I put my Camp Chef Woodwind up against a Recteq 700 this past weekend. 6 butts on each and the Camp Chef smoked the Recteq. More smoke, better bark, more consistent temp throughout the cook.
My reqteq 340 needs a new air box They don't sell them making my 3-year-old smoker junk Camp Chef looks like it will be my next smoker I was a big reqteq fan until they stranded me
Wondering if you're gonna have more video developing your technique more on this cooker. Really enjoy your channel and bought the pro based on your reviews. I'm in love so far but would always be curious how a really experienced and thoughtful bbq guy like yourself would master this particular cooker.
I have a camp chef woodwind I’ve been using for years. The main reason I got it was the fact you can empty the fire pot by just pulling a lever. A minor thing but it’s very handy.
Love this video. The woodwind brisket looks amazing, regardless if it came off an offset or pellet grill. I would’ve liked to see you smoke two briskets, each on a woodwind pro. One uses the smoke box and the other does not.
Since Jeremy is not a fan of technology. What he would learn if he used the App, is that you can name each one of the probes (Red/Blue/Black/Grey) or Brisket, Chicken, Ribs and Pork Butt, and you can set a temp for doneness (brisket for 200, chicken for 160, Ribs etc) and the app will notify you (via text) when you're close to that temp. So for brisket once you wrapped that meat up, you don't have to worry about checking it until you're notified.
@@zedwards43 Yes, but Jeremy said he would have to open up the chamber to see what color is going where. My point is, if he used the app, he wouldn't have to because you can label the leads.
I love technology but just not for cooking outdoors. I can see where it helps though. Maybe that's what Jeremy is referring to. I don't mind checking temps after a few hours but I don't like having wires coming out of my smoker. Almost looks like a hospitalized patient.
Thanks for your pellet smoker series. Most of us don't have the time or will to spend all night tending an offset. I started with an offset back in 1999 and that got old quick and I sold it. Now I use my pellet smoker or my charcoal gravity smoker.
I can see how the top grate being two pieces would be annoying, but an easy fix is just wire them together. It could be they do this so you can take the forward grate out if you are smoking a large turkey as an example that is tall, but still have the back grate in to hold something else. Basically it gives you flexibility.
@@lckirkpatrick I think he was more eluding to the fact thst it slides when you're trying to move it around? The lip thing I can't even see being an issue at all 🤷♂️
Regarding the top rack on the Camp Chef, squeeze some hog rings on to connect the 2 pieces. It will obviously hold them together but also allow you to flip the front piece up and out of the way if you're only using the bottom rack. Great video!
I love the two grates :-). For the regular non-pro BBQ'er the app is great for busy day-to-day ppl, and coming from a Pit-Boss 1150 (which I loved) this is a game changer ... I grew up doing Jerk Pork over open-pits over weekends etc .. which I go back to for hardcore cooking -- for every day cooking this is pretty amazing. I"ve had ppl who I cook ribs for for friend/family functions, this has been a game changer
Since you mentioned the hopper size; we have the biggest Woodwind that isn't a "Pro" and we have run out of pellets a couple times. This is probably because my wife doesn't always start by adding pellets at the start. She doesn't fill her car until it's on E either (she's the smoker around here and I just grill occasionally make seasoning blends and research everything). We did have a minor issue and a very serious issue though: Something went wrong with the computer/control panel. Camp Chef customer service was great about helping my wife diagnose the source of the problem and sent her a new control panel and a new temperature sensor at no cost, because they weren't sure which went bad. While she was having issues with the controller, the fire was going out during a cook. That lead to the serious problem. If your fire goes out, you MUST pull the feed auger out and empty the pellets before you re-light it. As the fire dies, the controller will feed more pellets to drive the heat up. And if you restart it, it will shove a bunch of pellets in to ignite the fire. You've now more than double-loaded your fire pot. Add a little grease, say from the beef bronto ribs we had wrapped and finishing, and you've created a fire bomb. Almost burnt our house down. Lost a whole plate of Bronto Ribs, expended an entire fire extinguisher, melted our temperature probes, but we were able to repair it all.
I’m curious when you tryed the smoke tube test did you just use pellets or did you try any with a smoke tube with wood chunks or sawdust is much more flavorful just a thought you could essentially turn the pits and spits into a smokehouse
The problem you had with sliding the box in and out was caused by the heat deflector not being properly in place. It has 2 tabs that locate it where it's supposed to be. My guess is when you were trying to pull it out with the butterfly open you knocked the deflector out of its slots. It's not really a problem as long as you have the butterfly closed.
I’ve been smoking for about a year and I’m telling you, I get meteorite bark, and I’m using a smoke box on a gas grill. I just set the flame deflector plates up on one side of the BBQ to keep the box a couple inches above the flame, set the brisket on the other side of the BBQ and light the side with the smoke box. I wish I could add pics here. Only issue I run into is that I have the turn the brisket a few times to get it to cook evenly. I’m still going to invest in an offset, but I can cook some wicked bbq on my gas Weber.
I'd love to see the same shootout but with a smoke tube in the pitts and spitts. I use my offset when I can, but when I don't have the time for fire management I get really great results on my camp chef dlx with a smoke tube filled with wood chips and pellets. I'm intrigued about upgrading in the future to the woodwind pro, but I have to see how much better it is than just using a smoke tube first.
that was exactly my thoughts as well. I think a smoke tube will absolutely enhance the smokyness of whartever you cook on a pellet greill. I always use a smoke tube
Ironically he did a smoke tube experiment about a year ago in which he preferred the meat which did not use the smoke tube. Said that the smoke tube dried out the meat a little and gave it sort of a bitter taste. Now he's saying this smoke box beats his best pellet grill??? I'm sort of confused. Check out that video here ua-cam.com/video/8J1cJ2fr_2Y/v-deo.html
@@outboundteam8298 smoke tubes don't work, they're IMO a gimmick. I've tried this with my pellet grill and didn't notice ANY smoke flavor. I've tried it several times.
Jeremy, another great vid but now you've got me confused. I watched your pellet grill blind taste test challenge vid with Aaron @ BBQHQ about 10 months ago and you both like the Weber SmokeFire the best (although you didn't include a Camp Chef grill). So, now that you've tested the Camp Chef Woodwind Pro, which is superior... SmokeFire or Woodwind Pro?? So many thanks for all your many hours of videos with your expertise and help!
My recent favorite way to cook brisket is 4hrs on the 125gal offset and then finish overnight in the camp chef pellet. Wrap around 175deg. Easy as can be and excellent results.
*Love this video!!* I’d like to see a comparison between the Lone Star Grills and this Woodwind Pro and the Spits with a SmokeTube with wood chunks. That’d be one smoky afternoon 🤣🤣
I've owned the campchef woodwind pro 36 for a few months now. I've compared it to similar Traegar and Pitboss pellet grills. It does add a lot more flavor than the others. Love this grill so far. I have made a lot of ribs because my 12 year old daughter found her taste for then after the first racks that came off. Numerous steaks have come out perfect amd tasty. I'm planning my first brisket, ever. Then I'll probably do a pork shoulder after that. What I don't like is the temp on the display is 10-15°F higher than the ambient temp inside. I keep an over temp gauge to keep track and check it when I go in. I don't know how accurate the probes are bc I use Temp Spikes. I like them a lot. It also gets fairly cold in NJ so I opted for the insulated grill cover for the winter. It works great...at insulating but the magnets kinda stink. It slides off a lot. I do like this grill a lot. Quality pellets are key to this. I couldn't get my hands on good ones so I got some at tractor supply to get started and they had a wierd taste and weren't clean. I got some of the camp chef brand shipped and it's much different. After finding Mad Scientist BBQ I'm going to look into what he recommended and try either Lumberjack or the Knotty brand.
I would love to see Pit Boss incorporating this so we can get an affordable option. I'd also like to know how different this is to just putting in a smoke cylinder in any other pellet smoker.
all i gotta say it i love my pit boss pro series dude ive done pork butt and briskets on it and they come out fantastic im sure with a wood fire smoker the flavor changes a little bit but still for the price its worth it and you dont have to tend the fire all the time makes it easy
Great video again. I love the comparison and almost makes me want a camp chef but I don't need to because I have a Recteq 700 bull which puts out a great product. I sent you a pic of a brisket I did on there Jeremy using the Knotty wood pellets and you even commented on what great bark there was. The reason is, is because I have a "Heavy D" heat diffuser that I purchased from Smoke Daddy that creates the same concept as the wood burning box on the camp chef. I have nothing to do with smoke daddy other than just a customer. So for around $100 you can purchase the "Heavy D" for your existing pellet grill and get the same results. Just a thought.
