Primo Oval XL

Exceptional bbq. Outstanding service – I’ve been bbqing pretty full on since 2012. This bbq does it all, build solid and easy to use. Oval shape is ideal for large briskets. Casey is a legend giving the best After sales customer service and support. If you want A kamado style grill this Is the one to get.

Amazing service, great product – Purchased a primo oval large grill from http://www.primogrills.com.au/ and I think the only way Casey could have been more helpful is if he turned up and cooked the bbq! I asked many questions and wanted to change some of the inclusions, all of which was no problem. I needed to delay delivery for a couple of weeks and this was also no problem, with no ask for deposit or any pressure.

The BBQ itself is a beauty, very solidly constructed and cooks some great, Smokey bbq flavours.

One of the largest Kamado styled barbecues you can get, and I absolutely adore it – Many people do not know what a Kamado is, so I'll start by saying (quite inadequately) that it's a ceramic charcoal-fired barbecue. In a very crude way, it's basically a ceramic version of the Weber kettle... except better, more flexible, more efficient, longer lasting (ceramics don't rust like most barbecues do after a few years) and of course, can cook more things.

Kamado is a Japanese word that roughly translates as "earth oven"... just in case you're wondering... and the design has been around for centuries... maybe even millennia.

Aside from the obvious barbecuing function, it also doubles as a charcoal-fired pizza and/or normal oven, a hot-smoker, and with the right cooking plates and/or cookware, it can grill, sear, fry, and bake anything you can fit into it. I often bake bread, cook meat, hot smoke some fresh tomatoes from the garden with some bacon and egg, or do a really low temp & slow-smokey cook of larger cuts of meat, like a brisket, ribs, or roast.

Most Kamados, from the outside, have general egg-shaped appearance. Certain brands like "The Big Green Egg", Kamado Joe, Saffire, and others reflect this and stick to the same general design as one another. Inside, they all feature a circular grilling area for you to cook on which provide a cooking area of 1800-2961 square centimetres. However the down side to having a circular plate is that it gets cramped in there very quickly when you're used to larger, non-circular pieces of meat, especially after being able to cook on larger rectangular plates that most gas barbecues feature. This is where the Oval XL is almost in a class of its own.

I chose the Oval XL for this exact reason. It ISN'T circular, but rather than a true oval, it's shape is more accurately described as a circle, cut in half with a rectangular bit (the same diameter of the circle) inserted between the two half circles, and the difference in available cooking area is significant. Also, using extension racks (not included) adds more space again (up to a total of 5350 square centimetres) at higher level in the dome and using racks of different heights allows you to vary the temperature ranges quite a bit, which helps when you need to cook more than one type of thing (or just keep things warm while other bits are still cooking).

The oval shape also significantly improves the performance when doing two-zone cooking by putting more distance between the hotter and cooler sections. (Great when searing and baking at the same time for instance) I've seen two-zone cooking done in circular kamados, but two zone cooking when both halves are equal, and right next to each other really end up being a compromise of both zones.

The rest of the fittings (as part of the Kamado itself) work well... although the air intake valve is merely a sheet of thin metal, that runs through a track. The metal has to be thin since it has bend slightly in order to deal with a slightly changing curvature of the Oval XL itself as it moves from wide open to closed.. but I have no complaints whatsoever.

The warranty on the attached analogue thermometer is ONLY 30 days.. but mine is still going strong after 18 months. It's not the most accurate thermometer in the world though.... please see my section below on recommended accessories.

Before I go further, you must know a few things, to decide whether or not you really want a Kamado.

First:

Please realize that any Kamado won't have a 15 minute start and heat up period. I usually start the fire at least an hour before cooking, and the keep an eye on it to ensure I don't overshoot my temperature. Unlike metal barbecues, the heat retention in the ceramics lasts much longer, so it can actually be very difficult to cool a kamado down if the fire has been raging for a while.

Second:

NEVER use chemical fire starters, or chemical infused fuels. You NEED to use natural charcoal, and natural fire lighters. Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, ceramics are porous, which if you love a good charcoal-smoke flavour, becomes more amazing as you use the barbecue... but on the downside, if you use paraffin, kerosene, those white waxy fire lighters, or petroleum containing fuels (like the briquettes you use in a Weber, briquettes are NOT the same as charcoal), the food you cook in the kamado WILL taste like kerosene for a VERY long time (maybe even permanently).

