Ceramic Cookers / Smokers (aka Kamado-Style Smokers)

The ceramic cooker enthusiasts are a cult-like army of messiahs who have Big Green Eggs and Kamodo Kamado as their Lord. They spend hours perfecting their technique, spreading the gospel across all corners in hopes that one day they will be able to create delicious food.
It’s hard to ignore the popularity of kamado-style cookers. They have taken over as one of, if not the most popular type in use today. Charcoal is usually lit at the bottom of a BBQ, where there are large vents to control heat. The top opening allows you to add wood chunks or chips for an even easier fire start.
Advantages:

• The ceramic cooker is a multifunctional device that can be used as both an oven and smoker, but its true power lies in being able to grill food with ease. From smoking pork shoulder or baking pizza dough at home, you’ll never need another cooking appliance again.
• With its powerful venting and airflow systems, the ceramic cooker can quickly go from 225°F for smoking to 700 degrees Fahrenheit (frame) or 600 ° Fahrenheit (top). This means that you won’t need any extra equipment when cooking outside in Alaskan winters.
• The efficiency of this grill is unparalleled. A single 5-pound load of charcoal can burn for 18 hours or more in some models, meaning that you will never have to worry about running out and needing another fuel source.
• The thick clay walls of this grill are designed to retain heat and moisture in a way that other grills can’t match. The felt gasket between the lid and body helps hold in all those precious juices, too.

Drawbacks:

• The ceramic cookers are not as popular because of their small cooking area. The Big Green Egg has 262 square inches, while an offset smoker offers more than 1k. The XXL Egg has 672 square inches, which is more than twice the amount of space in a standard one.
• As a drawback, refueling is not as simple with ceramic smokers. Unlike offset or front-loading grills where you can just remove the grate and put in new ones when they get too hot from cooking food on them for hours at a time without any problems whatsoever–in this type of cooker, it’s necessary to take off almost all parts. The great thing about this grill is that thanks to its unique design and the use of an airflow regulator, you don’t need fuel often at all.
• The smoke flavor is much lighter than it would be with other types of smokers.
• When cooking with a ceramic cooker, keep in mind that they are quite heavy – around 162 pounds for the large egg and about 400 lbs if you have an XXL size. This can make transporting them difficult which is why these types of cookers aren’t typically found at tailgates or other outdoor events where people might want to bring their food.
• The starting price for a large Big Green Egg is around $800. Tables and metal stands—called “nests”–are sold separately, which can make the expense of owning one even greater than expected.

Tips:

• When you light up the charcoal directly in your grill there’s no need to use a chimney starter or lighter fluid.
• When cooking with an open flame, be careful not to burn yourself. You should also “burp” or release some heat from the cooker by raising it just enough before lowering again so you are protected if there is any backlash in movement.
• When you’re looking to cook food with the precise temperature control that will bring out your flavor and leave guests satisfied, there’s no better way than investing in an airflow regulator. With this battery-powered device attached right below where the air goes into your smoker or grill, it can regulate just enough heat so as not to overdo things during high-energy use hours like dinner time.

How it works:

In a charcoal grill, arrange the unlit lump at the bottom and top with wood chips throughout.

Place 1 or 2 fire starters on top of the coals. Light them and wait for them to catch on fire.

To start the fire, place a few coals over it.

After placing the fire starters in a circle around the base of your fireplace, light them all at once. The flames will spread gradually from the center outwards as they burn through their fuel supply—wood chips!

The ceramic convector plate is a great way to protect your food from direct exposure to the fire, so install it.

Make sure to install the grill grate.

The top vent is used to adjust the airflow and thus, control heat. The more open a vent is the greater airflow and thus higher temperatures.

With the bottom vent opened or closed, you can control how much heat is escaping from your system. The less open it is during use will cause a lower airflow and thus lower temperatures overall.