KAMADO JOE KJ23RHC Classic II 18-Inch Ceramic Grill Owner’s Manual

: June 4, 2024
: KAMADO JOE

Table of Contents

KAMADO JOE KJ23RHC Classic II 18-Inch Ceramic Grill
CARBON MONOXIDE HAZARD
WARNINGS AND IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS
Grill Set-Up
STAND ALONE VERSION
INSTALLATION
Latch Adjustments
Cleaning & Care
Classic Air Lift Hinge Adjustments
MAINTAINING TEMPERATURE
QUICK TEMPERATURE GUIDE
CAUTION
References
Read User Manual Online (PDF format)
Download This Manual (PDF format)

KAMADO JOE KJ23RHC Classic II 18-Inch Ceramic Grill

KAMADO-JOE-KJ23RHC-Classic-II-18- WARNING

This manual contains important information necessary for the proper assembly and safe use of the appliance.
Read and follow all warnings and instructions before assembling and using the appliance.
Keep this manual for future reference.
Failure to follow these instructions could result in fire, explosion or burn hazards which could cause property damage, personal injury or death.

CARBON MONOXIDE HAZARD

Burning charcoal or wood chips give off carbon monoxide, which has no odor and can cause death.
Use only outdoors where it is well ventilated.

WARNINGS AND IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS

READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS

WARNING! This barbecue will become very hot. Do not move it during operation.
WARNING! Do not use it indoors!
WARNING! Do not use alcohol, gasoline or other similar liquids to light or relight the barbecue.
WARNING! Keep children and pets away from the grill at all times. Do NOT allow children to use grills. Close supervision is necessary when children or pets are in the area where grill is being used.
Do not use the barbecue in a conﬁned and/or habitable space e.g. houses, tents, caravans, motor homes, boats. Danger of carbon monoxide poisoning fatality.
Always use grill in accordance with all applicable local, state and federal ﬁre codes.
Before each use check all nuts, screws and bolts to make sure they are tight and secure.
Never operate grill under overhead construction such as roof coverings, carports, awnings or overhangs.
The grill is for OUTDOOR USE ONLY.
Maintain a minimum distance of 10 ft. (3m) from overhead construction, walls, rails or other structures.
Keep a minimum 10 ft. (3m) clearance of all combustible materials such as wood, dry plants, grass, brush, paper or canvas.
Never use grill for anything other than its intended use. This grill is NOT for commercial use.
Accessory attachments not supplied by Kamado Joe are NOT recommended and may cause injury.
Use of alcohol, prescription or non-prescription drugs may impair user’s ability to assemble or safely operate grill.
Keep a ﬁre extinguisher accessible at all times while operating grill.
When cooking with oil or grease, have a type BC or ABC ﬁre extinguisher readily available.
In the event of an oil or grease ﬁre do not attempt to extinguish with water. Immediately call the ﬁre department. A type BC or ABC ﬁre extinguisher may, in some circumstances, contain the ﬁre.
Use grill on a level, non-combustible, stable surface such as dirt, concrete, brick or rock. An asphalt surface (blacktop) may not be acceptable for this purpose.
Grill MUST be on the ground. Do not place grill on tables or counters. Do NOT move grill across uneven surfaces.
Do not use grill on wooden or ﬂammable surfaces.
Keep grill clear and free from combustible materials such as gasoline and other ﬂammable vapors and liquids.
Do not leave grill unattended.
Do NOT allow anyone to conduct activities around grill during or following its use until it has cooled.
Never use glass, plastic or ceramic cookware in grill. Never place empty cookware in grill while in use.
Never move grill while in use. Allow grill to cool completely (below 115°F (45°C)) before moving or storing.
Do not store grill with hot ashes or charcoal inside grill. Store only when ﬁre is completely out and all surfaces are cold.
Never use grill as a heater. READ CARBON MONOXIDE HAZARD.
The grill is HOT while in use and will remain HOT for a period of time afterward and during the cooling process. Use CAUTION. Wear protective gloves/mitts.
DO NOT bump or impact the grill to prevent personal harm, damage to the grill or spillage/splashing of hot cooking liquid.
Be careful when removing food from grill. All surfaces are HOT and may cause burns. Use protective gloves/mitts or long, sturdy cooking tools for protection from hot surfaces or splatter from cooking liquids.
Do not touch HOT surfaces.
Grill is HOT during use. To avoid burns, keep face and body away from vents and when opening lid. Steam and hot air are expelled during use.
When cooking above 350°F (175°C), carefully open the grill (or burp the grill) each time you lift the grill dome to prevent ﬂashback – a surge of white-hot heat caused by a rush of oxygen. Partially opening the lid 2-3 inches (5-8cm) and allowing heat to escape for about 5 seconds should prevent this.
Air dampers are HOT while the grill is in use and during cooling. Wear protective gloves when adjusting.
Grill has an open ﬂame. Keep hands, hair and face away from ﬂame. Do NOT lean over grill when lighting. Loose hair and clothing may catch ﬁre.
DO NOT obstruct ﬂow of combustion and ventilation.
Do not cover cooking racks with metal foil. This will trap heat and may cause damage to the grill.
Never leave HOT coals or ashes unattended.
Fuel should be kept red hot for at least 30 minutes prior to use.
Do not cook before the fuel has a coating of ash.
Do not remove ash drawer while ashes and charcoal are HOT.
Use protective gloves when handling this grill or working with ﬁre. Use protective gloves or long, sturdy tools when adding wood or charcoal.
Never use charcoal lighting ﬂuid, gasoline, alcohol or other highly volatile ﬂuids to ignite the charcoal. These ﬂuids can explode and cause injury or death.
The maximum amount of charcoal for the Classic II is 6 lbs. (2.7 kg). Never overﬁll charcoal grate. This can cause serious injury as well as damage to the grill.
Dispose of cold ashes by placing them in aluminum foil, soaking with water, and discarding in a non-combustible container.
Do not cook before the fuel has a coating of ash.
WARNING! This barbecue will become very hot, do not move it during operation.
Do not use it indoors!
WARNING! Do not use spirit or petrol for lighting or re-lighting! Use only ﬁrelighters complying to EN 1860-3!
WARNING! Keep children and pets away.
Do not use the barbecue in a conﬁned and/or habitable space e.g. houses, tents, caravans, motor homes, boats. The danger of carbon monoxide poisoning fatality.

