tomahawk66 Posted October 25, 2015 Report Share Posted October 25, 2015 I'm planning on getting a Kamado oven soon and was wondering about the temp you can safely get the lowest grill grate to for searing? I do a lot of sous vide cooking and would want to use the KK for searing big beef roasts etc. Also for pizza, I understand to do good pizza you need to get the dome temp way up - I know the KK is almost indestructible but I'm sure there are safe/recommended temperature ranges? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookie Posted October 25, 2015 Report Share Posted October 25, 2015 I haven't really found a need to get the KK up over 600F - dome temp. The pit temp at 600F Dome is plenty hot for searing and leaving killer grill marks. 550F Dome is my preferred pizza temp...any hotter and the top cooks faster than the bottom, at least that has been my experience. Make sure you follow the instructions that come with your KK on how to do the high temp break-in / venting. Once you do that, you are free to experiment with higher temps, but my personal advice would be to gradually work your way up and test out your recipes at different temps. I see no need to bury the needle. The grill marks will speak for themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomahawk66 Posted October 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2015 Thanks Cookie. For grill marks one of the things I'm looking for is more like a a grill house crust on steaks. I've seen people get it by putting the steak directly on the coals and also on a cast iron flat pan Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookie Posted October 25, 2015 Report Share Posted October 25, 2015 Yeah, the cast iron would char the entire surface, where obviously the grates just char where they touch. You can also search the forum for the reverse sear method and finish with a propane torch. I like the reverse sear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinyfish Posted October 25, 2015 Report Share Posted October 25, 2015 There is a thread where Dennis is comparing upper temps to charcoal temps but I can't find the link maybe someone can find it. I can't remember the exact temps but when its 700f up top its like 1100f to 1300f at the charcoal. I will keep looking for the thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacKenzie Posted October 25, 2015 Report Share Posted October 25, 2015 I haven't really found a need to get the KK up over 600F - dome temp. The pit temp at 600F Dome is plenty hot for searing and leaving killer grill marks. 550F Dome is my preferred pizza temp...any hotter and the top cooks faster than the bottom, at least that has been my experience. Make sure you follow the instructions that come with your KK on how to do the high temp break-in / venting. Once you do that, you are free to experiment with higher temps, but my personal advice would be to gradually work your way up and test out your recipes at different temps. I see no need to bury the needle. The grill marks will speak for themselves. I totally agree with this and I find the baking stone does wonders for the bottom crust of the pizza. It works equally well for other baking. The baking stone works wonders, it's not just any baking stone, the formulation is designed to transfer the heat perfectly so that the bottom of pizza or bread are perfectly cooked in time with the top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckreef Posted October 25, 2015 Report Share Posted October 25, 2015 I'm fairly positive I've had my dome sitting at 700*. I wasn't worried. I've done caveman style (direct on coals) on a few different occasions. Surprisingly it doesn't sear as fast as you would think because the steak immediately blocks air from those coals and cools the coals rather quickly. I also do a lot of CI searing. 600* is the highest I'll take the CI. At 600* you'll get a good Sear in about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Anything over 600* and you'll burn your CI seasoning off fairly quickly. Pizza is a completely different question. Doughs are formulated for different cooking temps. If you are trying to do the 60 second Neapolitan style pizzas you need a dough recipe that has no oil or sugar in it. You would cook them at 800* - 900* and you better be ready because they will literally be done in about 60 seconds. Even an extra 10 seconds can take the pizza from perfect to Burnt. Most pizza doughs are formulated to cook in th range of 450* - 600*. As long as you cook at the proper temp for the dough your using you should get excellent results. These doughs have oil and sugar in them and if you use this kind of dough and cook at 800* you'll end up with a Burnt mess no matter what you do. For pizza find a dough recipe you want to try and cook at the recommended temp. See how that goes and adjust from there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinyfish Posted October 25, 2015 Report Share Posted October 25, 2015 I do Neapolitan style pizzas and as CK said there's no oil or sugar in the dough. I have a dedicated wood fired pizza oven and I cook at 800f to 900f. This is the recipe I use and adjust it for the amount of pizzas I make Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisLinkletter Posted October 25, 2015 Report Share Posted October 25, 2015 Here it is.. Careful.. Dome 900º ~ Lower grill 1452º!! Dome Tel Tru Pegged 900ºf ?? Lower Grill 800ºc = 1,472ºf http://komodokamadoforum.com/topic/4973-careful-dome-900%C2%BA-lower-grill-1452%C2%BA/?hl=%2B1452%C2%BA+%2Blower For Neapolitan style pizzas.. Try using 1/4 plate carbon steel for a stone.. Cooks hot and very fast at lower temps! Maybe I should start shipping them.. Remember unlike all other grills all of the air leaving the chimney on the Komodo Kamado is forced to the charcoal. there is no gap between the firebox and body and no holes drilled through the firebox which lets air bypass the charcoal. