New here, just got EX6


 
In my opinion, a little extra money spent on the newest style with redesigned hopper would be money well spent. I seldom wax my car…shouldn’t have to wax or add tape to a $1500 pellet grill to make it reliably feed pellets. I do have the POS add on angle increased ramp slide installed. ( version 2) I’m sure it is helping a little but in my climate it doesn’t seem to help much.
The only plus side to this story is that Weber customer service is good about sending out new parts to pacify the situation.
 
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I use drip pans, when I smoke, I also only use the top grate.
If I’m grilling on the SmokeFire, which is less these days, I don’t use a drip pan and do that work on the bottom grate.

Lew led me to an awesome top grate that can hold anything I can throw at it.
When it’s time to wrap I tend to put my pulled pork in a pan and cover it these days, easier and gives some juice to work with.DF4AB82D-C41D-4098-898C-51B80F692D63.jpeg
 
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Bruno said:
I use drip pans, when I smoke, I also only use the top grate.
If I’m grilling on the SmokeFire, which is less these days, I don’t use a drip pan and do that work on the bottom grate.

Lew led me to an awesome top grate that can hold anything I can throw at it.
When it’s time to wrap I tend to put my pulled pork in a pan and cover it these days, easier and gives some juice to work with.View attachment 69274
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Where did you get that rack?
 
Darian Hofer said:
Of course there are drippings before you wrap. So what relevance is it that you only use drip pans when you wrap?
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Let’s not be obtuse Darian….put the ol’ thinking cap on buddy.

Foil pan. Put meat in. Cover. Voila. Not overly difficult now is it?🙄
 
TimA said:
Let’s not be obtuse Darian….put the ol’ thinking cap on buddy.

Foil pan. Put meat in. Cover. Voila. Not overly difficult now is it?🙄
Click to expand...
Since everyone else was talking about using drip pans, not using a pan as a roasting pan covered with foil like my mother does in the oven…
About as clear as a brick wall. Need to put on a mind reading cap with you sometimes.
 
I think the reason for the drip no drip confusion is in how the Smokefire is designed. Unlike about every other pellet grill out there (with a slanted sheet of metal feeding grease separately into a catch of sorts i.e. a bucket or slide out cup), the Weber uses flavorizer bars and fully open design more like a gas grill. Yes this give more exposure to smoke and heat and allows the Weber to get things hotter, but it now mingles food drippings and ashes together. Not a good mix unless you're fastidious. And many grease fires have occurred. Unlike a "conventional" pellet grill. You simply remove the plate, scrape it clean and you vacuum out the ash from the bottom and burn box. It's one thing that has kept me from really going after one (Smokefire). One thing I truly enjoy on my pellet grill is the total ease of maintenance. Every few cooks, I pull out the plate scrape it, get my small shop vac and vacuum it out. About 10 min work max. So to avoid the grease and ash mix/mess in the Weber some folks use a drip pan. Choice is up to you to use or not. Me? If I owned one I would. But then it begs the question "Why buy the Smokefire?" In any case they do make great food as many here like Lew can attest. Gor forth cook and have fun
 
I agree with everything you said, Larry. I do enjoy the "luxury" of the SF that allows for cooks without a full length "diffuser plate" when desired. It may be my imagination but it feels like something about the SF can deliver a more unique cooking result than what I've experienced from a couple other brands that I've owned.

But there certainly are times when I add a pan below my food for the sole purpose of using it to act as a diffuser. One example is when I do ribs at somewhat a higher temp; having that shield eliminates charring on the underside. Conversely, when I use the SF for high heat wings I like some charring, but may need to manipulate the wings so as to not overdo it.

I must confess that I sometimes allow myself to get frustrated with the SF during times when I want to use a foil pan: if I use two pans--left and right--my grate temps go wildly out of harmony; like to the tune of a 50f-60f delta. Folks can say I'm wrong, which is fine, but for now I've convinced myself this is true in my experience based on Fireboard temp measurements and what I believe to be extended cook times on foods placed on opposite sides. Easter was a good illustration where I did the turkey above a pan because I wanted to roast vegetables underneath the turkey and I placed the ham in a pan to eliminate the mess associated with the glaze and also to have an easy means of moving it from the cooker to the kitchen.

I don't think it's uncommon for any cooker to have pros and cons, though, and sometimes there is satisfaction from learning by experience and applying it to future cooks.

So far, I've never experienced a grease fire in the SF and for me it's tough to plan for something until after I experience it.
 
Yes there are the aspects and the ying and the yang. I think at least for me the Member's Mark has proven pretty decent flexibility. As per the high heat cook on those chops I did tonight, down to the low and slow I pulled off with the chuck roast and was even able to salvage a really horrible situation for that cook. Not sayin the Smokefire is something completely off the table but, one reason I use the MM so much over the Genesis is it's much easier to maintain. Pull the single plate, scrape it, vacuum the thing out and it's ready to go. Genesis, I gotta pull out bars, grates, grease tray, burners etc. Scrape and brush, and so on. It's getting old LOL. (as am I).
I equate the Smokefire with the Genesis. In regard to high maintenance
 
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