KAMADO-JOE-KJ23RHC-Classic-II-18-Inch-Ceramic-Grill-
fig-2

TOP VENT (1)
GRILL DOME (1)
HALF MOON COOKING GRATES (2)
ACCESSORY RACK (1)
CERAMIC HEAT DEFLECTORS (2)
DIVIDE & CONQUER® FLEXIBLE COOKING RACK (1)
STAINLESS STEEL FIREBOX RING (1)
CAST IRON GRATE (1)
FIREBOX WALLS (5)
FIREBOX BASE (1)
SLIDE-OUT ASH DRAWER (1)
LEFT SIDE SHELF (1)
RIGHT SIDE SHELF (1)
RATE TOOL (1)
GRILL GRIPPER (1)
GRILL BASE (1)
STEEL WIRE CART (1)
LOCKING SWIVEL CASTERS (2) NON-LOCKING SWIVEL CASTERS (2)
HINGE DISENGAGEMENT TOOL KIT (1)
CERAMIC FEET (3)

Grill Set-Up

UNBOXING YOUR GRILL

Cut the plastic bands and remove the top and side panels of the shipping container.
Lift off the top piece of the grill cart and remove the plastic from the top of the grill.
Open the dome of the grill and remove the components from the inside of the grill. Handle the internal ceramic parts with care.

KAMADO JOE GRILL WITH CART

Once the internal components of the grill have been removed, lift the grill out of the container and set it aside. Due to the weight of this grill, we highly recommend two people perform this task. Do NOT lift the grill by the side shelf tabs. Use the rear hinge and the front lower vent opening as lifting points.
Remove the plastic wrapping from the base of the grill cart.
Lock the casters on the bottom portion of the grill cart. Assemble the two pieces of the grill cart with the provided stainless steel screws which are preassembled to the bottom portion of the cart.
With the same lifting technique used previously, lift the grill into the cart. Adjust the grill in the cart so the lower grill vent is facing the front of the cart. The front side of the cart is the side with the two locking casters.

STAND ALONE VERSION

INSTALLATION

Latch Adjustments

The latch on your Classic II is already preset for an ultra-tight seal. Use these instructions if any adjustments should be needed.

CLASSIC II LATCH
To tighten and loosen the latch set, use a small Allen wrench. Adjust the set screw to lower the latch plate and add the spacer. Once the spacer is added, reinstall the latch plate by tightening the set screw.

