I was wondering what opinions are regarding how much smoke flavor gets onto the food with a SmokeFire? My last experience with a pellet grill (typical smoke stack design and well made) was that the smoke flavor was very, very light. It seems like the SmokeFires do a better job of it - for a pellet grill. If I did spring for a SmokeFire it would likely be a Sear+.
Opinions of Smoke Level?
- Thread starter Jon B
- Start date
LMichaels
TVWBB 2-Star Olympian
Maybe it is the oven design of my 2 pellet grills (no stack and underside grease containment) I get excellent nice deep smoke flavor. Though, like with any pellet smoker (actually any smoker I would imagine) smoke (and it's flavor) decline in proportion to how hot you run it. I have noticed 250 and below are excellent for mine. As I approach 300 and above it declines rapidly
Rich Dahl
R.I.P. 7/21/2024
I have a camp chef and it's true that the smoke flavor is very light if you avoid the smoke setting, Using the smoke setting you get a distinct smoke flavor but still on the light side,
Thats fine with the wife and me because neither one of us like a lot of smoke flavor.
I've never had a cook off a SmokeFire, but what I've read from those that do there is a more pronounced smoke flavor from a SmokeFire than from other pellet grills.
Thats fine with the wife and me because neither one of us like a lot of smoke flavor.
I've never had a cook off a SmokeFire, but what I've read from those that do there is a more pronounced smoke flavor from a SmokeFire than from other pellet grills.
Wow. I wasn't expecting that. That's definitely encouraging.
Darryl - swazies
TVWBB Platinum Member
I had come to realize after cooking for a while the smoke flavor to me mostly can depend on the smoke itself vs the cooker you work on.
Colour of the smoke is a big factor in visually being able to tell what is going on to a point.
Being able to hold the thinnest blue smoke to me will provide excellent results.....dirty smoke will increase the " smoke flavor " perhaps but even more so make it bitter in flavor, thin pieces like chops will become inedible.
From my personal experience having an early generation of Traeger I found that the burning wood ( pellet ) was different from a smoldering piece of hardwood. I ended up getting rid of my pellet grill as it was easily beat by cooking with coal and wood.
Saying all that.......I do hear good and great things about the smoke fire.....some guys on here have just got themselves a new one and don't know how they lived without it before. Operating one is simple in comparison to trying to ride out a 230 for the first couple hours on a low n slow.
I wouldn't put a SF out of the question personally, I just don't have the real estate for one especially since I have been eyeing up a blackstone.....
Colour of the smoke is a big factor in visually being able to tell what is going on to a point.
Being able to hold the thinnest blue smoke to me will provide excellent results.....dirty smoke will increase the " smoke flavor " perhaps but even more so make it bitter in flavor, thin pieces like chops will become inedible.
From my personal experience having an early generation of Traeger I found that the burning wood ( pellet ) was different from a smoldering piece of hardwood. I ended up getting rid of my pellet grill as it was easily beat by cooking with coal and wood.
Saying all that.......I do hear good and great things about the smoke fire.....some guys on here have just got themselves a new one and don't know how they lived without it before. Operating one is simple in comparison to trying to ride out a 230 for the first couple hours on a low n slow.
I wouldn't put a SF out of the question personally, I just don't have the real estate for one especially since I have been eyeing up a blackstone.....
Mike Rubin
New member
Smokiness level, of course, is subjective, but, based on my experiences with BBQ restaurants over the years, I think that I can easily match those levels of infusion with my EXT4 and meats that cook at lower temperatures: ribs, pork butt or tenderloin, and chicken thighs. (I never have tried to make a brisket.) I almost always start with Smokeboost enabled for between 15 minutes and an hour, depending on the meat.
For grilled items that cook at higher temps, like steaks, sausage, and shrimp, I get no more smokiness than I would get with any other grill, but I don't think that most folks would expect there to be more with those dishes.
For grilled items that cook at higher temps, like steaks, sausage, and shrimp, I get no more smokiness than I would get with any other grill, but I don't think that most folks would expect there to be more with those dishes.
That's also encouraging.
I have not done a brisket yet either. Not because I don't want to, but because I don't want to get up at 3 am.
