Baking pizza on the kamado is one of the most fun things you can do with a ceramic barbecue. The thick ceramic gets much hotter than most home ovens and holds that heat for a long time. With a pizza stone underneath you get a crispy base, and the hot air in the dome makes the toppings bubble. But it only works well with the right setup and enough patience while the kamado heats up. In this guide you'll read what you need, how to set up the heat deflector and pizza stone, how to build up the temperature slowly, and how to slide in and bake a pizza step by step. Plus tips on dough and toppings, a checklist, and the mistakes you're better off avoiding.
In short: place a heat deflector between the coals and the pizza stone, preferably with some air in between. Put the stone in from the start and build up the heat slowly to your target temperature, usually somewhere between 250 and 350 °C. Then let the stone preheat for at least half an hour. Keep the toppings light, slide the pizza in quickly and turn it halfway.
Why a kamado is so good for pizza
A good pizza needs heat from two directions: from below for a crispy base, and from above for melted cheese and a browned crust. A kamado gives you both:
- Heat from below: a pizza stone absorbs the heat and releases it evenly into the dough. The stone also draws moisture out of the base, which makes it crispy.
- Heat from above: the closed ceramic dome holds the hot air and reflects heat back onto the toppings, much like the vault of a pizza oven.
- High temperature: a kamado reaches temperatures that a regular home oven can't match. According to the product information, Keij kamados have a range of 50 to over 350 °C.
- Stable: the thick ceramic holds the heat for a long time, so you can bake several pizzas one after another.
A wood-fired pizza oven gets even hotter. There, a Neapolitan pizza is ready in a few minutes. On the kamado it takes a little longer, but the result comes close. If you're not yet familiar with your kamado, first read how to use a kamado barbecue: it explains how to light it and how to use the air vents.
What do you need?
You don't need much, but a few things are essential. This table shows what's really required and what makes baking easier.
| Component | Purpose | Needed? |
|---|---|---|
| Heat deflector (plate setter) | Shields the coals | Yes |
| Pizza stone | Crispy base | Yes |
| Charcoal, large pieces | High and stable fire | Yes |
| Pizza peel | Sliding in and taking out | Yes |
| Heat-resistant gloves | Moving the stone and grate | Yes |
| Spacers | Air gap under the stone | Useful |
| Infrared thermometer | Temperature of the stone | Useful |
| Pizza cutter or roller | Cutting | Useful |
The heat deflector is also called a plate setter or heat deflector. Keij makes them from cordierite ceramic, just like the kamado itself, sized to fit the kamado. The complete Keij Pro and Legend models come with the Divide & Conquer system in the box, but a plate setter isn't included as standard, so you'll need to budget for it separately.
The pizza stone on Amazon is usually cordierite too. Keij offers them in sizes from 23 to 38 cm, each matched to the corresponding kamado size. Choose a stone that fits comfortably on your grate with some space around it, so the hot air can rise past the stone. For an overview of everything you use with a kamado, with what you really need and what can come later, see kamado accessories: what do you need?. You can find the range at barbecue accessories.
The setup: heat deflector and pizza stone
The order from bottom to top is always the same: coals, heat deflector, air, pizza stone. The heat deflector blocks the direct radiation from the coals. The heat then travels up along the edges, into the dome, and comes back down from above onto your pizza.
| Setup | Base | Top |
|---|---|---|
| Stone without heat deflector | Burns quickly | Not yet cooked |
| Stone directly on the heat deflector | Can get too dark | Reasonable |
| Heat deflector, air gap, stone | Evenly browned | Cooked and coloured |
| Stone high in the dome | Evenly browned | More colour from above |
Why the air gap? If the stone sits directly on the heat deflector, the deflector passes its heat straight into the stone, and the stone becomes much hotter than the air in the dome. The base is then black before the cheese has melted. With a few centimetres of air in between, for example by placing the stone on the grate or using spacers, the heat from below and above stays better balanced.
The higher the stone, the closer the pizza is to the hot dome and the more colour the toppings get. According to the product information, Keij's Divide & Conquer system consists of a splitter, grates and raised legs, so you can place grates at several heights. Where the heat deflector belongs in your kamado depends on the brand and model, so check the manual.