Safety Information

Hinge and band is under high tension, and failure to follow instruction steps in order may result in severe injury.

HINGE
Do not attempt to disassemble the hinge or loosen bands from your grill without the hinge disengagement tool kit.

NOTE: Hinge disengagement tool kit (spacer, washer, and hex nut are included). Store these parts in case the hinge needs to be removed later. The hinge cannot be removed safely without these parts.

Use the bottom face and the front lower vent opening as lifting points (Do not lift the grill by the hinge, bands brackets or handle as this could cause the dome to become dislodged from the band). Only minor adjustments to the weight of the dome should be made per the instructions on page 16.

GASKET
Self-cleaning through a natural heat cycle is recommended. Do not use chemical-based cleaners on the gasket. If absolutely necessary, gently wipe off any spills or moisture. Do not scrub or abrade the gasket if cleaning. Excessive rubbing can cause wear.

Cleaning & Care

Your Kamado Joe grill is made of quality materials, so general care and maintenance is minimal. The best way to protect your Kamado Joe from the elements is with a grill cover.
Lightly cracked porcelain called crazing is part of the natural characteristic.

SELF-CLEANING

Add charcoal and light it.
Install the Divide & Conquer® ﬂexible cooking rack in the top position and both heat deﬂectors on the accessory rack.
Open the top and bottom air vents fully and let the temperature inside the grill rise to 600°F (315°C) with the dome closed.
Hold the temperature at around 600°F (315°C) for 15-20 minutes. 5 Close the bottom vent fully and wait another 15-20 minutes to close the top vent.
This process will burn off any unwanted residue from the inside of your grill. Before cooking again, brush the cooking grate with a standard grill brush. Use a soft bristle brush on the ceramics to remove any residue. Your heat deﬂector plates should also be free of burned-on residue after this process. Brush them down with a soft bristle brush after cleaning. When your heat deﬂectors get dirty during normal use, ﬂip them over with the dirty side down for the next cook and the heat from the ﬁre will self-clean that side of the deﬂector plate. Once or twice a year, you should do a more thorough cleaning of the inside of the grill. Remove the internal components and remove any residual ash or debris that has been collected between the grill body and the internal components. Use a plastic bristle brush to clean the inside ceramic surface and scoop or vacuum debris from the bottom of the grill before replacing the internal components.

Classic Air Lift Hinge Adjustments

The Air Lift Hinge on your Kamado Joe Classic is already pre-adjusted for ideal balance and stability. Follow these instructions for any additional adjustments to suit your personal preferences.
Caution: Air Lift Hinge under high tension.

CLASSIC

Open the dome of your Kamado Joe Classic grill.
With the dome open, place the 7mm wrench on the ﬂats on the screw (see Inset 1).
Place the 9/16 inch wrench on the nut on top of the spring retainer (see Inset 1).
To make the dome easier to raise, hold the 7mm wrench stationary and rotate the 9/16 inch wrench clockwise as shown. Remove the wrenches and check the dome action for every full rotation of the nut. If you want the dome to feel heavier, rotate the nut counterclockwise. Remove the wrenches and check the dome action for every full rotation of the nut. Do not adjust the nut so that it contacts the nut under the connector (see Inset 1).

Inset 1

Nut under connector
Flats on screw
Adjustment nut on the spring retainer
TOOLS REQUIRED: 7MM (9/32 INCH) OPEN END WRENCH AND 9/16 INCH OPEN END WRENCH (OR 14MM OPEN END WRENCH MAY WORK)

STARTING IT UP

Add charcoal to ﬁrebox and light using one or two ﬁre starters.
Leave the dome open for 10 minutes with the bottom vent fully open.
Close the dome.
Begin closing the top vent and bottom vent when the dome temperature is within 50°F (10°C) of your target.

MAINTAINING TEMPERATURE

To lower the temperature, decrease the airﬂow through the grill by closing the vents. Conversely, raising the temperature by opening the vents. Adjustments to the vents are not immediate—allow 10–15 minutes for a vent change to take effect. Because your ceramic Kamado Joe retains heat so well, it can take some time to fully heat. Give your grill 20–40 minutes to an hour to stabilize the temp before you start cooking.

COOLING IT DOWN

When ﬁnished cooking, close the bottom vent completely.
Once the temperature falls below 400°F (205°C), close the top vent almost completely, but leave a small crack.
Do not cover the grill until the dome is cool to the touch.