First weekend with the Searwood


 
D

Derrick H

TVWBB Fan
I got my Searwood delivered on Thursday. Weber exchanged my Smokefire for the Searwood. I didn't get a chance to use it until the weekend, and boy, I broke it in. All together I cooked wings, shrimp, beef ribs, salmon and grilled some veggies. It was easy to put together and easier to use. An improvement over the Smokefire in every way. Even the front table now being black instead of the silver which showed every single stain and sign of wear. Just overall a much better designed grill. The fact that I can pour pellets in without spilling them or have them caught in a crevice is a huge improvement. Cleanup was easier and faster as well. I am really pleased. I get why everyone has been so positive about the Searwood now. Solid unit. The only issue I have had and it may be a software setting, but I am not getting notifications from the app, unless I have the app open which kind of defeats the purpose of the notifications.

Sorry, not many pics of the cooks.
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One thing I am puzzled by with both the Searwood and the SmokeFire. All pellet grills operate in the same manner. Fuel (pellets) are augured into the burn pot. Which like any wood burning device will smoke more when burning at lower temps and as a fire is built hotter, less smoke. All work like this. Whether you use a stick burner, a coal burner, a pellet grill. A hotter fire burns off more of the volatile compounds (smoke).
So how is it folks will claim they get so much smoke even running it at hot/fast temps.
I know some theory is because of the more open chamber design of the "oven". But, awhile back, I did an experiment running hot and fast to cook a steak, with mostly a full open chamber. I did not see or experience any more smoke, emanating than if I kept the grease trough in place.
So where is the "secret" sauce that seemingly has Weber defying the laws of physics and science?
 
LMichaels said:
One thing I am puzzled by with both the Searwood and the SmokeFire. All pellet grills operate in the same manner. Fuel (pellets) are augured into the burn pot. Which like any wood burning device will smoke more when burning at lower temps and as a fire is built hotter, less smoke. All work like this. Whether you use a stick burner, a coal burner, a pellet grill. A hotter fire burns off more of the volatile compounds (smoke).
So how is it folks will claim they get so much smoke even running it at hot/fast temps.
I know some theory is because of the more open chamber design of the "oven". But, awhile back, I did an experiment running hot and fast to cook a steak, with mostly a full open chamber. I did not see or experience any more smoke, emanating than if I kept the grease trough in place.
So where is the "secret" sauce that seemingly has Weber defying the laws of physics and science?
Click to expand...
I believe the only real difference is the way the controller turns the fan on and off and feeds the pellets. Some try to feed at a constant rate to keep a smooth flow and temp. Some pause the fan off and on to create more smoke and also let the temps ride a small curve above and below the set temp. Some say these fluctuations both create slightly more smoke and make it easier for the food to absorb the smoke.
A stick burner type cooker is unique because the goal is to always keep a small, clean fire in the fire box to ensure a clean smoke profile for low and slow cooking only.
But I totally agree, there is no way any pellet grill will impart the same amount of smoke flavor to a piece of chicken cooked at 250 and 450. Or any grill.
The other consideration on any pellet grill is the flavor profile created from the drippings. So if you slow smoke 6-8 burgers at 225-250 you will have mainly the smoke flavor from the pellets. If you cook them faster you definitely loose much of the smoke profile but gain flavor from the drippings burning when they hit the flavorizor bars or drip plate. This is not a smoke flavor profile but it will definitely have a charred/grilled profile that you don’t get cooking low and slow.
 
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OK, so, then I know at least that I am not crazy LOL. Interesting on the fan thing. I tried a different controller on my MM. It did some throttling of fan speed, but that created a burn back in the auger. I don't think "conventional" pellet grills (where the auger tube is about even with the bottom of the burn pot) can handle shutting down or throttling back the fan. Because it's that air flow that helps to control where the fire is held in place. My suspicion is it would have to be more of what I call an "unconventional" design. Where the auger (tube) is offset a bit above the burn pot and the pellets have to slide down a chute into it. So when fan speed dials back or turns off, there would be no danger of fire creeping back into the auger tube.
Just my $.02 of what I have learned after playing with them for going on 3 years now
 
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