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomahawk66 Posted October 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2015 Hi Dennis, would that carbon steel also work for getting a steakhouse style sear on beef? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomahawk66 Posted October 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2015 I do Neapolitan style pizzas and as CK said there's no oil or sugar in the dough. I have a dedicated wood fired pizza oven and I cook at 800f to 900f. This is the recipe I use and adjust it for the amount of pizzas I makeScreenshot_2015-07-19-10-09-41.png Hi Tinyfish, That's exactly the type of pizza I like. Unfortunately I can't see your screenshot ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomahawk66 Posted October 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2015 Thanks for all the answers everyone, especially the warnings re-CI at high temps! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinyfish Posted October 26, 2015 Report Share Posted October 26, 2015 Hi Tinyfish, That's exactly the type of pizza I like. Unfortunately I can't see your screenshot Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Opps!!500 grams tipo 00 flour 325 grams water (65% hydration) 10 grams salt 3 grams active dry yeast. My dough balls are 230 grams each. As I get better at stretching the dough I use less grams. These weights are metric so you will have to covert to imperial if your scale doesn't have grams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syzygies Posted October 26, 2015 Report Share Posted October 26, 2015 Hi Dennis, would that carbon steel also work for getting a steakhouse style sear on beef? The most famous of this genre is the Baking Steel. I have several. One can also custom order any diameter round in 3/8" or 1/2" thickness; one of mine is 15" round by 1/2". Pizza in the KK. Searing sous vide steak. Classic smooshed griddle burgers, KK or stovetop. The best crepes, dosas, flatbreads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilburpan Posted October 26, 2015 Report Share Posted October 26, 2015 Syzygies, how has your Baking Steel held up over time? Any issues with warping? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony b Posted October 26, 2015 Report Share Posted October 26, 2015 At 3/8" thick, I wouldn't think warping would be a concern at the temps were doing, even on top of the basket handles. The 1/4" version is probably OK, too, but I'd spend the extra $20 for the thicker one if that's how I was going to use it. YMMV Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syzygies Posted October 26, 2015 Report Share Posted October 26, 2015 Syzygies, how has your Baking Steel held up over time? Any issues with warping? None whatsoever. Two however are 1/2". The 1/4" by 15" round was chosen so Laurie could easily lift it. I'm not there now to hold a ruler against it, but I've never noticed any issues as I watch fat move around on it, stovetop. Leveling the gas range is the dominant issue, not warping. I deliberately did not buy the griddle with a fat moat. I never create enough fat to be an issue, and there's always paper towels for the outliers. Don't walk away, one could imagine how a grease fire could start here. The 1/2" is an incremental improvement over 1/4", with 3/8" perhaps a happy compromise. Various vendors on Amazon sell work-alikes thinner than 1/4", and defend their economical choice with comments about how slight the marginal improvement is with thickness. But hey, do I cook on a Weber or a Komodo Kamado? The marginal advantage may vary with the application, but it's there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomahawk66 Posted October 26, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 26, 2015 Thanks Tinyfish! Metric is fine for me, I'm not from the USA 😜 Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomahawk66 Posted October 26, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 26, 2015 Pizza in the KK. Searing sous vide steak. Classic smooshed griddle burgers, KK or stovetop. The best crepes, dosas, flatbreads. Hi Syzygies, I noticed that it's seasoned with their "proprietary oils", I understand that a CI griddle can't go too hot because you'll burn off the oil seasoning, is it not the same problem with the baking steel? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckreef Posted October 27, 2015 Report Share Posted October 27, 2015 Hi Syzygies, I noticed that it's seasoned with their "proprietary oils", I understand that a CI griddle can't go too hot because you'll burn off the oil seasoning, is it not the same problem with the baking steel? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Yes it would be the same problem with the baking steel as the seasoning oil temp has to do with the type of oil used compared to its smoke point temp. Use better (higher temp oil) in order to take it higher in temp. I season with peanut oil as it's rated for a decently high smoke point, easy to find and reasonably priced. I'm also good with grape seed oil. I think flax seed oil will go even higher but hard to find where I live. Never vegetable, canola or olive. There are charts on the Web that list the smoke point of different oils. Use the one with the highest temp you can find locally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
