Gonna Pick this up tomorrow


 
Was thinking of getting a bag of these to try in it https://smokinpecan.com/products/pecan-shell-pellets-2-lb-bag?variant=43406836662450 They're WAY too expensive to use in the big smoker IMO. $35 for a 20lb load is just too much for it. I'm sure they're REALLY good. I see Tom Horsman using them a lot, and he notes they give good smoke in his pellet cookers even at high temps. Though I may splurge once and see what happens. But in the little Ninja I can more justify the expense a little since they're not primary fuel
 
timothy said:
I would think you would want to use a pellet that produces smoke flavor instead of one that does that plus a heat source.
Something like this.
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I kind of fail to see where these are any different than the Smokehouse 50/50 pure hardwood ones I currently use and I got them for only $7 for 40lbs! Yeah, I know I am a bit of a cheapskate. Have to be because I indulge my youngest daughter and my grandchildren WAY too much
 
LMichaels said:
Was thinking of getting a bag of these to try in it https://smokinpecan.com/products/pecan-shell-pellets-2-lb-bag?variant=43406836662450 They're WAY too expensive to use in the big smoker IMO. $35 for a 20lb load is just too much for it. I'm sure they're REALLY good. I see Tom Horsman using them a lot, and he notes they give good smoke in his pellet cookers even at high temps. Though I may splurge once and see what happens. But in the little Ninja I can more justify the expense a little since they're not primary fuel
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Pecan is a good idea. I just now ordered a bag, but from Amazon. But based on some reviews a few folks comment that they do not ignite well in the Ninja.

I think I'll try these, too:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CSTDNKC3/?tag=tvwb-20
 
OK, so if you look back a couple posts, I noted a "noisy" fan when it was in high speed. I did a little digging. Apparently Ninja uses the same fan on multiple cookers. And they don't seem to affix it properly to the motor shaft. So much so Reddit and other places are filled with fan noise/vibrations from Ninja cookers using this fan forced convection system. So BFletch and anyone else who has or gets one, apparently this can happen within a few minutes of first startup or much later down the road. In my case it was literally within the 3rd time of even turning on. So, here is the "fix" and a suggested "mod" I MAY do to mine.
First you need a Torx 15 anti-tamper bit plus a 10mm socket (your choosing either a small 1/4 drive ratchet or a driver type). Remove the 4 screws noted with red arrows on the corners of the guard. Then go to the 10mm nut on the motor shaft. Also highlighted with red arrow. Apparently Ninja uses both right handed and left handed threads on these motors and what you get is luck of the draw. So simply pay attention. Make sure the lock washer is in place along with the flat washer (at least what mine has). Tighten snugly. I am not going to recommend any type of Loctite here. Or even a nylon lock nut. As it can be subject to some pretty good heat. I doubt either would taste good dripped down onto your BBQ :D
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As for a mod I MAY do, As you can see if blowing up the photo of the convection fan. It's surrounded by heating elements but if you reach up there you can put your fingers on it. (make sure it's cooled off) :D I may simply cut out that center portion of the guard to facilitate getting a socket on there occasionally. Rather than always having to disassemble it. I'll post back if I actually do. My suspicion is though, Ninja did not properly torque the nut at the factory. Enjoy!
 
BTW tonight I am gonna do a hot/fast but with smoke beef tenderloin roast. Depending on how this and maybe a couple other experiments go with it, I may decide to put my Q320 with those nice SS grates out there and include both NG and LP setup. Cooking space is near equal, (well in between a Q2XXX and the Q3XXX. I also have a pretty decent shape Q220 in my back garage I've not touched. With good OEM CI grates as well. I honestly don't care right now to do anything with it. I figure between the Wolf for super large cooks with gas or rotisserie, the 2 excellent pellet pits I have, I may not have need for a second gasser. Unless I was to come across something like that Vieluxe we're trying to convince Josh to grab :D
 
OK one cook and I am TRULY impressed. Set up on roast with smoke at 425. My Chef IQ was showing ambient running about 475, plenty of smoke, nice sear, really good crust on the meat. All I did was rub some EVOO on it, seasoned with S&P mix. I did not pull it quite on time. It went over where I wanted pretty darn quick. Much quicker than I expected. But, still darn good.
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I have a half of a boneless pork shoulder in the freezer. I think that thing is just itchin to get put on this little guy. I my just have to give it a whirl. Still have a nice brisket point in the freezer as well, but I want to try something cheaper in there first.
 
