Just a heads up - when searing, the masterbuilt won't go above 500f with the hood open as a safety feature. As soon as you open the hood with it set at 700f, it begins to drop back down to 500f. I also found 700f a bit too aggressive, 600 to 650f is perfect. For best searing results, let it sit for a minute or two at searing temp to get the grill plate screaming hot, then quickly open hood, place steak and close hood. 90 seconds or so each side and you'll have a restaurant quality sear 👍😎
When smoking with the masterbuilt, for best results use 60% to 70% splits and 30% to 40% charcoal. I put a split in each corner of the hopper and fill the center with briquettes and not lumpwood as they are much more dense and uniform. Because of this you get a much longer burn time.
@@michaell1026 not just some, but way more then you use in a kamado. I've got both and I'm still working out how much wood I actually need to get similar results. Is probably because the airflow is much greater and wood particles get expelled out faster. People have successfully done 100 percent wood burns in masterbuilt. Allegedly wood temp is lower than charcoal so no damage to the chimney
My hearty congratulations on reaching 100K. I remember when Guga hit 100K -- 1M here we come! Also deep appreciation for all I've learned from you -- and the investments in kitchen gadgets you've inspired.
If you want the best possible performance/ smoke flavor from your gravity you have to get the LSS mods (specifically the damper and ash bin grate). I got an 800 to replace my rusted out Char Griller Akorn and was disappointed with the smoke flavor on the ribs I cooked compared to the Komodo. However, with the damper to slow the flow of smoke out of the pit and the grate to throw some wood chunks on every cook since I've been nothing but pleased. I would also recommend the upgraded fire box and hopper cover for temps above 450. The manifold cover and drip pan brackets have been incredible for grease management as well.
i will check into this, i did a rib cook (not out yet) using just wood splits and it did really well, but i damaged the paint in the hopper with the heat
James, I am excited that Masterbuilt shared a 1050 with you! I've had one for just over a year in my arsenal of cookers. It has drawbacks as well as ease of use advantages. Chunks and chips of wood mixed with briquettes are my methods of smoking. Oh, and aftermarket upgrades galore are available for this unit. Looking forward to your next cook!
100K!!!!!! WOOHOOO!!!!!! Interesting experiment! Inside of the smoker, it looked like there might already be rust forming in the lid? Or is that just lighting/camera angle kind of thing?
Congrats on rolling past the 100k mark! The gravity series from masterbuilt has produced the best flavor of any of the grills I have ever used so far. The Camp Chef Woodwind Pro make be taking that spot as my top flavor maker but it's still too early to tell.....
Have you ever checked out the Old Country Gravity Fed smoker? Looks better built than the MB, though more manual in managing the temp. Just hearing quality issues with MB and Char-Griller.
I’ve had a 1050 since they came out. The control board temp and the 2nd shelf are spot on in mine. That’s where I do most of my smoking. It’s mostly a decent cooker. The firebox is a little thin and has warped some on me, but is still functional. I never bring it above 500 anymore. 700 a couple times and it was sketchy. I opted for a very high quality offset. Am looking forward to something that won’t break ever. Thanks for the video.
You're going to love the versatility of this pit. Low and slow, hot and fast, everything in between. Definitely layer charcoal and wood in the hopper. It's an everyday pit. You can get an inexpensive rotisserie and make it work on this as well. If you need to thin the herd, hang on to this one! (Pro tip: don't forget the slides!)
This is awesome! My friends all have a gravity, and that’s what they tried convincing me to get, but you won me over on team red. I’d love to see how these compare to traditional offsets, and even more a KJ. Super excited about this, and congratulations again on 100k!!!
Hey James, I've done a lot of research into this smoker and there seems to be huge reliability issues with rust in the firebox and issues with the control board and fan. Can you make a comment on build quality and also there are custom fabs that make stainless steel inserts for the firebox and heat deflectors
I've been looking at this grill, though right now I'm using a Weber kettle. One thing that intrigued me about this morning's video. I noticed that you always use a lot of techniques from dry brining to sauce to finishing salt. Something I thought would be interesting when doing a grill comparison is to do just meat vs meat, no salt, pepper, anything but the smoke and heat source. I know that wouldn't be a normal cooking method but would make for a very head-to-head comparison of grills, wood, charcoal, etc because all the focus would be on those.
GR8 vid . I'll have to borrow that sear sauce recipe.. as far as the grill goes, these gravity smoakers are convenient , I have the gravity 980 and Luv this thing.. I did some mods of my own involving 1" plate steel in th chamber to improve thermal mass and hold heat longer.. anywhoo.. you can put wood chunks in the ash pan and get some good clean smoak which is a plus. Keep em coming James.. thanks
Yes, James!! I love that you add equipment to your channel that I am very interested in. From Kamado Joe, to the offset and Dalstrong and now Masterbuilt! It's like you're in my mind Thanks for another great video
Cool concept. Don’t have one. But I’d recommend low & slow on the top rack so it can get better exit smoke. Then searing on the bottom. Those cast iron sear marks are a bit underwhelming. You think they needed to be turned over for searing?
I use the middle rack for the low n slow cooks on my MB. I think you’ll find the temperature will stabilize on longer cooks and be very close to the MEATER or other remote probes. You can add wood chunks to the ash bin for more smoke.
@@SmokingDadBBQ , I highly recommend the middle rack as well and if you add wood chunks/splits to the hopper and possibly into the ash bin as well, the smoke flavor is amazing.