Put the stone in right away
Ceramic can crack if it heats up or cools down too quickly. So place the heat deflector and pizza stone in the kamado before it gets hot, so they can warm up gradually with it. Putting a cold stone into a kamado at 300 °C is asking for trouble.
Which temperature for which pizza?
There is no fixed temperature for pizza. The values below are rough guidelines for the temperature in the dome, not hard rules. Every kamado behaves differently, and your dough, the toppings and the distance to the dome all play a part.
| Pizza style | Dome guideline | Baking time, approximate |
|---|---|---|
| Neapolitan style, thin | As hot as your kamado comfortably reaches | A few minutes |
| Thin, crispy pizza | Around 275 to 325 °C | A few minutes |
| Thicker base, lots of toppings | Around 225 to 260 °C | Clearly longer |
| Focaccia, flatbread | Around 225 to 260 °C | Until golden brown |
In the product information for its pizza stones, Keij advises preheating the stone for at least 30 minutes at 250 to 350 °C. That's a good starting point. If you're just starting out, choose a temperature around 275 °C first: that gives you more time to adjust before the base burns. Watch your pizza, not the clock. It's done when the crust is golden brown and airy, the cheese is bubbling and the base is firm.
Please note: the thermometer in the lid measures the air at the top of the dome, not the stone. The stone often lags behind the air, or runs ahead of it if it sits directly on the heat deflector. An infrared thermometer shows how hot the stone itself is.
Heating up for pizza in 5 steps
Pizza needs more heat than a regular grilling evening, and above all a kamado that has been fully heated through. For how to light it and use the air vents, see how to use a kamado barbecue. For pizza, pay attention to the following as well:
For high temperatures and multiple pizzas you need more coals than for a few burgers. Fill the firebox with large pieces of charcoal, the biggest at the bottom, and first remove the old ash so the air can flow freely.
If you want to reach high temperatures, light in two or three spots spread out instead of at a single point. Leave the lid open for about ten minutes until the coals around the starter cubes are glowing well.
Put the heat deflector in position, with the stone on top and some air in between. Do this early, so the ceramic can warm up gradually. Close the lid and open both vents fully.
Start closing the vents when you get close to your target temperature. A kamado that has become too hot cools down only slowly.
The thermometer may already be at temperature while the stone isn't yet. Keep the temperature stable and give the stone at least half an hour. Also wait until the smoke is thin and light blue: thick white smoke will taste in your pizza.
Most failed kamado pizzas aren't too hot, they're too early. If the thermometer shows the right temperature, wait another half hour. In that time you prepare the pizzas and the stone is truly hot right through to the core.
Dough and toppings
The dough
For pizza on a hot stone, a simple dough works best: flour, water, salt and a little yeast. Too much sugar or oil in the dough makes the base darken faster. As a starting point for four pizzas:
- 500 g soft wheat flour, preferably tipo 00 or strong bread flour
- About 300 to 325 ml cold water
- 10 to 15 g salt
- About 3 g dried yeast
Knead into a smooth, supple dough, divide it into four balls and leave them covered in the fridge to rise, preferably for a day or longer. Slow rising in the cold gives more flavour and a lighter crust. Take the balls out of the fridge a few hours before baking, so the dough reaches room temperature and stretches easily.
- Stretch with your hands instead of a rolling pin. That way air stays in the crust.
- Smaller than the stone: make the pizza a few centimetres smaller than your stone, so it's easier to slide in and nothing hangs over the edge.
- Dust with semolina: semolina on the peel works like tiny ball bearings, so the pizza slides easily.
The toppings
- Less is more: a thin layer of sauce and a few ingredients. Too many toppings make the pizza heavy and the base soggy.
- Dry mozzarella: let fresh mozzarella drain and pat it dry, or use a drier pizza mozzarella.
- Pre-cook watery vegetables: mushrooms, courgette and peppers release moisture. Fry or grill them briefly first.
- Herbs and oil afterwards: add fresh basil, rocket and a drizzle of olive oil once the pizza comes out of the kamado.
