Masterbuilt Gravity Feed

[912smoker]

I would stack split on top of split, which is not that hard to do. Run it all the way to the top.

I put wood in the hopper and in the FB, where I have to add wood about every 20 to 30 minutes. I've got a grate in the FB pan that gets the chunks up out of the bottom with the ash. And they burn easily there, in fact, there's been times I open the FB door and the chunks are in flame.

Sounds like a good plan. I'll give it a shot asap and thanks for the tips guys!

Keith

 

[SmokingCoals]

Thanks for the suggestions on charcoal. I think I’ll try the char logs again but burn them off at 400 degrees for 30 minutes before I lower the temp to 225 for smoking.

I bought a 15.5 lb pork shoulder butt at Costco. I’d like to cook it for pulled pork. Any advice you can give me? I’m worried it may take 20 hours to cook!

 

[DougE]

I bought a 15.5 lb pork shoulder butt at Costco. I’d like to cook it for pulled pork. Any advice you can give me? I’m worried it may take 20 hours to cook!

You sure it's not a 2 pack?

 

[SmokingCoals]

It’s hard to tell without opening it. I could always cut it in half. :)

Costco Same-Day Delivery

sameday.costco.com

 

[jaxgatorz]

It’s hard to tell without opening it. I could always cut it in half. :)

Costco Same-Day Delivery

sameday.costco.com

View attachment 638871

It's 2 butts.. enjoy

 

[pineywoods]

As Mike said that's two butts in the same package good luck with your cook and be sure to post some pictures

 

[Smokin Okie]

Two questions for gravity feed owners .........

Do you repack the hopper for every cook ?

Do you smoke on the bottom or middle grate ( considering both grates aren't needed ) ?

Me, I put wood chunks in the hopper. I've found no matter what level they're placed in the hopper, they burn up. So I repack before every cook.

And I'm torn on which grate to use. I put a drip pan under the bottom grate, its the size of an aluminum half pan, about 9 X 13. It does impact air flow a bit and cooking temps on the bottom grate. But I've also found there's a diff between set cooking temp and actual temps on the middle grate.

I'd also like to say, I don't begrudge the site owners here for monetizing the site with popup ads, got no problem with people making money, but dang, they're making it hard to read and especially to post. I've had to fight the one at the bottom for this entire post. At some point, you're driving off traffic with too many popups.

 

[mcokevin]

Two questions for gravity feed owners .........

Do you repack the hopper for every cook ?

Do you smoke on the bottom or middle grate ( considering both grates aren't needed ) ?

1) Depends on the cook for me. I repack after every long smoke, but not after every time I light it for burgers or a quick grilling cook.
2) Middle, unless I'm running full.

 

[BBQ Bird]

Two questions for gravity feed owners .........

Do you repack the hopper for every cook ?

Do you smoke on the bottom or middle grate ( considering both grates aren't needed ) ?

Me, I put wood chunks in the hopper. I've found no matter what level they're placed in the hopper, they burn up. So I repack before every cook.

And I'm torn on which grate to use. I put a drip pan under the bottom grate, its the size of an aluminum half pan, about 9 X 13. It does impact air flow a bit and cooking temps on the bottom grate. But I've also found there's a diff between set cooking temp and actual temps on the middle grate.

I'd also like to say, I don't begrudge the site owners here for monetizing the site with popup ads, got no problem with people making money, but dang, they're making it hard to read and especially to post. I've had to fight the one at the bottom for this entire post. At some point, you're driving off traffic with too many popups.

By repack, do you mean empty the hopper and refill, or just refill to the top every time? I usually don't empty the hopper. I just add new briquettes and chunks on top of what's in there.

I most use the middle grate with a pan underneath it to catch drippings. I get the most consistent temps in that spot.

 

[negolien]

1) Depends on the cook for me. I repack after every long smoke, but not after every time I light it for burgers or a quick grilling cook.
2) Middle, unless I'm running full.

what he said

 

[Smokin Okie]

By repack, do you mean empty the hopper and refill, or just refill to the top every time? I usually don't empty the hopper. I just add new briquettes and chunks on top of what's in there.

I most use the middle grate with a pan underneath it to catch drippings. I get the most consistent temps in that spot.

Repack = empty completely and start new.

I can fill the hopper with coals / chunk / coals / chunk all the way to the top. And at the end of the cook all the chunks are burnt, all the way to the top. But the coals are not lit. Evidently, it gets hot enough to burn the chunk but not hot enough to light the coals.

So I empty it completely and start fresh, or else I won't have any wood chunk smoke at the start of the cook. Especially, since it takes a while for coals to fall down into the ash pan and get those chunks smoking.