Great Video! Mark my words, the next pit will be called "Woodwind Pro+". It will include an even larger smoker box (Lets place it, oh, off-set to the right) and you can add even larger chunks of wood for that MAX smoke flavor! :P
@@kkajdari I’ve been using it through a dozen or so cooks over the past several months, and it’s not an inconvenience at all. As Jeremy says, you can open the vent a little for longer smoke sessions. I stayed away from pellets until this feature appeared, and I’m hooked.
I think the Woodwind pro actually generates more smoke than many pellet smokers without the chunk box. When I put mine on level 10 for smoke, it generates quite a bit.
I've been adding lump charcoal and wood chunks inside of my Traeger Timberline for years. I use a metal pan with holes in it (like a corn on the cob steamer pan). I place it on the bottom rack and it works great!!! No need to buy a different rig.
@@ayosgsauce I light the lump charcoal about 10 minutes prior to the grill. That way by the time the grill gets rolling the charcoal is hot and ready for the wood. I use an old pizza pan and place the pan on it so I don't stain my patio. I light the charcoal outside of the grill. Once I add the food I place the charcoal and wood inside the grill making sure not to position it where grease would drip on it . By the way this also adds some heat so it lowers your pellet usage and you need to monitor/lower your temps. So, I'll occasionally set my grill to 200 knowing that the charcoal and wood will raise it to 225. I also use the same wood chunks as the pellet. I typically roll with char hickory pellets and hickory chunks
@@ayosgsauce usually about 10 minutes before I start the grill I light the charcoal. So, I guess about 15-20 mins. I put more or less charcoal depending on the length of the cook. So, for a brisket I use more and seafood less.
Hey Jeremy comparing either one of those pellet smokers to a WSM which one produces better bbq? Bring that a WSM is a pretty much set it and forget it type of smoker.
You did a test a while back with a smoke tube and weren't a huge fan. Why does the Woodwind Pro smoke box work so much better? Are the actual wood chunks just that much better than more pellet smoke?
The wood chunks have a higher moisture content than any pellets would have, so different compounds are released with wood chunks/splits/logs, than what pellets release when burned. When the moisture of the wood chunks take effect, different smoke flavors bond to the meat.
You're exactly right. It's the same, without being uncharitable the fact is the things mentioned about it make me think this video was part of the deal, like an advert for a unit to get one of these from the company.
@@aarontallant4644 This. As I've said several times before, especially on videos where he's tested smoke variables, the flavonoids in smoke are all water-soluble, so dry wood such as that from sawdust or pellets is going to be very flavourless. This is also part of the reason why dirty smoke imparts more flavour, but the other half of that is that the carinogenic compounds from incomplete combustion also alter the flavour too. As such, the best and healthiest smoke flavour is always going to be from making your own liquid smoke by burning wood as *clean* as you can with a chimney under a smoke trap (a water-based one would capture all the smoke, but even just a simple pipe into a catchment pan (something like a bundt or angelfood cake pan works for premade), and a bowl over the top for the smoke to condense onto the inside surface of would be enough).
I've been set on getting a Recteq rt700 for years now but I cant stop seeing and researching the woodwind pro. I know the 700 is build with thicker gauge and probably last longer but Idk if the smoke box is worth it for a little bit more in price, especially the 700 has a 40lb hopper and a 6 year warranty....I'm so torn! Also I'm only using the expert grill pellet grill as my first smoker since they were on sale for 280$ at Walmart so I imagine upgrading to either of these will be incredible either way I look at it.
Namaskaram everyone! I know others have already asked, but, having a smoke box over the cooking chamber, and "controlling" it, is better how for that "clean smoke"? Again, not being disrespectful to all the engineering that camp chef put in here. I own the Woodwind 36 Wifi, and love it. I am just asking how does that controlled over the firebox matter to "clean" smoke? I get it, it starts up, lights and then smolders, but is that different from placing something like a Heavy D or even a manually placed box "near" or around the box in a smoker (camp chef or not?)? I appreciate everyone's input here, and I look forward to understanding how this feature is better or supports "clean" smoke more than a box placed manually. Much respect everyone!🙏
After I bought my first pellet smoker disappointment set in after a few cooks. Reason>>>>Lack of smoke! So I got me a few smoke tubes. That did the trick! I got darker bark on my briskets
I would love to see a comparison video like this between the Woodwind Pro and the popular Masterbuilt Gravity series smokers since they seem to be a similar convenience but use charcoal and wood chunks.
I would like to see that comparison too or even just a review. Been looking to get a gravity fed smoker only problem is I don't have a garage and live up by WI and from the assembly video's I've seen there is no way to easily remove the electronics for winter or rainy weather storage
Great video. At time mark 19:08 you have a rabbit or something jump behind your left shoulder, I had to rewind it a few times to make sure I wasn't crazy when I saw it the first time. lol
For anyone out there that wants to get what the smoke box on the Woodwind pro does (for the most part) to add to an existing pellet smoker, a company called Smoke Daddy makes a replacement diffuse that fits most pellet smokers, that has built in compartments to add wood chunks. It called the "Heavy D". It does not have the ability to open/close vents, or feed it more wood, since it is where the normal diffuser would be. But it certainly adds quite a bit more smoke than you would get out of a pellet smoker. I use one on a very cheap Z Grills, and I never lack for smoke flavor. I am not connected to Smoke Daddy in any way, except as a customer.
You can essentially do the same thing in any cheap pellet grill by simply placing a wood chunk directly on the fire pot, or sear grate, depending on the model. I have a Pit Boss, and that's what I do to achieve similar offset results when I want to sleep.
Been doing the same thing for years. The exception is I use dry splits that I lay over the flame shield on my PB and by morning they are nothing but ash
I have almost every item camp chef makes and it's finally nice to see them get the credit they deserve here. Their customer support and products is unbeatable whenever you need something!
i’ve always been a fan of the kids principal, but ever since I lost oh, I don’t know, about 90% of my vision technology has been a game changer. Abs like these allow me to keep grilling and smoking. Can you control this beast completely through the app? I’ve been looking at Masterbuilt and this for a while now, don’t think an offset is in my future, but this may get me close.
Hey, Jeremy, how's it going? My man. I've been following you for a while. Finally decided to take the plunge on a camp chef 36 pro. I was going to Purchase, you are smoker, but where I come from. Really couldn't find split so wood. Besides ordering them. Decided to go with the 36 to do overnight cooks. Actually, I've been smoking on a Big Green Egg. Extra lodge works great, but still have to watch. Thanks for what your videos, buddy.
I don't know if you've done one yet but a Kamodo vs Pellet brisket test would be interesting. Reason I think these should be done is due to the less to none fire management which pellet customers are looking for. I always see pellet users trying to add more smoke so I wonder if Kamodo/Green Egg would be a better solution.
I have a egg and a pellet smoker, the pellet smoker is a lot easier. The egg isn't hard but the pellet really is a hit the buttons and walk away, the egg is solid once you have the temp locked in but I've still had fires go out here and there over the years. When I want more smoke i just put chunks on the deflector. Unless you want to mess with hot metal it will only give a few hours of heavy smoke, but if you are you can still get it throughout the cook though obviously a built in box like the camp chef would make it easier. But I'm confident in the quality of the build in my recteq, and for whatever reason even without chunks I get darker than what he got on his pitts and spitts, though its not heavy in smoke flavor.
I am sure you have had comments like this already, but you should do a comparison of the woodwind pro to a regular pellet smoker coupled with a smoke tube (filled with pellets/ships/etc). I would be curious if you would be able to get similar results to the woodwind using a smoke tube or if the woodwind pro is still miles ahead. Thanks and love your content!
Hey Jeremy, I’ve been following your channel for a couple years now. Love the content! I was really hoping to see your take on a lone-star pellet grill. Ive heard nothing but good things about them and I am thinking of pulling the trigger on one myself. Any way you could get your hands on one and do a review sometime? Thanks man!
Wow! My choice too if I’d upgrade! I love the LSG! 🙌 Produces great meat/smoke results too due to their burn pot design etc. I’d like to see a comparison between it and this Woodwind Pro and the Spits with a SmokeTube with wood chunks
I have a pit boss 1250 competition, when I use it I have a smoke tube going with it. I cannot say anything bad about it. My smoke rings on my brisket are great. It has 3 levels of grate and a huge pellet Hopper. Bluetooth makes it easy if you like doing other things while you cook! I guess I gave a plug out to pitboss!
