2012 MAK Grills 2 Star General

MAK DADDY

Moderator
I know it's hard to improve on an already amazing product but leave it to MAK to find a way! Here is a look at the new MAK 2 Star General now available.
Main upgrades are:
304 Marine Grade Stainless Steel Body
Quick Change Grease Pan System
5 Button Pellet Boss Controller (Remote Boss ready)
Powder color is Silver Vein

We made many minor design improvements as well :)

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TTNuge

New member
I was starting to get jealous but nothing beats the last several years of enjoyment I've already gotten on my MAK.
 

Gatnus

New member
So what upgrades do I "need" and which can I hold off on?

I'm thinking a cover is important to keep it clean. Leaning towards a half upper rack instead of full...I assume I could always pick up another half rack later and have the choice of none / half full (is that right?). Is the searing grate full coverage or half? Anything else I should look to pick up when breaking the bank?

Upgrades

Cover +$99.99
Full Upper Rack +$69.99
Griddle +$89.99
Half Upper Rack +$49.99
Searing Grate +$89.99
 

MAK DADDY

Moderator
Yes 2 half racks will make a full, Searing grate is 1/2 the lower grate so you can have the Griddle on the other half :)
 

jimsbarbecue

Moderator
The searing grate are 1 inch (about) aluminum bars stood on end and tig welded together to from a grate. The heat it retains versus a regular grate is what makes the good sear marks in the meat. Much like a cast iron pan versus a stainless steel pan would do.
 

Gatnus

New member
The searing grate are 1 inch (about) aluminum bars stood on end and tig welded together to from a grate. The heat it retains versus a regular grate is what makes the good sear marks in the meat. Much like a cast iron pan versus a stainless steel pan would do.

Thanks - definitely have to add that to "the list"

Definitely getting these
2012 MAK 2 Star General
MAK Cover for 2 Star
Searing grate
Frogmat(s)

Probes - trying to decide between 2 or 3 total and if I should get standard or M2 armored. Opinions on how many / which ones?

MAK Pellet buckets - are they worthwhile to have? How many? I"m thinking 2 so I can keep 2 different flavor woods "at the ready". Any other similar / cheaper bucket that can do the trick?

Griddle and Rib Rack I'll hold off on...I don't expect I'll be making more than 2-3 racks at a time and I don't see myself cooking breakfast on the griddle instead of indoors.
 
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BudGarrison

New member
I got my 2 star about a year ago (#422). Here is a list of accessories I have acquired over the last year and my thoughts:

Cover - Essential and it looks cool with the MAK emblem sitting on the patio.
Searing Grate - Great for steaks, chops, burgers. This is what gave the great grill marks on a steak that made my wife really like the MAK.
Griddle - I really like the griddle, it is the best place to fry up a pound of bacon and cook eggs outside, all that grease stays outside. Great accessory, but I would get a searing grate and upper rack first.
Full Size Upper Rack - I like having the extra room for big smokes and I prefer my brisket to be done on the upper rack. However, if I had it to do over again, I would get 2 half racks as they offer more flexibility.
Rib Rack - I don't do a lot of ribs, this is nice to have if you do multiple racks, if $$ is a factor and you don't do a ton of ribs, I would hold off on it and ask Santa for one (that is what I did).
Small Cast Iron Bean Pot - No better side dish to good BBQ then smoked beans! They are cheap and I have smoked beans, soups and stews in it.
Heavy duty BBQ gloves - Makes handling the big pieces of meat so much easier. If you are clumsy, like me, buy a couple pair as you might just slice then up a little.
Temp Probes - I have 3, rarely use more than 2. Do buy the MAK probes, the others I have aren't all that reliable.
Buckets for pellets - I ended up buying 4 or 5 Home Depot buckets with lids. I have 1 for each flavor of pellet and another one for mixing pellets as I do like to mix woods.
Roast Rack - We do roasts in the smoker pretty frequently, I bought a cheap roast rack that sits on a roaster pan and holds the roast up so the smoke can get to all sides of the roast, but you still get the drippings for gravy.

Hope that helps!

I am going through a little MAK withdrawal. I have one of the 2-stars that were produced before MAK Daddy developed the new powder coating, I had some peeling issues. I sent an email to MAK Daddy and he took back my baby to have it sand blasted and re-coated with the new powder coating. More awesome MAK Service!

I did get to drive my MAK down to MAK HQ (Although he offered to send his truck to pick it up). It was a fun trip, got to see the factory and check out the new 2-star, it is very cool and I want to be first on the list for the new full flame zone retro fit!

Bud
 

Gatnus

New member
Thanks Bud!

A great write-up of accessories. I think I know what I "need" now.

I got my 2 star about a year ago (#422). Here is a list of accessories I have acquired over the last year and my thoughts:

Cover - Essential and it looks cool with the MAK emblem sitting on the patio.
Searing Grate - Great for steaks, chops, burgers. This is what gave the great grill marks on a steak that made my wife really like the MAK.
Griddle - I really like the griddle, it is the best place to fry up a pound of bacon and cook eggs outside, all that grease stays outside. Great accessory, but I would get a searing grate and upper rack first.
Full Size Upper Rack - I like having the extra room for big smokes and I prefer my brisket to be done on the upper rack. However, if I had it to do over again, I would get 2 half racks as they offer more flexibility.
Rib Rack - I don't do a lot of ribs, this is nice to have if you do multiple racks, if $$ is a factor and you don't do a ton of ribs, I would hold off on it and ask Santa for one (that is what I did).
Small Cast Iron Bean Pot - No better side dish to good BBQ then smoked beans! They are cheap and I have smoked beans, soups and stews in it.
Heavy duty BBQ gloves - Makes handling the big pieces of meat so much easier. If you are clumsy, like me, buy a couple pair as you might just slice then up a little.
Temp Probes - I have 3, rarely use more than 2. Do buy the MAK probes, the others I have aren't all that reliable.
Buckets for pellets - I ended up buying 4 or 5 Home Depot buckets with lids. I have 1 for each flavor of pellet and another one for mixing pellets as I do like to mix woods.
Roast Rack - We do roasts in the smoker pretty frequently, I bought a cheap roast rack that sits on a roaster pan and holds the roast up so the smoke can get to all sides of the roast, but you still get the drippings for gravy.

Hope that helps!

I am going through a little MAK withdrawal. I have one of the 2-stars that were produced before MAK Daddy developed the new powder coating, I had some peeling issues. I sent an email to MAK Daddy and he took back my baby to have it sand blasted and re-coated with the new powder coating. More awesome MAK Service!

I did get to drive my MAK down to MAK HQ (Although he offered to send his truck to pick it up). It was a fun trip, got to see the factory and check out the new 2-star, it is very cool and I want to be first on the list for the new full flame zone retro fit!

Bud
 

KyNola

Member
2012 MAK 2 Star #829 arrived at my house this week. This thing is awesome. I thought #27 was incredible but #829 is WAY over the top! Due to inclement weather I have been unable to test drive it but I did a seasoning burn on it yesterday. This thing gets hot and doesn't take long to get there! Looking forward to the first test drive.
 

KyNola

Member
Did my first cook on #829 over the weekend. This thing kicks some serious butt or in this case ribs. The thread on the first cook is posted separately.
 
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