2nd go around tonight. I put a nice piece of pork belly on to make crispy smoked pork belly. Just started it now at 250 with the Chef IQ. Sadly I want to take it to 205, and the grill's own probes don't allow for 205. So, Chef IQ tot he rescue. I'll report back when I see how it did. One thing is this thing cooks at like twice the speed of a pellet grill. Partly it runs a tad higher than set. So if doing 250 setting, ambient on the Chef IQ runs about 270. Which is fine because once it's got a bit of smoke on it I am gonna run it up to 350 set temp. Get a nice bark on it
 
LMichaels said:
OK one cook and I am TRULY impressed. Set up on roast with smoke at 425. My Chef IQ was showing ambient running about 475, plenty of smoke, nice sear, really good crust on the meat. All I did was rub some EVOO on it, seasoned with S&P mix. I did not pull it quite on time. It went over where I wanted pretty darn quick. Much quicker than I expected. But, still darn good.
View attachment 105598
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The crust looks amazing
 
ChuckO said:
The crust looks amazing
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Well I did the pork belly tonight. I really have to learn how to use it :D I was making salmon dip for tomorrow night and was not paying attention to the apps so my pork belly was a little beyond crispy. And not succulent inside like when I use one of the pits. Also I did not realize you could run it under 250 all the way down to "cold" smoke. Next time I'll keep the grill temps at 200 or a little less as according to the Chef IQ actual ambient was 290 when set at 250.
BFletch, do you notice anything like this on yours? It does cook amazingly well but simply hotter and also moves an incredible amount of air inside itself.
I'll get the hang of it and then forget how to use my pits LOL
 
Yes it does offer a wide temp setting range and definitely cooks faster. I cannot comment on how much hotter it cooks above the temp setting because I never monitored it thus far. For the pork belly I wonder if you would have benefited from the roasting rack.
 
BFletcher said:
Yes it does offer a wide temp setting range and definitely cooks faster. I cannot comment on how much hotter it cooks above the temp setting because I never monitored it thus far. For the pork belly I wonder if you would have benefited from the roasting rack.
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I actually used a roasting rack. I think the combination of how much heated air it moves, it's just hotter and faster and than I'm used to with my pits.
 
That looks like a gorgeous tri tip. Very much like the result I got Sunday from the tenderloin. I will simply need to take into account the higher air temps in this thing vs my pits, plus the much stronger and actually heated convection air. So I will need to compensate when smoking and run my set temps about 40 deg lower than wanted. IOW, looking for a smoking temp of 250 I should set for 200-210. So I can take those types of foods out a little longer and slower. I had not noticed anyone on review videos mentioning the quite higher temps. Only that the 2 products "cook faster" than a regular pit. Yesterday I needed some lunch and decided on a couple hot dogs. I set it up to "grill/medium" no smoking pellets. Once it pre-heated, it went FAAST! I almost incinerated my weenies. This is not some regular pellet grill you have a lot of leeway with.
I can see though, this thing has REAL potential and once "nailed down" I will soon be producing some fine Q and such from it. But, it takes the higher heat of a gas/charcoal grill, combined with the best aspects of a pellet grill into one little package.
But, I'll get it! It's not gonna be my daily driver. Just those little cooks I want something grilled or Q'd but don't feel like pulling out or uncovering the big grill(s) due to having to move a car, or the weather, what have you.
I am going to have a lot of fun with it! And I think I will order that rack for it today
 
Just ordered the roasting rack. Amazon had a $10 promotional credit if I did not use key delivery so I got it for $10. Well worth it! Yes Chuck. I am beginning to think so!
 
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