I often cook my spatchcocked chicken at 325, but I could start it off in super smoke mode for an hour and see what happens.
Bob Erdman
TVWBB All-Star
The nice thing about the SmokeFire is that it does not over power the taste of the food with smoke flavor. It just adds another element of flavor to whatever you are cooking. I find that smoking low and slow, under 275, adds the right amount of smoke flavor for me.
TimA
TVWBB All-Star
I’ve had food off all the big name pellets out there, and the Smokefire has a stronger/more pronounced smoke flavor, but isn’t overpowering or overwhelming. Sometimes with charcoal, it gets too much and is almost….sticky I guess I would say. You can taste and feel the difference with too much. Smokefire has never had that for me and I’ve run it on Smokeboost for hours
That's exactly my goal with my OJ Bronco. Present, but not overwhelming.
That's another wow. I never knew that about SF. I know it may not be the same as a barrel or offset, but if it comes close the convenience would more than make up for it.
I've seen these, but never tried them and then I got into Bear Mountain before I gave up on the pellet grill I had at the time.
Jon Tofte
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Another approach to increasing smoke flavor (and bark) comes with the newer Camp Chef Woodwind Pro. It includes a slide-in box in which you put wood chunks and/or even charcoal. The reviews are pretty impressive. The SmokeFire achieves its results in a large part, I think, because of the unconventional open aspect between the grates and firepot that comes from using flavorizer bars in place of the solid shield most other pellet grills have. It seems to work well based on so many great cooks we have seen here. There are challenges this design brings, though. The Woodwind Pro keeps the conventional metal shield that handles grease more reliably and rather relies on the slide in box to deliver the extra real smoke.
I would love to see a cookoff between the latest SmokeFire and Woodwind Pro!
I would love to see a cookoff between the latest SmokeFire and Woodwind Pro!
Shane - glitchy
TVWBB Super Fan
I’ve had more than a few too many pellet grills. I’ve only experienced two that have smoke levels that compare to smoking on my WSCG with 3-4 chunks of wood. The SmokeFire and the MAK. I haven’t cooked on, but also think the Lone Star and Yoder could likely be major league contenders too. It all has to do with design, if it has a solid drip pan, a side stack, and a standard burn pot all, I would bet anyone could taste the difference of food from it compared to a SmokeFire. The companies that change one, two, or all three of these designs have both legs up in potential. This doesn’t even dive it further tuning that can be done with controller logic for companies that fully invest in making the best product,
That being said, the new super expensive Traeger Timberline could have a good smoke profile too. I like a lot of their changes, but not enough to buy one to see.
I cooked a frozen pizza on my SmokeFire (when I had one) at 450 with hickory pellets and personally didn’t care for the amount of smoke it put on it. Too much for a pizza IMO.
That being said, the new super expensive Traeger Timberline could have a good smoke profile too. I like a lot of their changes, but not enough to buy one to see.
I cooked a frozen pizza on my SmokeFire (when I had one) at 450 with hickory pellets and personally didn’t care for the amount of smoke it put on it. Too much for a pizza IMO.
LMichaels
TVWBB 2-Star Olympian
I've never used a pellet grill with a "stack". Both of mine have angled rear "vents". And more rounded "ovens" more like the SmokeFire design. I've actually been asked if they're SmokeFires because they resemble them so much.
As far as smoke I get plenty of flavor. I would not want for any more "except" under higher heat settings. I.E., if I wanted to do something more hot and fast smoke diminishes. But both grills roll plenty of smoke and flavor at 250 and below. Start running them closer to 300 and it falls off rapidly. I can't say if a stick burner does the same. I would think it does (only to a lesser extent).
But, I really like the design(s) of the MM and my big Z (along with that of the Smoke Fire). As large as it is if you put your hand behind the vents you can feel the air moving through. The barrel designs really circulate the smoke well over the food.
So bottom line I think the design of the pellet grill used makes a big difference in it's flavor profile/performance. And the skill set of the cook as well. Knowing what temps to use, and for what help a great deal.
I've never used a Komado type grill (though I have eaten food cooked in one), and never used a stick burner (and again can say the same). Honestly IMO I get as nice a smoke profile in food coming off my units as anything I have had coming off the others. Are they "different"? You bet. Better? Not to my liking. Just different. Doesn't make one bad the other better. They're just "different".
