I Smoked These Ribs With a Wood ONLY Fire On The Masterbuilt Gravity XT First Cook

[@cackler119]

Always come to your channel first when I am considering adding to the outdoor kitchen. Thank you sir

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Appreciate that, glad you’re here!

[@agentoakland]

I bought one as my first smoker and LOVE it! Smoked 3 turkeys and a brisket so far. Used B&B briquets for the first turkey and it had a weird dirty smoke taste… Lump with oak chunks for the other 2 and they turned out much better. Did the brisket with just splits and it was amazing!Complete newbie here and super satisfied with the results! Definitely easy enough to keep me in the smoking game and not feel like I’m wasting money ruining cooks. Gotta be mindful of the fan hold button cause opening the lid lets all the heat out but then it comes back up so quick, if that fan is running at all it waaaay overshoots the temp. Not a big deal when you get used to it. Also the firmware update had some good fixes. Glad to see they actually seem to care about making improvements. Super excited to see your brisket video to see what I can do to level it up!

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Thanks

[@MWAWoodworks]

spend $150 or so and get a benchtop bandsaw. That's the safest way I've found to break down your log splits. Good video!

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Thanks

[@ajbrooks9086]

Exactly what I was thinking

[@ChaseAleshire]

Glad to see you calling out 'artificial smoothing' that so many have been doing. Nothing is worse about that than the Weber Searwood, they don't even try to make it look believable. Always good to keep them honest!

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

It’s been several electronic grill brands I’ve noticed a little fake news in the temp graphing department

[@kenzaleski5198]

Have had 2 560’s for 4 years now and I use the heck out of them. I cook on them usually at least once a week if not more, with lots of reverse sear ( 700 degrees) happening. I get rave reviews on my food especially my brisket. I always use hardwood lump mixed with real chunks in the hopper, plus I add some to the ash pan as needed, I get awesome smoke rings and great flavor out of them all the time. Tip….. to keep temps from running away when opening the lid or firebox doors, turn your temp way way down, 1st before opening, then turn it back up once the grill is closed up and stable, give it a minute or two. Great review as always and since mine are about bruned out from years of hard work, I’ll be happy to take the XT off your hands😅

[@samacc2536]

Amazing! James you’ve been a huge motivation in becoming the bbq guy I am today. Love the experiments, love the content, and love your approach. Looking forward to being back on the monthly’s again!

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Much appreciated

[@OscarHTX]

Look into a Black & Decker Lopper Saw. Its the safest option IMO when it comes to cutting splits to size. Its worked great when cutting my post oak to size for my off set.

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

I will check that out!

[@peterodriguez2364]

Another amazing cook.. thanks James for all u do.. and it does seem strange about the spike in temp but u probably are right about the algorithm.. maybe slow to respond.. i have a gravity 980 i call my FrankenPit.. i built a collector and stack and made it a stick burner basically ... natural air draw and lucky for me the fan had just errored out .. anywhoo.. keep on keepin on. Peace

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

I might try and give the FireBoard the keys and see if it can sort out the temps

[@CoolJay77]

Great video, James. Considering the quality improvements and your hack of using logs, this seems to be a very worthwhile unit. I don't need another smoker, but this video is tempting.

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

The brisket ran into the same issues with the temp so there’s definitely something going on there

[@dgordon130]

This is quite a commendation for this cooker James! Very interesting and thank you!

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Glad you enjoyed it 👍

[@praetorxyn]

Been waiting for this. I'm more concerned in long term life, as a lot of people online said its predecessors didn't last them a year before falling apart. But the XT seems built better at face value.

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

That’s my main proof needs to be in the pudding thought too. Some trust earned in this regard will help over time reset this lingering doubt

[@praetorxyn]

@@SmokingDadBBQ It had better be built better as it's significantly more expensive than the older ones.

[@AnthonyKittiudom]

Nice, looking forward to more xt videos!

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

I have some more coming in Jan

[@codyduncan195]

I was on the fence between getting a pellet grill/smoker or not, and with your charcoal gravity videos, I'm now off the pellet grill fence and have planted myself firmly on the Masterbuilt fence. The only reason I am considering getting another grill/smoker to go with my Kamado Joe is for the quantity of food I would like to be able to cook at one time. As always, great video.

