Low Temperature Cooking
One of the benefits of cooking with a Kamado Joe ceramic grill is the ability to cook at low temperatures. There is nothing more mouth-watering than a moist and smoky Boston butt, brisket or baby back ribs.

Grill set up and cooking instructions:
Charcoal
Build a mound of charcoal that starts just below the holes in the side of the fire box with the peak of the mound just below the top of the fire ring. Build the mound with large chunks at the bottom and smaller ones as you move up. It is a little messy, but dumping charcoal into the grill will take longer for the charcoal to get up to temperature. Placing the charcoal also keeps small pieces from blocking the air holes in the fire grate at the bottom of the fire box.
The first rule of charcoal: "You can never have too much charcoal, but you can have too little".

Lighting 

1. IMPORTANT: Start with a very small fire.
   The first rule of low temperature cooking: "You can always increase the temperature, but it is very difficult to lower the temperature".
2. Light the charcoal in one area with a fire starter cube, chimney starter or electric starter. Avoid using combustible liquids like lighter fluid, gas or kerosene, because it will impart a bad taste to your food.
3. Open the bottom draft door fully and leave the dome up.
4. Wait 8-10 minutes for the charcoal to build a small bed of embers.
   
   

Cooking Instructions 

1. Place the heat deflector on a level surface with the ceramic plate in the bottom position.
2. Place a drip pan no more than 3" deep between the ceramic plate and frame of the heat deflector. Insert them into the grill.
3. Fill the drip pan with 2 liters of Dr. Pepper® or Coke® and add enough water to fill 3/4 of the pan. You can just use water.
4. Place the cooking grate on top of the heat deflector frame and place the meat directly on the grate.
5. Insert the temperature probe if you are using a thermometer.
6. Leave the bottom draft door and top vent fully open until the grill reaches 200°F (93°C). This may take 45 minutes or more.
7. Close the draft door to a 2" opening and close the top vent with just the daisy wheels fully open.
   
   

Temperature 

1. Monitor the temperature every 15 minutes for the first hour. Adjust the air flow as needed to achieve a cooking temperature between 225°F-250°F.
2. Monitor the temperature every hour thereafter.
3. Remove the meat after reaching your desired internal temperature (for a Boston butt you want an internal temperature of 195°F-200°F (90-93°C).
   
   

Dr. Pepper or Coke are registered trademarks of The Coca-Cola Company.