When you combine all that with ease of use, versatility, economy, ease of storing and maintaining fuel source (sorry no use for having racks of wood around or it's expense got rid of our wood burning fireplace partly due to that), in my book the pellet popper is outstanding.
It's one of the reasons I came within a whisker of buying a Smoke Fire as my second pellet popper. Only 2 things prevented me from doing so (well 3 actually). First, cost was a factor (though I did find enough deals to REALLY tempt me), 2nd the whole grease and ashes mixed bothered me. I like to vacuum out and go). 3rd, I REALLY like how "generic" the MM and Z grills are. I can use nearly any controller, any auger and motor, exchange the burn pot if needed with nearly any off the shelf item. Which means unlike what happened to me with the Summit I won't have to worry about not being able to make a repair if/when needed. Yeah, yeah yeah I know a stick or coal burner has no "parts". But, again, they're not what I was after.
Bottom line I would not let a "fear" of "light smoke" scare you off purchasing a good quality pellet burner. Especially with the more barrel like oven design.
As far as smoke I get plenty of flavor. I would not want for any more "except" under higher heat settings. I.E., if I wanted to do something more hot and fast smoke diminishes. But both grills roll plenty of smoke and flavor at 250 and below. Start running them closer to 300 and it falls off rapidly. I can't say if a stick burner does the same. I would think it does (only to a lesser extent).
But, I really like the design(s) of the MM and my big Z (along with that of the Smoke Fire). As large as it is if you put your hand behind the vents you can feel the air moving through. The barrel designs really circulate the smoke well over the food.
So bottom line I think the design of the pellet grill used makes a big difference in it's flavor profile/performance. And the skill set of the cook as well. Knowing what temps to use, and for what help a great deal.
I've never used a Komado type grill (though I have eaten food cooked in one), and never used a stick burner (and again can say the same). Honestly IMO I get as nice a smoke profile in food coming off my units as anything I have had coming off the others. Are they "different"? You bet. Better? Not to my liking. Just different. Doesn't make one bad the other better. They're just "different".
When you combine all that with ease of use, versatility, economy, ease of storing and maintaining fuel source (sorry no use for having racks of wood around or it's expense got rid of our wood burning fireplace partly due to that), in my book the pellet popper is outstanding.
It's one of the reasons I came within a whisker of buying a Smoke Fire as my second pellet popper. Only 2 things prevented me from doing so (well 3 actually). First, cost was a factor (though I did find enough deals to REALLY tempt me), 2nd the whole grease and ashes mixed bothered me. I like to vacuum out and go). 3rd, I REALLY like how "generic" the MM and Z grills are. I can use nearly any controller, any auger and motor, exchange the burn pot if needed with nearly any off the shelf item. Which means unlike what happened to me with the Summit I won't have to worry about not being able to make a repair if/when needed. Yeah, yeah yeah I know a stick or coal burner has no "parts". But, again, they're not what I was after.
Bottom line I would not let a "fear" of "light smoke" scare you off purchasing a good quality pellet burner. Especially with the more barrel like oven design.
TimA
TVWBB All-Star
I have not yet cooked on an offset myself to compare direct, and it’s been a minute since I’ve had anything off a good offset. I have my heart set on a Lone Star, but my gosh they’ve gone way up in price. I keep trying to convince myself to try a cheaper one but every time I see one in person and see the thin metal, I know I won’t be happy. Sigh
BFletcher
TVWBB Honor Circle
I bought an M Grill M1 a couple years ago before prices skyrocketed. I agree that Lone Star units look pretty awesome. I don't know how to describe it, but I experience a different flavor from using splits of wood compared to pellets. I would not say it is a better or worse profile, just different. But I need to feed it a split at 45-55 minute intervals, which can be a chore for long cooks. It is fun to use but I would not want to be without the SmokeFire, whose flavor profile I LOVE.
Garvin R
TVWBB Super Fan
Me too!
Glitchy that's quite a compliment to the SF. It's amazing it has taken these pellet grill designers so long to innovate. It's almost like they kept copying each other over and over and over again. If the SF put too much smoke on a frozen pizza at 450 then it must be quite capable at lower temps.