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Cheers

[@austinrich3902]

Thank you for the great video James, now I’m hungry for ribs off my Brothers XT

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Right on 👍

[@TheNoiseGOAT]

I finally settled on getting a big joe 3 and this is making me rethinking my choice

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

I still take a Kamado for all around versatility and longevity/ life time warranty for me but as a smoker only and nothing else yes this has a slight upper hand

[@tommycanuck8184]

About kiln dried vs naturally “seasoned” firewood - the moisture content (or humidity) of any kiln dried hardwood will adjust to the environment that it is stored in. Properly built furniture has to be built to accommodate wood movement from changes in relative humidity. So if you store kiln dried firewood outside for any length of time, the moisture content of the wood will adjust to the ambient humidity of the air. I store my woodworking scraps outside by my grills and moisture content will rise from 8% in the shop to 14-15%, depending on the amount of time. I’ve never noticed a difference, but I don’t smoke nearly as much as James so I’m guessing my palate is not as refined or discerning as his. Thanks for all the great content and especially the review of the XT. Was in Barbeques Galore, looking pretty hard at it.

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

100% anything moves towards the EMC based on the environment you’re in. Despite this though I still am seeing a difference on my wood moisture meter

[@CoolJay77]

Interesting. Do you live in an area of very high humidity? Though you are correct that wood absorbs moisture, woodworkers know that very well. However, I live in an environment that the average humidity is in the low to mid 50's %. The seasoned logs that I buy range from 15% to 30%, but I've seen them go below 10% after a year or so, stored covered from the sun. I live in Southern California, it gets hot during the summer, perhaps the way I store the logs have something to do with it. Many wood suppliers in my region sell seasoned wood that are under 10%.

[@tommycanuck8184]

I was thinking about your comment James - it takes several months before you would see kiln dried wood start to take on more MC when stored outside. And wood doesn’t take on moisture during the winter months. Given how much you cook with wood, you may not have any kiln dried wood around long enough to change?

[@tommycanuck8184]

@@CoolJay77 Yes, the humidity here is very high in the summer. Depending on the species of wood, something I make, say a table or cutting board with a breadboard end, can change in width by as much as an eighth of an inch from summer to winter (assuming used indoors.) winters are quite cold here and most people have forced air heating, so the indoor humidity can fall to near zero if you don’t use a humidifier on your furnace.

[@henrykrinkle5353]

Thanks again, James! Another great vid. I've been curious about those Masterbuilt Xts and now you've given me the inclination to start shopping for one 🤔 Maybe the missus will finally understand a man's need for multiple BBQs 😄

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Thanks. Looking forward to getting the brisket and steak sear videos out to help round out the cooks

[@BehindTheFoodTV]

I'm really surprised by how well this thing did, James. I might have to consider adding one to my arsenal. Fingers crossed they adjust their algorithms for wood cooks instead of just charcoal - I bet with the math right it would work really well. Oh - and thanks for the shout-outs!

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

The temp spike issue got worse on the next cook so definitely something up there

[@BehindTheFoodTV]

@ ruh-roh. Maybe we need to get you a really good pellet grill!

[@akajonny]

amazing lesson! I love the science you place into all your cooks.. I'm really wanting to go out and purchase the XT.. I'm still using a Traeger for burgers and chicken and a Pit Barrel Cooker for ribs and brisket... I would love to get rid of both and just have this one... well, I'm never parting with the PBC.. let's start there, but the XT looks like it could be the end of my Weber charcoal grill and Traeger pellet.. Can't wait to see your brisket.. for me it's a big $$$ outlay for the XT, I'm right there on the edge man.. your next cook on this monster will push me one way of the other...

