Camp Chef Pursuit 20 Review

We love Camp Chef pellet grills (our top selection for best pellet grill is the Woodwind), so when we got our hands on their portable pellet grill, the Camp Chef Pursuit 20, we were eager to see how it performed.

The Pursuit 20 is not only the only Camp Chef grill intended to be portable, but it is also the most affordable alternative, making it a good choice for anybody on a tight budget.

I’m ready to explain how well the Pursuit 20 works and how well the portable features stand up against the competition after putting it through a number of test cooking.

Lets get stuck into the review.

Camp Chef provided me with this grill for free in exchange for an honest assessment. My views and opinions are all my own.

Overview and first impressions

Despite its cheaper price and emphasis on portability, the Pursuit 20 is a full-featured pellet grill with PID control, twin meat probes, several custom smoke settings, and many other features found in higher-priced pellet grills. Plus a few I haven’t seen anywhere else.

a member of the Tailgater). A bigger pellet hopper (10lbs to 8lbs) and a greater overall cooking temperature (500F to 450F) are also included.in comparison to 300 sq.The pricing is somewhat lower than the Traeger Tailgater 20, but you get bigger total cooking space (501 sq. ft.).

Here are Pursuit 20s full specs:

Camp Chef has put a lot of effort into the usefulness and portability of this grill, but the build quality of the legs and the lack of a pellet dump mechanism let it down.

What I like:

• Direct and indirect heating systems are available, with simple slide-rod control for fast sear vs gradual cook.

• Although there may be some leftover ash in the bottom of the unit after cooking, cleaning the firebox is a breeze. No need to get out the shop vac after each usage.

What I don’t like:

• Legs and wheels: The wheels are excessively tiny and weak. The legs are lightweight but perhaps a little fragile. To deploy the legs, you must lay the unit down, which is cumbersome at 80 pounds, particularly with pellets in the hopper (see below).

• No pellet dump: I suppose you’ll still need that shop vac.

If you want to transport this grill, the lightweight design is a fair sacrifice. The Pursuit 20 has more functions than many other portable grills, and it is typically well-built and simple to operate.

If you want to use this grill on your porch, I would suggest the Woodwind or the SmokePro SG 24.

Unboxing and setup

The package was delivered by the carrier, who emptied it using a hand-truck.

dolly or another person to transfer it to your meeting location.As you can see, the package is rather huge and heavy (80+ pounds), necessitating the use of a hand-truck.

The item was properly wrapped, and all of the pieces were well labeled.

The instructions, on the other hand, were a touch hazy, particularly when it came to the legs.

There are no tools included, so you’ll need a Phillips screwdriver for the hood handle and probably a socket wrench to tighten the wheels.

To deploy the legs, you must lay the unit down; a second pair of hands might be useful here.

Because the heat shield is oil-coated, I cleaned off as much as I could before the first burn-in.

It takes some effort to remove and replace the heat shield until you get the right angle for it to flow through.

The grease can hangs oddly to one side at the rear and rests at an angle against a leg. Strange.

Cooking on the Pursuit 20

I followed the directions in the booklet for the first burn-in (350F for 30 minutes) and then for the 2-phase cook.

After shutting down after the burn-in, it only took 6 minutes to reach 160F.

I used Camp Chefs Competition Gold hardwood pellets for the burn-in and cook.

After filling the hopper and connecting to a 120v outlet, I set the control to Feed.

I used a tri-tip beef roast and put it on High Smoke, which the handbook states would run at 220 degrees Fahrenheit (it really ran between 200 and 230 degrees Fahrenheit). Then a sear at 450 degrees Fahrenheit, which reached above 500 degrees Fahrenheit in the middle of the grill.

After the meat reached 120F internal temperature (approximately 2 hours), I slipped out the sear bar, raised the temperature to 450F, and produced a good sear in about 4 minutes each side.

I tried a similar method with 5 pounds of chicken wings (no internal heat) and had fantastic results. I was able to shift the wings to the top grill since some of them cooked quicker than others (middle grill).

I also made Korean-style short ribs or flanken (Galbi), which need a rapid sear and cook time.

