Kamodo style barbecue grills have become popular over the last decade. One of the most commonly known versions is the Big Green Egg. Kamodo cookers are made of thick ceramic material and can cook at low, medium, or very high temperatures.
Kamodos can be used to make pizza if you prepare it properly. Here are some tips:
Remember that pizza cooks from both the top and bottom at the same time. Therefore, to bake pizza properly in a Kamodo, you need to move the pizza up toward the top of the cooker so that radiated heat from the Kamodo’s top cooks the top of the pizza. Most people do this using the "plate setter" accessory that comes with the grill (or is purchased separately). The plate setter has three legs and a flat surface. Place the plate setter on the grill’s cooking grate and then put a round pizza stone on top of the plate setter. You can adjust the height of the pizza stone by putting plates, fire bricks, or other spacers under the stone until you get even cooking on the top and bottom of the pizza.
The other important factor in baking pizza on a Kamodo is temperature. For most pizza recipes, you need to set the dampers on the Kamodo such that the internal temperature of Kamodo stays constant in the 500-600 degrees F range. Below that temperature, the pizza cooks too slowly and will become tough or dry. Above that temperature range, the pizza will cook very quickly and may burn.
Some people want to make Neapolitan style pizza. This pizza requires special preparation because it bakes at 650-800 degrees F. A Kamodo is one of the least expensive ovens that can consistently reach that baking temperature. At this temperature, you need to use the right dough recipe (no added sugar), specially formulated flour (browns at higher temperature), and very short baking times (30-120 seconds). These temperatures can more rapidly age your Kamodo so just be aware of that.
All in all, a Kamodo is a fun way to make pizza but it does require a little bit of practice and some special techniques to get the best out of it.
Hope this helps, Gordon!
