Recipe · Indirect · Medium
Brioche Burger Buns on the Kamado
Brioche burger buns baked on the kamado: a soft, buttery crumb, an egg-glazed shine and a scatter of sesame. The perfect cushion for your next homemade smash burger.
Quick answer
Brioche burger buns bake on the kamado over indirect heat at 190°C, with a deflector and stone, for 15-18 minutes, until they reach 88-90°C inside. A dough enriched with butter, milk and egg gives a tender crumb; an egg wash and sesame add shine and a deep golden crust.
One big step at a time, screen kept on and built-in timers.
- Prep
- 45 min
- Cook
- 18 min
- Servings
- 8 servings
- Temperature
- 190 °C
What time do you want to eat?
Pick a time and we'll tell you when to start.
12:17
Start the prep
13:02
Light the kamado
13:32
Onto the kamado
14:00
Serve
Estimate: it includes lighting and settling the kamado plus a margin for large cuts. If the recipe asks you to marinate or salt ahead, add that time.
Fire setupIndirect
- Dome
- 190 °C
- Deflector
- Yes
- Setup
- Deflector, stone and lined baking tray
Temperature curve
1:11 h from lighting
Kamado domeInside the meat (probe)
| # | From | Phase | Dome | Internal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0:00 | Light the charcoalDeflector and stone in, indirect at 190 °C | 20 → 190 °C | no probe |
| 2 | 0:30 | StabiliseLet the stone heat for 15-20 min | 190 °C | no probe |
| 3 | 0:48 | Put the food inTray of glazed buns onto the stone | 190 → 165 °C | 20 °C |
| 4 | 0:50 | Bake15-18 min lid closed; centre at 88-90 °C | 165 → 190 °C | 20 → 89 °C |
| 5 | 1:06 | RestCool on a rack before slicing | 190 → 120 °C | 89 → 85 °C |
| 6 | 1:11 | Serve | off | no probe |
0:00 is the moment you light the charcoal. Internal temperatures are the ones the recipe gives; without a probe, go by the times. Turn these times into clock times with the planner
For this recipe
Ingredients
- strong bread flour (W 260-300)500 g
- whole milk, lukewarm180 ml
- butter, at room temperature80 g
- eggs (2 for the dough + 1 for the wash)3
- sugar40 g
- fresh yeast (or 5 g dry)15 g
- salt9 g
- white and black sesame seeds2 tbsp
Allergens
- Gluten
- Eggs
- Milk
- Sesame
Based on the recipe's ingredients. Always check the label of every product you buy.
The gear for this recipe
Big Green Egg LargeThe Big Green Egg Large is the heart of this recipe: its thick ceramic walls hold heat and moisture, creating the wrapping wood-oven environment brioche needs to rise fluffy without drying out. The Large size comfortably fits a tray of all 8 buns and holds a steady 190°C throughout the bake.
Kamado Joe Big Block XL lump charcoal 9.1 kg
Onlyfire GCG-8552 Cooking System (2 grates + rack + 2 deflectors) for Large Kamado
GOURMEO Round Cordierite Pizza Stone 35 cmA hot cordierite stone under the tray spreads stable, wrapping heat across the base, avoiding the cold spot that would leave the buns pale underneath. Preheat it for 15-20 minutes alongside the deflector: it acts as a thermal mass that buffers the kamado's temperature swings and ensures the brioche browns evenly.
DOQAUS instant-read thermometer, folding probe, 3-second read
Method
- 01
Mix and knead
Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm milk with a spoonful of the sugar and let it foam for 10 minutes. Combine the flour, remaining sugar and salt; add the milk and the 2 eggs, and knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic and starting to pull from the bowl.
- 02
Work in the butter
Add the soft butter in small pieces, one at a time, without rushing. Keep kneading until fully incorporated and the dough is glossy and passes the windowpane test: stretched thin, it lets light through without tearing.
- 03
First proof
Shape into a ball, place in a greased bowl and cover. Let it rise at room temperature (ideally 24°C) for 1 to 1.5 hours, until doubled in size. In warm weather, watch it so the butter does not melt out.