Baking pizza in 7 steps
Get everything ready before you start: dough, sauce, toppings, peel and gloves. Once the pizza is on the peel, you want to be quick.
Sprinkle a thin layer of semolina or flour onto the pizza peel. Not too much: anything that falls onto the stone will burn and can taste bitter.
Lay the stretched dough on the peel and top it quickly. The longer wet toppings sit on the dough, the greater the chance it will stick to the peel.
Give the peel a gentle back-and-forth shake. If the pizza slides freely, it's ready to slide in. If it sticks anywhere, lift the edge and sprinkle some semolina underneath.
Lift the lid a few centimetres first and wait a few seconds before opening it fully. This prevents a flare-up when fresh air suddenly rushes in.
Place the tip of the peel at the back of the stone and pull the peel back in one smooth movement. Close the lid immediately so the heat stays inside.
Check after a few minutes. If one side is darker, turn the pizza a quarter or half turn with the peel. One side of the kamado is often just a little hotter than the other.
It's done when the crust is golden brown, the cheese is bubbling and the base is firm. Let the pizza rest for a minute before cutting. Close the lid and let the stone come back up to temperature for the next one.
How to make your first pizza a success
- Bake the first pizza at a slightly lower temperature, around 275 °C
- Start with a simple margherita, without heavy toppings
- Make the first pizza a little smaller, so sliding it in is easier
- Write down how far the vents were open and how long the pizza stayed in
Checklist: ready to bake?
Run through this list before the first pizza goes into the kamado. Tick off what's ready.
- Firebox generously filled with large pieces of charcoal, old ash removed
- Heat deflector in place, stone on top with some air in between
- Stone heated up together with the kamado, not placed cold into a hot kamado
- Temperature stable around your target for at least half an hour
- Smoke is thin and light blue, no longer thick and white
- Dough at room temperature, toppings ready in bowls next to the kamado
- Pizza peel dusted with semolina, gloves within reach
- Agreed with yourself: always open the lid a crack first
Common mistakes
Starting too early
The thermometer shows the right temperature, but the stone isn't yet hot right through to the core. The result is a pale, limp base. Give the stone at least another half hour after heating up.
Stone without a heat deflector or without an air gap
Without a heat deflector the base burns within a minute. If the stone sits directly on the deflector, it often becomes much hotter than the air in the dome. Keep a few centimetres of air between deflector and stone.
A cold stone in a hot kamado
Large temperature differences can make ceramic crack. Heat the stone up along with the kamado and let it cool down inside the kamado after use too.
Too many toppings
A pile of cheese and wet vegetables soaks the base and makes the pizza stick to the peel. Keep the toppings thin and dry.
Opening the lid all at once
At high temperatures, fresh air can cause a flare-up. Lift the lid a little first, wait briefly, and only then open it fully. Keep your face and hands away from the opening.
Pizza party for a group?
Stretch all the dough balls in advance on floured baking paper and get the toppings ready. Then top the next pizza while the previous one is baking. Topping up with coals in between is possible, but do it quickly and with the lid open only briefly.
Which kamado and charcoal?
Don't have a kamado yet, or want something bigger? For pizza, the grate size matters most: your stone size, and therefore the size of your pizza, depends on it. All the kamados below have a dome and firebox made of cordierite ceramic and, according to the product information, a temperature range of 50 to over 350 °C. The complete models come with a stand, Divide & Conquer and a protective cover.
| Model | Size | Suitable for |
|---|---|---|
| Legend Large | 21 inch, grate 47 cm | Family, pizzas for 4 to 6 |
| Legend XL | 23 inch | Large gatherings |
| Pro Large | 21 inch | Getting into 21 inch |
| Legend of Pro Compact | 15 inch | Small patio, smaller pizzas |
Keij Legend Large 21 inch
The all-rounder from the Legend series, with a grate diameter of 47 cm. According to Keij, you can comfortably cook for 4 to 6 people on it, and homemade pizza bases are specifically mentioned in the product information. Side tables, a chip feeder for smoking wood and an ash drawer are included, which makes emptying the firebox for a full load easy.
