A Pellet Grill That I Don't HATE? Camp Chef Woodwind Pro First Impressions

Camp Chef believe their new woodwind pro pellet grill can change my mind about pellet smokers so they've sent me a brand new Camp Chef Woodwind Pro 24 to put through its paces.

I believe anything called a "grill" should be able to ... well, grill. So my inaugural cook on the Camp Chef Woodwind Pro with the sidekick accessory is going to be my favourite steak... the Tomahawk Ribeye. Camp chef provided this grill at no cost.

👉🏼 Did this video help you? Sharing this video with friends, groups, social media etc. helps others find me and is greatly appreciated! 🙏

----------------------------
Resources to Help Make BETTER Barbecue
----------------------------
Take control of your Kamado Joe with My Vent Setting Guide
► Vent placements for popular grilling & smoking temperatures (Daisy wheel, Kontrol Tower & SmokeWare chimney cap settings all included for Jr. & Series 1, 2 ,3 Classic / Big Joe)
► Best practices for setting up your Kamado Joe for hassle free fire management
► Solutions for common issues & Frequently asked questions

Unlock the FULL potential of your Kamado Joe with my Double Indirect Setup E-Book
✅ Fix dry / overcooked bottoms on long cooks like Brisket, Ribs & Pulled Pork
✅ Improve smoke quality (No more bad smoke/creosote)
✅ Recommended setup for best results on Jr & Series 1, 2 ,3 Classic / Big Joe)

Not all smoke is created equal! Unleash Optimum Smoke Performance in your Kamado grill
► Should you soak your wood? Kiln dried or Naturally Seasoned?
► When & Where to add smoking wood for the best result
► Wood pairing guide

► Written Recipes / Ingredients
► Food temperature quick reference guide (FREE with newsletter signup)
► Quarterly News Letter with insider tips, giveaways etc.

----------------------------
💰💰💰 Gear Discounts💰💰💰
----------------------------

💰 Use discount code “SDBBQ” to get 5% off any order site wide!

💰 Use discount code “SDBBQ” to get 10% off any order site wide!

💰 Use discount code “SDBBQ” to get 30% off any order site wide!

💰 No coupon needed! Just use this link for 25% off all accessories & pit upgrades!

💰 Use discount code “SDBBQ10” to get 10% off any order site wide!

💰 Use discount code “SDBBQ” to get 10% off any order site wide!

----------------------------
Gear I’ve used in videos without a discount
----------------------------

*Some of these links are affiliate links. If you use them, I'll receive a commission and it will help me make more content like this for my channel.

Did I help make grilling easier for you? Send a “Super Thanks ❤️“ They’re appreciated 🙏

Chapters
00:00 - The Problem With Pellet Grills
02:27 - Unboxing & Assembly Impressions
03:42 - Cook Setup
04:17 - The BEST Steak Crust Secret
06:31 - My First Problem
07:59 - Chimichurri Elevated
09:52 - Can It SEAR?
12:34 - Taste Test & What's NEXT?

Chimichurri Recipe
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
3-4 cloves garlic , finely chopped or minced
2 small red chilies , or 1 red chili, deseeded and finely chopped (about 1 tablespoon finely chopped chili)
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 level teaspoon coarse salt
pepper , to taste (about 1/2 teaspoon)

Sear Sauce
1 cups mayo
1t garlic powder
1t red wine vinegar
1t water (optional)
1/8t salt
1/4t pepper

#pelletgrill #campchef #woodwind

[lowdownone]

I have this grill. It works as advertised and I am satisfied. If you want smoke adjust the smoke setting and keep the wood chunk hopper full. Not sure why a pellet grill with a griddle or sear box attachment has to be able to sear in the cooker. It’s a smoker. Never hear anyone saying an offset has to sear lol. The problem with everyone’s (by everyone I mean 5% of the target population) wanton desire to eat smoke is that these companies are trying to make money. A pellet grill isn’t meant to be an offset, which most people don’t want. Funny how offset makers like Lone Star and Yoder make pellet smokers. Weber would probably be doing better if they decided to innovate in pellets a lot sooner.

[DirkHarrington]

I'm VERY excited to watch more reviews on this grill. It's on my short list of next grills!

