You smoking a turkey for Thanksgiving?


 

You smoking a turkey for Thanksgiving?

  • Yes

    Votes: 20 83.3%
  • No

    Votes: 4 16.7%

  • Total voters
    24
Is the Z still under warranty? If you think it's the grill, maybe they can help?
 
Is the Z still under warranty? If you think it's the grill, maybe they can help?
It has 3 year full warranty. I sent an email to tech support. Meantime if we get a bit of "decent" weather I will dump the pellets, partially clean out the auger, reprime and give it a go.
 
Well, I dumped all the Kirkland pellets. vacuumed it out, (inside and out), (burn pot, chamber, hopper and as much of the auger as I could), put a partial load of Smokehouse in it from Sam's. Got it fired up, and waiting for the auger to purge of all the Kirkland. FWIW there was very little dust, and this is the first time I have done this to it.
Have it set to 425, currently sitting at 226 after about 12 min run time (after light off not total). Will report back once I see if it can reach my temps with Smokehouse. If so, I will remember to use those for cold weather work
 
Looks like I am gonna hit the "target". Sitting 420/421 right now in in a little over 20 min since "light off". WHen it hits my target I'm gonna go for broke and crank it to 500, see what happens.

Made it a couple min after this post. So, now, going for broke. Fingers crossed
 
OK, temps on control panel still coming up but am verifying with my ThermoPro Lightning

Both photos at one time

20231125_130403.jpgScreenshot_20231125_130349_Z GRILLS.jpg
 
It is currently about 10 deg colder, similar wind conditions as on T/Giving. So since I could not get it above an indicated 325-330 and the only change I made is pellets. What else can I think?
BTW I guess I am a little disappointed in the accuracy of the RTD reading as where I put the probe from my T/Pro is only about 2" from the tip of the RTD
Since I have eliminated the grill itself as the issue I am going to get my butt to Menards and buy a whole bunch of bags of these. How can I go wrong? And I like the potential of a 50/50 Oak/Hickory only blend only better than the oak, hickory, maple cherry blend of the Sam's Club product. Got 3 bags in the back garage of the Oak/hickory only, so maybe I'll just plain old "hoard" about 7 or 8 more bags of that. I have a LITTLE spare space in back garage :D
I think I will try the Kirkland pellets in the Member's Mark. It may be a little more tolerant of a "cooler burn" due to it's smaller and more closed in oven and the fact there is no flame tamer under the grease deflector plate.
 
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That's quite a difference, about 200F between pellet brands. That seems like too much. Is the grill unloaded (IOW, no water pans or protein)?

If you're up for it, repeat the same process with the other brand of pellets. I wonder if cleaning it out and starting over had an impact?
 
That's quite a difference, about 200F between pellet brands. That seems like too much. Is the grill unloaded (IOW, no water pans or protein)?

If you're up for it, repeat the same process with the other brand of pellets. I wonder if cleaning it out and starting over had an impact?
Yeah, no protien in it. But, it would barely make over 330 even after I pulled out the proteins on Thursday. Unless I actually saw this happen no way I wwould have believed it if someone told me this. Got me SMDH
 
For the last 10 years, I’ve done the Weber cranberry/orange brined turkey, but on a rotisserie over gas
What book is that recipe in? My wife has given me permission to cook next year's turkey, and I thought I'd brine it and put it on the rotisserie. This sounds like a good brine, and I'd like to try it.
 
It's amazing how well the SmokeFire makes great tasting turkey. My family loved how juicy and flavorful it turned out. No leftover turkey. The breast I made a month before as a trial run was excellent too. Definitely going to do a breast more frequently than once or twice a year.
 
The thighs I did on the MM (I am told) turned out great. I made a poultry style rub, smoked them on the MM then turned up the heat to get the skin crispy. Only critique I gave myself is I was so worried about a few other things, playing with babies and juggling 2 grills and 2 different cooks I slightly over cooked them. But people ate them up and my oldest took the leftovers all home to make soup and some other concoction she will work up for her husband. One thing she picked up learning to cook from me is how to turn leftovers into entirely new dishes. Not just reheated same ol same ol. She was paying attention there :D
 

 

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