Thread: Pellet smokers

Ok I know some of you have these, I am considering getting one. Thoughts?

Have yet to try any kind of smoker but im really interested in getting one. Just would have to find a place to store it when not in use. A lot of people i know who use them though try many different types of pellets or chips when cooking things.

Put a pork butt on my BGE last night. It's been on about 11 hours now with hickory wood chips/chunks.

Sorry, no help on pellet smokers though. Reviews seem to indicate that Traeger is the way to go.

Is pellet the new pot? I haven't heard of it.

Pags, beware, I've heard this is a gateway drug.

Originally Posted by Hawgdriver

Is pellet the new pot? I haven't heard of it.

Pags, beware, I've heard this is a gateway drug.

It's an expensive habit too. Have you seen the prices on briskets these days?

Doing 3-2-1 ribs on my camp chef pellet grill as I type this.

If I was buying again I would get a US built unit if possible, which Camp Chef and Traeger are not. If I couldn't find a US made grill I like, I would likely go with all statelessness at minimum.

Grilla
Rectec
Yoder {not stainless)

Are three I've looked at. I really like the Grilla Silverback.

Interesting I was looking at the Camp Chef Woodwind and like the ash clearing feature and a few other things. I will investigate the Grill as they are the same price.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by PatriotsGuy

Interesting I was looking at the Camp Chef Woodwind and like the ash clearing feature and a few other things. I will investigate the Grill as they are the same price.

Thanks!

I'm on my second woodwind 24 wifi. First one, the paint peeled. They sent me a new grill, Same thing happened with second grill. They gave me a $300 credit at camp chef online store (could have gotten another replacement grill).

After the second time, I noticed in the directions stated you are supposed to run it for some period at 300 degrees to cure the paint.

In both cases, I did what I've always done with a new grill, cranked it as high as it would go for 45 minutes or so to burn off any manufacturing oil and such.

Its possible these initial high burns I did caused the problem. I'm going to have to sand down the outside and repaint.

Other than that, I love it.

I love my Traeger. 6 years now and not a single issue. They’re more expensive but they seem to be worth it.

Originally Posted by Tned

I'm on my second woodwind 24 wifi. First one, the paint peeled. They sent me a new grill, Same thing happened with second grill. They gave me a $300 credit at camp chef online store (could have gotten another replacement grill).

After the second time, I noticed in the directions stated you are supposed to run it for some period at 300 degrees to cure the paint.

In both cases, I did what I've always done with a new grill, cranked it as high as it would go for 45 minutes or so to burn off any manufacturing oil and such.

Its possible these initial high burns I did caused the problem. I'm going to have to sand down the outside and repaint.

Other than that, I love it.

So what is your attraction to the Grilla?

Originally Posted by PatriotsGuy

So what is your attraction to the Grilla?

Don't remember, to be honest. I was looking last year, considering giving my father mine and getting a new one. I know reqtec is all stainless, which I liked. Grilla was only stainless top and some interior. Grilla seemed to have better remote control, from what I remember, including remote start (could be handy for pending).

In the end, my woodwind functions very well, but for the flaking paint. Wife loved the ribs I made today.

This is the second grill when it first started to flake. Now, the entire front has the paint flaked off. Back too. I'll sand and paint sometime in next few weeks, now that it has warmed up.

I got very fortunate to get my Traeger on sale at the exchange. I only paid $375 for it and, this many years later, it still sells for over $600 everywhere I've seen it. I could pay more for all the bluetooth wizardry etc. but I didn't care for all that. I turn the dial and smoke the shit out of whatever I'm making. I've made some of the best brisket and pulled pork I've ever had on there. It's consistent, easy, and you can't beat it. I no longer tend the fire and slave over the offset smoker. I turn the dial, throw my meat on, and then open very rarely to mop, spray, turn, whatever. Other than that, the temp stays within +/- 5 deg of my setting and just cooks the meat...

I get consistent output, every single time. No guessing, no having to adjust cook times because the firebox got too hot or too cold, etc. Just turn the knob and cook. It's cheating.

I would highly recommend one (or two) of these as well. Pellet smokers are great for what Davii described. Set the temp, and walk away. The Woodwind has a mode where you can control the smoke. If you want more smoke, there is a higher amount of temp deviation, because smoke happens when it's smouldering, not burning hot, so they raise temp a bit more than needed, let it drop a bit below target (that's where most smoke happens on the way down) and then raise temp again. Even with that method, you get nowhere near as much smoke as an offset smoker.

That's where the pellet tube comes in. I saw these used on a number of my favorite smoking youtube channels, and love it. They are meant to load with pellets, and work great with pellets, but what I do instead for better smoke, is load a handful or two of pellets, then some real wood chips, then a couple handful of pellets, and more wood chips, until the tube is filled.

Then, lay it on the lower grate of the pellet grill, hold a butane or propane torch on it for a minute or so to get the pellets near the end burning well. Let it burn for a couple minutes, and then blow it out. It will provide smoke for a couple to few hours. Adding this, gives you smoke closer to an offset, but still with the ease of a pellet grill.

https://www.amazon.com/LIZZQ-Premium...6ZZRR7XD&psc=1

Also, once you buy it, check out these youtube channels. For the basics, it's really hard to beat hey grill hey. If you want Thanksgiving turkey, she has three or four ways to do it (I like the spatchcock method). Want a standing rib roast for Christmas, she's got you covered. All things BBQ has really interesting recipes they put out I think twice a week. They always include ingredients they sell on their site, but you can substitute with similar if you prefer. The pork ragu recipe is amazing. Finally, how to BBQ right is another good channel. I don't view it as much as the first two, but I've found many good tips/recipes on his site.

https://www.youtube.com/c/Heygrillhey

https://www.youtube.com/c/allthingsbbq

https://www.youtube.com/c/howtobbqright

But, not everything is a recipe. I made baby back ribs yesterday. Decided to do the 3-2-1 method, but dry(ish). Put some yellow mustard on as binder, then used BBQ Guys KC rub, some BBQ Guys Pineapple Ancho (just a bit, wife doesn't like it too spicy) and finally a bit of dizzy pig pineapple/sugar mixture (can't remember what it's called). Put them on at 235 for just under three hours (normally 225, but got a late start).

Then, wrapped them, bone side down, in two layers of heavy duty, grill master aluminum foil (nothing magic just bigger, and much heavier duty than normal, so less likely to tear), but in order to make sure they stayed juicy, I put a bit (maybe 1/4 cup, didn't measure) of apple cider vinegar in the bottom. Since it was bone down, it didn't contact the meet, but instead helps braise/steam for the two hours it's wrapped tight.

Finally, I unwrapped and put back on the grill. I had planned to leave them dry, and have some BBQ sauce on the side, but at the last minute, I put a little Hey Grill Hey Bourbon Maple Glaze on after I took them out of the aluminum foil, and then left them on the grill for about 35 minutes or so for the glaze to set up (so, in reality, not a 3-2-1, but a 2:45-2:00-0:35 lol).

The results were great. The bones literally pulled out clean, but the meat wasn't soft/soggy, still had some bite. The bit of glaze at the end, meant we didn't need to use any sauce for dipping, but it was FAR less sauce then if I had loaded them with sauce, or butter/brown sugar/etc., during the wrapped phase, as many recipes recommend.

I added the glaze, but other times we've eaten these just with the dry rub, and not even any sauce for dipping, and they are excellent.