I just bought a mod from LSS that looks like it will make emptying the hopper easier and less of a mess. I possibly could've made something to accomplish this, but I was placing an order with LSS and threw it in . I'm taking out the charcoal grate now and letting the coals drop into an empty ash pan and that works if there's not too many in there. It still involves getting the shop vac to get all the pieces and dust.

https://www.lss-mods.com/product_details.phtml/hopper_dropper

 

[Smokin Okie]

What do y'all consider a long cook ?

Greater than 3 hours ?

 

[mcokevin]

What do y'all consider a long cook ?

Greater than 3 hours ?

Asking the tough questions...!

Now that I think about it more I actually do it more based on how important the smoked element is. If I am doing something that needs wood smoke I will repack at least enough to make sure I'm rolling smoke. If I am just grilling, smoke is nice to have but not a necessity. I think in practice I just said "long cook" because ribs are about the shortest thing I smoke at 5-6hrs.

 

[BBQ Bird]

Repack = empty completely and start new.

I can fill the hopper with coals / chunk / coals / chunk all the way to the top. And at the end of the cook all the chunks are burnt, all the way to the top. But the coals are not lit. Evidently, it gets hot enough to burn the chunk but not hot enough to light the coals.

So I empty it completely and start fresh, or else I won't have any wood chunk smoke at the start of the cook. Especially, since it takes a while for coals to fall down into the ash pan and get those chunks smoking.

I just bought a mod from LSS that looks like it will make emptying the hopper easier and less of a mess. I possibly could've made something to accomplish this, but I was placing an order with LSS and threw it in . I'm taking out the charcoal grate now and letting the coals drop into an empty ash pan and that works if there's not too many in there. It still involves getting the shop vac to get all the pieces and dust.

https://www.lss-mods.com/product_details.phtml/hopper_dropper

Interesting. I'm fairly certain that chunks in my hopper haven't burned up when packed high enough in the the hopper that they don't get used in a cook. However, I've been pretty good about adding the correct amount of charcoal lately, so I don't have a lot leftover.

I thought that the design is such that the air flow creates an oxygen deficit above the burn box and prevents any combustion up the stack.

 

[Smokin Okie]

Interesting. I'm fairly certain that chunks in my hopper haven't burned up when packed high enough in the the hopper that they don't get used in a cook. However, I've been pretty good about adding the correct amount of charcoal lately, so I don't have a lot leftover.

I thought that the design is such that the air flow creates an oxygen deficit above the burn box and prevents any combustion up the stack.

Many times I've emptied the hopper after a cook and I've yet to find a chunk not turned into charcoal.

Also, get a split, split it again and then stand it vertically in the hopper and put another split on top of it. Both splits will be charcoal.

 

[Smokin Okie]

Interesting. I'm fairly certain that chunks in my hopper haven't burned up when packed high enough in the the hopper that they don't get used in a cook. However, I've been pretty good about adding the correct amount of charcoal lately, so I don't have a lot leftover.

I thought that the design is such that the air flow creates an oxygen deficit above the burn box and prevents any combustion up the stack.

Well, as I speak about burnt out chunks in the hopper, I open up the hopper today to start a cook and there in the top of the charcoal is a chunk that's not just a piece of charcoal. Its burnt but its not completely burnt up. This was a bit more than halfway up the hopper .

 

[Bigheaded]

LSS has a ash bucket grate, A YTer I watch (Gallery Backyard BBQ) opened the hopper and puts it on top of the and sears steaks directly. This seems like a really good way to get extra char on a steak. I'm thinking the answer's no, but would there be any potential risk to doing this?

 

[912smoker]

LSS has a ash bucket grate, A YTer I watch (Gallery Backyard BBQ) opened the hopper and puts it on top of the and sears steaks directly. This seems like a really good way to get extra char on a steak. I'm thinking the answer's no, but would there be any potential risk to doing this?

Yeah I saw that and looks like a great to start a massive fire with the grease dripping directly into the fire and coals. I've never had a problem getting a good sear at 600°. Never needed to hit the.max of 700.
But that's just my $0.02.

Keith

 

[Smokin Okie]

If I understand that correctly, that seems to be totally unnecessary.

I don't use my MB560 for a grill. I prefer my Kettles, both 22 and 26. It may just me having a cautious nature, but I think a lot of problems with MB GF's come from running the temp way up to grill.

And I don't like grilling with indirect heat. I like my Kettle with a safe zone, so I can move meats from the heat to off.

Also when I've reverse seared with the MB, I get grease flame ups when I crank up the heat. Just me, I don't like searing with grease fires.

I love my MB560 as a smoker, its a rib cooking machine, but not as a grill.

 

[mcokevin]

Yeah I saw that and looks like a great to start a massive fire with the grease dripping directly into the fire and coals. I've never had a problem getting a good sear at 600°. Never needed to hit the.max of 700.
But that's just my $0.02.

Keith

I'm with Keith on this. I reverse sear fairly regularly with my 1050 and I haven't gone above 550-600, and it sears plenty well for me.

Here's a steak seared somewhere in that range: