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[Bar-B-Lew]

How would you rate the level of smoke flavor, compared to your other pellet grills?

For some reason, it actually seems smokier than any of my past pellet grills throughout the entire temperature range. I was really shocked at the amount of smoke I tasted on the pizza. However, I was using different pellets than I've ever used before and it was kind of a damp cold all weekend weather wise.

Thanks. I was wondering because most pellet grills have a drip pan that the smoke needs to go around and then doesn't have much chance of settling on the food before going out the exhaust. With the flavorizors, I would think the smoke has a better chance of surrounded the meat.

Oh, boy.  If you are right and that gets out to stick burners wanting to transition to pellets and held off because they heard pellets do not give the smoke profile they want, these grills are going to become really popular.

[glitchy]

Bar-B-Lew: Upper shelf is 11x23.5 and 5.5" above the second shelf. There's a lot of room where a bigger shelf could be used. It can be slid quite a way back, forward or centered...now that I'm writing this, I'll measure how much extra room later :-)

I really don't know what to say on the smoke. I tend to think I don't have that refined of a palate. However, the pizza had more smoke flavor than I actually would have preferred and far more than any other pizza I've done on a grill. When I ate a leftover burger the next night, I really noticed the smoke on it. The first night, I had salty bacon and pepper jack to distract, but the second night was just some mild cheddar and it was much smokier then I'm used to, but doesn't smoke tend to be a little stronger after sitting a while?

I guess a really good question to ask this group is what is the flavor profile of oak smoke? Researching, it's generally referred to as more mild and neutral, right? I recently used some post oak on my Summit Charcoal reverse searing some steaks. I used chips and probably quite a few too many as I'm used to using chunks there. The wife and I both thought it was a little too strong. Does Oak smoke have a stronger bite than Hickory? Like a milder mesquite or is it really neutral? If it is really neutral, then I think the SmokeFire imparts quite a bit more smoke flavor than all the pellet grills I've used in the past, but it's only 4-5 cooks in.

Until very recently, I can't guarantee I've used much Oak in the past. Before I switched to CookinPellets, I used mostly Traeger. In the center of the US, I really don't have a good way to know if my Traeger pellets originated east or west to know if Alder or Oak. I've never thought anything I've cooked on a pellet grill could use less smoke though.

[okie smokie]

How deep are the original coated steel grates? Are they exactly 18" or more like 17.5"? 

[Ross77]

Bar-B-Lew: Upper shelf is 11x23.5 and 5.5" above the second shelf. There's a lot of room where a bigger shelf could be used. It can be slid quite a way back, forward or centered...now that I'm writing this, I'll measure how much extra room later :-)

I really don't know what to say on the smoke. I tend to think I don't have that refined of a palate. However, the pizza had more smoke flavor than I actually would have preferred and far more than any other pizza I've done on a grill. When I ate a leftover burger the next night, I really noticed the smoke on it. The first night, I had salty bacon and pepper jack to distract, but the second night was just some mild cheddar and it was much smokier then I'm used to, but doesn't smoke tend to be a little stronger after sitting a while?

I guess a really good question to ask this group is what is the flavor profile of oak smoke? Researching, it's generally referred to as more mild and neutral, right? I recently used some post oak on my Summit Charcoal reverse searing some steaks. I used chips and probably quite a few too many as I'm used to using chunks there. The wife and I both thought it was a little too strong. Does Oak smoke have a stronger bite than Hickory? Like a milder mesquite or is it really neutral? If it is really neutral, then I think the SmokeFire imparts quite a bit more smoke flavor than all the pellet grills I've used in the past, but it's only 4-5 cooks in.

Until very recently, I can't guarantee I've used much Oak in the past. Before I switched to CookinPellets, I used mostly Traeger. In the center of the US, I really don't have a good way to know if my Traeger pellets originated east or west to know if Alder or Oak. I've never thought anything I've cooked on a pellet grill could use less smoke though.

