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Char-griller 980 Gravity Fed Grill/Smoker

PassiveAggressiveCoach

By PassiveAggressiveCoach
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PassiveAggressiveCoach

PassiveAggressiveCoach 118

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OK, so a month ago I bought the Char-griller 980. This thing brings the best of both worlds together. Set and forget app of the pellet grill and the smoke/charcoal/fire taste of the Oklahoma Joe's offest stick burner I had without the PIA tending of the fire. I have turned out a great brisket with a beefy smoke ring, chicken, beef ribs, pork butt. I put the brisket on 225 and went to sleep. Mixed in oak chunks and put oak in the ash bin. I cannot recommend this enough. I am now smoking food 2-3x week. I drank the Kool Aid. It'll smoke for 8-10 hrs constant temp before I have to fill it up with B&B/wood again. Anyone else use one of these? 

 

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PassiveAggressiveCoach

PassiveAggressiveCoach 118

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22 minutes ago, smuggs said:

I've seen the Masterbuilt gravity feeds, didn't know Chargriller had one. The firebox on this one looks like a better design than the Masterbuilt.

I did a ton of research. It's much better than MB. Firebox is plenty big and air tight after one lava lock gasket mod that stopped a small leak. Temp is even across the grill. No real hot spot except right next to firebox. The manifold is very well thought out and engineered. I think they saw what MB did and improved upon it. 

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Jerry Callo

Jerry Callo 8,658

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Interesting concept.  Looks like it work with lump charcoal as well as briquettes.   Although one of the videos showed flames coming up below some steaks, I'm not sure how it can be used for direct heat cooking.  I'm going to stick with the versatility of my kamado, but I do like that better than pellet grills.

 

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PassiveAggressiveCoach

PassiveAggressiveCoach 118

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30 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

Their own marketing videos really don't emphasize the smoker function.  I wouldn't touch it if it couldn't compete with a decent offset smoker.  Does it?

Beyond that, the electronic shit just looks like something that will break, and soon.

only moving part is the fan and yes I can say it put on as much smoke flavor as my offset. You just mix in the wood chunks in the hopper with the charcoal. Layer them. Then put a few in the ashbin below the hopper. the coals fall onto the wood and ignite the wood. I'm telling you I was skeptical. Great smoke flavor and ring.

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PassiveAggressiveCoach

PassiveAggressiveCoach 118

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24 minutes ago, Jerry Callo said:

Interesting concept.  Looks like it work with lump charcoal as well as briquettes.   Although one of the videos showed flames coming up below some steaks, I'm not sure how it can be used for direct heat cooking.  I'm going to stick with the versatility of my kamado, but I do like that better than pellet grills.

 

There is no way flames come from the bottom. it is designed like an offset. You sure that was a 980 Gravity video?

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PassiveAggressiveCoach

PassiveAggressiveCoach 118

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1 hour ago, jimmyjazz said:

Their own marketing videos really don't emphasize the smoker function.  I wouldn't touch it if it couldn't compete with a decent offset smoker.  Does it?

Beyond that, the electronic shit just looks like something that will break, and soon.

look at the smoke ring this guy gets. I'd actually say this is too much. 

 

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dcbc

dcbc 14,385

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So it looks like there's no smoke stack, but rather, just a gap on the rear of the barrel.  Doesn't seem like airflow would be all that smooth.  But I guess if there's a fan blowing, it will push it out without the need for a draught.

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PassiveAggressiveCoach

PassiveAggressiveCoach 118

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5 hours ago, Gene Parmesan said:

I'm interested.  I liked the idea of the Masterbuilt but wasn't impressed with it's build quality.  Like hearing that this one seems better built.  To me these are more smoker than grill with no direct heat options.

Exactly. It is as close as you will get to a stick burner. It's damn close. 

 

 

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PassiveAggressiveCoach

PassiveAggressiveCoach 118

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BTW Pork Loins on. Creole butter injection. Meat Church Gospel rub and their Honey Hog Hot BBQ for some punch. 225 until 140. Apple wood mixed in hopper with some chunks in ash bin. I'd guess 2 hours. My damn supermarket only had them cut in half. Not exactly what I was looking for. Should still slam. 

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dcbc

dcbc 14,385

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So is the smoke coming out the top of the charcoal chamber because the fan is off because the cook chamber has hit temp or is the lid open?  Hard to tell in that last picture.  Still don't really understand the airflow on this thing.

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PassiveAggressiveCoach

PassiveAggressiveCoach 118

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12 minutes ago, dcbc said:

So is the smoke coming out the top of the charcoal chamber because the fan is off because the cook chamber has hit temp?  Still don't really understand the airflow on this thing.

No, when you lite the hopper full of wood and charcoal with a tumbleweed Firestarter you have to keep everything open for 5 mins for it to catch. Chimney effect. Then you close the top hatch and bottom hatch. Then I let run for 20-30 unless brisket then 45 mins to ensure clean smoke. That was just the start up process. Here it is when cooking. It's offset. Firebox to the right there. Ash bin at bottom catches ash and you can add more wood there to catch if you want more smoke than just the wood you put in with the briquettes or lump. 20211020_174111.thumb.jpg.0e9c92c782d801a343587fd629acb4db.jpg

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PassiveAggressiveCoach

PassiveAggressiveCoach 118

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14 minutes ago, TornACL said:

Looks good. Next time stuff that pork loin with some boudin and hatch Chile's. Or whatever else feels right. Easy peasy, and always a crowd pleaser. 

for sure. that was my 1st pork loin. that shit is easy and tasty af. you do have to trick it up to make it tasty though. that injection was key. the parts i missed the injection were dry. Most of it was very juicy.

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dcbc

dcbc 14,385

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3 hours ago, PassiveAggressiveCoach said:

No, when you lite the hopper full of wood and charcoal with a tumbleweed Firestarter you have to keep everything open for 5 mins for it to catch. Chimney effect. Then you close the top hatch and bottom hatch. Then I let run for 20-30 unless brisket then 45 mins to ensure clean smoke. That was just the start up process. Here it is when cooking. It's offset. Firebox to the right there. Ash bin at bottom catches ash and you can add more wood there to catch if you want more smoke than just the wood you put in with the briquettes or lump. 20211020_174111.thumb.jpg.0e9c92c782d801a343587fd629acb4db.jpg

Cool.  So it exits out a hole in the back?  No smoke stack?

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Passive Aggressive Coach

Passive Aggressive Coach 87

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25 minutes ago, Kel Varnsen said:

I bought the Masterbuilt. It has terrible build quality. It is already falling apart and paint peeling and I've only had it since March and have probably cooked less than 10 times on it.

I agree. I have a buddy with one. He was like this thing would be awesome if it was connected to a traditional smoker and didnt have all these issues with the charcoal trap. he described huge chucks of charcoal falling into the trap because the grates werent designed right.  Plus, the MB doesnt look like a traditional smoker., This Char-Griller does. doubled walled and keeps temps smooth across the entire grate, The exhaust manifold is the they key, Char Griller took a guy like me with an EE and designed this manifold almost perfect. Since I am an engineer i made another mod but almost perfect. LOL

 

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