In that case, here are my questions/comments that I sent to Bar-B-Lew:
With MAK’s new Funnel Flame Zone, the cooking surface gets HOT. I am very pleased with my MAK as a grill, it’s just the screaming hot searing where it struggles. I usually use my kettle when I need to cook HOT HOT HOT!!! In your opinion, would a Memphis Elite be able to replace a 2 Star and kettle? That’s what I sometimes wonder.
Is 500°+ necessary for anything other then searing? Normally, no. My experience has been this... 450° on my MAK, even with the Flame Zone covers removed, is not the same as 450° over a lump charcoal fire. The radiant heat is much less intense on the MAK and therefore results is a less intense grilling session. The end result is less Maillard reaction/slight charring...something my (and my family’s) tastebuds crave.
Again, don’t misunderstand me, I absolutely love my MAK, I just wish it was a bit stronger for the higher heat cooks. To be fair, I normally grill at 425-450°... perhaps kicking it up to the ‘Grill’ setting would give me what I am looking for...? I’m just weird in that I don’t like taking my cookers up to their max settings as I somehow think I am stressing them out...lol (weird, I know).
Now, with the Memphis, if loading down the grate with food that you are going to grill, you are obviously going to do the cook at a higher temp BUT completely indirect vs the MAKs open Flame Zone. The MAK is better designed for closed lid grilling lMO, but the Memphis can get hotter. Perhaps I’d get the same results running the Memphis at 550° as I do running the MAK at 450°... the difference being the radiant heat is more intense on the MAK with the open Flame Zone. What’s your experience been?
Appreciate you helping me think this through
PS: Perhaps we can both learn a thing or two from Bar-B-Lew