The Bastard VX Large Complete

Kamado is a traditional Japanese cooking method that became popular in the United States after World War II. The American soldiers immediately realized how tasty the dishes prepared with this characteristic clay pot were and brought it with them from Japan. There are several brands of ceramic barbecues in the United States. Starting in 2007, the kamado was introduced to Europe.

The kamado stands out from a normal barbecue due to its versatility. The good insulation allows for very accurate temperature control and on the ceramic barbecue, in addition to normal grilling, you can also smoke, simmer, stew and even bake pizza. The kamado is cooked over charcoal, giving the product a real wood and fire flavor.

Of course, The Bastard can be used all year round, even when it is cold and/or there is frost on The Bastard. However, even the sturdy Bastard needs a little love from time to time, so it is best to maintain your Bastard properly by following the maintenance tips.

Note: In winter, temperature differences are very high. To avoid cracks and/or cracks in the ceramic parts, it is best to let them rise as slowly as possible.

Start with the top and bottom vents which are only slightly open. You can open them slowly, more and more, to raise the temperature. It takes a little patience, but it will definitely be rewarded. The flavor of your winter meals will be better!

For The Bastard, we thought black was the only right color. Is there another color?

There are differences in the finish. You can choose a glossy (Classic) or matte (Urban & VX) finish.

The Bastard is a ceramic barbecue and is always fueled with charcoal and never with traditional briquettes. However, coconut briquettes are very suitable for the Bastard. Use good quality charcoal with large pieces so as not to suffocate the Bastard. Fill it up to the first ring and no further.

The temperature height depends greatly on the amount of oxygen and other conditions such as wind, humidity, type of coal and outside temperature. So the temperature control is almost never 100%. Some tips on how to significantly raise the temperature:

- Use good quality dry coals and fill the hearth/charcoal basket completely. Bastard Black Wattle charcoal is specially designed to reach high temperatures.
- Make sure that the air damper in the base is well free of ash, to ensure the supply of oxygen.
- Open the air damper completely
- Also slide the top cap completely.
- It is also possible to completely remove the top cap from the Bastard. Once the Bastard has reached the desired temperature, put it back to maintain temperature control.

Note: Try not to let the temperature rise too quickly. After all, ceramics have to get used to the heat a bit, especially during the cold winter. It would be a shame if the ceramic broke or cracked!

Does the Dome thermometer indicate a different temperature than the Grill thermometer?

It's not that strange. The grill is closest to the fire. It may happen that the temperature measured on the grill is much higher. A difference of 35 degrees, for example, is certainly not absurd.

Using a griddle can also affect the temperature of the grill and dome. This can cause temperature differences at different points on the kamado.

A tip: do you want to reach a high temperature to cook pizza, for example? Then keep in mind that when the dome thermometer indicates the desired temperature, the pizza stone has already reached a much higher temperature.

So what is the ideal temperature for cooking pizza? There is no single answer.