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

I am going to try and take it to my friends house who has a trager and get their opinions on video to see if it’s just me or if they think the same benefits are there

[@akajonny]

@ wow…I think that’s what so many of us are looking for…I have been watching these charcoal vertical gravity feeds for years…this could be the one…I’m wait and see what your results are and decide…you’re the best, man.. thanks

[@johnkuveke9749]

Would be great to see a comparison with the Weber smokey mountian. A lot of folks including myself have one here in the US. Harry Soo swears by it. All your videos are excellent!! Can you do some videos with the Wsm? Many people have one

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

I do love my WSM as well

[@wesleydrew9242]

Those looked great! When does the brisket video come out? I'm thinking about recommending this grill to my friend who is looking for something easy to smoke and grill on. I couldn't make the member's only live chat this month to ask you, but hoping to be at the next one!

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

It will not be until January. It’s doing well on food but I continued to experience the app struggling to not overshoot temps by a significant margin

[@ryanbeuke9975]

Isn't there some fan hold feature? I thought I read your supposed to enable that each time you open the lid, then disable it after you close it. Perhaps that will help? Or maybe a test where you put splits from top to bottom in the corners then fill the center with lump charcoal?

[@davidbeaumont3043]

I've also had trouble with a miter saw. I've found the looper chainsaw (alligator looking one) to be much safer

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

I am always looking for new tools!

[@ErnieDebets-yk7vn]

Another great video James! I was just looking at the XT yesterday Barbecues Galore. Might have to add one to my collection!😂

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Hey neighbor

[@ErnieDebets-yk7vn]

@@SmokingDadBBQ Hey! Every time I’m at Costco in Burlington I wonder if I’ll run in to you eying ribs or Briskets! 😂

[@tommycanuck8184]

Me too! Or Marilu’s!

[@ryananderson3824]

I have the older model MB 800 and will get temp swings like you experienced when I let the hopper get too low. I haven't really dug into exactly why, I just make sure to keep it at least 1/4 full. It seems like it has something to do with the extra air introduced when it the hopper gets down there, so I run half lump, half wood chunks to make sure it's running combustion how it was set up to do. Works perfectly doing this. Bought mine on a Walmart clearance for $237, so the build quality doesn't bother me as much as if I had paid MSRP. If these XT's are considerably better, I'm all in. They are great smokers.

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

That’s a great deal

[@lioneldeliz7053]

If you have the older one and it has problems like that, does it mean that Masterbuilt doesn't fix their issues?

[@ryananderson3824]

@@lioneldeliz7053 I've never even talked to MB about it. Keep the hopper at least a 1/4 full and the air doesn't roll through the stack. Works perfectly this way. It's a gravity feed, not an offset where you toss some splits on as needed. Use it correctly and you'll have no issues. Love the thing.

[@lioneldeliz7053]

@@ryananderson3824 Thank you

[@Sheps246]

Great review James, thanks I've been waiting for this for a while. I share some od the same concerns about quality as I have a 580, which I love the flavour but the quality is certainly lacking, many things falling apart on it

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Hopefully, the XT is better built. So far so good

[@todddauber1062]

Great review as usual and will certainly keep watching as you explore the durability of the XT. I will be curious if you experience any of the issues with electrical components melting as some others have reported.

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Melting on the xt or the original?

[@todddauber1062]

I thought the XT. Maybe it was earlier models.

[@briandaffern5108]

If you have a reciprocating saw, buy some branch trimming blades, works great for cutting small splits into chunks.

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Definitely need to add something than my mitre saw scare

[@fadetoblack51]

Or a band saw would be much safer

[@abem3300]

Alligator saw is perfect for splitting splits into smaller pieces

[@whohonestlycares1989]

I’ve been eyeing this smoker for this very reason. I love offsets but in the winter I’m not feeling being outside plus the added fuel consumption.

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

I will add a fuel mpg test

[@8dragonsx]

Please cook up a tenderloin roast like yesterdays video on Bearded Butchers. Would love to learn how you’d cook it

[@TheCsmith321]

Try loading the firebox with dry splits from the get-go. Most who try this type of cook do it this way. it prevents opening and exposing to air, etc. The fire burns cleaner and exposed to less outside air leading to cleaner combustion and more efficient burnthrough.

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

I saw Tom Horseman do that but the fire works up the stack and damaged the top of the hopper and turned the wood above into charcoal so that’s why I have been limiting splits

[@CulinaryCrossover]

@@SmokingDadBBQ Yep, I noticed he did have that issue with his attempt. I think Gallery Backyard BBQ has done more of those types of cooks and has had some that were more successful. The lid may also be more protected if you have LSS mods in place, which I think Tommy over at Gallery uses sometimes or even the foil blocker on top that as the original "lid protector". As always, love the vids and analysis - keep em coming!

