Before using your kettle for cooking, it should be "burned out," as is customary with all cast iron vessels. This is done by building a fire using a pound of coffee can full of charcoal briquets. Start the fire according to the instructions and let it burn out with the dampers open (or the lid slipped to one side about a quarter of an inch). This will burn out all paint, and your kettle is then ready for regular use.

Before setting your fire, remove the lid and large cast iron cooking grill and open the lower damper on the side of the kettle. You will soon learn from experience how large a bed of coals you will need for the product you are cooking – a smaller bed of coals for longer cooking periods, such as roast, turkey, or ham, and more coals for quick cooking of steaks. Generally, for a hot fire for steak, fill the kettle with charcoal up to the lugs that hold the cooking grill.

Use 1 or 2 ounces of Lite-a-fire distributed in two or three places on the briquets and light as you would a candle. When using other starters, sprinkle over charcoal and use caution when lighting to prevent flash.

THE LID SHOULD BE OFF AND THE LOWER DAMPER OPEN WHILE CHARCOAL IS BURNING DOWN AND BEFORE MEAT IS PLACED ON GRILL.

Allow charcoal to burn down to about 3/4 of its original size, or until there is a bed of glowing coals with no black showing and each briquet covered with white ash. This will require 45 minutes to an hour, depending on wind, atmospheric conditions, and the charcoal you are using. Just remember to let it burn a little longer than you think necessary instead of rushing, and you will eliminate any chance of taste or odor from charcoal or starter fluid, or the experience of having your fire die out before you finish cooking. If the charcoal is burning only on one side, above the open damper, rake the burning briquets around with a poker. When the fire is well underway, replace the cast iron cooking grill as this will sterilize it and burn off surplus grease.

The average new user of the Cook 'N' Kettle inclines to put the meat on the fire too quickly and leave it on too long.

It takes more charcoal for a hot fire needed to cook steak or chops than for a slow fire for roasts, ribs, or ham, even though cooking time is much longer for the latter. A very small amount of charcoal, properly ignited, will hold heat at cooking temperature for 3 to 4 hours. The degree of heat can be increased by opening the lower damper and/or removing the lid.

When cooking roasts or very thick steaks where the cooking time required is an hour or more, the lid should be tight during most of the cooking time. The dampers are opened occasionally to keep the fire at the desired degree of heat or to replenish the fire if it seems low. This slow cooking produces a heavier smoke taste; for this reason, we recommend selecting thicker cuts of meat. Perfection is achieved with sealed-in juice and smoked-in flavor.

Before placing meat on the grill, CLOSE THE LOWER DAMPER and place the meat on the cooking grill so that the flame instantly sears the bottom surface and seals the natural juices into the meat. Replace the lid so that it fits snugly and leave it closed for three minutes. Then, open the damper in the lid or shift the lid 1/4 inch to one side, and permit it to remain this way as long as the fire does not flame. Keep in mind that there should never be enough draft to allow a flame, but enough to make the kettle smoke continuously.

In these instructions, we use the term "grill" to specify the large cast iron cooking grill on which food is placed, and "charcoal grate" for the smaller casting holding charcoal. The "lower damper" is the large damper on the side of the kettle, and the "damper" applies to the small damper in the lid of the large kettle size. The Junior model does not have a damper in the lid and is ventilated by shifting the skillet-type lid a fraction of an inch off the kettle.

The kettle, lid, cooking grill, and charcoal grate are cast iron and will not buckle or warp under heat; however, care should be taken not to drop them as they are brittle. DO NOT SPRINKLE WITH WATER. The large Cook 'N' Kettle will serve up to 20 people with the most succulent meat, fowl, game, or fish any gourmet has ever tasted. The Junior model is ideal for 4 to 6 people and operates in the same manner as the large unit. Experience will show you how to handle this fine cooker, and your own imagination will provide the best recipes. Your Cook 'n' Kettle can be left outdoors year-round; it will not burn out or rust out and needs only ordinary care. It is painted with the best heat-resistant paint obtainable and can be cleaned and repainted like your porch or terrace furniture. If you encounter any difficulty when cooking in your new kettle for the first few times, please contact us. This type of cooker has been used successfully for many years; most of our customers are enthusiastic in their praise, and with very little experience, you will be able to obtain the same perfect results they enjoy.