Thirdly:

Kamado's were NOT designed to move. As such, they can be VERY heavy, are breakable, and do not respond well to sudden impacts and/or sudden changes of temperature (keep that hose away from a hot Kamado, or it'll crack. If you need to stop the fire, keep the lid closed, and shut the top and bottom openings, and you will suffocate the fire). Similarly, you need to support any Kamado well, do NOT skimp on the trolley/barbecue stand. If you're traveling with one over any bumpy or long distance, you need to pad it well, ensure the lid stays closed, and all loose parts aren't going to bounce around inside the shell.

Fourthly:

There is going to be a learning curve with this barbecue. There are no dials, taps, or temperature settings with this (although you can buy controllers that do, once the fire is going). On a standard Kamado, the temperature control comes down to how open or closed the bottom air intake is, in conjunction with how open/closed the top chimney is. From experience, I can safely say, keep the chimney wide open in the beginning, (otherwise all you'll taste is smoke), start the fire with the intake wide open, and clamp down to 1-2cm wide opening once it gets over 100 degrees C.. then adjust as necessary.

Finally:

The dome is a little different from flat-topped metal lids that you find on most gas barbecues. While it opens upwards, and away from you like most lids, the dome sticks out further than I originally thought. As such, any Kamado needs to be located so there's enough clearance from the back of the hinge, to whatever is behind it to open properly. So don't simply place it up against a wall, else you'll be struggling to open the dome... or worse breaking the dome and/or whatever it runs into.

Ok, if I haven't scared you off... great! So back to the Oval XL itself:

Unlike other Kamados that may include a stand with some castors, and maybe some small shelves on either side, you only get those little ceramic feet (most often seen with flower pots) with the Primo Oval XL. I built myself an industrial strength Dolly with castors featuring locks. I'll build a proper home for it once my new place is finished.

After much research, I found that the Primo Oval XL "Loaded" package to be the best value for my needs and it got me to a reasonable cooking-area approximation of cooking of a gas 4 burner barbecue (without extension racks). It also included everything I needed to get started (including fuel). Buying as a package made sense because I will warn you now, the individual accessory parts are QUITE expensive. Try to buy what you'll need in one hit, most retailers will be more amenable to a discount.

Now, most grilling plates in Kamados are either stainless steel, or ceramic coated steel. Primo opts for the latter option... which means:

1. It shouldn't rust as long as the coating is maintained. Which means: No banging, or using any abrasive metal utensils to scrape off the burned bits. (This means pretty much any of the utensils most Aussies use on their barbecues). If you do, you'll just remove the ceramic coating.. from what I've read, rusting will start to occur quickly after that. But you can get a new grill without too much trouble. I haven't had this problem, so please see point 2 for maintenance instructions.

2. It's a little easier to clean, by simply burning off most of it at the end of the cook, by opening the air vents which sets the kamado to "incinerate" then once it's cooled COMPLETELY, use a PLASTIC scrubbing brush to remove the remaining bits.

My comments on the accessories that come in the "Loaded" Package:

The firebox divider - (a plate of specifically shaped iron really) is good for smaller cooks, simple barbecues, and two-temperature zone cooking. However, I find that if you light the left side, where the air intake is located, you'll get more heat and a cleaner burn. Being a lump of iron, it rusts quickly. For a firebox divider, I estimate I've probably got at least another 20-30 years of use left in it.

The ash tool - This is just a J shaped piece of metal that works for a surprisingly wide variety of tasks. Scrape out the ash, (yes it works), I also use it to carefully lift the cooking grills, move heat deflectors, lower other grills into place.. works quite well!

Heat deflectors - These are two large D shaped pieces of ceramic which block the radiant heat from the coals below. Insert 1, and you get a baking half and a grilling half for 2 zone cooking. Or insert both to turn the kamado into a giant smoking oven. I lost one... (I still hope it'll turn up one day) but the replacement was nearly $100 delivered.

Searing plate: Personally, I don't use this very much, but if you like the black lines of seared goodness on your meat, then it works as advertised. It differs from the grilling plate in that the metal is much thicker, and has that "cast iron" feel of old grills. I don't think it's cast iron though. It may well be another ceramic-coated job.

16" Pizza stone: Actually this is one thing I use a lot, and not just for pizza. I'll often bake a loaf of bread on it, I've even baked a 16" pancake on it, just to see if I could. Nothing says breakfast in bed better than a 16" wide pancake... however I must warn you trying to get a freshly cooked 16" pancake past others in the household proves difficult unless there truly is enough for everyone. :-) Maybe one is enough for your household... :~) You don't often see pizza stones this large, and I have to admit, it makes a big difference to the size of your pizza!

