Kamado Joe Classic II OWNER’S MANUAL

KAMADO JOE CLASSIC II OWNER’S MANUAL

A GUIDE TO

KAMADO COOKING

Additional manual language translations available at kamadojoe.com.

Table of Contents

Warnings

Parts List & Tools Required

Grill Set-Up Instructions

Internal Assembly Instructions

The Art of Kamado

The Fundamentals of Fire

The Fundamentals of Smoke

The Fundamentals of Distance

The Fundamentals of Surfaces

The Technique of Grilling

The Technique of Searing

The Technique of Baking

The Technique of Roasting

The Technique of Smoking

Classic Air Lift Hinge Adjustments

Safety Information

Cleaning & Care

Warranty & Registration

Quick Start Guide

Finding the Spark

What flame does to food is something hard to describe. Almost magical, fire brings out sweetness, heightens flavor, deepens complexity. The pursuit of this taste sparked my passion for grilling 20 years ago—and began a search that would lead me to the kamado tradition. I tried everything from high-end gas grills to traditional charcoal briquette grills; the smoky taste of the charcoal intrigued me, but I kept exploring. Eventually, I discovered the same tenderness and flavor that American soldiers first tasted in Japan on the kamado decades ago.

After years of cooking on a kamado grill, I decided to make my own and make it better. We focused on super-premium materials and cooking innovation; the result was Kamado Joe. Our grills are the best kamado-style cookers in the world, and beyond that, one of the best ways you can cook. With six kids in my family, I spend a lot of time cooking. And thinking about cooking. So what I love most about the Kamado Joe is its ability to make dinner something we all do together. After we launched Kamado Joe, we heard the same thing from people like you. You like the superior flavor of the food you’re grilling—but more than that, you love the experience of firing up your kamado, pouring a drink and letting the cares of your day fade.

Whether this is your first kamado grill or your fourth, I hope this guide inspires you to light it up, gather friends and family, try new foods and chase that wonderful, wood-fired flavor. Just like thousands of others have before us.

Fire it up!

Bobby Brennan

WARNINGS

WARNING

• This manual contains important information necessary for the proper assembly and safe use of the appliance.

• Read and follow all warnings and instructions before assembling and using the appliance.

• Keep this manual for future reference.

Failure to follow these instructions could result in fire, explosion

or burn hazard which could cause property damage, personal injury or death.

CARBON MONOXIDE HAZARD

• Burning charcoal or wood chips gives off carbon monoxide, which has no odor and can cause death.

• Use only outdoors where it is well ventilated.

WARNINGS

WARNINGS AND IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS

READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS

• WARNING! This barbecue will become very hot. Do not move it during operation.

• WARNING! Do not use indoors!

• WARNING! Do not use alcohol, gasoline or other similar liquids to light or relight the barbeque.

• WARNING! Keep children and pets away from grill at all times. Do NOT allow children to use grill. Close supervision is necessary when children or pets are in the area where grill is being used.

• Do not use the barbecue in a confined and/or habitable space e.g. houses, tents, caravans, motor homes, boats. Danger of carbon monoxide poisoning fatality.

• Always use grill in accordance with all applicable local, state and federal fire codes.

• Before each use check all nuts, screws and bolts to make sure they are tight and secure.

• Never operate grill under overhead construction such as roof coverings, carports, awnings or overhangs.

• Grill is for OUTDOOR USE ONLY.

• Maintain a minimum distance of 10 ft. (3m) from overhead construction, walls, rails or other structures.

• Keep a minimum 10 ft. (3m) clearance of all combustible materials such as wood, dry plants, grass, brush, paper or canvas.

WARNINGS

WARNINGS AND IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS

• Never use grill for anything other than its intended use. This grill is NOT for commercial use.

• Accessory attachments not supplied by Kamado Joe are NOT recommended and may cause injury.

• Use of alcohol, prescription or non-prescription drugs may impair user’s ability to assemble or safely operate grill.

• Keep a ﬁ re extinguisher accessible at all times while operating grill.

• When cooking with oil or grease, have a type BC or ABC ﬁ re extinguisher readily available.

• In the event of an oil or grease ﬁ re do not attempt to extinguish with water. Immediately call the ﬁ re department. A type BC or ABC ﬁ re extinguisher may, in some circumstances, contain the ﬁ re.

• Use grill on a level, non-combustible, stable surface such as dirt, concrete, brick or rock. An asphalt surface (blacktop) may not be acceptable for this purpose.

