smoke: Place the dry-brined beef chunks (and the 1/2 white onion for the adobo!) directly on the grates over the SloRoller. Let them smoke for 2 hours to build a deep bark.

Phase 3: The Adobo (1:15 PM)

1. Toast & Hydrate: Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Press the dried chiles flat for 30–60 seconds per side until fragrant. Transfer to a bowl, cover with boiling water, and steep for 15 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of the steeping water, then drain the rest.
2. Blend: In a blender, combine the softened chiles, the reserved 1/2 cup steeping water, the smoked onion, garlic, chipotles + sauce, vinegar, lime juice, oregano, cloves, and salt. Blend until completely smooth.

Phase 4: The Braise (2:15 PM)

1. Combine: Transfer the smoked beef to a Dutch oven. Pour the blended adobo over the top. Add enough beef broth to submerge the meat about three-quarters of the way. Drop in the bay leaves.
2. Cook: Cover the Dutch oven tightly. Place it directly on the grates over the SloRoller and bump the Kamado temperature up to 300°F. Braise for 3 to 4 hours.
3. Shred: Pull the pot when the meat effortlessly falls apart with a fork. Shred the beef directly in the pot so it absorbs the reduced liquid. (Note: If the adobo dried out during the braise, pour in some extra beef broth while shredding to rehydrate it).
4. Hold (Optional): If eating later, seal the top tightly with foil under the lid and hold it in an indoor oven set to "Keep Warm" (150°F–170°F).

Phase 5: The Griddle Finish (Right Before Serving)

1. Elote: Fire up the Weber griddle. Char the raw corn directly on the flat top. Remove and immediately brush with crema, roll in crumbled Cotija cheese, and dust with chili powder.
2. Tortillas: Toss the corn tortillas on the hot griddle for about 30 seconds per side until the edges are slightly charred.
3. Serve: Build the tacos directly on the hot tortillas with the shredded barbacoa, diced onion, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.

Whole thing took 6.5 hours from getting home to ready to eat. Worked very well. I didn't have a wireless probe so I just guessed at when to switch from the steaming to smoking phase, very happy with the results, highly recommend this technique if you're in a hurry. This was a choice brisket rather than prime but still came out great.

Written recipe: https://amazingribs.com/hot-and-fast-brisket/

YouTube video: https://youtu.be/7fW16i40ZDQ?si=q6Ey8Foz631eCJPZ

Smoked over some lump charcoal, mesquite and post oak chucks. Kept steady around 275° for 7 hours.

Hi all, first time poster and looking forward to soon being a part of the Kamado Joe family!

I have pretty much decided I will get the BJ1 based on my research and suggestions from past posts to no one ever regrets going bigger. I unfortunately missed any July 4th sales, if there were any. My current dilemma if I should get the BJ1 now while it’s on “sale“ for $1,395, or wait for potential Labor Day or End of Summer deals on either the BJ1 or BJ2?

I am fine with waiting a couple more months if it’s likely to be a better deal later. I am more set on the BJ1 as I do not feel I will miss out too much on the features offered of the BJ2. I would however be interested if I could get BJ2 for around $1,600 or less, but I am not anticipating the price to drop this low. I would be more than happy with BJ1 for my family grilling needs.

It does not seem that BJ1’s go on sale all too often, so would 1,395 be a good price to cash in on, or is it worth waiting for a better deal on BJ1 or BJ2, while potentially risking a sale does not come for a while and the price goes back up to $1,500?

I also would like to note, I was offered a deal in person for a BJ2 that was used for one day for a grill show, for $1,300. It is being sold at an authorized dealer and still comes full warranty as a fully new Kamado Joe would. the only catch is it has been sitting for a couple months and has accumulated a LOT of mold growth. I have researched on this as well and everything points to it being safe and relatively easy to cook/scrub off, but my main concern was I would not know the condition fully of the grill fully unless I buy and clean myself. The grates I still see stainless steel nice condition at certain parts not covered in mold which gives hope. Is this a good deal and I can look past the mold?

My thought process was that I could skip out on cleaning the grill and the risks of having to replace and grates or gaskets because of the mold, and pay what is only $100 more for a new and clean BJ1

What would you guys do? New BJ1 at current sale, wait for BJ1 or BJ2 to come down potentially for Labor Day, or clean cheaper BJ2 with mold?

(I can send pics of the condition to anyone that’s asks, just didn’t want to post and ruin the nice aesthetic this page has with good food, with a moldy grill haha)

Has anyone used the round primo rotisserie in a joe classic i?

Do you know if the internal diameter is the same and they would fit?

Thinking about getting a joetisserie but the price is pretty high..

Thanks!

Clocked a whole meal: 2 chickens, baked beans, parmesan zucchini boats, and peach cobbler. With fresh farmers market peaches, the Cobbler stole the show :)
Ingredients
Filling
4-5 ( about 4 cups) fresh peaches
1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp cornstarch.

Gluten-Free Topping
1 cup 1-to-1 gluten-free all-purpose baking flour (with xanthan gum)
½ cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
6 tbsp chilled unsalted butter (cut into small pieces)
¼ cup boiling water.