In conclusion:

The Oval XL is a great, large, and more expensive option that may be out of the reach of some. However, there are cheaper and smaller options, (even at Costco) but the quality of the hinges, handles, etc vary wildly from one to the other, and the warranty's vary accordingly too. Your needs may vary from my own, and I suggest that you find what's right for you. You shouldn't read my warning about limited cooking space as meaning "Get a big one"... some people are intentionally buying smaller kamados like any of the circular ones, or the Primo Oval Junior for everyday use. I simply got a big one, because I entertain a lot. If you have a small family.. then a smaller one should be sufficient.

If you've learned nothing else, the simplicity of the Kamado belies it's capabilities, and as a charcoal cooking implement, it is seriously hard to beat when used intelligently. I find the meat is tender, moist, and has the charcoal smoking flavour that many people appreciate to the point of practically living at my place. I've literally cooked every sort of meat I can find, ranging from the standard chicken, pork, fish, beef, lamb, and venison to the far more exotic crocodile, and even ostrich. As long as you know how to cook each of these meats, the kamado can take you to new areas of cooking.

It isn't limited to meat either: Some of the things I've done include charcoal fired breads, pastries, and recovery breakfasts after big events make you a hero of the masses.. and don't be surprised if you get asked if people can come over more often.

The Primo Oval XL is not the biggest Kamado out there, but it's certainly on the larger and more expensive side. Being larger, it will take more charcoal to heat up. Buying the expensive charcoal is fine, but you can often get natural lump charcoal from your local hardware store for much cheaper. ( The catch is that cheaper "natural lump" charcoal usually comes in smaller pieces... which reduces the gaps between pieces and decreases airflow. So this can slow down the lighting process significantly.

For fire lighters, I actually do use the Samba Natural Firelighters which seem to get a low review here on this site at:

https://www.productreview.com.au/p/samba-natural-firelighters.html

But please note that I've used these on windy days, and they seem to work for me. Probably because they are LOADS more useful when used to start a charcoal chimney rather than the charcoal directly in the Kamado itself. A chimney is basically a glorified can that you fill with charcoal, with lots of air holes, and a raised base so you can light firelighters underneath it. You can also buy them from any barbecue or hardware store for $15-30

Other things you should get for this barbecue (or any other Kamado)

Wireless meat thermometer - While Primo sells one for $120, you can buy them for as little as $24 from Bunnings or Aldi. Simply select the meat you're cooking, and how you'd like it cooked. Stick the thermometer probe into the middle of the meat, connect it to the transmitter (obviously outside of the barbecue) and wait until it tells you it's done. (Personally I wait until it's about 5 degrees below my target temp, then stick my steaks on the grill for searing, a minute or two on each side and you're done!)

Barbecue controller - can also get a full blown Kamado controller. Which if you want to do 14-48+ hour, overnight cooks will be a God-send. They're similar to the meat temperature thermometer, but additionally control the temperature by regulating or encouraging airflow into the kamado itself via a fan. Some have multiple meat probes for multiple pieces of meat, and a "pit" thermometer to tell you how hot it is in the kamado itself. Some are so advanced, they'll let you track progress and send you an email or push notification to your smart phone warning you if the coals are going out and the temperature is dropping, or merely that the meat is done.. while you're out shopping, at work, or even abroad! If you need the most tender, low-temperature, slow cooked meat (short of sous vide methods) then you won't need to check and re-check the meat, and maybe even have a nap between bastings/inserting more charcoal. Be warned, some of these are very expensive!

Meat injector - It looks like a syringe, but with a much more scary, thick, but blunt needle, and available from any decent kitchenware shop, barbecue store, even online. Most people know that you can marinade meat, but a good marinade injector ensures more of the flavour survives cooking for LESS marinade. (Great if you're only got 1 lemon, and you're cooking for a small party) I will say this, make sure you strain and puree your marinades so you don't block the holes in the needle, and try to use the same hole but at different angles to inject your marinades into different areas without completely destroying the look of your meats.

Cold smoker - If you'd like to smoke cheeses, butters, or even cream, (without melting or cooking them) or delicate foods like herbs, spices, tomatoes, etc... you can get a cold smoker attachment which basically involves burning wood chips in a metal cylinder, and then using an aquarium air pump to push the much cooler smoke into air intake of the Kamado. Being a relatively sealed container, with the airflow enhanced by the large gaps in the grilling plates, make a Kamado as an ideal cold smoker too!

I love cooking, and I do NOT regret buying a Kamado (especially this one) one bit. I have had absolutely no problems with this kamado, and I'd recommend it to anyone, as long as it fits your needs!