Camp Chef Settings

[borborygmus]

Hey all, long time listener, first time caller.

I just got a new Camp Chef pellet grill. I tried some reverse seared steaks on it on the "high smoke" setting. It worked pretty good, but I noticed it was just cycling period of huge puffs of white smoke, with periods of barely any smoke. It seems that's the point of the high smoke setting.

That's fine for the steak, but it doesn't seem like a good setting for a long cook. My grill allows you to set the temperature and a "smoke level" from 1-10 separately. So my question is what settings do you use for a good cook (say, pulled pork)? Something that gives you as consistent smoke as you can get, and preferably closer to thing blue smoke than giant puffs of white smoke. I'd assume something like 225 for temp. What about smoke level?

 

[tx smoker]

The pellet grills on low temp/extreme smoke do cycle as you mentioned. The heating element cannot run full time and maintain the low temps. It has to cycle on to generate smoke, then cycle off so as not to exceed the temp setting. When running higher temps it'll still cycle on and off but not every few seconds like it does on the low temp/extreme smoke setting.

Robert

 

[1MoreFord]

As you've seen pellet grills cycle.

I, too, am a new Camp Chef owner. So far the simple answer for me is there is no setting that works and gives me good smoke flavor.

I've tried three brands/types of pellets and replaced the air temp probe. I also have a new controller to install. The CC service reps I've talked to don't agree on how the Low Smoke/High Smoke work compared to just choosing a temp and smoke setting. The first rep sent me the new probe. Another agreed with me that mine was not working right and the last one said mine seemed to be working right but sent me the new controller.

Hopefully some of the other Camp Chef owners on the site will chime in with their experiences and settings.

 

[borborygmus]

For what's it's worth, I got pretty good smoke flavor on that reverse seared steak. I mean, it obviously isn't going to be like barbecue, since it was only smoked for ~30 minutes, but it was definitely smoky. I used Bear Mountain hickory pellets.

 

[KHert]

I am on my second CampChef pellet grill. I moved up to the larger Woodwind. I am not an expert, as I am still learning, but I typically set the smoke to a 4 and always cooking on 225 to 275. Gives me a nice smoke ring and the smoke flavor is not over powering. My family isn't a big fan of the overpowering smoke flavor you can sometimes get.

That being said, I have wondered about this as well. Just getting results that the family and friends have liked, so while I am curious, a little afraid to change it at this point, haha. At some point I will do a bit more experimenting.

I have started using Cookin' Pellets as well. Wanting to see if that makes a big difference in flavor. So far, not really noticing much, just a better cleaner burn.