I have 1250 pro , it is a great smoker but I like a lot of smoke so I have a smoke tube as well , would like to add lump charcoal but not sure how I could do it. 😊
I think the top rack is split so you can stack the racks when you don't need a full top rack and it makes access to the lower cooking surface easier for normal grilling. Thats how I use my woodwind 24. It has 2 tracks for the top racks.
For that price, it should have just come with an extra full size rack. That being said, it would take very little for someone to manufacture one for it
@@KainYusanagi Don't over think it. Just use some zip ties or bailing wire to tie the two halves together. Now it's dual purpose without it being permanent.
@@rotaryperfection I'm not overthinking it, you're underthinking it. That just loosely connects the two and they will still jitter and fold far too easily along the middle while manipulating meat on them. A pair of locking pins and a hinge would mean that you can lock it into the full tray form or into the half-tray form, either or, and the hinge would provide a strong point of connection when the locking pins aren't engaged (and the hinge pin can always be removed to fully disconnect them and use only a half-width tray).
@@KainYusanagi If you want it do to that, then just modify it yourself is my point? Alot of these manufacturers aren't gonna take everyone's suggestions into account so sometimes the consumer has to take that initiative themselves. I recently converted an old school trailer BBQ pit into a natural gas oven and added a side smoke box for wood flavor. The electronics I got from an old gas stove and the burner, I made myself from conduit. Point is no manufacturer was gonna make this the way I wanted so I did it myself and did the research too build what I wanted.
Really great comparison, and has me really wanting to get a Camp Chef Woodwind Pro grill. I have always cooked on a charcoal, offset grill, so this would be a totally different move for me. I'm also considering a RecTeq grill. Time will tell. Thank you for the very professional review.
Considered the Woodwind and a LoneStar Grillz pellet, a friend of mine literally sold his offset for the LoneStar. Love the $1K less price point of the Woodwind, now I'm uncertain which way to go. Thank you for the video, love all of your stuff!
Wood chunks vs pellets no. More smoke? Yes. Better bark? Probably. But the taste and bark from real wood is just better. I generally use smoke tube in pellet grills on shorter cooks like a Tri Tip for reverse sear to try and get as much smoke as I possibly can in shorter time. On longer cooks the taste would not be preferable with pellet tubes in my opinion.
Running my Camp chef at 180 and smoke setting at 10 for the first 4 hrs gives me the same smoke ring as my offset. The bark is not as good, but the flavor is comparable without having to stay up all night. Plus I love the notifications you get. If you have a flame out you know that the temp is dropping or if you have a fire, you know with the temp rising and It is one hell of a warming box since it goes down to 160.
I love all the pellet smoker videos you are doing Jeremy. Really helps me out with my pellet smoker and gives me ideas on how to improve my cooks. Thanks brother!
I have the original Camp Chef Woodwind with the sear box and it is a solid smoker and I highly recommend the sear box as a reversed seared steak is amazing, if you try it you will not go back to cocking steaks the same EVER AGAIN! I have had my Woodwind for 7 years and only issue was the auger motor about 2 years ago I had to change but this was user error as I did not clean out the pellets before a bad rain and the humidity swelled up the pellets in the auger tube. Amazing machine you do not need all the blu tooth stuff unless you really feel you do! Just the basic set it and forget it is worth every penny! And don't forget the sear box!
Didn't realize you were from Kentucky as well. Both these smokers seem pretty good, I'm currently rolling with a Pit Boss Austin XL (my first smoker) and am thinking of adding a smoke tube now after seeing this. I would get a Camp Chef but I'd rather not sleep outside with it because of my wife!
That's a great feature to have! I've placed wood chunks on the fire pot deflector and that definitely helps add flavor. Problem is you can't add more or it would be difficult to do.
I've been thinking about that. I have a Pitboss and can open the sear plate to ignite it and close it to let it smolder but its directly under the meat while this is under the deflector and not directly under the meat. How has it worked for you?
@@avillatoro316 I place 2 medium sized wood chunks on top of the fire pot deflector plate and it seems to last about an hour or so. I don't add anymore after that. It does add more smoke flavor to the food.
@@avillatoro316 wonder if you were to put a water pan over the log if that would help regulate the temp. smoke would flow off and the water would absorb the extra heat being produced by the log itself
Im smoking a brisket today for the 4th tomorrow I am smoking on a pit boss pellet I have lumber Jack 100% oak pellets I have started with a prime 19.4lb brisket, trimmed to about maybe 16lbs now. Please advise here’s my plan after watching several of your videos: Best method for pellet Seems to be foil boat, fat side up, this method seems to protect it more because the heat source is directly underneath not like an offset. I order the metal diffusers for my smoker but unfortunately they won’t be here in time. 1. Binder used just water to get all the smoke I can into the brisket 2. I have a rub which I will use lightly, then go heavy with 50/50 salt/pepper 3. Starting smoke at smoke setting 180-200, using a smoke tube with extra pellets for the first 2-3 hours to get a little extra dirty smoke into brisket. Remove tube after 2-3 hours and check bark. 3. After maybe 3-4 hours check bark if I like the color dial up to 225/250 and time to foil boat. This is how I will continue to render fat, protect meat side, and break through stall. I will keep at this temp in foil boat until done almost done around 195. 4. At this point I want to take out, rest on shelf down to about 180 and then go into a long 12 hour hold/rest in my small oven which will be set at 145. Here’s my first question: after cooking foil boat should I wrap in foil with some waygu tallow, or paper wrap with tallow? Or leave foi-o boat with tallow to rest? This tallow will smoke with brisket Another question how long should I leave for the actual smoke time? I want to eat tomorrow at 3pm and want a 10-15 hour rest I’m thinking I will start today around 3pm and plan smoking for about 10-12 hours and resting for 10-12 hours. Is that enough time for this size brisket which after trimmed is about 16lbs?? Please answer the two questions 1. Is foil boat best for pellet smoking or goldees no wrap until rest? 2. If foil boat should I wrap for hold with paper or aluminum foil, for a long 10-12 hour rest at 145 3. How long should I plan smoking this? Thinking it will take 10-12 hours 4. Should I pull it just before done around 190/195 or when done around 203, asking because the long rest 5. Should I leave out before resting at 145 and let it drop rapidly to 180ish first? What do you all think?
So have you seen the heavy D heat deflector from Pellet pro? They have had this concept for a while now. I have one in my Maverick 2000 and I get that flavor you refer to.
Wonder if you get similar results using the Pitts and Spits smoke cage? May come down to ease of use between the cages and overall build of the smokers.
Excellent and surprising results Jeremy! Love these types of vids and have learned a ton from this channel. Question tho: every new video that pops up I’m hoping for a ceramic cooker brisket. I know that you are an offset guy but would love to see you do a brisket on one. They are all pretty much the same except (except for color 😉) but some tips and tricks I would find useful 🍻
I set a wood chunk on fire with my torch and just set it inside my Traeger. It smolders and smokes while I keep the temp at 250-275, it does give more smoke flavor. I love the convenience of the pellet smoker, but it doesn't impart as much flavor as my offset barrel smoker.
Hey, would you be willing to review the LSG Pellet Smoker? That has a pretty big pellet hopper (40lbs), and from what I have heard, puts on some great smoke flavor.
As someone who is somewhat regretting moving from a lump-fired Good-One 24 (now called the Marshal IIRC) to a pellet(CC DLX) I can't help wondering about running hickory pellets for - say- 5 or 6 hours, then running CHARCOAL pellets.
Were you monitoring ambient temps inside the smokers? The camp chef was leaking smoke like a sieve and I’m guessing was running hotter than the P&S, hence the darker color. Color is a function of temp foremost.
I've been watching videos about pellet smokers... I'm sold on the woodwind pro! Glad I found your video! However they're out of stock... so I'll have to wait 🤦🤦🤦
Jeremy: You should reach out to Pitts and let them know about your "king of the day" idea! Something built that insanely good with a smokebox for chunks is freaking genius. If they're not already tracking putting out a product like that, a "hey heads up, this is an awesome idea" email from someone with half a million subs wouldn't go unread. :) I know as a long-time fan that I would absolutely buy that product myself!
Awesome video! I would love to see your comparison between the woodwind pro and an affordable gravity fed cooker such as the masterbuilt gravity series. It seems to me like these would produce a similar cook with comparable effort, but that a gravity fed cooker would have less moving parts to foul up.
Look at the heavy D heat deflector from Smoke Daddy. It can be added to an existing pellet burner and seems to be similar in concept. Try it on the Pitts and Spitts. Best of both worlds?
