The Searwood has arrived!

[Paul M]

Just recently joined the pellet grill club, with a Broil King. I admit not to have done that many cooks, love the convenience, but not converted yet to the amount of smokiness of a PG.

My son has a gravity fed Masterbuilt, which for those that don't know uses charcoal, and you can add wood chunks. We are having a charity cook in a few weeks, so I will compare.

 

[Darian Hofer]

That looks perfect!

The Searwood looks impressive. My son keeps bugging me to join the pellet grill club. I use a Primo ceramic grill for slow cooking, have a NG 3-burner Genesis for everyday cooking, a Traveler for tailgating, and a Weber griddle.

I'm tempted to get this new Searwood to replace my Primo and Genesis - any thoughts?

Also, my Ace has some killer deals on the Smokefire Stealth grills. Is the Searwood that much better?

Thanks

Replace your Primo Ceramic…I would never give up my only guaranteed to work grill.

 

[Greg Ross-MN]

Just recently joined the pellet grill club, with a Broil King. I admit not to have done that many cooks, love the convenience, but not converted yet to the amount of smokiness of a PG.

My son has a gravity fed Masterbuilt, which for those that don't know uses charcoal, and you can add wood chunks. We are having a charity cook in a few weeks, so I will compare.

I had a Masterbuilt Gravity and while I enjoyed the flavor, it only lasted about 4 years. Whatever you do, don't grill with it. The thin metal cook chamber is just not robust enough for high heat.

 

[GarciaWork]

I tried the tallow thing as well (made my own). Honestly? Just more mess to deal with IMO. I am at the stage where I want REALLY good but also "easy". And, have found with either BigZ, or the MM a simple straight cook gets the job done and keeps my life as simple as possible. But, again, I don't fault anyone for trying different techniques. Just simply offering my perspective on what seems to work for my tastes and needs

I agree on all points. I followed the youtube recipe's with tallow and wrapping for a bit, then figured I would try without all that and I notice zero difference, but I have WAY less mess to deal with.

 

[Brian B Atlanta]

I thought this review was pretty good sure there are many coming and of course thanks to David for his realtime review also.

 

[Todd K Wisc]

Rotisserie:

Steaks on Manual mode:

 

[LMichaels]

So I did watch that session on the steaks. I did not see anything that I could not turn out on either the Member's Mark or Big Z.

 

[GarciaWork]

So I did watch that session on the steaks. I did not see anything that I could not turn out on either the Member's Mark or Big Z.

But do either of those say Weber on the front? Brand is all that truly matters, after all.

But in all seriousness, I am a brand ***** in a lot of ways, and I would not mind having a matching smoker to go with my Genesis. I would have bought a smokefire if they didn't spontaneously combust.

 

[LMichaels]

Not into "brands". Into the best thing for my $$$$. Just did a cowboy ribeye t/night and I got WAY better crust on it than he got off that SW from my Member's Mark.

 

[Bob Erdman]

Searwood did a good job searing. Just like a SmokeFire. With my cast iron grates, it lays down the sear marks like nobody's business.

 

[Brian Johnson]

Not into "brands". Into the best thing for my $$$$. Just did a cowboy ribeye t/night and I got WAY better crust on it than he got off that SW from my Member's Mark.

Yeah, I wasn't too impressed with the sear in the video either. I mean, the second attempt was much better, but still. . . Of course, since I don't have a pellet grill capable of coming anywhere close to something resembling a sear, much less a good one, I can't really talk. hahaha

 

[LMichaels]

Bottom line my steak last night got a beautiful crust. (no "black" lines). I guess I could have done something like brush it with melted butter. A trick a pro chef taught me many years ago to put those lines in. But the smell alone (not just the taste) of butter that gets hot like that nearly makes me barf. But, in any case my steak had a great crust and perfect edge to edge pink under the crust.
And I know there will those here who'll say, there is no way, I got this all to happen with 390 degrees indicated temps (both by the ambient sensors on my TempSpikes but on the readout of the grill). Yes, read that right. 390 F.

 

[Bob Erdman]

Picture or it didn't happen!

Jk, nice thick steak at that temp will get crusty, just takes a bit longer.

 

[Brian B Atlanta]

I get plenty of sear marks on the Silver C run the 1st 2 burners at slightly above medium usually gets to about 500 which means at grate level its gonna be hotter. I did filets the other night wife said best I ever made which did not want to burst her bubble same way I make them all the time. Salt, pepper and olive oil 5 min on one side 6 on the other these are the thick Costco cuts they are slightly less than medium rare I hate overdone steaks she to her credit has come around the last few years eating them more to the rare side then ever.

If I get a pellet grill and the Searwood has my attention its not because how great it is to do steaks cause I am not gonna use it that way. I am a 275 cooker for ribs, pulled pork which I don't really care for but wife loves pulled pork and I will eat it the first time never leftovers which she will do so its all good. Don't bother with brisket there are only 2 of us and we have some great joints around us so I just order that in the bbq joint.