[@Cbbq]

Based on other pellet videos, you may want to consider a second diffuser on the bottom shelf ?

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Might be a good idea 👍

[@johns2736]

How did you know when to add more wood and what size/length split to put in there? Do you think that would vary much between gravity models? Was that 5 pieces of wood over 3 hours? I wonder if there is a way to modify the lid to prevent the fan from overshooting the temperature. Might be complicated, but perhaps something like a small airlock chamber with a trap door that you can stick a split into.

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

You can pause the fan but with a pid controller I was hoping to not have to add extra steps. 6” splits should work better and average 2 then one then 2 then 1 alternating every 30-40min. Once the log breaks down into hot coals it’s time to add more wood

[@adamparisi745]

I wonder if the fan over run when adding new fuel is to help bring charcoal/briquettes up to an ignition temperature. But because you're using wood, that overrun is just too much with the wood flame being initially hotter?

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

That’s what I am thinking too. Will grab 6” splits for the next cook

[@jkx500]

weird that you had those temp swings.. I run my 1050 with wood only and it does not have those issues.. Probably firmware like you stated

[@brianchen1163]

11:05 I noticed the same on the 1050

[@Jim-f4d5e]

James, how about testing the blaze grill, it's also made of metal, so I'm interested to see how it performs

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

They have not responded to me so maybe if enough of the audience asks them they might be open to it

[@Keith80027]

Thank you for another great testing video with very clear explanation of what you trying to do and how you are tacking the problem. Can you pause the blower controller after you add your splits to let them ignite and burn down some so you don't have the fans causing high temperatures? I guessing that you would rate this flavor in the XT better than the flavor for KJ? What brand of wood are you using. Getting good cooking wood in Colorado is costly because it all has to come from back east for the most part.

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Yes you can pause it. I just object to the idea of needing to manually assist a PID controller which should be able to make sense of that

[@MrHALL-gp4we]

Hi James. Love the video. Have you ever tried olive wood? I a fruit wood that also a hardwood wood. It’s more dense than oak and softer than hickory.. and still a fruity wood..

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

No but I will look for it if I can find non kiln dried

[@MrHALL-gp4we]

@ sounds great. Be aware that it burns longer than oak. It has a lot more btu in it.. like hickory.. it’s been used in open fire cooking in Spain and Italy for centuries now..

[@Alzybaby]

I'm curious about the XT. It seems to be in competition with the Konnected Joe since both burn lump charcoal and have a controller. A head-to-head test might be good. And I'd like to see direct flame cooking on the XT as I like a little char on my burgers and steaks.

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

I will have the steak video out early Jan

[@sullim4]

I would be curious to know how the Fireboard's fan controller might handle the temperature swings versus the XT's built-in controller. There are some reports online that the Fireboard does a much better job at lid detection and maintaining the set temperature versus the newer XT controller.

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

I am curious about that too

[@todmanning]

Really good video. I appreciate how well you explain everything. I’m new to smoking and so far just use a Weber kettle but I’ve been getting pretty good results. So I’m looking for something that can accommodate larger smokes but isn’t all ‘automated’ like some if the pellet smokers I’ve seen. I’m also not a fan of pellets and how they contain various materials to hold them together. Anyway, I’m curious to know if you have to add more charcoal or if you only use it to form the base and then it’s wood chunks for the remainder. Thanks!

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

You can burn wood we’ll adding them under the coal in the ash catcher bucket and just let the charcoal run for consistent heat

[@mrsquirrel5308]

Would love to see a biscuit test on your smoke north Huron

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

I think there is a new model coming I can test in the new year. I will add a biscuit test to that and include my echo

[@mrsquirrel5308]

@ can’t wait!

[@chucktaylor6057]

Do you notice more ash in the cooking chamber with wood splits compared to lump charcoal in the Gravity series?

