Stoked!!!

[Darwin00537]

My Mak 2 Star is on the truck heading for my house. I got the Big Poppa's pick package (Mak 2, Cover, Sear Grate, Rubs, and 40 lbs pellets) with the wifi module and an additional probe. Anyone have any tips for beginners? Tips for the Mak and pellet smoking, not on how to barbecue.

I'm more wondering what pellets folks use, if they use or mix in hardwood (or perhaps an Amazen smoke tube), any surprises I might run into as I transition from charcoal to pellet smoking... How folks like the wifi module and what they've done with it... Any suggestions for my first cook (I'm thinking an overnight whole packer brisket at 225F). I'm just happy to be here!

Darwin

 

[KyNola]

Congratulations on your recent purchase. You will love your MAK. As for pellets, my personal preference is BBQr's Delight. In my opinion they are the best on the market. They seem to burn hotter and have less ash residue. I would suggest you refrain from using a 100% hardwood pellet such as 100% hickory, etc. They have a tendency to throw off a LOT of ash and clog the firepot.(Don't ask me how I know ) The MAK is insanely easy to use. Take your time and read the owner's manual. Be sure to do the "seasoning" burn per the owner's manual.

Enjoy your smoker!

 

[hank858SD]

Welcome to the Forum and the MAK family. After you complete the initial burn it I would suggest you keep a detailed BBQ log of each cook to use as a reference on future cooks. As for pellets experiment try different brands and flavors from each brand see what you and York family like best. Lots of good helpful info in this forum and knowledgable cooks.

Looking forward to your postings

Again Welcome

 

[Darwin00537]

As for pellets, my personal preference is BBQr's Delight. In my opinion they are the best on the market. They seem to burn hotter and have less ash residue. I would suggest you refrain from using a 100% hardwood pellet such as 100% hickory, etc. They have a tendency to throw off a LOT of ash and clog the firepot.(Don't ask me how I know )

Enjoy your smoker!

Thanks KyNola. I'll definitely keep this in mind. It's these kinds of lessons learned that are really useful

 

[Darwin00537]

Welcome to the Forum and the MAK family. After you complete the initial burn it I would suggest you keep a detailed BBQ log of each cook to use as a reference on future cooks. As for pellets experiment try different brands and flavors from each brand see what you and York family like best. Lots of good helpful info in this forum and knowledgable cooks.

Looking forward to your postings

Again Welcome

Thanks Hank and it's good to be here. I actually have a cooking log. I use Meathead's suggested log from his AmazingRibs website, but converted it to an excel spreadsheet so I can insert images of the final results and easily search back through my cooks.

 

[Darwin00537]

I'd also like any tips on how to get the best smoke results. I've read temps 225 and below are best for smoke. Any thoughts on using an Amazen smoke tube for additional smoke?

 

[hank858SD]

I'd also like any tips on how to get the best smoke results. I've read temps 225 and below are best for smoke. Any thoughts on using an Amazen smoke tube for additional smoke?

That's where testing and tasting comes into play. Flavor from smoke is a personal choice as some prefer lots of smoke flavor and others just a hint to add to add to the meat, and rub flavors. I can say for our family and friends the tube has not been required? The MAK is able to add just the right level of smoke flavor. I just use my logs for the smoke time on the different cooks. It's taken me a little while to get it dialed into what we like best but we have found our sweat spot for most items. However brisket is still work in progress I can't get the moistness and tenderness consistent.

I do have the tube but have only used it to cold smoke cheese when I've been too lazy to fire up the MAK

 

[RickB]

That's where testing and tasting comes into play. Flavor from smoke is a personal choice as some prefer lots of smoke flavor and others just a hint to add to add to the meat, and rub flavors. I can say for our family and friends the tube has not been required? The MAK is able to add just the right level of smoke flavor. I just use my logs for the smoke time on the different cooks. It's taken me a little while to get it dialed into what we like best but we have found our sweat spot for most items. However brisket is still work in progress I can't get the moistness and tenderness consistent.

I do have the tube but have only used it to cold smoke cheese when I've been too lazy to fire up the MAK

Hang in there Hank on the brisket. A Very moist brisket is a lot like a Very moist venison roast. You hear about them all the time but Never see one!

 

[Big Poppa]

thanks the search function is a great one there are years of smokin nuggets here!

 

[jimsbarbecue]

Welcome and would second the search function. Quickly becomes the best tool on the site. I would recommend not worrying about the "smoke" flavor. The cooking with wood and mild smoke flavor becomes a crowd favorite.

 

[scooter]

Get yourself two upper half racks

And seriously consider this

 

[Darwin00537]

Hey Scooter, the two half upper racks is on my wish list. I ordered the wifi with the grill. I thought that came with the software. Do I still need to purchase Mak Grills Mobile?

BP/JB, thanks for pointing out the search feature, though my original questions were intended to start a dialog with the folks that are currently active on the forum as much as they were to gather information. Search has its place, but if all we ever did was search past posts for answers no one would ever post anything and you may as well just have an FAQ site instead of a forum.