- 04
Shape the buns
Degas and divide the dough into 8 equal pieces (about 110 g each). Roll each into a tight, smooth ball on the work surface. Set the buns on a parchment-lined tray, well spaced, and give them a second proof of 45-60 minutes until puffy.
- 05
Set up the kamado
Light the kamado and stabilise it for indirect cooking at 190°C with the deflector and stone inside, letting the stone heat for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, beat the remaining egg and brush the buns gently; scatter the sesame. Give a second coat of egg just before baking for maximum shine.
- 06
Bake indirect
Place the tray on the stone and bake for 15-18 minutes, keeping the lid closed and the temperature at 190°C. The buns are done when deep golden and reading 88-90°C in the centre. If your kamado browns more on one side, rotate the tray halfway through. Cool on a rack before slicing.
About this recipe
A good burger bun is not a mere holder: it is half the bite. Brioche pushes it to the limit with a dough enriched in butter, milk and egg that turns out fluffy, lightly sweet and firm enough to handle a juicy patty without falling apart. Baking it on the kamado adds a wood-fired backdrop that is hard to mimic in a home oven.
The fat in the butter lubricates the gluten and lends that silky crumb; the milk and egg soften it and add colour. The trick is to knead well before adding the butter and to keep the dough warm, around 24°C, so it ferments with energy but never turns greasy.
The kamado holds moisture and circulates a gentle, wrapping heat that brioche loves. With the deflector and a hot stone you turn the ceramic into a soft convection oven: the base never scorches and the crust browns evenly. The thick-walled body holds temperature better than any domestic oven.
These buns are built to crown a smash burger: toast the cut faces lightly on a hot griddle, stack the crusty patty, melted cheese and sauce, and you have a neighbourhood burger-joint bite made at home.
In 30 seconds
Brioche dough with butter, milk and egg. Two proofs, shape 8 buns, brush with egg wash and sesame. Bake on the kamado indirect at 190°C for 15-18 minutes, until 88-90°C internal. Cool on a rack before slicing.
Will it fit your kamado?
Small
33-40 cm · Joe Jr, MiniMax
Tight
The 35 cm stone won't fit; with a smaller one, the 8 buns probably in two batches of 4.
Medium
46-51 cm · Classic, Large
Tight
The 8 spaced buns probably just fit on the 35 cm stone; otherwise two batches.
Large
56-61 cm · Big Joe, XL
Fits
All 8 buns fit at once with room to rise.
What to serve with it
- Beer
- Lager or pale ale, whatever suits the burger
- Alcohol-free
- Homemade lemonade or iced tea
Leftovers and storage
- In the fridge
- Best out of the fridge: at room temperature, well wrapped, 1-2 days; the fridge dries them.
- Freezing
- They freeze very well: 2-3 months in a sealed bag; thaw in the fridge, do not refreeze.
- Reheating
- Split and toast the cut side on a griddle or grill for 30-60 s with a little butter.
- Using them up
- French toast or bread pudding from day-old buns, or croutons.
Cool and refrigerate within 2 hours. When in doubt, throw it out.
