Converting from WSM to Mak 2 star

cubansmoker · Apr 2, 2017

In a couple of weeks I am looking to buy a Mak 2 star.

Have any of you gone from a WSM to a Mak 2 star?

If so, how has the transition been?

Are you happy with the smoke flavor?

I would have made up my decision already, but living in Miami FL I have no access to taste any food off of a pellet grill.

Any advice would help

Thanks

TentHunter · Apr 2, 2017

I have, sort of... I went from a classic Weber Kettle (and an offset stick burner) to a MAK 1 Star, and do NOT regret it whatsoever!

Probably 95% of the cooking I did on the Weber Kettle was Low & Slow just like you'd do in a WSM. I am MORE than happy with the smoke flavor, BUT that is because I was never one of those guys who cared for burping smoke rings from eating over smoked meat.

To me white billowing smoke = YUCK!!! I always preferred a smaller, hotter fire that gave me that light blueish-gray smoke, and that is the kind of smoke flavor you will get on a MAK at normal low & slow temps. It's a slightly lighter cleaner smoke profile that enhances the food instead of covering it up.

You will find the MAK 2 Star to be MUCH more versatile. For smoked sausage, bacon, homemade hams, etc, I get a very good deep smoke flavor running our MAK in smoke mode (hot-smoke, around 170°) for the entire cook, especially if using Hickory or Apple. It can be enhanced even further if coupled with a few hours of cold smoke using an A-Maze-N smoking tube, OR the 2 Star's cold-smoke chamber

Here are some sample pics of smoked meats coming off our MAK 1 Star:

Venison Summer Sausage (no cold smoke).