I set the temperature at 450°F, expecting it will rise. I desired char on the meat, and the device worked admirably (no foil on the drip pan).

I received some char (as seen in the picture), and the interior was still pink. I was blown away.

I also used the High Smoke and then Sear technique to cook some Johnsonville Beer Brat sausages, which turned out fantastic.

I drew the Direct Flame Rod outward to get a very hot grill (500+F) and a good sear.

To monitor the temperatures, I utilized my Inkbird IBT 4XS wireless temperature thermometer and the P1 probe from the grill.

Ease of operation

After you’ve finished the Feed and burn-in, you may start using the Pursuit: Set the dial to Set Temp, insert the dial, and choose your temperature or smoke setting.

There are Low Smoke, High Smoke, temperature, and smoke set-points (similar to a vehicle radio).

Dual meat probe temperatures are presented at the same time.

How portable is the Pursuit 20?

My first attempt at folding and unfolding the legs was a little clumsy. The second time was better, and by the third, I was a pro. When tilting the Pursuit to reach the legs, the hopper lid locks shut, preventing pellets from flying everywhere.

You can fold the legs up or down without lying it on its side after you discover the push buttons on the legs.

Even though the wheels aren’t of high quality, the grill moves well. You have the option of rolling with your legs extended or compressed.

It’s still 80 lbs without the pellets, so transporting it requires two people.

Cleanup

The main grill is powder-coated black, and the upper grills are stainless steel, making cleaning a breeze.

Tip: I keep a huge plastic tub with a lid half-full of vinegar, Dawn dish soap, Arm & Hammer baking soda, and water. I soaked the grill grates overnight to make cleaning simpler.

The grease pan requires more effort since it is wrapped with foil, which will burn at higher temperatures. Everything adheres to it without the foil.

I don’t advocate sprinkling cooking oil (or Pam, etc.) on the grease pan since it might catch fire.

The ash cleanup mechanism works well and saves time.

The included grease bucket has a foil liner, which may also be ordered from Camp Chef. This is a fantastic feature!

The temperature probe on the device is simply detachable and cleanable.

Performance

The device performs just as stated. It smokes nicely on the low smoke setting, but not as well on the high smoke level.

The grill has a significant temperature differential. The centre slide is closest to the display temperature, while the right and left slides are colder.

SMOKE CONTROL settings 1-10 may be used to raise or reduce desired smoke.

I believe that too much smoke is lost via the back louvers.

It reaches 160°F in 6 minutes and 350°F in around 10 minutes.

When the heat rod lever is taken out, searing is no difficulty. When searing my tri-tip roast, I reached temperatures of above 500°F.

The unit temperature sensor is higher than usual (vertical, not horizontal), giving the PID algorithm a larger area to sample from, resulting in closer temp readings (+- 5-15F) in the middle of the grill.

The temperatures were somewhat affected by covering the drip pan with foil. It took a bit longer to reach temperature, but this was not a major problem.

Because aluminum foil burns on the drip pan, use heavy-gauge aluminum.

From the Camp Chef website:

Yes, you may line your drip pan with foil to make cleaning easier. We would just consider double-checking the foil and ensuring that there are no routes for the oil to enter the bottom of the pellet grill. The only occasion we would not use foil if you have a louvered drip pan is while utilizing the direct heat option. The foil would deflect the heat, causing it to be indirect heat that could not pass through the louvers.

Should you buy the Pursuit 20?

The Pursuit is the Camp Chef’s entry-level smoker barbecue.

The type I tried, the PPG20-4, does not support WiFi, despite the fact that the handbook mentions WiFi models PPG20WF through PPG29WF.

It’s far more portable than other variants that don’t have wheels or foldable legs.

It is a great all-around pellet grill with no issues with construction quality or control operation.

It is somewhat more expensive than other devices in its class, but the mobility, simplicity of use, and features are worth the additional money.

The Camp Chef Pursuit 20 is a fantastic product that is well-made, portable, and simple to use. You can’t go wrong with this grill if you’re searching for a portable barbecue.