Hard to compare oak wood chips with charcoal to oak pellets. In my experience you'll almost always get more/stronger smoke flavor from wood chunks/chips and charcoal than any pellets.  I've used oak pellets and didn't feel like they had more flavor than 100% hickory. 

The SmokeFire is interesting as my biggest complaint with my RecTec is the lack of smoke flavor.  Just not quite strong enough for me.  I've started using charcoal and wood chunks again and it made me realize how much I missed my Weber Smokey Mountain.  I don't miss tending to the fire though. 

[glitchy]

Ross77, I guess that’s what’s i’m getting at, since I left a Smokin Tex, the SmokeFire and that one cook on my Summit Charcoal are the only times i’ve felt things were smokier than I wanted.

[glitchy]

How deep are the original coated steel grates? Are they exactly 18" or more like 17.5"?

17.375” as they are the same as Spirit 300 grates.

[glitchy]

Had a genius moment last night. Wanted to get a couple measurements for you guys and figured I'd go leave the grill out and cook something for dinner. I decided I wanted to try the Grill Master pellets instead of Hickory, so I put the bucket under the hopper and drained the pellets while I got measurements. Did all that quick and went back inside to do some more work and when time came to fire up the grill for dinner, went to the garage and got the other pellets and started pouring them in. About a few seconds later, I was like why are there pellets hitting my feet, I'm hitting the hopper

Anyway, just ended up doing another frozen pizza. With the blend, you could still taste the smoke, but didn't seem overly smokey like the pizza Sunday. However, it was a different pizza we hadn't had before and I didn't really care for it, so the taste of the pizza itself was distracting making it a pretty inconclusive experiment.

[Bar-B-Lew]

I've done a lot of silly things related to pellet grills, but have never done that one.  Is the pellet chute designed in a way where water would not get near it?

[okie smokie]

How deep are the original coated steel grates? Are they exactly 18" or more like 17.5"?

17.375” as they are the same as Spirit 300 grates.

I asked because I found 304 stainless in that size on eBay for $49 for those who might be interested.  They are 7 mm thick. Not bad and certainly cheaper than buying from Weber. Just a FYI

[glitchy]

I asked because I found 304 stainless in that size on eBay for $49 for those who might be interested.  They are 7 mm thick. Not bad and certainly cheaper than buying from Weber. Just a FYI

That's a lot less than I paid for the Weber ones on Amazon.

[Canadian John]

How deep are the original coated steel grates? Are they exactly 18" or more like 17.5"?

17.375” as they are the same as Spirit 300 grates.

I asked because I found 304 stainless in that size on eBay for $49 for those who might be interested.  They are 7 mm thick. Not bad and certainly cheaper than buying from Weber. Just a FYI

Be warned: I purchased a Weber stainless clone grid on Amazon at a good price..The size was right on and the material stainless, sort of. It was not " stainless" but rather a non stainless core inserted into a stainless sleeve. If you looked at the ends of the rods you could see the uneven/wrinkled stainless cover..Strength wise, it wasn't up to solid stainless standards as the welds joined only the stainless covering..

[Goosehunter51]

I do have a MAK, what I am looking for is higher heat output for quick cooks and searing and also looking for easier grill cleaning.

[Bar-B-Lew]

I do have a MAK, what I am looking for is higher heat output for quick cooks and searing and also looking for easier grill cleaning.

I have a MAK 2 as well and have a couple of questions for you as I am curious about why you feel that way because I am not sure I do.  I know we all have our own opinions which is why I want to understand a little bit more about yours.

1) do you have the ceramic igniter
2) how high of heat do you want/need
3) what is your concern with cleaning the grill

[Goosehunter51]

The MAK is great, yes I have the ceramic igniter.  I want to be able to get to 600 which is not happening with my MAK.  No concerns with cleaning the grill, just tired of pulling the guts, scraping the pans all to empty the ash out of the fire pot every three days.  I use it a lot, and The MAK IS GREAT.

[glitchy]

Jury is still out on cleaning. There’s still ash in the bottom of the Weber and more guts to take out to get it all. I’ll be cleaning the weekend most likely and will update more.