The Official Pellet Grill Smoker thread.

[gtsum]

Pork looks fantastic!


Memphis Elite





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[tom b]

Nice too see another happy Timberline owner on here

 

[BKING!]

Pork looks great! You can definitely tell you got smoke on them by looking at the bark.

 

[Radrob]

Dang, nailed it!!! That bark tells the story of the smoke. What rub did you use on those?

 

[BKING!]

Any of you guys grill with the lid open on your pellet cooker? I realize the temp sensor would constantly read the grill temp as being below set point but that would just mean a hotter fire. I was considering trying this for a reverse sear tomorrow to brown the crust at the end but slow the cooking of the meat during the sear.
Obviously this would only work if you have a pellet cooker that can produce direct radiant heat

 

[SimcoBBQ]

Any of you guys grill with the lid open on your pellet cooker? I realize the temp sensor would constantly read the grill temp as being below set point but that would just mean a hotter fire. I was considering trying this for a reverse sear tomorrow to brown the crust at the end but slow the cooking of the meat during the sear.
Obviously this would only work if you have a pellet cooker that can produce direct radiant heat

My Pg500 has a chargriller so not a problem here but I would think you’re spot on by leaving the lid open to have a continuous feed

 

[BKING!]

My Pg500 has a chargriller so not a problem here but I would think you’re spot on by leaving the lid open to have a continuous feed

The continuous feed would be a big plus in my eyes. It might mean I can get a better sear on steaks without grill grates with my new flame zone. I hate cleaning those darn things!

 

[Smoking Cajun]

Those pork butts are beautiful. Makes my mouth water.....

 

[SimcoBBQ]

The continuous feed would be a big plus in my eyes. It might mean I can get a better sear on steaks without grill grates with my new flame zone. I hate cleaning those darn things!

I would think you’d be spot on. I got a set of grill grates when they 1st came out , while I do think they are a quality product I use them less now than I did then in part to it’s just one more thing to clean and keep up with

 

[Joshw]

Any of you guys grill with the lid open on your pellet cooker? I realize the temp sensor would constantly read the grill temp as being below set point but that would just mean a hotter fire. I was considering trying this for a reverse sear tomorrow to brown the crust at the end but slow the cooking of the meat during the sear.
Obviously this would only work if you have a pellet cooker that can produce direct radiant heat

Depends on how long you are going to sear. A few minutes and you would be fine, but the Mak has a flame out sensor, and if your sensor gets too cold, you will have problems.

I hated cleaning the grill grates when they were new, but after some use, they season up nicely, and clean pretty easy. Just crank your heat, to carbonize any food on them, then scrape with the grate tool. I guess it really depends on how clean you want them though. I'm the type, that heats up the grill for 20 minutes, hits it with a grill brush, and calls it good.

 

[retfr8flyr]

Dang, nailed it!!! That bark tells the story of the smoke. What rub did you use on those?[/QUOTE
Thanks. I used a homemade rub, nothing fancy just some smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, red pepper and such. With that many butts I couldn't afford to use one of the good commercial rubs. The butt turned out great though and I think I will continue using this rub on butts and save the expensive rubs for ribs.

 

[drunkenmeatfist]

I read this thread with a heavy heart. I wish I could get a MAK, but I am too poor. I'm really too poor for a Walmart Pit Boss, but I will find a way someday.

 

[rwalters]

I read this thread with a heavy heart. I wish I could get a MAK, but I am too poor. I'm really too poor for a Walmart Pit Boss, but I will find a way someday.

What do you currently cook on?

 

[BKING!]

Depends on how long you are going to sear. A few minutes and you would be fine, but the Mak has a flame out sensor, and if your sensor gets too cold, you will have problems.

I hated cleaning the grill grates when they were new, but after some use, they season up nicely, and clean pretty easy. Just crank your heat, to carbonize any food on them, then scrape with the grate tool. I guess it really depends on how clean you want them though. I'm the type, that heats up the grill for 20 minutes, hits it with a grill brush, and calls it good.

I don’t think the sensor would get too cold. I could see it getting too cold without the flame zone in though but all the direct heat should keep it up above 150 deg or whatever the flame out temp is. I think it will anyway lol. I’ll test it out today.

If not I could switch the controller to manual mode and set it to high. Manual mode is a feature that allows the grill to function like an old Traeger in case the thermal sensor were to fail.

 

[BKING!]

I decided I was going to just bypass the thermal sensor for the open lid searing by just switching to manual mode-high. All you have to do to swtitxh to manual mode is push and hold the star button for like 5 seconds and it switches to manual so it’s really easy to do. Manual mode high is 450+ which is the same as the grill setting.

 

[rwalters]

I don’t think the sensor would get too cold. I could see it getting too cold without the flame zone in though but all the direct heat should keep it up above 150 deg or whatever the flame out temp is. I think it will anyway lol. I’ll test it out today.

If not I could switch the controller to manual mode and set it to high. Manual mode is a feature that allows the grill to function like an old Traeger in case the thermal sensor were to fail.

I am looking forward to this experiment. $1 says you are not gonna be happy with the results. I really think you are pushing the MAK to do something that it was not designed to do. Kind of hoping you prove me wrong... lol. The only open lid searing that I have found that works well for me is over a bed of lump charcoal. Give her air and she screams to life... [emoji16]. I realize that there are pellet grills that are designed for open lid searing with a ‘direct’ flame, but MAK isn’t one of them. C’mon buddy, please prove me wrong!!!!!!!

 

[BKING!]

I am looking forward to this experiment. $1 says you are not gonna be happy with the results. I really think you are pushing the MAK to do something that it was not designed to do. Kind of hoping you prove me wrong... lol. The only open lid searing that I have found that works well for me is over a bed of lump charcoal. Give her air and she screams to life... [emoji16]. I realize that there are pellet grills that are designed for open lid searing with a ‘direct’ flame, but MAK isn’t one of them. C’mon buddy, please prove me wrong!!!!!!!

I think by bypassing the thermal sensor and switching to manual mode it will work. Manual mode is smoke, low, medium, medium high, and grill on my Mak. The instruction book had different terms. I’ve got 2 small rib roasts on today so I hope this works! At least I won’t have to worry about triggering the flame out sensor this way.

They’re on right now at 225 deg and I’ll take them off at 115 deg before reverse searing on manual- grill with the lid open.

 

[drunkenmeatfist]

What do you currently cook on?

I found a good deal on a Vision kamado a couple years ago so that is my cooker. I've been keeping my eyes open for a good deal on a pellet grill, but I haven't found one yet.

 

[BKING!]

I found a good deal on a Vision kamado a couple years ago so that is my cooker. I've been keeping my eyes open for a good deal on a pellet grill, but I haven't found one yet.

Have you ever cooked on a pellet grill? There might be a chance you won’t like it and charcoal is your thing. If funds are limited I’d try out a friends pellet grill first before making any purchases.

 

[drunkenmeatfist]

Have you ever cooked on a pellet grill? There might be a chance you won’t like it and charcoal is your thing. If funds are limited I’d try out a friends pellet grill first before making any purchases.

That's the rub. I could dip my toes in the water with a Pit Boss or something similar. I think for me the high end of a pellet grill purchase would be the small Pellet Pro that I have seen on here. None of my friends own a pellet cooker so I am on my own.