Rak Posted January 2, 2016 Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 I'm a bit of an information junkie and was hoping you wonderful folks might help me! I have heard that when you buy a KK you have to perform a burn in to cure the tiles. Where can I find information about that? Is there anything else that needs to be done with a new KK? Thanks! Rak Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5698k Posted January 2, 2016 Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 Dennis has some instructions on this process that he emails to new owners. The process is simple enough, the remaining moisture in the grout needs to be cooked off. This is done by heating the grill, starting by getting it to between 350°-400°, and letting it stay there for an hour or so. After that, raise the temp 50° or so every hour, until you either get a strong chemical smell or see a clearish liquid escaping from the grout. Stop increasing at this point. These grills are extremely well insulated, so it takes time for the outside to heat, and it's easy to get ahead of this curve. Even ambient temperature can have an effect. Patience is key here, and it's easy to get the grill hotter than necessary before the venting becomes obvious. This is an easy process, and it's certainly nothing to be overly concerned with, just be patient. The only other thing that needs to be done with a KK, assuming you have one, is cook on it!! Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rak Posted January 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 Thanks Rob! Just gathering information at the moment, but will hopefully join the KK family one day soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5698k Posted January 2, 2016 Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 I hope you do, it's always great to have new people joining the fun! Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bosco Posted January 2, 2016 Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 Rak, I asked the same questions less than a month ago. I did both of mine and had some residual as I think I shut it down before it was completed. I completed the 32" on a second burn in just letting it go. Yesterday I vented on the top damper on the 23" so I burned a load of lump until the smell was gone. Ckreef told me that I may get some residual over a few cooks but all seems good now. As for the info above from Robert... thats what I did. My advice, when you think its done let it keep burning. Start early, be prepared to fill the lump a second time to really ensure the burn in is done. I had some T pins that I used to poke holes in a few spots that raised. Once the grill cooled down, everything goes back to normal and no big deal. I will be there to walk you through the process if you ever end up buying a KK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckreef Posted January 2, 2016 Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 (edited) What Rob and Ryan said is spot on. The only thing I can add is don't worry about this. It really is a no brainer and whatever you do you can't permanently screw up a KK - believe me I've tried hard without success. Charles - Prometheus 16.5", Cassiopeia 19" TT Edited January 2, 2016 by ckreef Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacKenzie Posted January 2, 2016 Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 No, nothing else needs to be done, Rak, except you may want to check that the thermometer is reading correctly. Just boil some water and use the thermometer to see what the reading is, 212 F and you are good to go, unless you are quite a bit above sea level. I was nervous about the burn in and like the others said, it's not that bad. Relax, I realize that is easier said than done but it's true. Control that temp., start early in the day, go slow and it will be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon B. Posted January 2, 2016 Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 Rak, I'm trying a different approach......my unit sat in the west cost warehouse for a while and I will probably do 20 or more below 350* cooks before doing any high temps. I'm guessing that by the time I get around to doing a burn off or cooking at high temps hardly any venting will be necessary. I can't remember taking any of my other kamado grills above 500*.....just my cooking style. I do plan to keep an eye on the tiles after any higher temp cook.........however Dennis really downplayed the worry when I spoke to him. Just my 2 cents! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckreef Posted January 2, 2016 Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 Jon, I don't think it matters how many sub 400* cooks you do, the first time you go 500* or higher it's going to vent. It's just not a big deal. Both my KK's vented for the first 2 or 3 times I went above 500*. I do a lot of 500*+ sears so they get up to high temps frequently. If I do a quick steak and sear they never really heat soak at a higher temp but if I use my CI griddle I like to get that heat soaked in the 400*-500* range. Charles - Prometheus 16.5", Cassiopeia 19" TT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rak Posted January 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 Thank you all so much for the information. I do cook at high temps sometimes, usually pizza or for searing. The information about venting is great, I really thought it was a bigger deal than it sounds like it is. I was interested to see if the tiles move around or pop, in a way, disfiguring the look! But I guess not! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacKenzie Posted January 2, 2016 Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 The gas normally just escapes through a little hole between the tiles/pebbles if there is gas in there. You know for searing you just have to get a good hot bed of lump burning, no need to heat the whole KK up to searing temp. I like my pizza just over the 500F but less than 600F. I hope some of this helps. Some day you'll experience all of this for yourself. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilburpan Posted January 2, 2016 Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 Thank you all so much for the information. I do cook at high temps sometimes, usually pizza or for searing. The information about venting is great, I really thought it was a bigger deal than it sounds like it is. I was interested to see if the tiles move around or pop, in a way, disfiguring the look! But I guess not! I’ve had a tile or two pop during the venting process. I just pushed them back in place after I shut down the vents, and they settled in place. No big deal. FWIW, based on the reports of people’s venting experiences, I don’t think there’s anyone who messed up that process more than I did, in that I found bubbles of unvented areas six months into using Smaug. For some reason, I never really checked the back of Smaug for bubbles, and during a high heat cook I found a large bubble on the back, below the spring mechanism for the hinge. I was worried that because I had used Smaug quite a bit over that 6 months, and I never relieved the pressure in this bubble. I could only assume that the bubble kept popping up with my high heat cooks, and I never noticed it. I was afraid that this bubble was permanent. I used a knife to cut a slit in the grout towards the bottom of the bubble, and liquid came out. Once I did that, over time this area calmed down as well. The other piece of advice I like to pass on is not to be too concerned about helping the venting process by using an Exacto knife to cut a small slit to help the gas escape. I think I was a little too precious about that part, which I think is why it took me a while to have the bubbles settle down. If I hadn’t been so reluctant to help the process, the tiles would have settled down more quickly. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinyfish Posted January 2, 2016 Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 See Rak its no big deal. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rak Posted January 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 Appreciate it! I guess its the fear of the unknown. Thanks again everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilburpan Posted January 3, 2016 Report Share Posted January 3, 2016 If fear of the unknown is ever a concern, remember that I jumped into a KK as my very first kamado grill of any sort. I haven’t regretted that leap of faith one bit. And I’m someone that tends to get himself into a “paralysis by analysis†situation fairly regularly, so if I can make that leap, anyone can. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rak Posted January 3, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2016 I can't wait to make the transition!! I'm really curious how my cooking will have to change to adapt to a KK and to taste the difference between my current Kamados and the food that comes off the KK. Let the adventure begin... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckreef Posted January 3, 2016 Report Share Posted January 3, 2016 I can't wait to make the transition!! I'm really curious how my cooking will have to change to adapt to a KK and to taste the difference between my current Kamados and the food that comes off the KK. Let the adventure begin...You won't find a big change in technique other than learning the vents. Kamado cooking is still kamado cooking although KK's are rock solid with temperature control. I very often set it and forget it. Even leave the house for a few hours while it's going low-n-slow and this is with the KK's on my front porch (wooden deck attached to the house), I never worry about it. Charles - Prometheus 16.5", Cassiopeia 19" TT 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon B. Posted January 3, 2016 Report Share Posted January 3, 2016 Jon, I don't think it matters how many sub 400* cooks you do, the first time you go 500* or higher it's going to vent. It's just not a big deal. I'm guessing after a few years of cooking, baking in the sun, freezing in the winter.........there will be very little gas/solvent/etc. left to vent??? Dennis told me some units never leak or pop tiles. I will report back when I get around to doing a 500* + cook and see what happens!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoFrogs91 Posted January 6, 2016 Report Share Posted January 6, 2016 Rak, To be clear, the venting is no big deal. I have never heard of anyone having any serious problems. All good! Benton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rak Posted January 6, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2016 Much ado about nothing, I'm sure! I'm sitting in Jamaica right now thinking about my KK and its delivery! I guess there really is something like a KK flu! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
