Welcome to the club, Bastard! Congratulations on your purchase.
Below you will read step-by-step what you need to do to get the most out of The Bastard.
Placing the kamado on the frame is a job for powerhouses. Fortunately, we have found a way to make it a little easier. Follow the instruction below for this:
- After unpacking The Bastard, it recommended to carefully check all screws and tighten them if necessary. Something may have vibrated loose during transport. View the Unboxing Video here.
- Install the handle.
- Remove all the Styrofoam in the kamado, also under the fire basket.
- Make sure the opening of the fire basket matches the bottom ventilation air hole at the bottom of the Bastard.
- Place the charcoal grid at the bottom of the fire basket.
- Fit the side tables*: mount the four holders of the side tables. Make sure the openings point in the same direction.
- Assemble the chassis with wheels* as shown in the drawing.
- Place the top ventilation disc on The Bastard.
Important: The Bastard is a kamado made of cordierite ceramic. The ceramic has to get used to the high temperatures. We recommend that you do not fire The Bastard hotter than 200 degrees Celsius the first 3 times.
Also make sure you let the temperature rise as slowly as possible, especially if the weather is cold and/or humid. This prevents cracking and/or snapping of the ceramic. To let the temperature rise slowly for the first 3x, start with the top and bottom vents only slightly open. You can gradually open these a little further and further, to let the temperature rise. So just be patient, but this way, you can go all out with The Bastard afterwards.
The Fire
The Bastard is a ceramic barbecue and it is always fired on charcoal. Use good quality charcoal with large pieces so that The Bastard does not get suffocated. Fill it to the brim of the firebox at most. Preferably light the charcoal with a lighter, such as the ‘One Minute Lighter’. You can also use firelighters, but only if they are made of natural material. Never use chemical firelighters, spirit or other liquid!
Note: How to avoid a flame
The Bastard can of course get very hot. If you then suddenly open the lid, aflame jet may occur. Therefore, always use barbecue gloves. When you lift the lid, first do so slightly and with your arm extended. This allows oxygen to reach the fire first and prevents a flame jet.
Temperature Controle
With a kamado, it is not that difficult to achieve a constant high temperature of, say, 250 degrees Celsius or a low temperature of 80-90 degrees Celsius. You can also achieve a constant low temperature for as long as 12 hours without adding new charcoal.
You control the temperature with the top cap and damper. To let the temperature rise, let more oxygen into The Bastard by opening the top cap and damper. With less airflow in The Bastard, the temperature drops. Then you close the top cap and damper a bit more.
Tip: for slow cooking at a low temperature, always use a plate setter. In that case, don't let the grill get too hot. After all, it takes hours to bring the temperature down again.