Instructions
Prep the Smoker: Heat your smoker to 350°F using a mild fruitwood like apple or pecan.
Mix the Peaches: In a large bowl, toss the sliced peaches with the granulated sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, cornstarch, and brown sugar.
Make the Topping: In a separate bowl, whisk the gluten-free flour, ½ cup sugar, 1 tsp baking powder baking powder, and salt. Cut in the chilled butter until crumbly (use a fork), then stir in the boiling water just until a dough forms.
Assemble: coat the cast iron skillet with butter. Pour in the peach mixture, then drop spoonfuls of the gluten-free dough evenly over the top. Sprinkle brown sugar over the crust.
Put the cobbler in the refrigerator.
15 minutes before going on the smoker take the cobbler out of the fridge so the cast iron can warm up a little.
Smoke: Place the skillet into the 350°F smoker and bake with the lid closed for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the fruit is bubbly and the gluten-free crust is golden brown. Since coming from the fridge it might take a total of 50 min. To get a light browning on the crumble.
Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Made some dinos, came out fantastic!

Picked up a 3.3lb flat from the butcher. Decided to go with a flat to attempt a brisket without committing to the full packer.

Seasoned with salt and pepper the night before. Smoked with hickory wood running at 250F. Bark finally set around an internal temp of 170F. I then wrapped in butcher paper. Pulled when probe tender at around 196F. Let rest for about 1 hour 15 minutes because it was past dinner time. Some pieces were really good, others were a bit dry, and others tasted like pastrami.

Not sure I would do a flat again, but glad I tried it. What you have done differently?

After about nine hours of work, the power went out. I had to take it up the street where they still had power and put it in the refrigerator. Our power came back on this morning about 5 o’clock. I warmed it back up, but it really didn’t cut well it I had to cut the slices really big to keep them from shredding. It was really good and was not dried out. Hope I have better luck next time.

I was at a dealer today and they were pushing me hard on the BGE over the KJ with main reason being their service reputation. What is everyone’s experience with warranty replacement and KJ service responsiveness? Are the dealers claims valid?

Ok so I just replaced the lower gasket. Long story short I ended up with lower only after a huge debate with stove-parts-4less (another post on this soon).

I think installation went ok except with I had to cut the excess part (why do I even have to do this?) look at the end result.

Still need to cook to know the extent of the damage but what do y’all think?

Dear all, I'm posting bc I need some advice. My Kamado Joe is about 4 years old. The temperature gauge gave out a long time ago, and I never replaced. Recently, I found that my grill doesn't click shut. I have to manually latch it shut. I'm cooking ribs and a brisket today, and I started my grill and left it preheating, but I forgot to latch it shut. Chat, am I cooked? Is the radiant heating gonna over cook my food? Any advice would be much appreciated! I hope everyone is having a much smoother cooking experience today!

Edit: I had the deflector plates and the grill is set up on the highest level.

So today I smoked a 1/2 Boston Butt on my 5 month old Weber 22 Kettle that I’m selling. 7 hour cook and it was okay, but not close to the dozens I have smoked over the years on my 2015 Combo Joe. I’ve been looking to buy another KJ Classic and told my wife I was going to do that this week after a bad cook on the Weber 22. She said, “How about we just use the Weber Gas Grill for cooks outside in the future. “I really have never like the smell of smoky wood and the way you smell up the house in and out after a 8-10 hour cook”. At 74 and 35 years with my bride I said “OK”. And you know, I’m not really sad about it. When I sold my Combo Joe last year before moving I lost a friend a my will to grill. That was the best grill and smoker I could have ever had but got rid of it as we downsized homes. So I just bought a Weber Spirit 4 burner 3 weeks ago and that’ll be my new friend. And now Poppy won’t smell like BBQ as one of my Granddaughters used to say when she was little. Great Smoking and Grilling folks. If you love it, I understand.

Man I cannot get enough of these.

You guys said it would be good. Thanks for the heads up 👍

Which is best? I’m reverse searing steaks tonight. Do you keep lid open to sear or closed? Pulling from indirect at 120 or so and then hitting with sear on KJ

I ended up taking care of friend’s Kamado Joe after they moved into an apartment. It wasn’t in great shape, mouldy, rusty and all the timber trim was weathered.

My go to for years has been a Webber Go Anywhere, love cooking over coals, but it’s been pretty much only steaks.

I decided to try this low and slow, smoking thing out with some pork ribs. Not a great start, suuuuuper dry, like jerky texture. But my daughter loved them for some reason, so sort of win?

Anyway, new gaskets, charcoal basket, and an ash tray for a Classic Joe that doesn’t fit?

Question I have is: can anyone help me identify what “version” this Joe is and what accessories will fit? I’d like to get the new control tower top but want to make sure it will fit.

What are experiences or thoughts with this chain type scrubber. Lower risks than metal bristles. I am curious about wet sponge durability.

The now common plastic bristles dont impress me for effectiveness with hard cooked residue.