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Kalamazoo Creates a Kamado

Kalamazoo Shokunin Kamado Grill

This post is brought to you by Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet, which provided advertising support.

Hi, everyone,  Nancy Loseke here.  I’m the editor of the barbecuebible.com blog and our Up in Smoke newsletter.  I’m pleased to announce a new column on barbecuebible.com—a series of interviews with the movers, shakers, and innovators of this barbecue world we all love so much.

In today’s blog, you’ll meet Russ Faulk, grill designer for Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet.   You’ve watched Steven use Kalamazoo grills on Project Smoke and Project Fire. Today you’ll learn about Russ Faulk’s latest creation: a Kalamazoo kamado-style grill called the Shokunin. Who would you like to see us interview in the future? Grill on!

–Nancy Loseke


Kalamazoo Creates a Kamado: An Interview with Russ Faulk

After creating a tri-fuel grill that burns gas, charcoal, and wood; an Argentinean-style gaucho rotisserie grill, a pizza oven, and a gravity feed cabinet smoker, you’ve decided to enter the field of kamado-style cookers with a new grill called the Shokunin. Why?

One of the joys of outdoor cooking is mastering different techniques and different fires, and the kamado represented a chance to expand our repertoire. I think there is a reason so many people are so passionate about cooking on kamados, and we wanted in on the fun. After a few design experiments, we realized there were opportunities to create something unique, so we forged ahead with our own take.

Kalamazoo Shokunin Kamado Grill

What makes the Shokunin unique?

We took the key design characteristics of a more traditional kamado-style cooker and emphasized them in our effort to raise performance to new levels. First, a kamado is taller than a regular charcoal grill. We made our kamado even taller than a regular kamado so that the fire could be further below the food. Our goal was to deliver heat that is more even and gentle for barbecue. Second, a kamado is insulated for greater efficiency and less temperature fluctuation. We dialed that up with two full inches of insulation between two layers of stainless steel. The Shokunin is incredibly efficient, and the outside of the body and lid stay cool to the touch.

We also threw some of the traditional characteristics out the window. Our Shokunin kamado grill is rectangular because I believe it is better for working with multi-zone fires and indirect cooking. The way I think about it is that a rectangle divided into two parts is still two rectangles. Divide it into three, and you still have three rectangles. Any way you set up a multi-zone fire, I think a rectangular cooking area will be easier to work with. The shape is the most obvious difference, but we’ve also engineered a multi-level system for the fire grates. You can build your fire at any one of three levels inside the grill. We call the lowest position the “barbecue” position. The middle is the “roasting” position. And the highest position is the “searing” position, placing the fire just four inches below the grill grate. People have also been excited to see the way the cooking grates and fire grates can all be flipped up into an open position without removing them from the grill. This gives you easier access to start the fire and the ability to access the fire while cooking. I think it also makes cleanup a lot easier.

 

Shokunin means “master” or “artisan” in Japanese. Why that name?

It pays tribute to the Japanese roots of the kamado grills we enjoy here in the USA, and it is a nod to the artisans in Kalamazoo who build every grill. Lastly, it recognizes the mastery of fire that we all pursue when cooking on a kamado.

 

Tell me about the design process. When did it start? How long did it take? What were some of the challenges you faced and how did you overcome them?

The first sketches go back about five years. These design exercises were primarily in pursuit of something visually unique. We didn’t start working on it in earnest until summer of 2018, when we selected a high level design to explore more seriously. That is when we moved the exercise into CAD, where exploration and refinement continued for a little more than a month. The first real-world prototype was promising enough that we gave the kamado project the official green light and set the goal of previewing the design at the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS) in Las Vegas. It was well received, but there was a lot of work left to do.

Kalamazoo Shokunin Kamado Grill

The first challenge we faced with the prototypes was the vent design. We created a pretty cool looking air shutter that functioned in a manner reminiscent of the aperture on a camera. It was a fun concept, but it was too complex and did not allow for enough control of the oxygen. As you know, that is critical to successful temperature control in a kamado. We went back to the drawing board and came up with something new. Another challenge was the sheer weight of the lid. It required a fair amount of strength to open the grill, so we had to incorporate a spring assist.