This is a tough decision for me since I don't really smoke that much stuff anymore and the Performer with the SNS can handle anything I throw at it and of course I can regulate my own smoke with wood chunks and to be honest maybe its age but my wife likes smoke to a certain degree but not to much I am in the same boat now.

 

[TimA]

Not into "brands". Into the best thing for my $$$$. Just did a cowboy ribeye t/night and I got WAY better crust on it than he got off that SW from my Member's Mark.

yeah but, that is virtually meaningless. I know you like to compare the Members Mark, which is fine, you paid the money and want it to be in the same discussion…a Volvo goes down the road just like a Bentley does, ya know.

But there are so many variables cook to cook, and location to location, that judging by a video is irrelevant. One could say they got not only a WAY better crust than your MM on their SF, but also WAY better flavor. So…..meh

 

[LMichaels]

IDK why it's "meaningless". The thing performs as nicely as just about anything short of something REALLY high end like say a Lone Star or such. Would not even try to compare it there. Every time I hit that start button it works, it does EXACTLY what I want and expect it to do. But then maybe that is too much to expect?

 

[Rich Dahl]

Wrapping was just plain "messy". My last time wrapping a brisket it turned into a huge fiasco. Grease all over the place, then when I pulled the brisket a bit of wrap had either stuck to or got caught by a grate and I ended up with grease and meat juice all over myself, the inside of my smoker, my deck, my kitchen. And after all that, it was no better (actually was worse) than the one I'd done previously with no wrap. Just slapped it on upper grate, sheet pan under it, and let it go. Started on Super Smoke setting (160) and let it get that for about an hour, went up to 225 (which on my grills still puts out VERY generous smoke profile, and let that go right through the stall until finished (IIRC I did turn it up to 240 or 250) but no wrap. I had bark to die for, deep deep smoke profile, perfectly done meat. On the 2X now I've not covered I would put that brisket (and shoulder) up against anyone's pellet or stick burner. I've had brisket done by so called "champion" grill masters and what I turned out was easily as good or better.
Yeah, I am over the gymnastics. I just slap the meat on and "go"

Got to agree with you Larry. Been down the wrapping thing with tin foil and pink butcher paper had more on me and the CC than the brisket. Now that I have a new controller in the CC that gives me much more temp control and espically smoke control I'm going to try another brisket just to find out how much better it can be.
First cook was two whole chickens that came out beyond expectations cooked with Mutt blend* with just a 2 smoke setting and cooked at 275.
Now I just have to kiss the ring of she who controls my universe and see if I can get another whole brisket to sacrifice to the flavor gods.
* Mutt mix blend is when I mix all the leftover pellets that aren't enough for another cook and use those for a cook, amazingly the flavor profiles have been great.

 

[LMichaels]

Got to agree with you Larry. Been down the wrapping thing with tin foil and pink butcher paper had more on me and the CC than the brisket. Now that I have a new controller in the CC that gives me much more temp control and espically smoke control I'm going to try another brisket just to find out how much better it can be.
First cook was two whole chickens that came out beyond expectations cooked with Mutt blend* with just a 2 smoke setting and cooked at 275.
Now I just have to kiss the ring of she who controls my universe and see if I can get another whole brisket to sacrifice to the flavor gods.
* Mutt mix blend is when I mix all the leftover pellets that aren't enough for another cook and use those for a cook, amazingly the flavor profiles have been great.

Yeah, last couple briskets I wanted to just keep it a little simpler. Used "Super Smoke" which runs the PID at 160 IIRC (maybe 165). Did that for first 40 min, then 235 for duration. No wrap, no peeking, just monitored temps. Probed it at just over 200, maybe 205. Went in like hot poker in butter. Pulled, THEN wrapped (pink paper, then foil, then old beach towel, then in cooler). Outstanding.
My little local shop does some custom stuff for folks. He told me they get people asking for flats a lot. Because they want to make corned beef with them. So, last night when wife and I went in for the wings I checked the little "bargain bin" and BINGO there was a beautiful point there. The butcher had already trimmed to perfection as well. Only $4.39lb so it was calling out "buy me buy me". So we did. I am nearly out of frozen sliced brisket anyway so timing was good. But, right now not good timing for me to cook it just yet. So, we'll vacuum seal it, and freeze it for a little later. Maybe when I have both daughters coming over, and the grandchildren. My SIL sits up and begs for my brisket

 

[Todd K Wisc]

 

[LMichaels]

Seems like it took him a long time and he made note of some pretty hard temp variation. Can't help but wonder if they would have been done much sooner and had much more even temps if he just quit "playing" with them. And let the grill do it's job. Looked pretty darn good to me otherwise