This really has me wondering why you don't acknowledge the option of using a $15 smoke tube. Fill it with a mix of pellets and wood chips, and it's providing the exact same function as that smoke box. It would have been extremely informative for you to talk about how that inexpensive accessory compares to buying this whole smoker for that one unique feature.
It doesn't even come close. I have tried several times with a tube and even two on a pellet and chips don't come close to performing like chunks. That is why I sold my pellet and got a gravity.
If you’re in the market for a new pellet grill, why not get one with the smoke box built in. Price is pretty dang good too. Go price some Traeger shit.
love my camp chef griddle, it sits on my old box burner. If I didn't already have a pellet grill i would give this a go, you can get similar results using smoke tubes, that's what I do.
Have you ever tried to smoke on the pellet grill for a way longer period of time at 180°? I find I can get the thick dark bark on a brisket with time added.
Even with the stainless interior on the Camp Chef, it's still their thinner, lightweight metal. Mine is 3 years old and is badly rusted where the bottom of the lid contacts the barrel, at the hole for the slide n grill rod and on the shelf side. Not surface rust, but deep spots that will eventually go through. It has always been inside a covered grill area and has a cover. Never been rained or snowed on. And every video on the new Pro shows the same issue with sliding the smoke box in and out.
Now, what I'm wondering is: could I get similar results by adding my own custom smokebox to my pellet smoker? I have a weber smokefire, and I could definitely get a smokebox above the heating element, but I'm not sure if it would work similar to the Woodwind pro's smokebox. Maybe it's time to run an experiment?
Great video. I will say I get the same bark as you have from Camp Chef using my Pit Boss Series 5 vertical smoker using an A-Maze-N smoke tube I got at home depot for $20. I use that tube in my Barbeques Galore grill as well and it does a great job of adding smoke flavor to grilled meats. I also use it to cold smoke in the Pit Boss by just lighting it and closing to smoker door with no need to turn the smoker on.
Smoke tubes typically produce bitter flavors of smoke because they aren't burning hot enough. The smoke box on the pro gives you the same clean smoke as an offset (just not as much) because it's in the right heat range for good flavor. If you like the bitter smoke from a tube that's great! But many ppl do not. I've done a couple cooks on my pro so far and it really is unlike any other flavor I've had off pellet grills. Haven't done brisket yet. Had to wait for a good sale as they've been stupud high lately. I got 1 wet aging now tho as the local store had a recent sale.
I’d like to know what you think of the chargrill 980 gravity fed smoker. I love mine and you get the bold smoke of traditional offset smokers with the convenience of a pellet grill.
I did my first brisket on it last night... IDK man, it creates a major hot spot over the box and messes with the internal temp control. It ran a lot hotter around the brisket than the thermometer was showing. upwards of 15 degrees. I got the 36" over the smoker box was a brisket, on the far right was a pork shoulder. The pork shoulder cooked at the rate it was supposed to and turned out great. The brisket was planned for 15 hours and finished in 9... 6 whole hours fast. The flavors were great, the meat was tough as heck. I've done brisket in every which way on many grills and the only two bad ones were on camp chefs. My treager brisket blew this one out of the water... having said that, i'm going to give it another shot and run one without the box, or maybe putting it way on the right side away from it. The idea is great, the box adds flavor, but gotta do something for the temp control.
So as someone that's considering an upgrade from an ugly drum do I A) pick up a $1500 pellet smoker B) skip the pellet and just go offset or C) not worry about it and go back to the drum???
Jeremy, you had a video where you smoked a brisket on a pellet grill. You had also used the ‘foil boat’ method. I followed the video and smoked my brisket (first one) on me pellet grill last year. It was amazing. I cannot find that video! I looked at several other videos and did my second brisket (over night) on Friday. Turned out weird. Lol. It was dry! Is that video still up- somewhere? It’s a life saver :) Thanks for your time
i saw a post with a dude who turned the deflector plate opening on his Yoder YS640 into a smoker box. The worst part was not being able to have the bottom grates on when using it and needing some pretty high quality heat resistant gloves if you wanted to add more chips/chunks. I unfortunately have the single piece deflector of the olden days, so it would cost me a pretty penny to buy that and then get the box fabricated.
You are trying to compare a pellet grill without a smoke box to one with a smoke box with that as the only variable. To do that I'd cook both briskets on the Woodwind Pro but only use the smoke box on one. Given there are differences between pellet grills in how much smoke flavor you get, using a different pellet grill muddies the water a bit. I'm happy to see you asked your taster to grade on smokiness. In previous videos where you are going for smokiness you've had tasters just tell you which one they liked better. I know people who want very mild smoke. Others that like strong smoke. So their results could be quite different for the same piece of meat. That's it. Great job as usual.
Jeremy, why not put clamps between the grates to hold them together as one and as well make them removable for times when you don't want the grates to be as one.
Really really good, clear video. Thanks very much for posting it. Well done. Btw, it would be appreciated if you could provide answers to subscribers' questions like some other channels. Thanks again.
Jeremy great video. Can a person upgrade from woodwind Wi-Fi to a new cook chamber instead of buying all over. I have the model before this but don’t want to repurchase a new one.
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I put my Camp Chef Woodwind up against a Recteq 700 this past weekend. 6 butts on each and the Camp Chef smoked the Recteq. More smoke, better bark, more consistent temp throughout the cook.
I had the exact opposite results
My reqteq 340 needs a new air box
They don't sell them making my 3-year-old smoker junk
Camp Chef looks like it will be my next smoker
I was a big reqteq fan until they stranded me
You should review the new lone star grillz texas pit
Wondering if you're gonna have more video developing your technique more on this cooker. Really enjoy your channel and bought the pro based on your reviews. I'm in love so far but would always be curious how a really experienced and thoughtful bbq guy like yourself would master this particular cooker.
I have a camp chef woodwind I’ve been using for years. The main reason I got it was the fact you can empty the fire pot by just pulling a lever. A minor thing but it’s very handy.
That is not really a "minor" thing IMHO. It is one of the best features of the grill. :)
Wish my ys640 had the feature, I have an access door to get to it with a shop vac but would prefer if I could just dump a metal cup.
Eric, how well does the woodwind you purchased smoke currently? How many years has it been effective for?
Love this video. The woodwind brisket looks amazing, regardless if it came off an offset or pellet grill. I would’ve liked to see you smoke two briskets, each on a woodwind pro. One uses the smoke box and the other does not.
That would be great
Since Jeremy is not a fan of technology. What he would learn if he used the App, is that you can name each one of the probes (Red/Blue/Black/Grey) or Brisket, Chicken, Ribs and Pork Butt, and you can set a temp for doneness (brisket for 200, chicken for 160, Ribs etc) and the app will notify you (via text) when you're close to that temp. So for brisket once you wrapped that meat up, you don't have to worry about checking it until you're notified.
Checking for tenderness is important
@@zedwards43 The MOST important factor, IMO.
@@zedwards43 Yes, but Jeremy said he would have to open up the chamber to see what color is going where. My point is, if he used the app, he wouldn't have to because you can label the leads.
My Meater has done this for years.
I love technology but just not for cooking outdoors. I can see where it helps though. Maybe that's what Jeremy is referring to. I don't mind checking temps after a few hours but I don't like having wires coming out of my smoker. Almost looks like a hospitalized patient.
Thanks for your pellet smoker series. Most of us don't have the time or will to spend all night tending an offset. I started with an offset back in 1999 and that got old quick and I sold it. Now I use my pellet smoker or my charcoal gravity smoker.
Pitts n spits has a smoke box add on. Line to see you test it out against woodwind pro
I can see how the top grate being two pieces would be annoying, but an easy fix is just wire them together. It could be they do this so you can take the forward grate out if you are smoking a large turkey as an example that is tall, but still have the back grate in to hold something else. Basically it gives you flexibility.
Haha I sais the same thing! Sorry man
@@willliam1343 the problem with two grates is the lip/edge becoming an obstacle in the middle of whatever meat your are cooking.
@@lckirkpatrick I think he was more eluding to the fact thst it slides when you're trying to move it around? The lip thing I can't even see being an issue at all 🤷♂️
I looks like you could flip the grates over to have a smooth surface with out the lips.
Regarding the top rack on the Camp Chef, squeeze some hog rings on to connect the 2 pieces. It will obviously hold them together but also allow you to flip the front piece up and out of the way if you're only using the bottom rack. Great video!
Maybe also put them in upside down? There would still be a gap in the middle, but not a "hedge" that can hook things being pulled out.
My woodwind pro literally just got delivered half an hour ago. Im so excited!
