New Kamodo Joe

[pabbqnewb]

Hey guys!

We recently moved into a new home and living in the north east I am gearing up for spring/summer grilling season. The better half surprised me with maybe one of the best gifts of all..a new Kamodo Joe Big! The is the first ceramic cooking that we've owned.

Now here is my dilemma. Our home has a large back deck, made out of composite wood. The deck is partially covered with another balcony/porch above it. My initial thought was I would love to keep Joe underneath the covered section of the deck to shield him from the weather but now I'm worrying is that unsafe? Secondly, should I be placing any type of fire retardant mats underneath Joe?

Thanks fellas, I love coming on the board and seeing what everyone is cooking up and can't wait to contribute our own creations!

 

[Ron_L]

First, congrats!

As far as being under the balcony above, It should be far enough from the Joe to be safe as long as there is enough airflow to gt the smoke out.

I would look at a grill mat or something to protect the deck, mainly from dropped embers or charcoal, and food grease. There would be no fire danger from the heat of the Joe since the bottom is at least a couple of feet from the deck.

 

[rwalters]

Congrats on your new Joe! Lots of good food awaits you [emoji4]

I cooked on kamados for years, and based on your description, I wouldn’t be to concerned. With that said, I would place something underneath your Joe just to protect the deck from possible drippings. I don’t recall ever having a spark or ember hit the ground beneath my Joe’s. I’d be more concerned with the balcony above and the amount of smoke the Joe puts out, especially when grilling things like burgers or chicken thighs. When the fat starts hitting the coals, it becomes a smoking machine. It you don’t mind your balcony being swallowed up in smoke during these cooks, then I think you’re good to go [emoji4]

 

[miked125]

Hey guys!

We recently moved into a new home and living in the north east I am gearing up for spring/summer grilling season. The better half surprised me with maybe one of the best gifts of all..a new Kamodo Joe Big! The is the first ceramic cooking that we've owned.

Now here is my dilemma. Our home has a large back deck, made out of composite wood. The deck is partially covered with another balcony/porch above it. My initial thought was I would love to keep Joe underneath the covered section of the deck to shield him from the weather but now I'm worrying is that unsafe? Secondly, should I be placing any type of fire retardant mats underneath Joe?

Thanks fellas, I love coming on the board and seeing what everyone is cooking up and can't wait to contribute our own creations!

I would probably get a mat to be safe, but I have an egg in the table and had one ember fall out and singe my table in five years. I was doing a pizza and had the vent wide open.

The Joe will also stand up to any weather you throw at it so put it wherever you desire, I use the egg in -30c up here in Canada.

 

[jermoQ]

Congrats on your cooker! Have fun. If it was my deck, I would have a mat under it for the coals and grease. I had a previous deck with a few grease stains because I didn't use a mat. I have also dropped coals from a charcoal chimney too.

 

[dgaddis1]

The simple solution is to put the Joe on wheels. Store it under the cover when not using it, wheel it out when lighting it up.

 

[Cook]

I would certainly get a mat. That will do just fine until you get that kick ass table built for it! LoL

 

[Smoking Piney]

Spring / Summer grilling season? It's grilling season all year round.

Congrats on the new cooker.

Short war story - I set fire to my deck (wood) with a stray ember from my kettle. Thankfully, my wife saw it before she went to bed and I put it out with just a little damage.

KJ's aren't immune to stray embers. Just my two pesos:

-Make a pallet of patio bricks to set your cooker on large enough to encompass it 2 feet all around.

-Develop an unbreakable, alcohol proof checklist for shutting your cooker down. I verbalize mine for my BGE every time I shut it down.

I don't mean to scare you, but you need to protect your house. I thought I was bullet proof until the fire.

Enjoy your new KJ! :-D

 

[EdF]

Definitely agree with Smoking Piney about something fireproof underneath. As far as the balcony, you want a good 6'+ from the top of the kamado to the floor, and open air around it for the smoke. The height is just in case you decide to do 100 degree steak or pizza cooks. I've managed to wither the branches of pines that were a bit too close above it.

As far as weather, I've never covered my LBGE since I got it in 2002 - no harm. But I can understand wanting to cook out of the rain!