• Grill MUST be on the ground. Do not place grill on tables or counters. Do NOT move grill across uneven surfaces.

• Do not use grill on wooden or ﬂ ammable surfaces.

• Keep grill clear and free from combustible materials such as gasoline and other ﬂ ammable vapors and liquids.

• Do not leave grill unattended.

• Do NOT allow anyone to conduct activities around grill during or following its use until it has cooled.

• Never use glass, plastic or ceramic cookware in grill. Never place empty cookware in grill while in use.

• Never move grill while in use. Allow grill to cool completely (below 115°F (45°C)) before moving or storing.

• Do not store grill with hot ashes or charcoal inside grill. Store only when ﬁ re is completely out and all surfaces are cold.

• Never use grill as a heater. READ CARBON MONOXIDE HAZARD.

• The grill is HOT while in use and will remain HOT for a period of time afterwards and during cooling process. Use CAUTION. Wear protective gloves/mitts.

• DO NOT bump or impact the grill to prevent personal harm, damage to grill or spillage/splashing of hot cooking liquid.

WARNINGS

WARNINGS AND IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS

• Be careful when removing food from grill. All surfaces are HOT and may cause burns. Use protective gloves/mitts or long, sturdy cooking tools for protection from hot surfaces or splatter from cooking liquids.

• Do not touch HOT surfaces.

• Grill is HOT during use. To avoid burns, keep face and body away from vents and when opening lid. Steam and hot air are expelled during use.

• When cooking above 350°F (177°C), carefully open the grill (or burp the grill) each time you lift the grill dome to prevent ﬂ ashback – a surge of white-hot heat caused by a rush of oxygen. Partially opening the lid 2-3 inches (5-8cm) and allowing heat to escape for about 5 seconds should prevent this.

• Air dampers are HOT while the grill is in use and during cooling. Wear protective gloves when adjusting.

• Grill has an open ﬂ ame. Keep hands, hair and face away from ﬂ ame. Do NOT lean over grill when lighting. Loose hair and clothing may catch ﬁ re.

• DO NOT obstruct ﬂ ow of combustion and ventilation.

• Do not cover cooking racks with metal foil. This will trap heat and may cause damage to the grill.

• Never leave HOT coals or ashes unattended.

• Fuel should be kept red hot for at least 30 minutes prior to use.

• Do not cook before the fuel has a coating of ash.

• Use protective gloves when handling this grill or working with ﬁ re. Use protective gloves or long, sturdy tools when adding wood or charcoal.

• Never use charcoal lighting ﬂ uid, gasoline, alcohol or other highly volatile ﬂ uids to ignite charcoal. These ﬂ uids can explode and cause injury or death.

• The maximum amount of charcoal for the Classic II is 6 lbs. (2.7 kg).

Never overﬁ ll charcoal grate. This can cause serious injury as well as

damage to the grill.

• Dispose of cold ashes by placing them in aluminum foil, soaking with water and discarding in a non-combustible container.

SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS

ASSEMBLY8

7 8

1. CLASSIC II CART (1) KJ-MC23

2. STAINLESS CLASSIC CART SCREWS (4)

KJ-MCSCREW

3. LOCKING SWIVEL CASTERS (2) KJ-CL23 NON-LOCKING SWIVEL CASTERS (2) KJ-CL23

4. KONTROL TOWER TOP VENT (1) KJ-KT

5. GRILL DOME (1) KJ-CD23R

6. GRILL BASE (1) KJ-CB23R

7. ASH TOOL (1) KJ-P23HB

8. GRILL GRIPPER (1) KJ-GG

9. HEAT DEFLECTORS (2) KJ-HDP

10. ACCESSORY RACK (1) KJ-XR

11. HALVED COOKING GRATES (2) KJ-HCG

12. DIVIDE & CONQUER FLEXIBLE COOKING SYSTEM (1) KJ-FCR

13. STAINLESS STEEL FIREBOX COVER (1) KJ-SSFBC

14. CAST IRON GRATE (1) KJ-MFG23

15. FIREBOX WALLS (5) KJ-MPFBSIDE23

16. FIREBOX BASE (1) KJ-MPFBBASE23

17. SLIDE-OUT ASH DRAWER (1) KJ-AC23

Tools required for assembly: Phillips screwdriver

Grill Set-Up

UNBOXING YOUR GRILL 1 Cut the plastic bands and remove the top and side panels of

the shipping container. 2 Lift off the top piece of the grill cart and remove the plastic from the top of the grill. 3 Open the dome of the grill and remove the components from the inside of the grill. Handle the internal ceramic parts with care

KAMADO JOE GRILL WITH CART 1 Once the internal components of the grill have been removed,

lift the grill out of the container and set it aside. Due to the weight of this grill, we highly recommend two people perform this task. Do NOT lift the grill by the side shelf tabs. Use the rear hinge and the front lower vent opening as lifting points.