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

You definitely have more to toss but it’s not excessive

[@pammullin2160]

This question has probably come up before. If your wife said you could only have one smoker, which one would it be...would it be a kamado, gravity fed, or offset smoker or God forbid a propane grill...haha

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

I think a Kamado is the best jack of all trades. Sure there are compromises but I can’t think of anything more versatile for everything from quick week night cooks to pizza to steak to brisket

[@soumynonareverse7807]

Could you try and make a Jenga tower with short splits and see how it behaves? Also, what happens if you do this lit from the top vs bottom. Could you do a side by side with the KJ double indirect pizza insert?

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

It tends to set the entire stack on fire and then turn the wood into charcoal. I avoid adding too much wood as the large fire can damage the fire box / hopper

[@soumynonareverse7807]

@SmokingDadBBQ that's why I wondered if it made sense to light the splits from the top

[@johnkuveke9749]

Another great video showing your bbq expertise. I’ve learned a lot from you. I have a 950 masterbuilt from costco 2 years ago. Used it like 8 times cuz i have many other grills including a weber smoky mountin and classic 3 kamado. I want to try using all wood like you did on this video at least once to taste the difference but concerned it will destroy my masterbuilt. Not sure what damage people had to what parts doing this. Any suggestions?

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Lss smoker mods makes a sleeve insert to protect the hopper and electronics. Otherwise one to two small splits is less risky than a full hopper of wood that will make too much heat and cause damage

[@emmgeevideo]

+1 for cherry wood

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

So good

[@thomasmoshier3920]

I don’t know James. I’ve had a pellet bbq and Kamado bbq and there’s no comparison. Here in California we do a lot of tri tip or Santa Maria style bbq. While my sister in Houston cook a lot of brisket in offset cookers. That’s a comparison I’d like to see you do at some point.

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Santa Maria vs offset you mean?

[@thomasmoshier3920]

@@SmokingDadBBQ yes!

[@k.k.52]

James, isn't there a hold function when you have the lid open? Maybe that would explain the temp spike?

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

There is yes. I maybe shouldn’t be thinking this way but in my opinion a PID should figure this out and not require me to manually stop it from going crazy

[@edwinkersten48]

Hi James, you are in for are treat with those delicious looking ribs 😋. Can this also work on the portable grill from Masterbuilt with smaller cubes of smoke wood of course ? Do you have some tips for fire management then ? I've seen people do ribs on the Masterbuilt Portable Charcoal grill. Greetings from the Netherlands.

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

You can but it’s really really really small wood chunks. I used the smoker bricks on Amazon which are just over one inch cubes from burning barrels but the downside is they don’t last long and you need to open, lose heat and add more. It’s not ideal but yes it does work

[@edwinkersten48]

@SmokingDadBBQ Thanks James

[@mikecon7634]

A biscuit test. Who'da thunk. Interesting vid.

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Thank you!

[@Alzybaby]

I believe a better test for temperature fluctuations would be lump charcoal with wood chunks, similar to what is done in a kamado. I think the large splits are exaggerating the temperature swings and it may be an apples to oranges comparison to what you experienced with the konnected joe. Also, I think many these fan controllers overshoot on initial startup. I need to initially set my inkbird to 50 degrees below the desired temperature on my kamado, then bump up gradually. I'm not sure the algorithms handle the scenario well, more so in kamados due to the efficiency. I'm willing to tolerate these anamolies since I'm inherently lazy and will never go back to an offset.🙂

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Good call

[@TheSmartSneakerhead]

I would love to get this MB smoker. I just don't have the cash for it. Maybe one day lol

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

They have moved up market price wise for sure

[@bobsix2720]

Great vid I got the mb 800. Cooks great. Got a ? I’m looking to get an offset. Have you ever reviewed the broil king regal offset? Might get that as a starter or the char-griller grand champ.

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

I haven’t tried it but I bought a okj highland on sale and after $50 in mods I was able to make great food. Sure there will always be things not the same as a premium offset but I was happy with the food result after some tinkering. I would look at seeing if any of those mods apply to your decision

[@rhyslewis283]

Could the temperature/fan problem be because the spritz hit the masterbuilt temperature probe? If it got wet it will read low until it dries out

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

I have tried a few times since and see the same issue even when being careful

[@stevenscarborough6221]

Have you tried an all wood fire in your KJ? I suspect it wouldn’t go so well because they’re too efficient.

