Kudu: Guide to cooking over an open fire

Guide to Cooking Over an Open Fire

Introduction

History Braai is the universal South African word for grilling meat over coals, and South Africans have turned this simple act into a beloved cultural touchstone. In South Africa, braais aren’t just for special occasions – every day is a special occasion when you break out the braai. We at KUDU were inspired by that and wanted to create a product that could bring a taste of that lifestyle into the homes (or backyards) of more Americans. And it’s an amazing taste indeed, in more ways than one – food prepared over an open fire, especially on a system as customizable as the KUDU, will change everything you thought about outdoor cooking.

Benefits If you’ve ever struggled with the hassle of a gas grill, threw up your hands in frustration at your inability to get your charcoal lit, or just wondered what you did wrong, your worries are over with the KUDU.

The KUDU’s unique design allows for a grilling experience unlike any other, and the intuitive ease of use means that everybody who takes a turn on the KUDU has the capacity to become a braai master.

Highlights The KUDU is more than just a grill. The KUDU is the centerpiece of your outdoor living experience.

The KUDU features: • Two elevation bars • A fully-adjustable, pivoting, locking grill surface that moves up and down with ease.

• A full-adjustable frying pan surface where you can scramble eggs, cook French toast, or stir-fry vegetables while you grill.

• An attached cutting board with steel supports for chopping, cutting, or holding utensils • A portable design for easy storage and transportation

• Available accessories include Dutch ovens, rotisseries, bread makers, oyster roasters, chicken roasters, Himalayan salt blocks, cast iron skillets, steel skillets, woks, and more.

• The KUDU is also the perfect outdoor fire pit. A set of concentric metal rings holds your wood firmly in place.

Whether used as a standalone fire pit for chilly outdoor evenings or for a perfect fire after you’ve finished cooking, the KUDU saves you time in starting your outdoor fire.

We’ve taken the idea of an outdoor barbecue grill and added everything you need for a complete outdoor living experience.

Getting Started:

Proper Wood Your selection of wood is a crucial part of your cooking and outdoor experience. Use seasoned wood, and avoid using wet wood.

Cooking:

Proper Wood / Kindling

• For a smoky aroma to complement your food, use a fruitwood, like apple, almond, or cherry.

• For a stronger smokey aroma choose hardwoods like hickory and mesquite. They can be a great compliment to certain meats and poultry but have a very distinctive aroma.

• For a neutral flavor use oak. Oak is one of the hardest and densest woods, it burns hot and long, and it doesn't have as much distinct flavor as the fruit woods.

• Avoid softwoods and highly resinous woods like pine or juniper.

They burn quicker and cooler and give off potent resin aromas, and some can even be toxic.

For maximum heat for cooking, allow your logs to burn completely

until they are embers before adding food.

Outdoor Fireplace: Choose a type of wood that burns hot and long. The harder the wood, the better it is for producing high heat and long-lasting embers. The best woods for an outdoor fireplace are: • Oak • Almond • Hickory • Mesquite • Manzanita

Kindling • To get your fire started, use a softer, easier to burn kindling wood such as pine or another soft type of wood.

• Don’t use kindling thicker than your thumb.

• Use three times as much fuelwood as kindling for 45 minutes of fire.

Cooking over embers, not fire

Embers vs. Fire Placing food directly over an open flame is only guaranteed to do one thing: burn your food. Cook food over embers, not over a flame.

Tips: • Whether you’re using charcoal or wood, allow the fire to burn to embers before beginning cooking.

• Keep in mind that cooking over coals has more ‘carryover cooking’ than cooking in a conventional oven. Your food will continue to cook as it rests, even when you remove it from its heat source.

• For larger items, carryover cooking can continue for up to 20 minutes and result in a five- to 10-degree internal temperature difference. Foil-wrapped like corn or potatoes will continue to steam when they’ve been removed from the grill.

Supplementing Fuel

Supplementing Fuel If you’re pressed for time, or just can’t seem to get your kindling to start, consider using a fuel supplement: • Charcoal Lighter Fluid - never apply to a flame, only to dry material.

• Sterno - place kindling in a tent shape over a Sterno can.

Remove the can with tongs or the KUDU Coal Claw when the kindling has begun to burn.

• Pellets - pellets are sometimes easier to start than kindling.

NEVER use gasoline, lighter fluid, or any other flammable or toxic material to start a fire or supplement a flame.

Cooking Styles:

Direct Cooking • Direct Cooking cooks foods with the direct heat of the flame.

• Used primarily for searing foods and for cooking foods that take

Direct, Indirect, Sear, Reverse Sear

less than 20 minutes to cook, such as shrimp, steaks, hamburgers, chops and most vegetables.

• Place your food directly above the heat source • Turn your food once halfway through the cooking time to expose both sides of the food to the heat.

The radiant heat of the KUDU grills food evenly, making a lid unnecessary for direct cooking. The KUDU Braai Tongs are the best way to turn and remove your food from your grill.

Indirect Cooking Indirect cooking uses reflected heat to cook - food is placed away from the source of the flame. Use indirect cooking for • larger cuts of meat • whole turkey or chicken • brisket, ribs, and roasts The KUDU Smoker Lid is available for a perfect indirect cooking experience.

Searing Searing provides a great flavor and texture contrast to your grilled food.

• Searing requires temperatures between 300°F to 500°F. Avoid temperatures greater than 500°F or your food will be burned and dry.

• If you’re searing meat, allow 30% to 40% of the cooking time after your cooking is complete for the muscle fibers to relax.

Reverse Searing Reverse Searing is a combination of indirect cooking and searing.

• Season your meat and place on the cool side of your grilling surface.

• Flip the meat regularly.

• Check the internal temperature often for doneness • Rest the meat after the internal temperature is reached.

• Sear the meat over a fire of 300°F to 500°F.

Smoking

Smoking The KUDU is the ideal way to smoke your food. KUDU’s Open Fire System allows fresh smoke to constantly replace old. That small nuance takes the flavor of your food from good to spectacular.

KUDU’s unique design allows for better ventilation than traditional smokers, giving you better-tasting food.

Tips for smoking your food on your KUDU: • Select the proper wood for your desired flavor (see Proper Wood / Kindling).

• Use a genuine KUDU Smoker Lid too ensure a proper fit and consistency of temperature.

• Allow for plenty of cooking time - start early.

• Don’t overdue it - smoke food for no longer than half its cooking time.

• Keep the air moving - KUDU’s unique design allows for perfect air flow and creation of white smoke so your food won’t taste bitter or harsh from black smoke.

• Make sure your other foods compliment, rather than detract from the star of the show - your smoked food.

Fuel Preservation

Fuel Preservation The KUDU was designed from the ground up for you to maximize the efficiency of your fuel source. Whether you’re using wood or charcoal in your KUDU, you’ll save time and money by following these tips: • Don’t over-use your fuel source. A key consistently a good result is not building a fire that’s too big for the job. A fire that’s too big will use your fuel too quickly and burn too hot for good results.

• Keep an eye on the embers. Start cooking your food when the ash begins to form after the visible flame has disappeared.

• Take advantage of the KUDU’s two elevation bars and dual cooking surfaces to cook your entire meal with one heat source.

• Do the math when you’re using two cooking surfaces. Calculate the total amount of cooking time you’ll need for all your food and plan your fuel accordingly.

• Take advantage of the fire pit. Your coals are the ideal place to start your outdoor fire in KUDU’s fire pit.

For recipes, techniques, accessories, , tricks, and much more visit our website: © 2018 KUDU Grills, All Rights Reserved. Design by Houston Creative Media.

http://kudugrills.com