2 Remove the plastic wrapping from the base of the grill cart. 3 Lock the casters on the bottom portion of the grill cart.

Assemble the two pieces of the grill cart with the provided stainless steel screws. You will find these screws attached with tape and plastic on the bottom portion of the cart. 4 With the same lifting technique used previously, lift the grill into the cart. Adjust the grill in the cart so the lower grill vent is facing the front of the cart. The front side of the cart is the side with the two locking casters.

ASSEMBLY

STAND-ALONE GRILL WITH KAMADO TABLE 1 Place the three grill feet on the bottom shelf of the grill table to

form a triangle with the single point being at the back side of the grill table. The other two feet should be placed just to the left and right of the lower vent on the front side of the grill. 2 Gently place the grill into the table and adjust the feet. Handle the grill with care to avoid damaging the grill table surface. We recommend that two people lift the grill into the table.

ASSEMBLY

Internal Assembly

The latest innovation to the internal architecture of your Kamado Joe is our new AMP FireBox. Together with the Divide & Conquer Drawer, they create the perfect internal conditions needed for more functional, flavorful results. Building a better grill starts with a few easy steps and the parts below.

Flexible Cooking System and Slide-Out Ash

ASSEMBLY

1 Open the dome

and place the SlideOut Ash Drawer in the bottom of the grill so handle aligns with lower vent opening.

2 Place the base of the FireBox over the Slide-Out Ash Drawer aligning the opening of the base with the ash drawer handle.

3 Set the Cast Iron Fire Grate on top of the base. Note: the ribbed side of the fire grate should face downward.

PARTS

Stainless Steel Ring x1

FireBox Walls x5

Cast Iron Fire Grate x1

FireBox Base x1

Divide & Conquer

ASSEMBLY

Slide-Out Ash

Drawer x1

4 Begin building the FireBox Walls. Place each piece on top of the FireBox Base. Note: the pieces will lean against the inner wall of the base of the grill.

Fully Assembled Grill

5 Using the hole

in each piece, pull towards the center to fit under the outer rim of the Stainless Steel Ring. Repeat step for each piece until FireBox is secure.

6 Place the Divide

& Conquer

on top of the Stainless Steel Ring. Note: the flexible cooking system rack should fit on the indents of the ring.

The Art of Kamado

FIRE TAMED THE WORLD—BECAUSE WITHOUT FIRE, THERE IS NO COOKING

Meals began and ended around a fire. Over time, cooking progressed from a simple skewer to a spit to early ovens. These earthenware cooking vessels channeled and controlled the fire’s heat for better flavor. Slowly, the rudimentary cooking vessels evolved around the world, becoming the tandoor oven in India and the charcoal-fueled mushikamado in Japan.

After the Second World War, American soldiers discovered the superior, wood-fired flavor of the kamado and brought the grill home to the States. Since then, the kamado grill has been refined as a versatile ceramic cooker that continues to impress with the incredible flavor and textures it produces. From rich, smoked meat falling apart at the bone to crispy pizzas to juicy, caramelized steaks seared over a hot flame—meals prepared in the kamado taste elemental and true.

Our ancestors understood what we often forget: that time is the best ingredient. Thousands of years ago, people gathered around the kamado while their food cooked; today, despite our sprawling kitchens and double ovens and induction stoves, the kamado is still bringing people together around the fire. More than a way of cooking, kamado is a way of connecting. Connecting with the elements. With our hands, with our food. With the people we love. It’s not fast food. Like any art, it takes time. And the result is a meal that rewards us with unmatched flavor—and the satisfaction of time well spent.

FUNDAMENTALS TECHNIQUES

Good kamado cooking begins with a good foundation. Learn how to master the elements and control your grill—and you’ll be on your way to incredible flavor.

— PG.10

FIRE

— PG.12

SMOKE

— PG.14

DISTANCE

— PG.16

Knowing these few quintessential methods will expand your grilling possibilities. They’ll equip you for any recipe you want to tackle.

— PG.18

GRILLING

— PG.20

SEARING

— PG.22

BAKING

— PG.24

SURFACES

ROASTING

— PG.26

SMOKING

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