I love the two grates :-). For the regular non-pro BBQ'er the app is great for busy day-to-day ppl, and coming from a Pit-Boss 1150 (which I loved) this is a game changer ... I grew up doing Jerk Pork over open-pits over weekends etc .. which I go back to for hardcore cooking -- for every day cooking this is pretty amazing. I"ve had ppl who I cook ribs for for friend/family functions, this has been a game changer
Since you mentioned the hopper size; we have the biggest Woodwind that isn't a "Pro" and we have run out of pellets a couple times. This is probably because my wife doesn't always start by adding pellets at the start. She doesn't fill her car until it's on E either (she's the smoker around here and I just grill occasionally make seasoning blends and research everything).
We did have a minor issue and a very serious issue though:
Something went wrong with the computer/control panel. Camp Chef customer service was great about helping my wife diagnose the source of the problem and sent her a new control panel and a new temperature sensor at no cost, because they weren't sure which went bad.
While she was having issues with the controller, the fire was going out during a cook. That lead to the serious problem.
If your fire goes out, you MUST pull the feed auger out and empty the pellets before you re-light it. As the fire dies, the controller will feed more pellets to drive the heat up. And if you restart it, it will shove a bunch of pellets in to ignite the fire. You've now more than double-loaded your fire pot. Add a little grease, say from the beef bronto ribs we had wrapped and finishing, and you've created a fire bomb. Almost burnt our house down. Lost a whole plate of Bronto Ribs, expended an entire fire extinguisher, melted our temperature probes, but we were able to repair it all.
Maybe you should try to be more present in your wife's efforts and smoking in general before you make such a lengthy comment?
I’m curious when you tryed the smoke tube test did you just use pellets or did you try any with a smoke tube with wood chunks or sawdust is much more flavorful just a thought you could essentially turn the pits and spits into a smokehouse
Have you ever tried mojobricks. Pretty much just compressed sawdust
@@gregwilliams2066 I have not herd of them might have to look into them thanks
The problem you had with sliding the box in and out was caused by the heat deflector not being properly in place. It has 2 tabs that locate it where it's supposed to be. My guess is when you were trying to pull it out with the butterfly open you knocked the deflector out of its slots. It's not really a problem as long as you have the butterfly closed.
Okay
I'm having issues with the deflector getting in the way of the damper. When I open it for ignite it bumps and moves the deflector a little
I’ve been smoking for about a year and I’m telling you, I get meteorite bark, and I’m using a smoke box on a gas grill. I just set the flame deflector plates up on one side of the BBQ to keep the box a couple inches above the flame, set the brisket on the other side of the BBQ and light the side with the smoke box. I wish I could add pics here. Only issue I run into is that I have the turn the brisket a few times to get it to cook evenly. I’m still going to invest in an offset, but I can cook some wicked bbq on my gas Weber.
I'd love to see the same shootout but with a smoke tube in the pitts and spitts. I use my offset when I can, but when I don't have the time for fire management I get really great results on my camp chef dlx with a smoke tube filled with wood chips and pellets.
I'm intrigued about upgrading in the future to the woodwind pro, but I have to see how much better it is than just using a smoke tube first.
that was exactly my thoughts as well. I think a smoke tube will absolutely enhance the smokyness of whartever you cook on a pellet greill. I always use a smoke tube
Ironically he did a smoke tube experiment about a year ago in which he preferred the meat which did not use the smoke tube. Said that the smoke tube dried out the meat a little and gave it sort of a bitter taste. Now he's saying this smoke box beats his best pellet grill??? I'm sort of confused. Check out that video here ua-cam.com/video/8J1cJ2fr_2Y/v-deo.html
@@outboundteam8298 smoke tubes don't work, they're IMO a gimmick. I've tried this with my pellet grill and didn't notice ANY smoke flavor. I've tried it several times.
Jeremy, another great vid but now you've got me confused. I watched your pellet grill blind taste test challenge vid with Aaron @ BBQHQ about 10 months ago and you both like the Weber SmokeFire the best (although you didn't include a Camp Chef grill). So, now that you've tested the Camp Chef Woodwind Pro, which is superior... SmokeFire or Woodwind Pro?? So many thanks for all your many hours of videos with your expertise and help!
Would like to see you test the Smoke Daddy Inc “Heavy D” attachment in another smokers compared to the Camp Chief
My recent favorite way to cook brisket is 4hrs on the 125gal offset and then finish overnight in the camp chef pellet. Wrap around 175deg. Easy as can be and excellent results.
I do the same, but I have a gmg pellet.
*Love this video!!*
I’d like to see a comparison between the Lone Star Grills and this Woodwind Pro and the Spits with a SmokeTube with wood chunks.
That’d be one smoky afternoon 🤣🤣
I've owned the campchef woodwind pro 36 for a few months now. I've compared it to similar Traegar and Pitboss pellet grills. It does add a lot more flavor than the others. Love this grill so far. I have made a lot of ribs because my 12 year old daughter found her taste for then after the first racks that came off. Numerous steaks have come out perfect amd tasty. I'm planning my first brisket, ever. Then I'll probably do a pork shoulder after that.
What I don't like is the temp on the display is 10-15°F higher than the ambient temp inside. I keep an over temp gauge to keep track and check it when I go in. I don't know how accurate the probes are bc I use Temp Spikes. I like them a lot.
It also gets fairly cold in NJ so I opted for the insulated grill cover for the winter. It works great...at insulating but the magnets kinda stink. It slides off a lot.
I do like this grill a lot. Quality pellets are key to this. I couldn't get my hands on good ones so I got some at tractor supply to get started and they had a wierd taste and weren't clean. I got some of the camp chef brand shipped and it's much different. After finding Mad Scientist BBQ I'm going to look into what he recommended and try either Lumberjack or the Knotty brand.
I would love to see Pit Boss incorporating this so we can get an affordable option.
I'd also like to know how different this is to just putting in a smoke cylinder in any other pellet smoker.
It's literally just a gimmicky smoke tube.
@@ashcosmo3854 Was gonna say the same thing.
all i gotta say it i love my pit boss pro series dude ive done pork butt and briskets on it and they come out fantastic im sure with a wood fire smoker the flavor changes a little bit but still for the price its worth it and you dont have to tend the fire all the time makes it easy
Great video again. I love the comparison and almost makes me want a camp chef but I don't need to because I have a Recteq 700 bull which puts out a great product. I sent you a pic of a brisket I did on there Jeremy using the Knotty wood pellets and you even commented on what great bark there was. The reason is, is because I have a "Heavy D" heat diffuser that I purchased from Smoke Daddy that creates the same concept as the wood burning box on the camp chef. I have nothing to do with smoke daddy other than just a customer. So for around $100 you can purchase the "Heavy D" for your existing pellet grill and get the same results. Just a thought.
Just bought a heavy d for my bull and will be trying out a brisket next week!
@@gabrielgartner9082 How did it work out, any improvement?
Great Video! Mark my words, the next pit will be called "Woodwind Pro+". It will include an even larger smoker box (Lets place it, oh, off-set to the right) and you can add even larger chunks of wood for that MAX smoke flavor! :P
You could add words after Pro... Pro Athlete, Pro Hooker 😂
Holy crap! Just put out an amazing brisket following your steps with the Woodwind Pro. This thing is a cheat code. Great video, thanks!
The fact you can reload without disturbing the grate or even opening the lid is a game changer. Really enjoy your content by the way!
thats the only pro I can think of over an independent smoke tube/boxes but youre paying a LOT for that feature. bbq is suppose to be cheap. :)
And if you have to keep loading chunks in every hour, it takes away some of the convenience of a pellet grill.
@@kkajdari I’ve been using it through a dozen or so cooks over the past several months, and it’s not an inconvenience at all. As Jeremy says, you can open the vent a little for longer smoke sessions. I stayed away from pellets until this feature appeared, and I’m hooked.
@@bearvonsteuben9675still hooked? How’s it working out for you?
@@bearvonsteuben9675how’s it holding up?
I think the Woodwind pro actually generates more smoke than many pellet smokers without the chunk box. When I put mine on level 10 for smoke, it generates quite a bit.
I've been adding lump charcoal and wood chunks inside of my Traeger Timberline for years. I use a metal pan with holes in it (like a corn on the cob steamer pan). I place it on the bottom rack and it works great!!! No need to buy a different rig.
How long do you burn the lump charcoal before putting it in the traeger?