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Yes it’s actually better than you think it would

[@LaserGuy64]

Is that how you are supposed to measure moisture content in pellets?

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Open to other ideas

[@searles400]

Great video. Thought you were going through puberty at the beginning of the video tho 😂

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

😝

[@TGJaws]

Could this grill be considered an Offset? The firebox is technically separated from the cooking chamber!

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

I suppose it meets the definition

[@JustGrillingandChilling.]

Hey James… I will take the “lazy” way out here, rather than research it on my own, and rely on you… can the XT take a rotisserie??

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

www.masterbuilt.com/products/gravity-series-rotisserie-kit?srsltid=AfmBOopl0hHUusf-rds1ojfhnI7Pbcx8YHBmVHD8-QlD4--JdFl6RSa1

[@jakes9698]

Thanks for the great content. Just to clarify, are you saying these ribs were even better than one off your Kamado when feeding wood into the ash or the best you’ve had off an electronic controlled grill? Thanks !

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

I haven’t done it side by side but I think these have a slight edge as the Mb is not as efficient as the Kj and as such can burn more wood volume than a Kamado can. I wouldn’t buy one if I had a Kamado for that level of difference as an offset is still in a league of its own ahead but ignoring offsets this beats pellets and most stock charcoal grills

[@davidturpen5312]

@@SmokingDadBBQ Is the CC woodwind pro comparable to the MB XT / gravity series or not? You said it was really close - “splitting hairs” when testing against the Camp Chef Wood Wind Pro. Then i read your reply to a comment asking about about the smoke taste of the Wood Wind Pro when using the smoke box, you suggested that the difference was marginal and compared it to using a smoke tube. On a scale of 10, 10 being offset quality / depth of smoke flavor - where would you put these CC woodwind Pro and MB XT?

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

@@davidturpen5312 I did a camp chef wood wind against the older mb and I think the mb comes out ahead. Neither is offset but I think the gravity gets closer in all the tests I’ve done with it including the older one against the CC

[@davidturpen5312]

@ ok, thank you for responding. I was able to get your opinion from your video reviews. What I want to understand is how far apart are these two in regards to flavor on one a scale of 1-10. I won’t buy a normal pellet grill because of the lack of smoke flavor, but CC customer service, ability to clean out the grill, product longevity, and ease of use is enticing and making it hard to choose. If there really is a very marginal difference in flavor….

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

@ cc does have excellent service. I had an issue with mine and they were fantastic. Flavour is subjective, it’s like me saying this coffee is best. For me it might. For you it might not be. I would see if you can go to a dealer and taste the food and pick the one you are happy with. For me; the mb wins the flavour argument every time but there is more to it than just taste when you factor in price, service, running costs etc. the only one of those variables I am confident in is the best smoke which in my tests the mb has not lost to the cc

[@cryptkeeper4727]

Typically, these grills/smokers use very thin sheet metal. How thick is the metal in the fire box? That will determine how long it will last. If it is 10-18 gauge steal then it will last only about 1-2 years depending on how many times you use it.

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

i think i have callipers somewhere and will see if i can get a reading on the gauge of steel.... its not my offset by any means but its a good deal better than older MB models I have tested which even to the touch are thinner steel / can bend with a push by hand

[@umakegoodcookies]

Clearly the reported temperature is not the one that's being used to determine whether the grill is actually hot enough. Did you see if there were multiple sensors?

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

The grill has one sensor which is why I added the FireBoard with multiple probes. Ironically it has the information it needs to know that it should stop cranking the fan as the app at times was reading nearly 400f with the fan arrow up indicating the fan is still running against a set point much lower

[@TangDominates]

Have you gotten then RFX in yet? Still waiting on your word before I get a new wireless temp probe. lol

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Yes it just arrived. Working on it now

[@TangDominates]

@ awesome! Really curious how it stacks up against the new meater. I have the previous gen Block and have had connectivity issues with unfortunately.

[@Bob-gs3vi]

I’m a big fan of my Rfx, I had the meater individual one and it was terrible imo. Then the holder went mouldy. I dropped it once and it split at the connection point. The rfx is super easy to set up, works without issues

[@righteyeartistry156]

Do get all of these cookers for free to review?

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Disclosure was at 06:24 but rather than make you go back and hear it yes I did not pay for this grill. I am under no obligation to show it on the channel, the brand gets no input or approval or early access to any content I create using it and I don’t get any commission tied to the sale of any grill

[@Cbbq]

Curious, in your kamado do you use just cherry wood or what mix ?

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

I can get peach, cherry, apple, oak and hickory in naturally seasoned. I like the fruit woods in my Kamado

[@ceciljohnson5997]

From a casual viewers standpoint, maybe the anomalies on temp control could be managed better by maybe spritzing your ribs, then waiting a little bit before adding more fuel. Instead of doing those multiple things at the same time. Just a thought. Maybe I misinterpreted what you were actually doing.

[@Badmana0]

I remember less than 6 months ago when when the XT used to cut off when you open the fan it doesn't do now due to firmware update you also couldn't keep the fan going when the hood was up now you can when I so heard I mean the large lid where you keep your foods not we keep the coal, the hopper.

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

It has a pause button you can use when spritzing to stop the fan. But I think a pid controller should be able to figure that out with me manually having to pause it

[@LrgPicture]

I have an xt and it’s dang close to an offset …. I could definitely fool somebody who didn’t know any better… I could fool somebody who does know better…

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

I have fooled a few people for sure. I still notice a difference but that gap is smaller than it used to be

[@LrgPicture]

@ I followed your lead and did some burgers last night with pistachio wood. Chunks not split. It came out great on the XT. You’re right that gap is small. We don’t want the offset community to get too upset 😂… but it’s good

[@CarrackPilot]

I checked my playback speed twice lol.

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

?

[@CarrackPilot]

@@SmokingDadBBQok so it was playing a bit fast but not quite 2x so it was clear. KZbin was showing 1x so I just thought maybe you had a bit too much coffee. It was just me. Great vid!

[@jrfh22012]

Masterbuilt controllers are horrible. There are Fireboard replacements that work great.

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

I need to look into how to use my drive as the smarts

[@jamesbell5793]

Sorry bud, white bread is the easiest and cheapest

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Works for sure … but I feel less guilty eating a plate of biscuits lol

[@PJsABish]

Can we please stop using the word "humidity" when referring to the moisture content of wood already?

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Yes. Wood is hygroscopic but I can refer to the EMC based on the woods environment humidity which moves its moisture content level which is what we are talking about

[@Badmana0]

@@SmokingDadBBQ Keep using the word humidity, I'm no scientist I just love to barbecue and I know what you mean when you say humility. It may not be the correct terminology but the majority of us know exactly what you mean. Love you videos and I'm really pleased you use the masterbuilt XT, having the UK we don't get nearly as much Grill choices as you guys do in the United States or Canada so beer in mind when you're talking. Also the ribs here in the UK Costco's nare half the fitness of your Costco ribs

[@emmgeevideo]

@@SmokingDadBBQChatGPT tells me that "humidity" is a reasonable term, but it generally refers to moisture content of air. When discussing "something like" wood, "moisture content" is more precise.

[@BrisketMedic]

Humidity humidity humidity

[@jeffmutter2286]

Honestly, feels like you are trying to put lipstick on a pig….it did not appear to be a seamless cook. Those temp spikes were really high…wow. Curious if you got that grill free and is that why being so kind in your review?

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Wait until the brisket if you think these swings are bad. This is my first cook not my review and it’s something I noticed isn’t right for a pid controller but I accept burning 12” logs is outside what it would have been programmed to do. Sadly it isn’t getting any better with charcoal so that theory I don’t think holds

[@Leoholmes]

Meh, I wanted to see how to BBQ ribs, most o t he video was marketing

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

Pointing out the issues with the temp controller isn’t marketing. Between how to prep, season and cook the ribs what details are missing for you to smoke ribs?

[@Smoke_N_EmbersBBQ]

@SmokingDadBBQ great job James. I have. MB 800 and I love it.

[@SmokingDadBBQ]

They make great food for sure 👍