Hi James, amazing video! I was curious how you keep your soapstone so clean and white, mine got so dark after a few cooks, hot soapy water didn’t even do the trick…thanks!
That is cool that you got your hands on this since it is quite popular. I would like to have your opinion on it when you get to smoke on it. Since this is a high convection charcoal smoker, I wonder how the smoke flavor compares to the KJ, with all the hacks that you have developed.
I just bought this grill. So far I am impressed. My backyard is starting to accumulate grills like your. My wife has the same reaction as yours. Lol Looking forward to more cooks on this grill.
Another excellent video, bud! Congrats on the 100k!!!!! I found your channel to find out if I wanted a kamado joe or bge. Thanks to you, I'm team red all the way, and with your videos, there was no learning curve. I've been hitting my temps first try! I haven't had a single bad meal. Thanks again
I've got two 560's. The are early models but work great. Brisket comes out fantastic. For helping temp control, more even lows and higher highs, fold up some aluminum foil and damper the rear vent. I get over 700 on mine no problems.
Also when loading, start with a thin layer of lump charcoal. Add in a few B&B ( or whatever) wood chunks, then top off, and repeat. ( i usually do 3 layers then fill balance with charcoal)This will give you more flavor, better smoke. You can also toss some into the ash pan. Give it ~20 min to stabilize, burn clean, I do my final meat prep while waiting.
Another great video James…. Your unbiased and analytical approach to these “review” videos is much appreciated… and like others are noting, congratulations on hitting 100k subscribers…. You’ve worked hard to get here….👍🏼👍🏼
awesome video!! did u remove the metal plates that block the airflow for the sear? i've seen some other people with masterbuild smokers to that to get a nice flame for searing
Looking forward to the next video.. it would be good to see it being filled to maximum capacity.. no other videos I have found in this unit have shown true capacity..
I was always interested in these grills. The convenience of a pellet grill with the flavor of charcoal! Very excited to see a brisket comparison with ur offsets. I just wanted to mention some pellet grills do have searing capability with openings to the burn pot. Pit boss and yoder have these options. Great video James! 👊
regarding the sear part of a pellet grill, From a guys who has cooked & had a lot of them... Well, yes you can technically sear on many of, if not most of them. you are totally right. ...But... it's usually a small, focused bulls eye sear. only good for one big steak at a time. & even then, they just barely slide on base to check the "it can sear" box (compared gas & charcoal grills). Having had many of them, I understand why most do not consider pellet poopers as viable Searing machines. James. the Masterbuilt. hmm... a video here & there is cool. But... as a fan... I'd much love to see you focus on a direct cooker like a Santa Maria, or one of those direct heat box cookers. Why...Well... You're the guy that took something we were intimidated by (kamado's) & did all the hard lifting of testing & training & put a system to it & made kamado cooking something I felt like I could do. Thanks! ***that was a lot of "&"
I’ve used a MB800 for a couple of years now. My go to method is to use about three splits of wood in the hopper, and put the meat on the middle shelf, You should find the temperature is more stable there.
Thanks for the vid. I've had a 1050 since 2019. I have a love hate relationship with it. Masterbuilt cut dinner big corners in build quality that will show up over time. That said, you can work around them but it's just annoying. I will say- fuel choice totally makes or breaks the units ability to hit 700+. I find with a quality charcoal briquettes I have no issue. I've only ever been able to find b&b lump along with frontier so I haven't had the best options run but neither could get to the 700 + temp in my experience. I can guarantee you though, if you cook many steak roast or brisket with no drip pan you WILL have a grease fire if you pump thos thing up over 400 degrees so be mindful of cleaning super high fat drippings from long cooks before attempting sear or you'll have a problem. Over a decent product especially at some of the crazy cheap prices folks are seeing them for at big box retailers from time to time (sub 400usd). Good luck with your smoke!
How long does it take the soapstone to go from 225 to 650 in the kamados? I would have thought heat sinking it to 650 would take longer than 30 minutes if the grill only goes to 700.
As a fellow Masterbuilt 1050 owner, I'd recommend smoking on the second rack and have a tray to catch dripping. My only knock on the Masterbuilt is the grease management. It's very easy to build up and start a grease fire.
Welcome to the world of gravity fed! I'm a huge fan of the Masterbuilt's direct competitor, the Char-Griller 980. I've posted a few vids with mods. Try smoking on the center rack and definitely add wood chunks to the hopper. If you're interested, I made a video on what I think is the best way to load wood in the 980. Process would be the same in the 1050. Sincere thanks for another great video!!
Thanks for the video! Been wondering about these gravity series grills. Past pellet grills lack searing capabilities and smoke flavor. Plus, I like the idea that the fuel source is the same for the kamado and gravity series grills. Looking forward to the "smoking" tests. 🔥🔥🔥
Can you move the location of the integrated probe? If you can’t get the temps you wanted at max, if you were either able to adjust the temp offset in the unit OR adjust the location of the probe to be more realistic, you’d probably be able to up the max temp you see
I've been pulling my hair out deciding between the 1050 and a Camp Chef (probably the XXL Pro if I can find one) I have a gas grill for high temp/speed if I need so this is slow only.