Yeah that’s exactly what I was thinking cause this is just a $1500 pellet tube with wood chunks
@@ayosgsauce I light the lump charcoal about 10 minutes prior to the grill. That way by the time the grill gets rolling the charcoal is hot and ready for the wood. I use an old pizza pan and place the pan on it so I don't stain my patio. I light the charcoal outside of the grill. Once I add the food I place the charcoal and wood inside the grill making sure not to position it where grease would drip on it . By the way this also adds some heat so it lowers your pellet usage and you need to monitor/lower your temps. So, I'll occasionally set my grill to 200 knowing that the charcoal and wood will raise it to 225. I also use the same wood chunks as the pellet. I typically roll with char hickory pellets and hickory chunks
Do you use a light layer of charcoal and then put chunks on it? Does it keep lit to smolder the chunks
@@ayosgsauce usually about 10 minutes before I start the grill I light the charcoal. So, I guess about 15-20 mins. I put more or less charcoal depending on the length of the cook. So, for a brisket I use more and seafood less.
Hey Jeremy comparing either one of those pellet smokers to a WSM which one produces better bbq? Bring that a WSM is a pretty much set it and forget it type of smoker.
You did a test a while back with a smoke tube and weren't a huge fan. Why does the Woodwind Pro smoke box work so much better? Are the actual wood chunks just that much better than more pellet smoke?
The wood chunks have a higher moisture content than any pellets would have, so different compounds are released with wood chunks/splits/logs, than what pellets release when burned.
When the moisture of the wood chunks take effect, different smoke flavors bond to the meat.
Likely because it sits directly over the flame in this design
You're exactly right. It's the same, without being uncharitable the fact is the things mentioned about it make me think this video was part of the deal, like an advert for a unit to get one of these from the company.
That bark don’t lie tho 🤷♂️🤌🤌 haha
@@aarontallant4644 This. As I've said several times before, especially on videos where he's tested smoke variables, the flavonoids in smoke are all water-soluble, so dry wood such as that from sawdust or pellets is going to be very flavourless. This is also part of the reason why dirty smoke imparts more flavour, but the other half of that is that the carinogenic compounds from incomplete combustion also alter the flavour too. As such, the best and healthiest smoke flavour is always going to be from making your own liquid smoke by burning wood as *clean* as you can with a chimney under a smoke trap (a water-based one would capture all the smoke, but even just a simple pipe into a catchment pan (something like a bundt or angelfood cake pan works for premade), and a bowl over the top for the smoke to condense onto the inside surface of would be enough).
I've been set on getting a Recteq rt700 for years now but I cant stop seeing and researching the woodwind pro. I know the 700 is build with thicker gauge and probably last longer but Idk if the smoke box is worth it for a little bit more in price, especially the 700 has a 40lb hopper and a 6 year warranty....I'm so torn! Also I'm only using the expert grill pellet grill as my first smoker since they were on sale for 280$ at Walmart so I imagine upgrading to either of these will be incredible either way I look at it.
Man, the difference in bark is remarkable!!! I can’t wait to try some similar tests!
My man done put the Char Griller 980 down 🙁
reBarkable even!
@@bmoc1925 I'll be going some legit comparisons here soon!
Namaskaram everyone! I know others have already asked, but, having a smoke box over the cooking chamber, and "controlling" it, is better how for that "clean smoke"? Again, not being disrespectful to all the engineering that camp chef put in here. I own the Woodwind 36 Wifi, and love it. I am just asking how does that controlled over the firebox matter to "clean" smoke? I get it, it starts up, lights and then smolders, but is that different from placing something like a Heavy D or even a manually placed box "near" or around the box in a smoker (camp chef or not?)? I appreciate everyone's input here, and I look forward to understanding how this feature is better or supports "clean" smoke more than a box placed manually. Much respect everyone!🙏
After I bought my first pellet smoker disappointment set in after a few cooks. Reason>>>>Lack of smoke! So I got me a few smoke tubes. That did the trick! I got darker bark on my briskets
Can you compare the Camp Chef vs. Weber Smokefire please?
Great video, thank you. Jumping up from a Masterbuilt analog smoker. Was looking at Recteq 1100 or Camp Chef Woodwind 36.
I would love to see a comparison video like this between the Woodwind Pro and the popular Masterbuilt Gravity series smokers since they seem to be a similar convenience but use charcoal and wood chunks.
For the price gravity for me!
The gravity would blow it away! The fact that you don't have to add wood chunks manually alone makes it superior.
I would like to see that comparison too or even just a review. Been looking to get a gravity fed smoker only problem is I don't have a garage and live up by WI and from the assembly video's I've seen there is no way to easily remove the electronics for winter or rainy weather storage
Those Masterbuilts are JUNK!!!
@@MichaelRei99 Really can I get more info?
Great video. At time mark 19:08 you have a rabbit or something jump behind your left shoulder, I had to rewind it a few times to make sure I wasn't crazy when I saw it the first time. lol
Whoa! Flying squirrel?
For anyone out there that wants to get what the smoke box on the Woodwind pro does (for the most part) to add to an existing pellet smoker, a company called Smoke Daddy makes a replacement diffuse that fits most pellet smokers, that has built in compartments to add wood chunks.
It called the "Heavy D". It does not have the ability to open/close vents, or feed it more wood, since it is where the normal diffuser would be.
But it certainly adds quite a bit more smoke than you would get out of a pellet smoker. I use one on a very cheap Z Grills, and I never lack for smoke flavor.
I am not connected to Smoke Daddy in any way, except as a customer.
Wondering if you have tried the Pitts and Spits smoke cage to see how that compares?
You can essentially do the same thing in any cheap pellet grill by simply placing a wood chunk directly on the fire pot, or sear grate, depending on the model. I have a Pit Boss, and that's what I do to achieve similar offset results when I want to sleep.
I've done this before, but it is a pain because you have to then take everything out to add more wood.
Been doing the same thing for years. The exception is I use dry splits that I lay over the flame shield on my PB and by morning they are nothing but ash
I have almost every item camp chef makes and it's finally nice to see them get the credit they deserve here. Their customer support and products is unbeatable whenever you need something!
An interesting advancement in the pellet game. I do think the Camp Chef's are nicer than a lot of what is out there.
i’ve always been a fan of the kids principal, but ever since I lost oh, I don’t know, about 90% of my vision technology has been a game changer. Abs like these allow me to keep grilling and smoking. Can you control this beast completely through the app? I’ve been looking at Masterbuilt and this for a while now, don’t think an offset is in my future, but this may get me close.
Hey, Jeremy, how's it going? My man. I've been following you for a while. Finally decided to take the plunge on a camp chef 36 pro. I was going to Purchase, you are smoker, but where I come from. Really couldn't find split so wood. Besides ordering them. Decided to go with the 36 to do overnight cooks. Actually, I've been smoking on a Big Green Egg. Extra lodge works great, but still have to watch. Thanks for what your videos, buddy.
I don't know if you've done one yet but a Kamodo vs Pellet brisket test would be interesting. Reason I think these should be done is due to the less to none fire management which pellet customers are looking for. I always see pellet users trying to add more smoke so I wonder if Kamodo/Green Egg would be a better solution.
He did one of these a while back, actually. Kamado vs offset (2 kinds, iirc) vs pellet cooker.
ua-cam.com/video/zxvfIGhs0Dw/v-deo.html
@@shawngillogly6873 I've watched almost every video since he started. I must've missed that one can you link it?
ua-cam.com/video/zxvfIGhs0Dw/v-deo.html
I have a egg and a pellet smoker, the pellet smoker is a lot easier. The egg isn't hard but the pellet really is a hit the buttons and walk away, the egg is solid once you have the temp locked in but I've still had fires go out here and there over the years. When I want more smoke i just put chunks on the deflector. Unless you want to mess with hot metal it will only give a few hours of heavy smoke, but if you are you can still get it throughout the cook though obviously a built in box like the camp chef would make it easier. But I'm confident in the quality of the build in my recteq, and for whatever reason even without chunks I get darker than what he got on his pitts and spitts, though its not heavy in smoke flavor.
I am sure you have had comments like this already, but you should do a comparison of the woodwind pro to a regular pellet smoker coupled with a smoke tube (filled with pellets/ships/etc). I would be curious if you would be able to get similar results to the woodwind using a smoke tube or if the woodwind pro is still miles ahead. Thanks and love your content!
Great video Jeremy!
Test out the Masterbuilt Gravity fed smokers. Im really curious what you think of them.
Loved this comparison! The more I watch you the more impressed I am. Great Work!
Agreed and fancy seeing you here!
I love the half grate. I can take one out and have more room for a large turkey, but still have a shelf for veggies.
Hey Jeremy, I’ve been following your channel for a couple years now. Love the content!