 

Tell me about the construction: what materials / special materials did you use and why? How does your kamado differ in design from the other kamados out there.

Part of why the Shokunin looks so stunning is the combination of materials. We received a fantastic response to the Arcadia Series of outdoor kitchen cabinetry and refrigeration when we launched it a couple of years back. (We’re also a company that has deep roots in stainless steel fabrication. That’s the skill set of our artisans.) That was the first time Kalamazoo had worked with ipe wood, and I think the pairing of ipe wood with stainless steel is simply beautiful for outdoors. Ipe is extremely durable and resistant to the elements. We use only Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified wood, and it costs a small fortune. But, the result is a kamado design that turns into a beautiful patio furnishing.

Kalamazoo Shokunin Kamado Grill

 

How does the design influence the performance? What’s the temperature range of your kamado? How much charcoal does it take and how long will a single load of charcoal burn?

We approach design and performance as inseparable goals. The performance targets are established before the visual exploration begins. In the case of the kamado, we were committed to offering a unique approach with several cooking advantages. And, we pledged that if we couldn’t deliver those advantages, the product would never be launched. The Shokunin has exceeded my expectations in every parameter, so we are very excited to bring it to market.

The practical minimum temperature is 200°F. The maximum is beyond 1,000°F, but that would be an open-lid grilling scenario. We recommend keeping the lid open at anything beyond 750°F. In one of our early tests, we loaded the Shokunin with 12 pounds of charcoal and set up a WiFi thermometer so that I could monitor the temperature remotely. Much to my delight, the grill remained above 225°F for 65 hours straight.

 

Can your kamado be used for smoking?

It can absolutely be used for smoking. I wouldn’t dare call it a kamado if it couldn’t. I suggest mixing some wood chunks in with lump charcoal on the fire grate in the lowest position. The additional fire grates can be placed on the middle or upper position to hold a water pan above the fire if you so desire.

Kalamazoo Shokunin Kamado Grill

 

How do you recommend setting it up?

There are a lot of options for how you setup the Shokunin. It is very versatile. Not only can you build the fire at three different heights inside the grill, you can build fires at multiple heights at the same time.

With the way we’ve designed the cross-flow ventilation system, you can offset a fire to the left and feed oxygen through the left vent on the bottom. Place your food on the right side of the cooking grate and exhaust through the right vent on the lid, and you are ensuring that the heat and smoke are circulating past the food. I’ve used this setup for spatchcock chicken and for salmon fillets. It amazes me how crispy the skin on the chicken gets in just 35 minutes cooking time. And the salmon is beautifully browned on top without ever flipping it over.

The rectangular shape and the ability to build the fire up close to one half of the cooking grate makes the Shokunin a perfect tool for “sear and slide” steaks and chops.

The first step to setting up the grill is to place the fire grate(s) at the level most appropriate for your cook. Load a generous amount of lump charcoal (either centered or offset to one side), and then light the fire from a single point on the top of the charcoal at the center of the pile. Once you have good glow established, you can close the lid. I keep all four air shutters wide open until I am within 150°F to 100°F of my target temperature, then I begin closing them down. When I am within 100°F to 50°F of the target, I close the top vents down to a mere sliver of opening. The Shokunin is rather unique in that it can hold 500°F at this small opening.

 

What meats / foods do you particularly recommend for your kamado. Is there anything it can’t do?

I’m still exploring the possibilities myself, but I haven’t yet found anything it can’t do. My favorites so far have been smoked beef ribs and roasted chicken. I’ve had good luck grilling asparagus, corn and squash. I look forward to experimenting with baking bread in the Shokunin.

 

What is the price of your kamado? When will it be available?

The Shokunin Kamado Grill is priced at $5,995, and it is available to order now through Kalamazoo dealer showrooms and on KalamazooGourmet.com. Each Shokunin is built-to-order in limited quantities.

 

Who would youlike to see us interview in the future? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or the Barbecue Board!