@@SmokingDadBBQ awesome thanks! Id love to find a comparison with the Pro XXL just because I'm more for a pure smoker solution. The Camp Chefs really have me intrigued to replace my old Silverbac
love the masterbuild brand i have one and i am verry happy with it. Its the electrical one whit chip feeder and boy that puppy holds a lot. But what do we see 100k folowers, congratulations whit this milestone. Keep on the good work.
Great review as always! Would really love to see you compare this to the Char-Griller Gravity Fed 980. I know they're not in Canada yet, but I've been thinking about going for a drive across the border to bring one home.
I have the smallest model of the Masterbuilt and I can fit 6 racks of ribs easily. It has 3 levels. I can't imagine I'd ever need more room than that. I got it for about $350 from home depot, already assembled
Can a person shut down the burn or does it burn through the full hopper amount once started. It looked like you used a starter cube below the hopper. I imagine since heat rises, once ignited the hopper will burn through. Maybe it's just a camera effect. If you could explain the mechanism of fire control in a video that would help. Thanks.
I own a gravity 980. Similar to this unit.. there are metal sleeves that slide next to the coal chamber to help snuff out the flame so not all the coal gets consumed.. they're not as efficient as kamados but with wood chunks in the hopper and ash pan you can get some GR8 smoak flavor.. just my own experience.
But didn't you use the wrong manifold for low and slow cooking. For the sear? Did you change to the open fire one we use with cast iron.. ohh wait it's not the 800 gravity.
The open top manifold only comes with the 800 griddle version and is only designed for use with the griddle. The standard manifold is more than capable for searing.
This is the grill that made me get rid of my Big Joe. I absolutely love it. It’s so easy to fire up and cook with during the week as well. Even my wife will fire it up. She wouldn’t mess with the charcoal on my Big Joe before. KJ definitely wins on efficiency though.
KJ could also last you a lifetime and it is more versatile, I can see how 1050 is easier to start up and to clean. Which in your opinion produces better smoke flavor?
Look forward to seeing the smoking test! Ive seen with that grill that you can also add wood chunks under the fire similar to the ash draw method that you use on the Kamado to help with some of that flavor
My friend got a masterbuilt. He also had a Fireboard drive 2 for his kamado joe. He bought an adapter to make his masterbuilt run off his Fireboard and he said it made it such a better grill
With all these grills you folks could hold the easiest dinner party ever. Toss everyone a pork chop, tell them to fire up a pitt, and you sit back sipping a Margarita. Perfect.
In my experience, searing temp is highly dependent on charcoal set up. Briquettes are the most reliable. With lump, you have to make sure there are no big air gaps in your loading of the shoot and your lump has to burn fairly hot. Some brands can’t get you there, though I would assume the Fogo you used to be good.
This offset runs itself? Offsets are usually lit with real wood. Could you do a cook with real wood and see if you get above 800? Also, could you have a look at similar gravity pits from Myron Mixon or alike?
Congratulations on the 💯 bro! I’ve been dying to get this bbq, if you watched other “Qers” they found the left side to be the hottest when cranking it 700°. Let me know if you find that to be true.
I've got the 850, which comes with a griddle and a different "heat manifold". I think that would do the trick for crust, James. I also find that when going low and slow and using similar amount of wood chunks it's not as smoky as a kamado result. You need to add way way more wood. In fact I hear people managed to burn 100% wood in it successfully, like a temp controller offset! Convenience to the max
I have had the masterbuilt 1050 for 8 months now. I have had to replace the control panel and sensors at least four times. When it works, it's great... But it rarely works
@@CoolJay77 I don't know how expensive they are because I just keep going to the manufacturer that's located here in Phenix City Alabama. I'm looking into purchasing a fire board which is an aftermarket replacement that makes it easier
There's a sear mod for the stack that's supposed to be pretty good. I've been cooking on the 560 since it first came out and I just upgraded to the 1050.
I was fortunate enough to to get the 1050 on clearance at Walmart several years ago. Worked as advertised and I would even use over my Kamado Big Joe at times. Two weeks ago I tried smoking ribs and the fan gave out. It would kick on and stop after several seconds. Really enjoy this product but can't get any use out of it unless I figure out the problem.
A Masterbuilt is what I considered getting before deciding to join TeamRed, largely due to your influence. I also dodn't want to be dependent on the availability of power outlets to make it work. Also, congrats on the 100k.
You can get an adapter and run the smoker on a 12 Volt power supply. I have a little solar rechargeable unit. Also, check out LSS Mods and Klotesmods for very cool upgrades.
The sear might have worked a little better if you turned the grates around to the 'sear' side to give you a little more surface area. Great video though!
Pro tip...if u use this grill as a smoker, use the middle rack and not the bottom. When the fan kicks on sometimes the bottom rack will get a little too hot and over cook your meat. Hope this helps
Hey James, as I'm waiting for my offset grill, I am now considering pallets grill as well. My wife most likely will join the angry wifes pit master club. If you ever get kicked out of the house I've got a spare room for you in Vaughan. Lol
A gravity fed smoker is fairly simple with less moving parts compared to a pellet grill, no auger or igniter system for example. I wish someone made a quality gravity fed smoker comparable to a well made pellet grill that would last for many years.
I have owned a Oklahoma Joe for about 6yrs have done some great cooks on it , it's not really a true stick bunner charcoal is best and use chunks of wood, the capacity is not great but I have smoked two brisket on it,. It's a great starter for a offset smoker not ever one can afford a 3000 offset smoker
If you continue in this series, I'd like to see more about how the grill works. What makes it "gravity" and how does the grill control the temp? Looks like a great steak for sure.
