HIGH temp range on a 2 Star

[KyNola]

Decided to run an experiment on my 2 Star.  Set the flame zone pan in place, fired up the new ignitor system and set the Pellet Boss to HIGH.  Closed the lid and let it preheat for 20-30 minutes.  Took my IR laser thermometer and checked the temperature of the grill surface.  640F degrees!  That should answer the question of whether or not a MAK can get hot enough to produce grill marks without optional grates.  It does and did produce grill marks on the porterhouse steaks I threw on it right after the experiment. 

Still not sure about the obsession with grill marks other than presentation appearance.

[ACW3]

I guess I need to get the new ignitor system.  Thanks for posting.

Art

[TMB]

Decided to run an experiment on my 2 Star.  Set the flame zone pan in place, fired up the new ignitor system and set the Pellet Boss to HIGH.  Closed the lid and let it preheat for 20-30 minutes.  Took my IR laser thermometer and checked the temperature of the grill surface.  640F degrees!  That should answer the question of whether or not a MAK can get hot enough to produce grill marks without optional grates.  It does and did produce grill marks on the porterhouse steaks I threw on it right after the experiment. 

Still not sure about the obsession with grill marks other than presentation appearance.

That impressive Larry.  Rec-Tec wont do that

[SmokinKat]

Thanks for sharing that, Larry!!  We always encourage new owners to try out their MAK as-is when they get it, before adding on extras, to see just how well it performs without any additional goodies.  Then if they REALLY want those super pronounced pretty marks, they can get a searing grate or some grill grates. 

A little educational moment for anyone looking at MAKs-- the thermocouple reads the overall pit temperature, and we govern that out at 500° to reduce the chances of flare ups or grease fires.   When you're cooking at high temps with the FlameZone uncovered, the temperature on the grate level is going to be much higher than the overall pit reading. 

(A somewhat simplified way to imagine it is your home heating system--  you set the thermostat to 70°, and the air circulates around the room to make it a comfortable temperature around 70°, but if you go sit on the heating vent, your bum going to be a lot warmer than 70°.)

[KyNola]

Good information Katrina and you are exactly correct.  The temperature at the surface of the cooking grill directly over the flame zone where the firepot and flame diffuser is located is going to be demonstrably hotter than where the thermocouple is located.

My apologies to everyone if my earlier comments misled anyone.
 

[smoker pete]

Decided to run an experiment on my 2 Star.  Set the flame zone pan in place, fired up the new ignitor system and set the Pellet Boss to HIGH.  Closed the lid and let it preheat for 20-30 minutes.  Took my IR laser thermometer and checked the temperature of the grill surface.  640F degrees!  That should answer the question of whether or not a MAK can get hot enough to produce grill marks without optional grates.  It does and did produce grill marks on the porterhouse steaks I threw on it right after the experiment. 

Still not sure about the obsession with grill marks other than presentation appearance.

Thanks for sharing the information Larry.

I believe it's all about the presentation. Grill marks or not, it's hard to beat a beautifully grilled steak on a MAK 2 Star!! Here's a New York Strip steak I grilled for one of the recipes in my upcoming book ...

[TMB]

Makes me want to save up $$$ for a MAK