I was really hoping to see your take on a lone-star pellet grill. Ive heard nothing but good things about them and I am thinking of pulling the trigger on one myself.
Any way you could get your hands on one and do a review sometime?
Thanks man!
Wow! My choice too if I’d upgrade! I love the LSG! 🙌
Produces great meat/smoke results too due to their burn pot design etc.
I’d like to see a comparison between it and this Woodwind Pro and the Spits with a SmokeTube with wood chunks
I have a pit boss 1250 competition, when I use it I have a smoke tube going with it. I cannot say anything bad about it. My smoke rings on my brisket are great. It has 3 levels of grate and a huge pellet Hopper. Bluetooth makes it easy if you like doing other things while you cook! I guess I gave a plug out to pitboss!
I have 1250 pro , it is a great smoker but I like a lot of smoke so I have a smoke tube as well , would like to add lump charcoal but not sure how I could do it. 😊
I think the top rack is split so you can stack the racks when you don't need a full top rack and it makes access to the lower cooking surface easier for normal grilling. Thats how I use my woodwind 24. It has 2 tracks for the top racks.
Really wish it had two locking pins and a hinge instead.
For that price, it should have just come with an extra full size rack. That being said, it would take very little for someone to manufacture one for it
@@KainYusanagi Don't over think it. Just use some zip ties or bailing wire to tie the two halves together. Now it's dual purpose without it being permanent.
@@rotaryperfection I'm not overthinking it, you're underthinking it. That just loosely connects the two and they will still jitter and fold far too easily along the middle while manipulating meat on them. A pair of locking pins and a hinge would mean that you can lock it into the full tray form or into the half-tray form, either or, and the hinge would provide a strong point of connection when the locking pins aren't engaged (and the hinge pin can always be removed to fully disconnect them and use only a half-width tray).
@@KainYusanagi If you want it do to that, then just modify it yourself is my point? Alot of these manufacturers aren't gonna take everyone's suggestions into account so sometimes the consumer has to take that initiative themselves.
I recently converted an old school trailer BBQ pit into a natural gas oven and added a side smoke box for wood flavor. The electronics I got from an old gas stove and the burner, I made myself from conduit. Point is no manufacturer was gonna make this the way I wanted so I did it myself and did the research too build what I wanted.
Really great comparison, and has me really wanting to get a Camp Chef Woodwind Pro grill. I have always cooked on a charcoal, offset grill, so this would be a totally different move for me. I'm also considering a RecTeq grill. Time will tell. Thank you for the very professional review.
They make stainless cable ties. Tie those top racks together.
Considered the Woodwind and a LoneStar Grillz pellet, a friend of mine literally sold his offset for the LoneStar. Love the $1K less price point of the Woodwind, now I'm uncertain which way to go. Thank you for the video, love all of your stuff!
would a smoke tube in the Pitts & Spitts give you a comparable level of smoke as the woodwind with wood chunks?
I'm curious to know also.
A smoke daddy heavy d heat diffuser probably would
Wood chunks vs pellets no. More smoke? Yes. Better bark? Probably. But the taste and bark from real wood is just better. I generally use smoke tube in pellet grills on shorter cooks like a Tri Tip for reverse sear to try and get as much smoke as I possibly can in shorter time. On longer cooks the taste would not be preferable with pellet tubes in my opinion.
Running my Camp chef at 180 and smoke setting at 10 for the first 4 hrs gives me the same smoke ring as my offset. The bark is not as good, but the flavor is comparable without having to stay up all night. Plus I love the notifications you get. If you have a flame out you know that the temp is dropping or if you have a fire, you know with the temp rising and It is one hell of a warming box since it goes down to 160.
I love all the pellet smoker videos you are doing Jeremy. Really helps me out with my pellet smoker and gives me ideas on how to improve my cooks. Thanks brother!
I have the original Camp Chef Woodwind with the sear box and it is a solid smoker and I highly recommend the sear box as a reversed seared steak is amazing, if you try it you will not go back to cocking steaks the same EVER AGAIN! I have had my Woodwind for 7 years and only issue was the auger motor about 2 years ago I had to change but this was user error as I did not clean out the pellets before a bad rain and the humidity swelled up the pellets in the auger tube. Amazing machine you do not need all the blu tooth stuff unless you really feel you do! Just the basic set it and forget it is worth every penny! And don't forget the sear box!
Well...... You just sold me a 36" camp chef. I hope they give you some commission lol
Didn't realize you were from Kentucky as well. Both these smokers seem pretty good, I'm currently rolling with a Pit Boss Austin XL (my first smoker) and am thinking of adding a smoke tube now after seeing this. I would get a Camp Chef but I'd rather not sleep outside with it because of my wife!
I too was surprised to hear loo uh vuhl also. I had to rewind, I lived there for 33 years.
If you have a pitboss, you can use the smoke daddy heavy d. Look that up. It also burn wood spilts.
That's a great feature to have! I've placed wood chunks on the fire pot deflector and that definitely helps add flavor. Problem is you can't add more or it would be difficult to do.
I've been thinking about that. I have a Pitboss and can open the sear plate to ignite it and close it to let it smolder but its directly under the meat while this is under the deflector and not directly under the meat. How has it worked for you?
@@avillatoro316 I place 2 medium sized wood chunks on top of the fire pot deflector plate and it seems to last about an hour or so. I don't add anymore after that. It does add more smoke flavor to the food.
@@andrewpope204 Do you notice temp fluctuations because of this?
@@avillatoro316 no more than the normal temp swings that I get that are +/- 10-15 degrees.
@@avillatoro316 wonder if you were to put a water pan over the log if that would help regulate the temp. smoke would flow off and the water would absorb the extra heat being produced by the log itself
Im smoking a brisket today for the 4th tomorrow
I am smoking on a pit boss pellet
I have lumber Jack 100% oak pellets
I have started with a prime 19.4lb brisket, trimmed to about maybe 16lbs now.
Please advise here’s my plan after watching several of your videos:
Best method for pellet
Seems to be foil boat, fat side up, this method seems to protect it more because the heat source is directly underneath not like an offset.
I order the metal diffusers for my smoker but unfortunately they won’t be here in time.
1. Binder used just water to get all the smoke I can into the brisket
2. I have a rub which I will use lightly, then go heavy with 50/50 salt/pepper
3. Starting smoke at smoke setting 180-200, using a smoke tube with extra pellets for the first 2-3 hours to get a little extra dirty smoke into brisket. Remove tube after 2-3 hours and check bark.
3. After maybe 3-4 hours check bark if I like the color dial up to 225/250 and time to foil boat. This is how I will continue to render fat, protect meat side, and break through stall. I will keep at this temp in foil boat until done almost done around 195.
4. At this point I want to take out, rest on shelf down to about 180 and then go into a long 12 hour hold/rest in my small oven which will be set at 145.
Here’s my first question: after cooking foil boat should I wrap in foil with some waygu tallow, or paper wrap with tallow? Or leave foi-o boat with tallow to rest? This tallow will smoke with brisket
Another question how long should I leave for the actual smoke time?
I want to eat tomorrow at 3pm and want a 10-15 hour rest
I’m thinking I will start today around 3pm and plan smoking for about 10-12 hours and resting for 10-12 hours. Is that enough time for this size brisket which after trimmed is about 16lbs??
Please answer the two questions
1. Is foil boat best for pellet smoking or goldees no wrap until rest?
2. If foil boat should I wrap for hold with paper or aluminum foil, for a long 10-12 hour rest at 145
3. How long should I plan smoking this? Thinking it will take 10-12 hours
4. Should I pull it just before done around 190/195 or when done around 203, asking because the long rest
5. Should I leave out before resting at 145 and let it drop rapidly to 180ish first?
What do you all think?
So have you seen the heavy D heat deflector from Pellet pro? They have had this concept for a while now. I have one in my Maverick 2000 and I get that flavor you refer to.
I have been looking for a heat deflector to use in my smoker. I might look into this one
I see they have 2 different size dimensions on Amazon... what size did you get for the Maverick? Thanks!
Wonder if you get similar results using the Pitts and Spits smoke cage? May come down to ease of use between the cages and overall build of the smokers.
Excellent and surprising results Jeremy! Love these types of vids and have learned a ton from this channel.
Question tho: every new video that pops up I’m hoping for a ceramic cooker brisket. I know that you are an offset guy but would love to see you do a brisket on one. They are all pretty much the same except (except for color 😉) but some tips and tricks I would find useful 🍻
I set a wood chunk on fire with my torch and just set it inside my Traeger. It smolders and smokes while I keep the temp at 250-275, it does give more smoke flavor. I love the convenience of the pellet smoker, but it doesn't impart as much flavor as my offset barrel smoker.