The gravity is the charcoal and wood in hopper is what feed the smoker. Thats why they call it that. Works in the same way a pellet does but with a better tasting and smelling fuel being burnt
I personally prefer to have my grill/smoker not be reliant on a computer controlled unit to be able to use. I would choose to be able to add that type of control if I choose to. I'm interested to see how you get along with it and how it compares to what you're used to cooking on. Congrats on the 100k, do you need my shipping address for the KJ classic 2? Lol.
One error I see here is that the Meter Ambient temps read lower than the general pitch temps because the it’s so close to the cooler meat. That’s why you should never place a pit monitor probe close to your meat. A separate pit monitor would have been a more accurate reading and comparison.
550 vs 700 is way to far off for close enough. 675 sure but not 550. Was thinking of getting this but not anymore unless I missed something while skipping through
It was an interesting experiment but I don't think a good experiment for the grill. When I cook steaks on my channel it is over charcoal or live fire and as you get far better results. Steak is about the crust, tenderness and the perfect doneness. I think it is all about using the right tools for the job. Al
Most people don’t own specialty tools for each task so I like to test a grill as if it’s the only one you had to see how it performs on a range of tasks
@@SmokingDadBBQ Hi, thank you for taking the time to reply but I think most people own a £200 Weber before they own £1,000 Grill. Don't get me wrong I enjoyed the video I just don't think it was necessary the right test and I don't think it was particularly representative of the capabilities of the masterbuilt. I don't personally own 1 so I can give an informed opinion on that. Kind regards Al
@@BigAlsBBQ at 650 to 700f the masterbuilt flames right up and provides a true flame grilled sear, and will provide same results as cooking direct over charcoal. The problem is the unit has a built in safety feature where a switch senses the hood open and won't allow the unit to run over 500f, which means the flames snuff out almost the second you open the hood. A lot of people just bypass the switch so that they can flame grill with the hood open.
@@tommygun83 hi Tommy, thank you for explaining that. As I said I don't own one of these grills but love that people have worked out how get more flame 🔥. Cheers Al
It is not really fair to compare this to a wood burning offset. It is a charcoal grill so we would expect the flavor profile of a charcoal grill. I'm interested to see if he modifies it (like the Oklahoma Joe) to maximize the wood smoke flavor.
The cool thing is you can mix chunks of wood and charcoal together in the hopper. I have found that you can put in enough charcoal in the bottom of the hopper just to build an initial coal bed and then fill the hopper up with splits or chunks so just like an offset you are just burning wood only. I have done it several times and the flavor is phenomenal.
Just a heads up - when searing, the masterbuilt won't go above 500f with the hood open as a safety feature. As soon as you open the hood with it set at 700f, it begins to drop back down to 500f. I also found 700f a bit too aggressive, 600 to 650f is perfect. For best searing results, let it sit for a minute or two at searing temp to get the grill plate screaming hot, then quickly open hood, place steak and close hood. 90 seconds or so each side and you'll have a restaurant quality sear 👍😎
I literally sear at max on the MB. You can damn near get competition sear marks.
Loved the intro with the Wifey!!! Cracked me up! Great job!!
This grill has always intrigued me. Look forward to future content on it!
When smoking with the masterbuilt, for best results use 60% to 70% splits and 30% to 40% charcoal. I put a split in each corner of the hopper and fill the center with briquettes and not lumpwood as they are much more dense and uniform. Because of this you get a much longer burn time.
Exactly! Need to add at least some wood chunks in the hopper.
@@michaell1026 not just some, but way more then you use in a kamado. I've got both and I'm still working out how much wood I actually need to get similar results. Is probably because the airflow is much greater and wood particles get expelled out faster. People have successfully done 100 percent wood burns in masterbuilt. Allegedly wood temp is lower than charcoal so no damage to the chimney
My hearty congratulations on reaching 100K. I remember when Guga hit 100K -- 1M here we come! Also deep appreciation for all I've learned from you -- and the investments in kitchen gadgets you've inspired.
Have been curious about the masterbuild series. Can’t wait for a low and slow video
If you want the best possible performance/ smoke flavor from your gravity you have to get the LSS mods (specifically the damper and ash bin grate). I got an 800 to replace my rusted out Char Griller Akorn and was disappointed with the smoke flavor on the ribs I cooked compared to the Komodo. However, with the damper to slow the flow of smoke out of the pit and the grate to throw some wood chunks on every cook since I've been nothing but pleased. I would also recommend the upgraded fire box and hopper cover for temps above 450. The manifold cover and drip pan brackets have been incredible for grease management as well.
i will check into this, i did a rib cook (not out yet) using just wood splits and it did really well, but i damaged the paint in the hopper with the heat
James, I am excited that Masterbuilt shared a 1050 with you! I've had one for just over a year in my arsenal of cookers. It has drawbacks as well as ease of use advantages. Chunks and chips of wood mixed with briquettes are my methods of smoking. Oh, and aftermarket upgrades galore are available for this unit. Looking forward to your next cook!
100K!!!!!! WOOHOOO!!!!!! Interesting experiment! Inside of the smoker, it looked like there might already be rust forming in the lid? Or is that just lighting/camera angle kind of thing?
