You recently became the proud owner of a Kokko, so why did you opt for a Kamado?
Indeed, I received it the day before the lockdown! I've just had a house built, and a barbecue is a must! At first, I was hesitating between an American-style gas BBQ and a charcoal BBQ. Then, after a bit of research, I came across Kamados. What immediately interested me was that you could not only grill, but also smoke meat on them. Since we're big fans of smoked meat at home, I thought this would be just the thing.
What attracted you to Kamados Kokko?
I'd spotted several brands, including Kokko, and when I saw that they had a showroom in Lyon, as I don't live too far away, I took the opportunity to visit them. If in terms of quality the Kokko seems comparable to the other Kamados on the market, from an aesthetic point of view, it's a cut above. It immediately caught my eye, and my wife's too!
What are your first impressions after a few weeks of use?
What I like about the Kamado is that it cooks indirectly, i.e. without direct contact with the embers. You install the deflector, the grill and then put the food on before closing the lid. The food cooks slowly, and while it's cooking, you can enjoy a drink with friends without risking burning everything! Cooking is slow but controlled.
How often do you use it?
At the moment, I light it at least once a week, but the terrace is finished so soon it will easily be 2 to 4 times a week!
What's your signature dish?
Coming from the island of La Réunion, I was marked by this grilling culture. I remember all those people grilling on the side of the road. Their specialty? Grilled chicken. After being marinated - and everyone has their own marinade! - it's cooked flat, open in half, on the grill. I've taken up this idea with my own marinade based on soy, sugar and garlic, and every time I do it, I'm pleased with myself... And so is my wife, which is a good sign!
You're also a fan of smoking!
Oh yes! In fact, my first Kokko cooking session was a 6-7 hour smoking session. I'm not a big fan of beef, I think it's too tough, but thanks to the Kokko I've learned to cook it differently and to appreciate it. The meat is much more tender and melt-in-the-mouth when cooked at 110° rather than directly over the coals.
How did you go about Kokko smoking?
After marinating a piece of beef rib-eye the night before in a Sopasco rub, which is a mixture of spices (paprika, cumin, coriander, oregano, but also brown sugar, salt, pepper, garlic, etc.) to give it flavour, I got up around 5:30 a.m. the next day to start this slow cooking process known as 3-2-1 cooking. For 3 hours, the meat is smoked/cooked at around 100°, then continued for 2 hours at the same temperature, wrapped in aluminum foil and topped up with the liquid of your choice. I used apple juice and cider, but you can also use beer. It helps the meat melt. Finally, during the last hour, the meat is removed from the foil and brushed with barbecue sauce, before being put back into the oven for lacquering.
A tip for successful home smoking?
For long, slow cooking, you need to use large pieces of wood. I add pieces from fruit trees for flavour, usually fig and cherry, but honestly, I can't tell the difference! I'm going to try apple tree, which is the favourite wood of smokers! In any case, the taste of homemade smoke is clearly nothing like that of store-bought, it's amazing!