Leftover embers
You still have embers: what to do with the leftover heat
For 18 min at 190 °C in a classic kamado you load about 800 g of charcoal and burn 300 g: when you serve, about 520 g of live embers remain. Before you shut the vents, that is still enough for:
Without touching the vents
190 °Cdessert while you eat
1 h 50 minof embers
- Chestnuts and Sweet Potato Roasted in the Kamado Embers45 min · 180 °C
- Cornbread in an Iron Skillet on the Kamado, with Brown Butter45 min · 200 °C
- Kamado-Roasted Potatoes with Cured Pork Fat and Dill1 h · 200 °C
No recipe needed
- Yesterday's bread with oil and garlic, on the grate (10 min)
- Corn cobs in their husks (30 min)
- Whole apples with a slit in the skin (45 min)
Closing the vents almost fully and waiting for it to drop
100-130 °Ca short smoke
3 h 25 minof embers
- Hot-Smoked Whole Mackerel on the Kamado45 min · 120 °C
No recipe needed
- Coarse salt on a tray, with a wood chunk: smoked salt for months (1-2 h)
- Almonds or walnuts on a rack (45 min)
- Whole heads of garlic, for spreading (1 h)
Opening the vents almost fully
210-270 °Cgrilled vegetables
45 minof embers
- Costa Blanca grilled seasonal vegetables on the kamado35 min · 220 °C
- Rum-glazed grilled pineapple on the kamado14 min · 220 °C
- Blistered Padrón Peppers on the Kamado8 min · 260 °C
No recipe needed
- Strips of courgette and aubergine, char-marked (5 min)
- Pita or naan from shop dough, on the grate (3 min each)
- Halved tomatoes, cut side down, for a sauce (10 min)
Before opening the lid, crack it open for a few seconds first; if you raise the heat, stir the ash so the coals can breathe. And if you are not going to use them: once the food is out, close the bottom and top vents. The charcoal that does not burn (about 520 g) can be used next time. Different size of kamado? Work out your load for 1 h of fire, lighting included.
Editor's tips
- Check the dough temperature with a thermometer: if it climbs above 26°C, chill it for 15 minutes before shaping so the butter does not melt and the crumb stays silky.
- Two coats of beaten egg make the difference: the first after shaping, the second just before baking. That is how you get the bakery shine that defines brioche.
- For more flavour, cold-retard the dough: after shaping the buns, chill them covered overnight and bake the next day after 30 minutes at room temperature.
Gear for this recipe
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Big Green Egg Large
The Big Green Egg Large is the heart of this recipe: its thick ceramic walls hold heat and moisture, creating the wrapping wood-oven environment brioche needs to rise fluffy without drying out. The Large size comfortably fits a tray of all 8 buns and holds a steady 190°C throughout the bake.
€2,099
Kamado Joe Big Block XL lump charcoal 9.1 kg
€67
Onlyfire GCG-8552 Cooking System (2 grates + rack + 2 deflectors) for Large Kamado
€95
GOURMEO Round Cordierite Pizza Stone 35 cm
A hot cordierite stone under the tray spreads stable, wrapping heat across the base, avoiding the cold spot that would leave the buns pale underneath. Preheat it for 15-20 minutes alongside the deflector: it acts as a thermal mass that buffers the kamado's temperature swings and ensures the brioche browns evenly.
€19
DOQAUS instant-read thermometer, folding probe, 3-second read
€8
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FAQ
What temperature should brioche burger buns bake at on a kamado?
Indirect at 190°C, with a deflector and stone. It is a gentle temperature that browns the crust without drying the enriched crumb; above 210°C you risk burning the base before the inside sets.
How long do the buns take to bake?
Between 15 and 18 minutes at 190°C. The reliable signal is not the clock but the internal temperature: they are done at 88-90°C in the centre, when the crust is deep golden and glossy.
Do I need a stone to bake bread on the kamado?
Yes. The deflector blocks the direct heat of the coals and the hot stone spreads a stable, wrapping heat across the base. Without them, the bottom of the buns would scorch before the crumb finished cooking.
Can I make the dough the day before?
Yes, and it improves the flavour. Shape the buns, cover and refrigerate overnight. The next day, let them sit 30 minutes while you stabilise the kamado, then wash and bake. Slow cold fermentation develops more aroma.
Why do my buns turn out dense or dry?
Almost always two reasons: an under-developed second proof, which leaves a tight crumb, or over-baking that dries the dough. Let them rise until puffy and pull the buns at 88-90°C internal.
What do I do with the embers left after making Brioche Burger Buns on the Kamado?
After 18 min at 190 °C in a classic kamado about 520 g of live embers remain: 1 h 50 min more at 190 °C without touching the vents, 3 h 25 min at 100-130 °C closing the vents or 45 min at 210-270 °C opening the vents. If you are not going to use them, close both vents and keep the charcoal for next time.
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