Thanks Tom. That’s the oil I sprayed I think. Don’t see any rust yet
Congrats on rolling past the 100k mark! The gravity series from masterbuilt has produced the best flavor of any of the grills I have ever used so far. The Camp Chef Woodwind Pro make be taking that spot as my top flavor maker but it's still too early to tell.....
So, you get better smoke flavor from the 1050 and the Woodwind Pro than you are able to get from the KBQ?
thanks John. i am curious what your verdict will be
Have you ever checked out the Old Country Gravity Fed smoker? Looks better built than the MB, though more manual in managing the temp. Just hearing quality issues with MB and Char-Griller.
Pitboss pellet grills can sear. It does take a while but they can. Just bought a Masterbuilt and never looking back. Great videos my friend. God Bless
I’ve had a 1050 since they came out. The control board temp and the 2nd shelf are spot on in mine. That’s where I do most of my smoking. It’s mostly a decent cooker. The firebox is a little thin and has warped some on me, but is still functional. I never bring it above 500 anymore. 700 a couple times and it was sketchy. I opted for a very high quality offset. Am looking forward to something that won’t break ever. Thanks for the video.
I do love my high end offset too
You're going to love the versatility of this pit. Low and slow, hot and fast, everything in between. Definitely layer charcoal and wood in the hopper. It's an everyday pit. You can get an inexpensive rotisserie and make it work on this as well. If you need to thin the herd, hang on to this one! (Pro tip: don't forget the slides!)
This is awesome! My friends all have a gravity, and that’s what they tried convincing me to get, but you won me over on team red. I’d love to see how these compare to traditional offsets, and even more a KJ. Super excited about this, and congratulations again on 100k!!!
Great video. I've been looking at the Master Built for awhile but get the look from my wife as I have 11 grills lol
Hey James,
I've done a lot of research into this smoker and there seems to be huge reliability issues with rust in the firebox and issues with the control board and fan. Can you make a comment on build quality and also there are custom fabs that make stainless steel inserts for the firebox and heat deflectors
I've been looking at this grill, though right now I'm using a Weber kettle. One thing that intrigued me about this morning's video. I noticed that you always use a lot of techniques from dry brining to sauce to finishing salt. Something I thought would be interesting when doing a grill comparison is to do just meat vs meat, no salt, pepper, anything but the smoke and heat source. I know that wouldn't be a normal cooking method but would make for a very head-to-head comparison of grills, wood, charcoal, etc because all the focus would be on those.
GR8 vid . I'll have to borrow that sear sauce recipe.. as far as the grill goes, these gravity smoakers are convenient , I have the gravity 980 and Luv this thing.. I did some mods of my own involving 1" plate steel in th chamber to improve thermal mass and hold heat longer.. anywhoo.. you can put wood chunks in the ash pan and get some good clean smoak which is a plus. Keep em coming James.. thanks
Have you tried the biscuit test to see where your hot spots are? That may allow you to find the place for your stone to get it over 600.
Yes, James!! I love that you add equipment to your channel that I am very interested in. From Kamado Joe, to the offset and Dalstrong and now Masterbuilt! It's like you're in my mind
Thanks for another great video
Awesome, thank you!
I'm sad to see no smoke ring at the 16:00 mark. Can you help explain what happened?
Cool concept. Don’t have one. But I’d recommend low & slow on the top rack so it can get better exit smoke. Then searing on the bottom.
Those cast iron sear marks are a bit underwhelming. You think they needed to be turned over for searing?
I use the middle rack for the low n slow cooks on my MB. I think you’ll find the temperature will stabilize on longer cooks and be very close to the MEATER or other remote probes. You can add wood chunks to the ash bin for more smoke.
Thanks for the tip!
@@SmokingDadBBQ , I highly recommend the middle rack as well and if you add wood chunks/splits to the hopper and possibly into the ash bin as well, the smoke flavor is amazing.
100% recommend this, anything under 300f i use middle racks. Also allows space for a drip pan underneath.
Hi James, amazing video! I was curious how you keep your soapstone so clean and white, mine got so dark after a few cooks, hot soapy water didn’t even do the trick…thanks!
That is cool that you got your hands on this since it is quite popular. I would like to have your opinion on it when you get to smoke on it. Since this is a high convection charcoal smoker, I wonder how the smoke flavor compares to the KJ, with all the hacks that you have developed.
I have a Classic 3 and a Gravity 1050. I have to say that even though the 1050 works very well, I find myself using the Kamado 90% of the time.
I'm similar but only because kamado saves so much charcoal
I'm the opposite, Masterbuilt for smoking and Kamado for grilling lol.
I just bought this grill. So far I am impressed. My backyard is starting to accumulate grills like your. My wife has the same reaction as yours. Lol
Looking forward to more cooks on this grill.
Another excellent video, bud! Congrats on the 100k!!!!! I found your channel to find out if I wanted a kamado joe or bge. Thanks to you, I'm team red all the way, and with your videos, there was no learning curve. I've been hitting my temps first try! I haven't had a single bad meal. Thanks again
Awesome! Thank you!
i have oklahoma joes judge and always wondered if i made a mistake as i have weber summit and kettle also
I've got two 560's. The are early models but work great. Brisket comes out fantastic. For helping temp control, more even lows and higher highs, fold up some aluminum foil and damper the rear vent. I get over 700 on mine no problems.
Thanks for the tips!