 

[Darwin00537]

BP - I noticed in your brisket video you cooked it on the upper racks. I'm curious if that helps in some way? Or did you just use the upper rack because it happened to be there?

 

[scooter]

If you have the wifi chip installed, that's all you need. Access to makgrillsmobile.com is free. You made a great choice. Love my wifi connected cooker.
Pellets: I prefer pellets that don't have alder in them. Alder has a light smoke footprint. I mostly use BBQrs Delight hickory pellets as they're 2/3rds oak, 1/3 hickory. Stronger smoke flavor IMO.
I also always cook on the upper rack for everything with overflow meat going down to the lower grate. I do that for two reasons, one is the upper rack gets the meat up higher where the smoke lingers longer and two, I want the meat as far away from the heat source as possible.
I also added a Smoke Daddy to my 2 Star to help with smoke flavor in two specific cook scenarios where pellet pits struggle the most with adding smoke flavor, cooks under 3 hours and cooks over 300F.
A smoke generator just gives a pellet pitmaster more options. I picked the smoke daddy because it puts out more smoke than any other generator I've seen. The down side is a hole needs to be drilled as the SD sits outside your pit. Some of the upsides to that are it doesn't take up any space inside your cooker and you don't have to open up your cooker to tend to it.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk while driving one handed!

 

[RickB]

If you have the wifi chip installed, that's all you need. Access to makgrillsmobile.com is free. You made a great choice. Love my wifi connected cooker.
Pellets: I prefer pellets that don't have alder in them. Alder has a light smoke footprint. I mostly use BBQrs Delight hickory pellets as they're 2/3rds oak, 1/3 hickory. Stronger smoke flavor IMO.
I also always cook on the upper rack for everything with overflow meat going down to the lower grate. I do that for two reasons, one is the upper rack gets the meat up higher where the smoke lingers longer and two, I want the meat as far away from the heat source as possible.
I also added a Smoke Daddy to my 2 Star to help with smoke flavor in two specific cook scenarios where pellet pits struggle the most with adding smoke flavor, cooks under 3 hours and cooks over 300F.
A smoke generator just gives a pellet pitmaster more options. I picked the smoke daddy because it puts out more smoke than any other generator I've seen. The down side is a hole needs to be drilled as the SD sits outside your pit. Some of the upsides to that are it doesn't take up any space inside your cooker and you don't have to open up your cooker to tend to it.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk while driving one handed!

Could you give us a picture of your SD mod?

 

[scooter]

Here ya go!

This hardest part was drilling the hole! Have never regretted it.






The MAK is turned off, the smoke is only coming from the SD. This is the kind of smoke output you need to counteract the induction fan blowing your smoke out of the smoker.

 

[Big Poppa]

Just for the record...I hate the smoke daddy. I like good smoke I dont thing the smoke daddy gives you good smoke

on the search...Its funny but what Ive learned after running this fine home for pellet smokersis that you cannot assume anything. I was making sure you knew it was there...not intending to sitfle new posts...I love new posts

I was the guy who had MAK make the racks....I remember MAK Daddy saying "Isnt there enough room?" I said yes but with your shape you can double it for very little money...I also wanted it because I believe that putting big cuts on the shelf actually creates a rotisserie style cook with the convection swirling around the food...also the temp is more even...if you dont use the shelf turn your meat halfway through the cook. I also use the shelf for reverse searing steaks....in the first part where I am low temp roasting/smoking the steak I put them on the shelf

 

[68sting]

Ok that smoke daddy looks like just what I need. I've stopped using my pellet grills do to lack of smoke flavor and went back to my stick burner. Will this get that stick burner flavor? I have an amzn tube smoker but it didn't help much.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Big Poppa]

WHooooaaaaa There are many definitions of pop stand...SO first off I love this place...Secondly I am really tired of not getting the benfit of the doubt. If I said lets blow this pop stand maybe....just using 50's slang...

I will be more formal in the future....

 

[Darwin00537]

on the search...Its funny but what Ive learned after running this fine home for pellet smokersis that you cannot assume anything. I was making sure you knew it was there...not intending to sitfle new posts...I love new posts

Gotcha and apologies on my side for officially being the touchy new guy

I was the guy who had MAK make the racks....I remember MAK Daddy saying "Isnt there enough room?" I said yes but with your shape you can double it for very little money...I also wanted it because I believe that putting big cuts on the shelf actually creates a rotisserie style cook with the convection swirling around the food...also the temp is more even...if you dont use the shelf turn your meat halfway through the cook. I also use the shelf for reverse searing steaks....in the first part where I am low temp roasting/smoking the steak I put them on the shelf

Ah hah. This is good info thanks! Up until now I thought the upper racks were merely to double the cooking space. I'll have to place these higher on my priority list. In the meantime I'll just use a pan with a circular grate atop to hold the meat a little higher up in the hood.