Pellet & Kamado ?

ironhavoc

MemberGot rid of the matchlight.
Joined
Apr 22, 2024
Location
California
Name or Nickame
jason
How many people have both? Do you use both on a semi regular basis?

I have a Mak 2 pellet, gaser, and griddle but was going to add a kamado style but dont know if its needed or if I will really even use it. So just asking others thoughts and opinions.
 
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I cook a lot on my Broil King Big Steel Keg Kamado. Mainly stuff that I don't smoke like chicken, sausage, steaks, burgers, etc.. I do all my low and slow stuff on one of my pellet smokers or one of my charcoal units.
 
I do all of my grilling on my Weber Summit Kamado, I have other smokers & a flat top so the Weber is my high heat source & a very good one at that. I don’t own a gas grill but recently considered one out of laziness, the reality is that I can have my Summit up to grilling temp in half an hour so there’s no need for a gasser, also the Kamado can get to much higher temps than any gas grill which is perfect for two zone cooks.
 
I have a BGE and a small Traeger (shortly to be replaced with a P&S Maverick, yay!). TBH, now I have a pellet grill I don't use the BGE that much. I can see using the BGE for pizza or naan breads (although I haven't actually done this on it), and I use it as a secondary searer if my Santa Maria grill is busy. At low temps it does get more smoke on the food than the Traeger, but I am hoping that the P&S with the fire cage will solve that problem. If the P&S performs as hoped, I could see a future me getting rid of the BGE. However, I have other great grill/sear options. If it was my only searer, I'd use it more.

Naans go well at about 700 F. Short of a Tandoor, or I guess a pizza oven, a kamado is one of the few ways you can get a baking surface up to such temps. So if you are interested in that kind of cooking, a kamado is good to have.

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P+S Maverick 2000 (coming soon!); Klose 20x36 Pipe Smoker; Engelbrecht Braten 1000; BGE XL; Weber 22" with rotisserie; Camp Chef 900 FTG; Camp Chef Somerset 4-burner stove; Traeger 15x22; Breville Control Freak
 
IMO, you can't have too many options... but it is pricy. my good wife and I do a nearly all-carnivore diet; the more ways to cook different types of protein, the better. It is restrictive enough! Even if you are not doing such a diet, can afford it, and have enough space for more options, how can you go wrong?

I love both my MAK pellet grill and my kamodo for some of the same uses and some different ones. During the painful part of winter, it is hard to beat going out, putting something on the pellet grill, and going back inside. Same thing in the summer while doing chores, etc. But, I love the different things I can do with the Kamodo too. We grilled ribeyes on it last night, very good! I also love the option of grilling with charcoal, (and more), on the warmer side of my Shirley. Lots of different ways to make good food, but $, space, and an understanding wife, are all considerations too.
 
In my area there are usually quite a few used Eggs and Joe's for sale, seldom see a Primo. My pellet cookers are extremely convenient to use. However I think just about any other of my cookers provide more smoke flavor than my PC's. Not saying better nor worse, just more. Recently there was a like new BGE-Medium with nest and accessories asking $400. A large with nest and accessories asking $600. Just about every piece on a ceramic BGE, Joe, Primo are replaceable. Warranty usually only applies to original purchaser. As well shop around dealers for a demo model, those are usually discounted well and still carry factory warranty. If balking at those around 800-1000 I won't even get into Primo. USA Made USA Prices
 
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My buddy started on a pellet and switched over to a Kamado Joe after asking a bunch of questions about my Big Green Eggs. He said it's night a day difference between his pellet grill and his Kamado Joe.
 
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I used to have a KJ Classic and one of the original Rectecs — as well as a gasser, griddle and pizza oven. I can’t tell you if you’ll use one but there were a few reasons I used to choose it over my gasser or rectec at times.

1) on a nice day I found it fun to grill over charcoal vs gas — and the results are somewhat better
2) For smoking, I could get a good result faster than with the pellet grill. As with most pellet grills, it worked best at lower temps so I’d often use it for overnight cooks. With the KJ I could get a good smoke flavor when starting in the morning and cooking at 275+.

The KJ is now at my daughters but I have a 26” kettle that’s more or less replaced it. The most common way I smoke today is to start it on the kettle with a slow and sear to get some good smoke flavor and then move it to the rectec to finish (given the ease of use)
 
I have a 590 Recteq and have recently sold a medium BGE to upgrade to an XL. I like the egg and if I can cook a good butt on it, I may sell the 590. It is convenient to just plug it in, turn it on, set it and forget it, but the egg is almost equally as easy.
 
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