Also when loading, start with a thin layer of lump charcoal. Add in a few B&B ( or whatever) wood chunks, then top off, and repeat. ( i usually do 3 layers then fill balance with charcoal)This will give you more flavor, better smoke. You can also toss some into the ash pan. Give it ~20 min to stabilize, burn clean, I do my final meat prep while waiting.
James, great job on the reverse sear!! I plan to try your sear sauce. When do you plan to sell of your extra smokers and how will we know??
Another great video James…. Your unbiased and analytical approach to these “review” videos is much appreciated… and like others are noting, congratulations on hitting 100k subscribers…. You’ve worked hard to get here….👍🏼👍🏼
Much appreciated!
awesome video!! did u remove the metal plates that block the airflow for the sear? i've seen some other people with masterbuild smokers to that to get a nice flame for searing
Looking forward to the next video.. it would be good to see it being filled to maximum capacity.. no other videos I have found in this unit have shown true capacity..
I was always interested in these grills. The convenience of a pellet grill with the flavor of charcoal! Very excited to see a brisket comparison with ur offsets. I just wanted to mention some pellet grills do have searing capability with openings to the burn pot. Pit boss and yoder have these options. Great video James! 👊
Good point. Thanks
regarding the sear part of a pellet grill, From a guys who has cooked & had a lot of them... Well, yes you can technically sear on many of, if not most of them. you are totally right.
...But... it's usually a small, focused bulls eye sear. only good for one big steak at a time. & even then, they just barely slide on base to check the "it can sear" box (compared gas & charcoal grills). Having had many of them, I understand why most do not consider pellet poopers as viable Searing machines.
James. the Masterbuilt. hmm... a video here & there is cool. But... as a fan... I'd much love to see you focus on a direct cooker like a Santa Maria, or one of those direct heat box cookers. Why...Well... You're the guy that took something we were intimidated by (kamado's) & did all the hard lifting of testing & training & put a system to it & made kamado cooking something I felt like I could do. Thanks!
***that was a lot of "&"
@@rickstevens3027 it won’t make too many appearances before sticking with live fire for sure
Great vid I have the MB but would you saying is worth going from that to the new komado connect in your opinion big love from uk
The MB is a pretty capable smoker. Just did a video yesterday cooking with only wood and it gets closer to the offset than any Kamado cook I have done
Thanks very much
Just quick FYI about a Yoder YS640s Pellet Smoker. The removable two piece diffuser allows for a direct sear!
I’ve used a MB800 for a couple of years now. My go to method is to use about three splits of wood in the hopper, and put the meat on the middle shelf, You should find the temperature is more stable there.
Hi, I live in the Netherlands europe and unfortunately we pay about $1100,- for the 1050 version.
Is it still worth it for that money?
Gotta replace that thermometer on the MB with an actual thermometer. Great video as always! Cheers!
Thanks for the vid. I've had a 1050 since 2019. I have a love hate relationship with it. Masterbuilt cut dinner big corners in build quality that will show up over time. That said, you can work around them but it's just annoying. I will say- fuel choice totally makes or breaks the units ability to hit 700+. I find with a quality charcoal briquettes I have no issue. I've only ever been able to find b&b lump along with frontier so I haven't had the best options run but neither could get to the 700 + temp in my experience.
I can guarantee you though, if you cook many steak roast or brisket with no drip pan you WILL have a grease fire if you pump thos thing up over 400 degrees so be mindful of cleaning super high fat drippings from long cooks before attempting sear or you'll have a problem.
Over a decent product especially at some of the crazy cheap prices folks are seeing them for at big box retailers from time to time (sub 400usd).
Good luck with your smoke!
James which ones are going to make the cut?! 😂 I have a idea but I might be surprised!
How long does it take the soapstone to go from 225 to 650 in the kamados? I would have thought heat sinking it to 650 would take longer than 30 minutes if the grill only goes to 700.
As a fellow Masterbuilt 1050 owner, I'd recommend smoking on the second rack and have a tray to catch dripping. My only knock on the Masterbuilt is the grease management. It's very easy to build up and start a grease fire.
Welcome to the world of gravity fed! I'm a huge fan of the Masterbuilt's direct competitor, the Char-Griller 980. I've posted a few vids with mods. Try smoking on the center rack and definitely add wood chunks to the hopper. If you're interested, I made a video on what I think is the best way to load wood in the 980. Process would be the same in the 1050. Sincere thanks for another great video!!
Thanks for the video! Been wondering about these gravity series grills. Past pellet grills lack searing capabilities and smoke flavor. Plus, I like the idea that the fuel source is the same for the kamado and gravity series grills. Looking forward to the "smoking" tests. 🔥🔥🔥
I was really considering the master build before I decided to go with the WSM. Great information thanks!
Nice little change up with a new toy! 🍻
Thanks 👍
Have you done a low and slow more standard size steak like 1.5” vs 4” then the seare?
Can you move the location of the integrated probe? If you can’t get the temps you wanted at max, if you were either able to adjust the temp offset in the unit OR adjust the location of the probe to be more realistic, you’d probably be able to up the max temp you see
100k subs , congrats!! 🔥🔥🔥 Showing great contents always pays off!! Keep up the good work.