[ironKurgan]

Good walkthrough of this pellet grill. The problem with the Wifi connection as you have no doubt found out is that on initial start-up it will take up to 4 hours for the app to download all updates. So the next time you try, or the next day it will pair right up and be good..

[AndreLederer]

About a year before Campchef came out with this new feature, I was trying to do something very similar. I was placing small pieces of hickory wood on the lip of the fire bowl with tongs. I noticed that if the pieces I used were too big there was acrid smoke, but if I got the right size, I got some nice sweet smelling blue smoke and a real authentic wood flavor! So I think the key here is the size of wood you will use and the size of opening for the flame to get to the wood. It’s tricky I think but can work.

[mefobills]

Flip smoke box and smoke cage are two devices that create a bed of embers. Steve Gow using smoke cage on his pellet, pitts and spits, was able to produce stick burner results on a brisket. Test smoke cage and flip box please.

[marc]

Always look forward to your videos. Very descriptive and inviting. Thanks again.

[DanDaciuk]

Its my daughter's birthday today, and she asked rather than going out she wants me to make her steak for dinner. While I don't have a woodwind pro, I appreciate your ideas. I'll be following your recipe including chimichurri and searing sauce my KJ using the soapstone.

[DadHominem]

Ribs, then brisket! Thanks for a great review. I've been considering this grill.

[BrianMiller]

John Setzler loves his. The Sidekick looks like a worthy addition to it as well.

[mwils]

I’ve got the woodwind pro and a kj3. I love them both for different things. I like to tinker and automation. So I get to do that owning both. Super impressed with the woodwind pro though.

[rickcormier]

One thing I really like about this pellet grill is that the body is stainless. Many are powder coated on the bottom with stainless lids. After a couple of years the body starts rusting from the heat deteriorating the powder coat finish needing to be painted to keep it from rusting out. As long as parts are available this grill should last decades. I think the lid is double walled too!

[marksamples]

Hello Smoking Dad, as always thanks for your channel and your reviews. Much respect!!
So, I'm curious to know how the two meat probes worked out? How close were they? Looking forward to hearing a response.
😊

[williamh]

Where do you get your meat ? Great video ! Can't wait to try . Also get a hold of Camp chef about your issue . Sometimes new updates come out to fix bugs and yours isn't updated, they are really helpful, as I went thru the same problem.

[robertash]

Glad you are doing a review on the Camp Chef Pro Woodwind. Would love to see how the finish product compares to the the Masterbuilt Gravity Fed Grill. I figure the build quality is definitely different (just looking at the price) but wonder about the "smoke" taste. Good video sir!! 🔥🔥

[ledheavy]

I think I can already tell how you feel about it. The lack of commentary on the smoke flavor is one give away, unless you just forgot to mention it or I missed it. As much as I love my cast iron and they do a great sear I personally prefer searing over a live flame. I'm not particularly interested in these types of grills personally, I would just add a blower to a "dumb" grill, but I enjoy watching you test your bias (gained through experience) to see if it'll change.

[davidconners]

I previously owned a Weber smokefire pellet grill, I now own a Weber Kamado. Charcoal vs pellet comparisons aside, in my experience pellet/electric grills are less set it & forget than charcoal/manual grills. I'd always have pellets build up in the burner & it would lose temp, I went Kamado & never looked back. I also enjoy playing with fire 🔥.

[ericthibault]

Your videos are on point lately for me as I am debating between a masterbuilt gravity and the woodwind pro. I worry about the build quality from both. Really wish there was a higher quality of either type that let me use chunks/splits for more flavor. In Canada as well so woodwind pro just recently popped up but still very rare here

[wesleydrew]

What's the grill count at currently? Have you reached a number where an intervention may be necessary?

[Jerrybudss]

I just bought a pellet smoker and am also having trouble connecting it to my mesh wifi. Is there something that you were able to do with yours?

[AlexSmith-ejdt]

My camp chef woodwind pro quit working on my 3rd cook! 6 hours in cooking a brisket the auger quit working so I took all the pellets out and noticed the auger became disconnected. I had high hopes for this grill. I'm definitely returning it!