Keij Legend Black Large 21 inch
Keij Legend XL 23 inch
The largest kamado in the Legend series, according to Keij built for large gatherings. The product information cites multiple pizzas at once as an example. At 95.5 kg it's a heavyweight, so choose a permanent spot.
Keij Legend Black XL 23 inch
Keij Kamado Pro Large 21 inch
The entry-level model in 21 inch, with the same ceramic core. In the product information, Keij mentions grilling at high temperatures, slow smoking and baking like in a pizza oven. Includes a stand with wheels, Divide & Conquer and a protective cover. Side tables, a chip feeder and an ash drawer are not on the list of what's included with the Pro.
Keij Kamado Pro Large 21 inch
Small patio or balcony? Then there are the 15 inch models. The Legend Compact has a grate of 30 cm, so you bake smaller pizzas on it.
All the models side by side are covered in Buying a Keij Kamado: Legend vs Pro. Torn between brands? Read Keij or Boretti. Also looking for new furniture for around the barbecue? The buying guide can help.
Charcoal for pizza
For high temperatures you want large, dense pieces of charcoal from a single wood type. Air flows well between them, so the fire burns fiercely and predictably.
According to the product information, it's ideal for bringing a kamado up to pizza temperatures, and the large pieces hold the heat long enough for several pizzas in a row. Marabu does light a bit more slowly than White Quebracho.
White Quebracho Restaurant Quality Charcoal
Made from quebracho blanco from Paraguay, with a mild smoke flavour. It lights faster than Marabu and, according to the product information, is suitable for both pizza and low & slow. You can find more types at charcoal and lighting.
Afterwards
After the last pizza, close both vents and the fire will go out on its own. Let the pizza stone cool down in the kamado: don't take it out while it's hot, and never put it on a cold, wet surface. According to Keij's product information, you clean a pizza stone with a dry brush, without soap or water, because the ceramic absorbs them. Stains on the stone are normal, and grease spots burn off during the next hot session. To find out how to maintain the rest of your kamado, read cleaning a kamado.
Frequently asked questions
What temperature do you bake pizza at on the kamado?
As a guideline, most kamado cooks heat the dome to somewhere between 250 and 350 °C for pizza. Thin Neapolitan-style pizza is best baked as hot as your kamado comfortably reaches, while a pizza with a thicker base benefits from a gentler heat. For its kamados, Keij quotes a range of 50 to well over 350 °C. More important than the number on the thermometer is that the stone is heated through completely.
Do you need a plate setter to bake pizza on the kamado?
Yes. Without a heat shield, the pizza stone sits directly above the glowing coals and scorches the base before the topping is cooked. The plate setter or heat deflector sits between the coals and the stone and ensures the heat circulates around the dome. The complete Keij models include the Divide & Conquer system, but a plate setter is not included as standard.
How long does a pizza stone need to preheat in the kamado?
Allow plenty of time. In its product information for its pizza stones, Keij recommends preheating the stone for at least 30 minutes at 250 to 350 °C. Place the stone in the kamado from the start so that it heats up together with the kamado. A cold stone placed in a hot kamado can crack.
Why does the bottom of my pizza burn in the kamado?
Usually the stone is much hotter than the air in the dome. This happens when the stone is too close to the fire or sits directly on the heat shield, or when the kamado was lit too quickly. Leave an air gap between the heat shield and the stone, place the stone higher in the dome and let the temperature stabilise before you start. Too much flour on the peel can also burn and taste bitter.
Which charcoal should you use for pizza on the kamado?
Choose large pieces of charcoal from a single wood type, and fill the firebox more generously than you would for a regular barbecue evening. Large pieces allow air to flow through, which helps you keep the temperature high and stable. Marabu and White Quebracho restaurant-grade lump charcoal come in 10 kg bags, with pieces of 5 to 20 cm, and according to the product information are suitable for pizza temperatures.
Can you bake several pizzas in a row on the kamado?
Yes. After each pizza, keep the lid closed for a few minutes so the stone can return to temperature. With a full firebox and large pieces of charcoal, the heat is held for a long time. If you're baking for a large group, a bigger kamado with a larger stone, such as a 21 or 23 inch model, will help.