Appreciate it!! Thanks so much
I've been pulling my hair out deciding between the 1050 and a Camp Chef (probably the XXL Pro if I can find one) I have a gas grill for high temp/speed if I need so this is slow only.
here is a head to head with the Camp ruclips.net/video/1bA6dC_JhSQ/видео.html
@@SmokingDadBBQ awesome thanks! Id love to find a comparison with the Pro XXL just because I'm more for a pure smoker solution. The Camp Chefs really have me intrigued to replace my old Silverbac
love the masterbuild brand i have one and i am verry happy with it. Its the electrical one whit chip feeder and boy that puppy holds a lot. But what do we see 100k folowers, congratulations whit this milestone. Keep on the good work.
Great review as always! Would really love to see you compare this to the Char-Griller Gravity Fed 980. I know they're not in Canada yet, but I've been thinking about going for a drive across the border to bring one home.
I have the smallest model of the Masterbuilt and I can fit 6 racks of ribs easily. It has 3 levels. I can't imagine I'd ever need more room than that. I got it for about $350 from home depot, already assembled
Can a person shut down the burn or does it burn through the full hopper amount once started. It looked like you used a starter cube below the hopper. I imagine since heat rises, once ignited the hopper will burn through. Maybe it's just a camera effect. If you could explain the mechanism of fire control in a video that would help. Thanks.
I own a gravity 980. Similar to this unit.. there are metal sleeves that slide next to the coal chamber to help snuff out the flame so not all the coal gets consumed.. they're not as efficient as kamados but with wood chunks in the hopper and ash pan you can get some GR8 smoak flavor.. just my own experience.
Congrats on the 100k James,👍🏾
You’ve done a lot of masterclasses on smoke fire salt..
Thanks 👍. Much appreciated
Awesome video! I am considering one of these this was incredibly helpful
But didn't you use the wrong manifold for low and slow cooking. For the sear? Did you change to the open fire one we use with cast iron.. ohh wait it's not the 800 gravity.
The open top manifold only comes with the 800 griddle version and is only designed for use with the griddle. The standard manifold is more than capable for searing.
This is the grill that made me get rid of my Big Joe. I absolutely love it. It’s so easy to fire up and cook with during the week as well. Even my wife will fire it up. She wouldn’t mess with the charcoal on my Big Joe before. KJ definitely wins on efficiency though.
KJ could also last you a lifetime and it is more versatile, I can see how 1050 is easier to start up and to clean. Which in your opinion produces better smoke flavor?
i am nervous about the reports of electrical component longevity but glad to hear it’s a flavour monster
@@SmokingDadBBQ I have had to replace the lid and ash door switches a couple times as they tend to "wear" out. No biggie really. :)
Look forward to seeing the smoking test! Ive seen with that grill that you can also add wood chunks under the fire similar to the ash draw method that you use on the Kamado to help with some of that flavor
My friend got a masterbuilt. He also had a Fireboard drive 2 for his kamado joe. He bought an adapter to make his masterbuilt run off his Fireboard and he said it made it such a better grill
Oh interesting. Will have to look into that
Does the garlic burn in that sear sauce? Nothing worse than burnt garlic.
no but i’d you left it for ages then yes lol
With all these grills you folks could hold the easiest dinner party ever.
Toss everyone a pork chop, tell them to fire up a pitt, and you sit back sipping a Margarita. Perfect.
Love this James. I have had mine for 3 years and love it. Can it smoke? Absolutely, especially if you run it on wood chunks alone.
Can’t wait to try that
@@SmokingDadBBQ Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on it. 👍
Congrats on reaching 100k subs and thanks for the great content you share with us
In my experience, searing temp is highly dependent on charcoal set up. Briquettes are the most reliable. With lump, you have to make sure there are no big air gaps in your loading of the shoot and your lump has to burn fairly hot. Some brands can’t get you there, though I would assume the Fogo you used to be good.
This offset runs itself? Offsets are usually lit with real wood. Could you do a cook with real wood and see if you get above 800? Also, could you have a look at similar gravity pits from Myron Mixon or alike?
The Yoder YS640 pellet grill sears like a monster. My Memphis Pro is good too, but the sear area is small.
Congratulations on the 💯 bro! I’ve been dying to get this bbq, if you watched other “Qers” they found the left side to be the hottest when cranking it 700°. Let me know if you find that to be true.
I've got the 850, which comes with a griddle and a different "heat manifold". I think that would do the trick for crust, James. I also find that when going low and slow and using similar amount of wood chunks it's not as smoky as a kamado result. You need to add way way more wood. In fact I hear people managed to burn 100% wood in it successfully, like a temp controller offset! Convenience to the max
I am going to try that. All wood
@@SmokingDadBBQ cant wait to see that!
U got your 101k - congratulations!!!
Yes! Thank you!
I have had the masterbuilt 1050 for 8 months now. I have had to replace the control panel and sensors at least four times. When it works, it's great... But it rarely works
Good to know. How expensive is the control panel?
@@CoolJay77 I don't know how expensive they are because I just keep going to the manufacturer that's located here in Phenix City Alabama. I'm looking into purchasing a fire board which is an aftermarket replacement that makes it easier
There's a sear mod for the stack that's supposed to be pretty good. I've been cooking on the 560 since it first came out and I just upgraded to the 1050.
There are some good mods available
I was fortunate enough to to get the 1050 on clearance at Walmart several years ago. Worked as advertised and I would even use over my Kamado Big Joe at times. Two weeks ago I tried smoking ribs and the fan gave out. It would kick on and stop after several seconds. Really enjoy this product but can't get any use out of it unless I figure out the problem.
