KJ Kettle Joe First Impressions and Cooks

[Alphonse]

I have been cooking on the new Kamado Joe Kettle Joe and thought folks may be interested in my impressions.

The overall concept of the Kettle Joe is quite interesting. It successfully integrates the merits of a high-end kettle grill and a kamado. It comes with a ceramic lined firebox and Kamado Joe’s SLŌROLLER technology. The cooking grates and firebox cage are all stainless steel. The SloRoller is an insert that can be taken on and off depending on how you want to use the grill. The hinged lid is adjustable to accommodate using it as a kettle grill, sans SloRoller.

I am quite impressed with the performance of the SloRoller. It functions far better than I imagined and the ceramic lined firebox makes this pit relatively fuel efficient and responsive. While I have used the grill strictly as a kettle grill, most of my cooks have been focused on using it setup with the SloRoller. I have used it with a PID control system and found that it will track the setpoint spot-on. One of my first cooks was a big batch of wings, and to my surprise they cooked consistently across the grate. The ones in the center were the same as the ones near the periphery.

The integrated cart is robust and the locking casters work very well. The vertically adjustable hinge is equally robust and very well made. It allows you to swap from kettle mode to kamado/SloRoller mode lickity split. At 22” in diameter, it opens up the universe of accessories for this size grill. Flipside, it is not hard to imagine that the SloRoller insert may eventually become available as a separate purchase since it should fit on other 22” grills.

It will be interesting to see how sales on this grill develop. I do think KJ has landed a very innovative design with the Kettle Joe and at its price-point of $499, you get a lot for your money. It is an extremely versatile cooker with good materials of construction that should prove to be durable. I think it could be called the “Swiss Army Knife of Kettle Grills”.

 

[Colin1230]

Very nice write up. Thanks for sharing this with us. I don't own a KJ but have looked at a lot of them, good stuff for sure.

 

[JLeonard]

Looks like it turns out some good stuff. Along with your help of course.
Jim

 

[BigW.]

Cool, did not know that existed. I nice blend of a Weber and a Joe III.

 

[Hank R]

Very interesting I have looked at them , just not ready just yet but interested in one some day.

 

[sawhorseray]

That's a very nice looking rig Alphonse and you appear to be turning out some fine with it! RAY

 

[masssmoke]

Yes interesting. I guess that because it is not full ceramic is why it is so much cheaper than the other Kamado Joes or BGE?

 

[IMAVGAN]

Did you need to do anything to the ribs to keep them moist? Did the grill dry them out more than a smoker would?

 

[Alphonse]

Did you need to do anything to the ribs to keep them moist? Did the grill dry them out more than a smoker would?

No, I didn't spritz them at all and also did not wrap them I wanted to see how they did without it.. The cook was kamado like in terms of moisture retention. The cook's temperature was controlled using a FireBoard and a Guru fan.

 

[Alphonse]

Here was a capacity test on the Kettle Joe.

 

[JCAP]

I dig this cooker. Don't know if I'll ever get one but looks like a cool kettle! Nice food too!

 

[retfr8flyr]

How hard is the top of that slow roller to clean?

 

[Alphonse]

How hard is the top of that slow roller to clean?

I find it pretty easy to clean it up with a wide putty knife. I scrape it off and then wipe it down with some disposable shop towels. One could put a shallow round pan on it to catch the grease but I have found the deflector plate collects and drops the grease into the fire very well.

 

[Alphonse]

I adapted a Weber rotisserie to the Kettle Joe. Cut a few slots in the Weber ring to fit around grate supports in the kettle and adjusted the T-nut on the Kettle Joe's hinge locking knob.

Profile with the rotisserie in place:

The hinge adjusted up to allow for the rotisserie ring:

Shot of the install:

Here it is at work on "Chickens on a stick":

Yes, that chicken fat makes some smoke (of course smoke billows out the rotisserie rod penetrations):

 

[Flatrate]

Very nice write up! I've had my eye on one of these for a minute now, came close to pulling the trigger twice. I mainly want to use it as a charcoal grill, might smoke with it every now and then. Just curious if you have any further thoughts now that you have had the unit for a bit.

Thanks
Dave.