First steak cook, hotspot....

[Mark-B]

Yup, that’s what I observed when opening the lid as it was around 20 degrees out. Trying to compensate\recover. Now I know what to expect since I’ve done my first high heat cook. Still lovin’ it regardless. Just learning its idiosyncrasies.

[zinfella]

Mark, be sure to show me the pics of your SF producing these results.

[glitchy]

I think it’s just what we get cooking that hot with a such a small fan forced fire. Something in the design obviously slightly favors the right, maybe if the fan spun the other way it would be on the left even. Some people play with shifting the shields a little left or right, I just enjoy that it grills like no other pooper before it and usually cook all on one side or rearrange food.

Also, remember the more often and longer you have the lid open the worse it is trying to recover the temp so it’s pouring more pellets in and blowing harder.

[Mark-B]

Beg to differ, as I have a kettle and gasser for comparison. Guess we can agree to disagree. By the way, I did purchase this never used and at half the price. So for me it’s a HUGE win! Love the kettles too. Nothing wrong with that option.

[zinfella]

@Mark-B commented-"You really need to cook on one before a final judgment is made. 525, plenty hot."

Not really, Mark. I relied on Max and Glitchy to learn that SF was not ip to the task of cooking steaks to our specs. That saved me from the $1000 mistake of buying a SF. Max and Glitchy have the creds in the SF area, so I used them to my benefit. I can appreciate the SF's versatility, but we do a lot of Ribeye's, so if the SF can't deliver them the way we want them. then we don't want the SF. I do Ribeye's at 700Ëš-800Ëš over mesquite charcoal on my kettle, 525Ëš won't begin to cut it. We eat 'em "charred rare", and 525Ëš will just produce an overcooked steak if we are to get the crust we want.

[Dadof3Illinois]

I buy the whole prime strip or ribeye when Costco has their sales. Those aren’t blade tenderized.

[Mark-B]

mgaretz That’s a good suggestion. I’ll think about that option.

[Mark-B]

Meh, all in all, I’m very happy with its versatility. I can work around minor issues like this. Very happy I bought it and so far no regrets. Most pellet poopers can’t do this. Flavor was on point! I think part of the problem too was that I was grilling in 20 degree weather, which made the grill work pretty hard to keep temp up. It’s all fun and learning to me either way. I love Weber products and always will. You really need to cook on one before a final judgment is made. 525, plenty hot.

[mgaretz]

Ask them for a cryovac of the steak primal. The advantages are you can cut to your desired thickness, no blade tenderizing and it's cheaper to buy that way. Maybe only makes sense if you have a vacuum sealer and freezer space, but that's the only way I buy steaks from Costco (and occasionally Sam's).

[zinfella]

Grilled the first steaks tonight and of course not all the steaks were uniform. They turned out great, but noticed there is a real hot spot in the front right of my ex4. I guess now I know about it but really was hoping for a more consistent temp across the entire grill. Anyone come up with a solution for the hot spot other than always moving the food around? Note, I did the steaks at the Weber recommended 525 degrees. I watched the fire below and it was definitely blowing out the right side of the pot.

All of that was predicable by reading Max's review if the EX 4 before you bought one. Not everyone likes their steak done the same way, 525Ëš is not near hot enough to cook mine, but might be just fine for yours. However, cooking more than a couple of steaks at a time can get interesting with temps being uneven across the grill surface. This is why I did not buy Smokefire, and use my Weber kettle instead. YMMV, good luck.

[Mark-B]

And that was prime! I told him they are ruining prime meat! He said, company policy....the cryovac stuf though is ok, prime brisket for $30 some dollars, etc..

[Jerod Broussard]

Mark-B for flavor it seems that thing is a home run fo sho! Blade tenderizing.....ugghhh, if it needs it that bad make ground meat with it.

[Mark-B]

Yeah, for the most part pretty damn impressed with it so far and very versatile. They were very good steaks (Angus choice from Sams - NY cut). The rest of the family liked them too, but their steaks were a little more tough. More the steak than the cooker. I will try some different steaks next time to compare. I now have both Sam and Costco memberships. Costco butcher said they will not sell steaks without blade tenderizing (company policy) so they’re out for me as I cook to only 135 degrees.

[Jerod Broussard]

Not that I have that pellet pooper, but expecting even temps at those high temps is pretty much a pipe dream. I've got a drip pan in mine with a mat (manufacture claims it helps even temperatures I knew it wouldn't I got it for other reasons) and as you go up that baby sure spreads the temperatures. The key for anything really is to learn what you got and use it to your advantage.

[Mark-B]

Grilled the first steaks tonight and of course not all the steaks were uniform. They turned out great, but noticed there is a real hot spot in the front right of my ex4. I guess now I know about it but really was hoping for a more consistent temp across the entire grill. Anyone come up with a solution for the hot spot other than always moving the food around? Note, I did the steaks at the Weber recommended 525 degrees. I watched the fire below and it was definitely blowing out the right side of the pot.