That reliability issues has to be one of the biggest drawbacks to grills that run on power
Maybe one of the switches gave up? If it's the fan, perhaps you can replace it with a robust 120 mm computer fan?
A Masterbuilt is what I considered getting before deciding to join TeamRed, largely due to your influence. I also dodn't want to be dependent on the availability of power outlets to make it work. Also, congrats on the 100k.
I agree 100%. And thanks so much
You can get an adapter and run the smoker on a 12 Volt power supply. I have a little solar rechargeable unit. Also, check out LSS Mods and Klotesmods for very cool upgrades.
The sear might have worked a little better if you turned the grates around to the 'sear' side to give you a little more surface area. Great video though!
Congrats on hitting 100k!!
Thank you so much 😀
Great video! Best of luck!
Thanks so much!
Pro tip...if u use this grill as a smoker, use the middle rack and not the bottom. When the fan kicks on sometimes the bottom rack will get a little too hot and over cook your meat. Hope this helps
Thanks for the info
I see a lot of people saying the electronics always fail and the app don't work. They are going for 799 right now.
James, you should try the Yoder smoker YS series.
Congrats on getting to 100K.
Thank you so much 😀
Hey James, as I'm waiting for my offset grill, I am now considering pallets grill as well. My wife most likely will join the angry wifes pit master club. If you ever get kicked out of the house I've got a spare room for you in Vaughan. Lol
A gravity fed smoker is fairly simple with less moving parts compared to a pellet grill, no auger or igniter system for example.
I wish someone made a quality gravity fed smoker comparable to a well made pellet grill that would last for many years.
I just bought the Masterbuilt pizza oven attachment for my 800 and I measured 770° on the pizza stone. This grill can get HOT.
that’s awesome
I have owned a Oklahoma Joe for about 6yrs have done some great cooks on it , it's not really a true stick bunner charcoal is best and use chunks of wood, the capacity is not great but I have smoked two brisket on it,. It's a great starter for a offset smoker not ever one can afford a 3000 offset smoker
agree with all of the above
I thought all pellet grills used pellets, not charcoal/wood. Including the masterbuilt series.
This concept is newer as it works like a pellet but with charcoal
@@SmokingDadBBQ
Thanks a lot
If you continue in this series, I'd like to see more about how the grill works. What makes it "gravity" and how does the grill control the temp? Looks like a great steak for sure.
The gravity is the charcoal and wood in hopper is what feed the smoker. Thats why they call it that. Works in the same way a pellet does but with a better tasting and smelling fuel being burnt
I personally prefer to have my grill/smoker not be reliant on a computer controlled unit to be able to use. I would choose to be able to add that type of control if I choose to. I'm interested to see how you get along with it and how it compares to what you're used to cooking on.
Congrats on the 100k, do you need my shipping address for the KJ classic 2? Lol.
You need to add wood chunks to your hopper with the charcoal.
If the build quality was a bit higher, these would be a game changer.
Right?
Hey James, what kind of dog do you have? Thanks and enjoy your weekend!
Thanks. She is a Portuguese water dog
@@SmokingDadBBQ awesome, thank you!
One error I see here is that the Meter Ambient temps read lower than the general pitch temps because the it’s so close to the cooler meat. That’s why you should never place a pit monitor probe close to your meat. A separate pit monitor would have been a more accurate reading and comparison.
And that’s why I have a Sous vide gun 🤗
Once you get some chicken grease in the bottom and don’t clean it well - crank it to 700 for the sear and it will be flame kissed perfection lol.
550 vs 700 is way to far off for close enough. 675 sure but not 550. Was thinking of getting this but not anymore unless I missed something while skipping through
It was an interesting experiment but I don't think a good experiment for the grill. When I cook steaks on my channel it is over charcoal or live fire and as you get far better results. Steak is about the crust, tenderness and the perfect doneness. I think it is all about using the right tools for the job. Al
Most people don’t own specialty tools for each task so I like to test a grill as if it’s the only one you had to see how it performs on a range of tasks
@@SmokingDadBBQ Hi, thank you for taking the time to reply but I think most people own a £200 Weber before they own £1,000 Grill. Don't get me wrong I enjoyed the video I just don't think it was necessary the right test and I don't think it was particularly representative of the capabilities of the masterbuilt. I don't personally own 1 so I can give an informed opinion on that. Kind regards Al
@@BigAlsBBQ at 650 to 700f the masterbuilt flames right up and provides a true flame grilled sear, and will provide same results as cooking direct over charcoal. The problem is the unit has a built in safety feature where a switch senses the hood open and won't allow the unit to run over 500f, which means the flames snuff out almost the second you open the hood. A lot of people just bypass the switch so that they can flame grill with the hood open.
@@tommygun83 hi Tommy, thank you for explaining that. As I said I don't own one of these grills but love that people have worked out how get more flame 🔥. Cheers Al
It is not really fair to compare this to a wood burning offset. It is a charcoal grill so we would expect the flavor profile of a charcoal grill. I'm interested to see if he modifies it (like the Oklahoma Joe) to maximize the wood smoke flavor.
Mods are planned
The cool thing is you can mix chunks of wood and charcoal together in the hopper. I have found that you can put in enough charcoal in the bottom of the hopper just to build an initial coal bed and then fill the hopper up with splits or chunks so just like an offset you are just burning wood only. I have done it several times and the flavor is phenomenal.