Hey, would you be willing to review the LSG Pellet Smoker? That has a pretty big pellet hopper (40lbs), and from what I have heard, puts on some great smoke flavor.
I definitely would. I need to save up enough to grab one and give it a shot
that would be yuuuuuge
That would be awesome!
As someone who is somewhat regretting moving from a lump-fired Good-One 24 (now called the Marshal IIRC) to a pellet(CC DLX) I can't help wondering about running hickory pellets for - say- 5 or 6 hours, then running CHARCOAL pellets.
Were you monitoring ambient temps inside the smokers? The camp chef was leaking smoke like a sieve and I’m guessing was running hotter than the P&S, hence the darker color. Color is a function of temp foremost.
You don’t know what the heck you are talking about!
@@MichaelRei99 lol sure
I've been watching videos about pellet smokers... I'm sold on the woodwind pro! Glad I found your video! However they're out of stock... so I'll have to wait 🤦🤦🤦
Jeremy: You should reach out to Pitts and let them know about your "king of the day" idea! Something built that insanely good with a smokebox for chunks is freaking genius. If they're not already tracking putting out a product like that, a "hey heads up, this is an awesome idea" email from someone with half a million subs wouldn't go unread. :) I know as a long-time fan that I would absolutely buy that product myself!
Ok I’ll reach out
I’d buy it too
Has Camp Chef not gotten this new feature at a patent pending stage yet ?
I know there's plenty reviews on the char griller gravity 980 but I would like to see you experiment with it and get your review on it
Awesome video! I would love to see your comparison between the woodwind pro and an affordable gravity fed cooker such as the masterbuilt gravity series. It seems to me like these would produce a similar cook with comparable effort, but that a gravity fed cooker would have less moving parts to foul up.
Look at the heavy D heat deflector from Smoke Daddy. It can be added to an existing pellet burner and seems to be similar in concept. Try it on the Pitts and Spitts. Best of both worlds?
I have the Smoke Daddy and it's great. The main problem is you can't replenish wood throughout the cook. So you get ~4 chunks and that's it.
This really has me wondering why you don't acknowledge the option of using a $15 smoke tube. Fill it with a mix of pellets and wood chips, and it's providing the exact same function as that smoke box. It would have been extremely informative for you to talk about how that inexpensive accessory compares to buying this whole smoker for that one unique feature.
It doesn't even come close. I have tried several times with a tube and even two on a pellet and chips don't come close to performing like chunks. That is why I sold my pellet and got a gravity.
@@clnorris82 have you tried the tubes filled with pellets and chips?
If you’re in the market for a new pellet grill, why not get one with the smoke box built in. Price is pretty dang good too. Go price some Traeger shit.
Go ahead and check out Ant BBQ's channel, he breaks down exactly why that's so much less effective in his woodwind pro video
Pitts and Spitts pellet grill has an accessory called “Smoke Cage” where you can add wood chunks, just like the Camp Chef. Review that Jeremy.
Hi Jeremy, I know it’s a weird question but I’ve always wondered what you listen to in your headphones while trimming
Great video. I just subscribed. I just moved to Kentucky. I am looking at 24 pro. I had pitboss 1600. It was too big for us and sold it when we moved.
love my camp chef griddle, it sits on my old box burner. If I didn't already have a pellet grill i would give this a go, you can get similar results using smoke tubes, that's what I do.
Have you ever tried to smoke on the pellet grill for a way longer period of time at 180°? I find I can get the thick dark bark on a brisket with time added.
Amazing review. Did you notice the Jackrabbit jumping off the roof in the background at 19:07!?
Northern Utah is beautiful! I live about 5 minutes from the Camp Chef home office.
Excellent content. Looks like it might be time to upgrade my PG24!
Even with the stainless interior on the Camp Chef, it's still their thinner, lightweight metal. Mine is 3 years old and is badly rusted where the bottom of the lid contacts the barrel, at the hole for the slide n grill rod and on the shelf side. Not surface rust, but deep spots that will eventually go through. It has always been inside a covered grill area and has a cover. Never been rained or snowed on. And every video on the new Pro shows the same issue with sliding the smoke box in and out.
Now, what I'm wondering is: could I get similar results by adding my own custom smokebox to my pellet smoker? I have a weber smokefire, and I could definitely get a smokebox above the heating element, but I'm not sure if it would work similar to the Woodwind pro's smokebox.
Maybe it's time to run an experiment?
Great video. I will say I get the same bark as you have from Camp Chef using my Pit Boss Series 5 vertical smoker using an A-Maze-N smoke tube I got at home depot for $20. I use that tube in my Barbeques Galore grill as well and it does a great job of adding smoke flavor to grilled meats. I also use it to cold smoke in the Pit Boss by just lighting it and closing to smoker door with no need to turn the smoker on.
Smoke tubes typically produce bitter flavors of smoke because they aren't burning hot enough. The smoke box on the pro gives you the same clean smoke as an offset (just not as much) because it's in the right heat range for good flavor.
If you like the bitter smoke from a tube that's great! But many ppl do not.
I've done a couple cooks on my pro so far and it really is unlike any other flavor I've had off pellet grills.
Haven't done brisket yet. Had to wait for a good sale as they've been stupud high lately. I got 1 wet aging now tho as the local store had a recent sale.
I’d like to know what you think of the chargrill 980 gravity fed smoker. I love mine and you get the bold smoke of traditional offset smokers with the convenience of a pellet grill.
This video made me buy the WW pro a year ago.
I use it weekly and it’s outstanding
I did my first brisket on it last night... IDK man, it creates a major hot spot over the box and messes with the internal temp control. It ran a lot hotter around the brisket than the thermometer was showing. upwards of 15 degrees. I got the 36" over the smoker box was a brisket, on the far right was a pork shoulder. The pork shoulder cooked at the rate it was supposed to and turned out great. The brisket was planned for 15 hours and finished in 9... 6 whole hours fast. The flavors were great, the meat was tough as heck. I've done brisket in every which way on many grills and the only two bad ones were on camp chefs. My treager brisket blew this one out of the water... having said that, i'm going to give it another shot and run one without the box, or maybe putting it way on the right side away from it. The idea is great, the box adds flavor, but gotta do something for the temp control.
So as someone that's considering an upgrade from an ugly drum do I A) pick up a $1500 pellet smoker B) skip the pellet and just go offset or C) not worry about it and go back to the drum???
Jeremy, you had a video where you smoked a brisket on a pellet grill. You had also used the ‘foil boat’ method. I followed the video and smoked my brisket (first one) on me pellet grill last year. It was amazing. I cannot find that video! I looked at several other videos and did my second brisket (over night) on Friday. Turned out weird. Lol. It was dry! Is that video still up- somewhere? It’s a life saver :) Thanks for your time
I have to tell u i have had a pitboss and a z grills and i have to say, my backwoods is the king, no elec no motors, no buttoins, just love.
In my stick burner, I often times add apple chunks in a pan of apple juice to add a sweet smoke. I would think you can do this with a pellet grill.
i saw a post with a dude who turned the deflector plate opening on his Yoder YS640 into a smoker box. The worst part was not being able to have the bottom grates on when using it and needing some pretty high quality heat resistant gloves if you wanted to add more chips/chunks. I unfortunately have the single piece deflector of the olden days, so it would cost me a pretty penny to buy that and then get the box fabricated.
You are trying to compare a pellet grill without a smoke box to one with a smoke box with that as the only variable. To do that I'd cook both briskets on the Woodwind Pro but only use the smoke box on one. Given there are differences between pellet grills in how much smoke flavor you get, using a different pellet grill muddies the water a bit. I'm happy to see you asked your taster to grade on smokiness. In previous videos where you are going for smokiness you've had tasters just tell you which one they liked better. I know people who want very mild smoke. Others that like strong smoke. So their results could be quite different for the same piece of meat. That's it. Great job as usual.
what is your suggestion for smoking a thanksgiving turkey. I have a gravity fed charcoal grill/smoker.
spatchcock it
Jeremy, why not put clamps between the grates to hold them together as one and as well make them removable for times when you don't want the grates to be as one.
Really really good, clear video. Thanks very much for posting it. Well done. Btw, it would be appreciated if you could provide answers to subscribers' questions like some other channels. Thanks again.
Jeremy great video. Can a person upgrade from woodwind Wi-Fi to a new cook chamber instead of buying all over. I have the model before this but don’t want to repurchase a new one.