Can You Use Wood in a Kamado Grill?

I used to have so many BBQ parties with my family when I was a child. Now I live far from home and miss those days. But that doesn’t mean I don’t grill anymore.

When you grill your food, it makes a mouthwateringly seared crust on your food that you can’t get from a pan or an oven.

Grilling food doesn’t just make food taste better because the whole environment and process of grilling cheers you up.

But you have to know how to grill, which includes managing the fuel as well. You can use charcoal to grill, but you won’t get the same smokey taste of burning wood from charcoal.

And there are also a lot of different kinds of grills that you can choose from. I prefer the Kamado grill because of its efficiency.

But can you use wood in a Kamado grill?

Yes, you can absolutely use wood in a Kamado grill to bring on the unique smokey flavor to your food. If you want the best of both worlds, you can even use both charcoal and wood together in your Kamado grill.

Read More: Can You Burn Wood in a Charcoal Grill

Can You Grill with Wood Instead of Charcoal in a Kamado Grill?

You can use wood to grill your food instead of charcoal in your Kamado grill. If you want the smokey flavor of food from grilling with wood, you can do that with your Kamado grill.

The smoke you get from burning wood when you grill has a great effect on the food you cook. Even though grilling with charcoal is common, people use wood for this smokey taste and other benefits.

You can use hardwood or softwood for grilling your food in your Kamado grill. Just make sure that the firewood is dry enough to burn easily.

If you don’t want to use wood logs, you can even use wood chips or wood pellets to grill in your Kamado grill.

In that case, you will need a smoker box to put the wood in. if you don’t have that, you can tightly wrap the wood chips in aluminum foils with poked holes and place them in the fire.

However, if you want to grill with both charcoal and wood, you can do that too. Just don’t mix the two types of fuel together. As long as you place them separated from each other in the fire, you are good to go.

What Kind of Wood Should You Use in a Kamado Grill?

There are many types of firewood that you can use to grill your food. But how would you know which one to choose?

The KamadoJoe company sells several types of fuel, which includes some firewood that can be used in the Kamado grill.

Now I’ll recommend you some of the firewood that you can choose from the KamadoJoe website or store yourself.

• Maple Wood Chunks: These wood chunks are from maple trees, and these are hardwoods of the premium kind. If you want to grill small birds or poultry in your Kamado grill, these wood chunks are perfect for doing so. The best part about these wood chunks is that you will get a mildly sweet flavor in your food.
• Oak Wood Chunks: The oak wood chunks from KamadoJoe are also made from premium hardwood and add an addictive flavor to your food. These wood chunks are great if you want a medium-smokey flavor in your food.
• Pecan Wood Chunks: These are also made from premium hardwood, and these are best for grilling foods like chicken, ribs, and fish. As these wood chunks are air-dried, you will get a sweet flavor in your food if you use them.
• Hickory Wood Chunks: If you want a really strong smokey flavor from your food, you should consider these wood chunks. These wood chunks are great for ribs and pork. Even though these wood chunks create strong flavor, your food will still taste sweet.
• Apple Wood Chunks: These premium hardwood chunks are great for grilling poultry, ham, lamb, birds, and beef. If you want a fruity and slightly sweet flavor in your food, you should consider these wood chunks.

Benefits of Using Wood in a Kamado Grill

There are a lot of great benefits to using wood in a Kamado grill. Now I will talk about all the benefits down below.

1. If you use wood in a Kamado grill, you will not have to worry about a mess. This is because charcoal creates a lot of mess, which wood doesn’t.
2. As I’ve already mentioned, you get to experience a unique smokey and sweet flavor in your food if you use wood in your Kamado grill, which nothing else can mimic.
3. You don’t only get the advantage of taste with wood, but you can also enjoy the sweet smell from burning wood while you are grilling and when you eat.
4. Wood burns slowly and for a longer time than charcoal, as it can burn for more than an hour.
5. You can reuse the leftover wood for other purposes when you are done grilling, like for your fireplace, sauna, or other things, because wood is versatile.
6. It is really easy to light wood on fire. You just need a bit of kindling, tinder, and a match. And you don’t even need to soak your wood in fuel. In some cases, if the wood is really dry, it can be lit with just a match.
7. When you light the fire to your wood for grilling in your Kamado grill, you don’t have to worry about keeping the fire burning. Once lit, it will not easily distinguish.
8. You can also use wood and combine it with charcoal to grill in your Kamado grill.

Final Words

Can you use wood in a Kamado grill? Yes, you can do just that to get a rich smokey smell and flavor in your food.

You can use different types of wood in your Kamado grill, like apple wood, oak wood, maple wood, and more.