This was my second cook on the Bullseye.  I hoped that this time I could duplicate the 700° heat of charcoal burning in a kettle.  Ambient temperature was a humid 65° with a 10 MPH breeze.

I know people who season their steaks with Mrs. Dash's Original (red cap) Seasoning so we decided to try Mrs. Dash's Salt Free on the chops.


Heavy seasoning on both sides.

When a small handful of pellets caught fire I set the controller at two notches past 3 O'Clock, installed the grill's internal components and turned the auger on.  The grate temperature went to a steady 650° while the lid thermometer read 55° less, at 595°.  Yeah, the lid thermometer read less than the grate probe.


Six minutes per side was about right for 145° internal temperature.



Taste-wise...
The Mrs. Dash's Salt Free Seasoning is peppery.  It was good but the pepper overpowered everything else.  That may be why I couldn't taste the wood fire.  I'll use less the next time.

I rather like the grill but so far I haven't noticed a taste that is all that much different from a gas grill.

Beyond the scope of this cook—the Bullseye made a lot of quality smoke at 200° during two previous test burns.  I fully intend to smoke a few items with it.  I'm betting that it imparts a strong smoke flavor.

Thanks for sharing PM. To taste smoke you're probably going to need to get some smoke on it first before you crank it up, kind of like with a reverse sear.

I will take a plate like that any day. Nice job...

Mudflap

It wasn't necessarily smoke flavor that I thought that we'd get with the bullseye.  Charcoal grilling is our current favorite and we thought that we might like the "great wood-fired flavor, without the extensive work required on charcoal grills" that REC TEC advertises.  So far, it hasn't come through with "wood-fired flavor".

BUT...I ran it twice at around 200° for an hour each time while testing it and I was struck by the clouds of quality blue smoke.  Now I'm thinking that it may not be the grill I prefer but it may be a smoker that raises the smoke profile considerably.

The catch is...we may not like the greatly increased smoke taste.  I'll soon be test-smoking a butt or turkey.

Grilling has a lot less time to impart a smokey flavor.  Still. it's better than gassers and better than a bad brand of charcoal.

I use my Webby to grill, no reason to fire up the Yoder for such a small cook. 

Grilling has a lot less time to impart a smokey flavor.  Still. it's better than gassers and better than a bad brand of charcoal.

I use my Webby to grill, no reason to fire up the Yoder for such a small cook.

My pit has a small direct flame zone.  The Bullseye's larger cooking area has some appeal.

We weren't seeking smoke flavor.  We thought that we might like the "great wood-fired flavor, without the extensive work required on charcoal grills" that REC TEC advertises.  So far, it hasn't come through with "wood-fired flavor", whatever that is.  So far, it doesn't offer a grilling advantage over a gasser, in fact, it's less convenient than a gasser.  But...I may be able to improve my technique.

I don’t think anything is more convenient than a gasser. I’m suprised it doesn’t impart more flavor than a gasser.

Is it more convenient than a charcoal grill?

It looks like you got some nice char on it.  Just no flavor to that char?  Do you think using some oil might help?

It looks like you got some nice char on it.  Just no flavor to that char?  Do you think using some oil might help?

The dark was charred seasoning.  Behind it was brown Maillard reaction.  There was a definite pepper taste from the seasoning and a nice pork flavor, but nothing else.  I sprayed each side with Canola oil as I put them on the grate.  I usually do that.

I don’t think anything is more convenient than a gasser. I’m suprised it doesn’t impart more flavor than a gasser.

Is it more convenient than a charcoal grill?

Others may find that it delivers a campfire-like flavor.  We haven't noticed it yet.

It's much more convenient than a charcoal grill.  There's only about ¼ cup of ashes to vacuum out, a bit of fly ash around the inside bottom of the kettle, and the grate to scrape and it's ready for the next cook.  I suspect that all of those steps could be skipped once or twice without harm.  For me, charcoal is quite a bit messier.

It looks Blackened to me...Got that Nawlin thing going!

The Major reason you got it was to more effortlessly duplicate the flavor of a charcoal grill and it just won't do it?

The Major reason you got it was to more effortlessly duplicate the flavor of a charcoal grill and it just won't do it?

Not necessarily to duplicate charcoal.  I bought it for the advertised wood fire cooked flavor.  It doesn't meet that claim.

But it looks like a great smoke producing 225° smoker for those who want a stronger smoke flavor than some pellet pits produce.

I am not sure why you wouldn't run a little smoke at the lower temperatures before the meat seals knowing what you know about the workings of the grill.  I do add some wood to my charcoal grill in the beginning which burns up fairly quickly.  Once the meat seals, any smoke is considered just smut on the meat imho.  Grilling meat on a pre-heated grill of any kind is not going to produce enough smoke to flavor the meat very much after it seals up the outer meat surface.  This happens quickly at say ~ 350*.  That's why low and slow is so popular as it gives the meat a chance to gain some smoke flavors.  I can't believe you didn't get at least some grilled taste from at least the grease vaporizing off of the drip tray...Kinda like a gasser with lava rocks does.

I am not sure why you wouldn't run a little smoke at the lower temperatures before the meat seals knowing what you know about the workings of the grill.  I do add some wood to my charcoal grill in the beginning which burns up fairly quickly.  Once the meat seals, any smoke is considered just smut on the meat imho.  Grilling meat on a pre-heated grill of any kind is not going to produce enough smoke to flavor the meat very much after it seals up the outer meat surface.  This happens quickly at say ~ 350*.  That's why low and slow is so popular as it gives the meat a chance to gain some smoke flavors.  I can't believe you didn't get at least some grilled taste from at least the grease vaporizing off of the drip tray...Kinda like a gasser with lava rocks does.

Is there some scientific evidence that the meat seals at a certain temp?