Has anyone dipped their toes into the pellet grill world?


 
N

N Cage

New member
Hi has anyone tried a pellet grill? I'm currently seriously thinking about one because of the ease of use (though i will never part with my WSM). The problem for me if i've never tried Q off of one. After pa rousing around for awhile trying to do some research i see so many conflicting views its hard to make an informed decision. I heard opinions all the way from "it taste like it came out of the oven" (NO Smoke flavor at all) to it imparts a nice smoke flavor that is just right. Before i jump and buy a pellet grill i want to make sure i'm making the right decision. As most of you are aware of pellet grills are QUITE expensive especially if you don't get one of the Chinese made units. For those that have tried Q on one hopefully you can compare the smoke flavor pellet grills impart to say an electric smoker. I have an MES40 that i use occasionally. I'm hoping a pellet will at least have as much smoke flavor as an electric unit. There is no doubt that the pellet smokers do produce plenty of smoke and you definitely will get a smoke ring on long smokes but i don't think smoke produced by grill + smoke ring can be compared to smoke flavor in food. Currently looking into a cookshack unit. Anyways any opinions/advice would be appreciated....
 
I am happy with my Weber equipment. However, if I were going to check into the pellet grill idea, the first thing I would do is find out what the fuel consumption is. I just bought a 20 lb bag pellets for my smoke generator and it cost just under $20.00. That price is small potatoes for my smoke generator as I only use about 1/3 lb for a two hour smoke when cold smoking cheese. However, your fuel consumption will likely be at a MUCH greater rate when running a grill. The grills are not cheap and when you factor in operating costs, it may be a deal breaker. If you buy without factoring in the cost of operation you could end up a VERY unhappy camper.

After posting the above, I Googled pellet smokers and found an excellent explanation of the pluses and minuses of Pellet Grills:

http://www.amazingribs.com/BBQ_buyers_guide/smokers/pellet_smokers.html

I have a gas grill but seldom use it as I MUCH prefer charcoal. I am a big fan of the Weber smokers, too.

Just sayin'...

Dale53
 
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Robert McGee said:
I am happy with my Weber equipment. However, if I were going to check into the pellet grill idea, the first thing I would do is find out what the fuel consumption is. I just bought a 20 lb bag pellets for my smoke generator and it cost just under $20.00. That price is small potatoes for my smoke generator as I only use about 1/3 lb for a two hour smoke when cold smoking cheese. However, your fuel consumption will likely be at a MUCH greater rate when running a grill. The grills are not cheap and when you factor in operating costs, it may be a deal breaker. If you buy without factoring in the cost of operation you could end up a VERY unhappy camper.

After posting the above, I Googled pellet smokers and found an excellent explanation of the pluses and minuses of Pellet Grills:

http://www.amazingribs.com/BBQ_buyers_guide/smokers/pellet_smokers.html

I have a gas grill but seldom use it as I MUCH prefer charcoal. I am a big fan of the Weber smokers, too.

Just sayin'...

Dale53
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Ya definitely something i've looked at. The unit i'm looking at will burn ~1 pound per hour at the temps i usually cook at. The premium is definitely worth it to me just as long as i verify its not going to taste like it came out of an oven :). Hopefully they produce at least as much smokey flavor as an electric smoker. I like you prefer the flavor of charcoal but on most weekend nights end up using gas for the convenience factor.
 
I have...after just being a WSM guy for like 9 years, I went out and got a REC TEC in November...and I love it!. It was not to replace my WSM, but an addition.
 
DennisM said:
I have...after just being a WSM guy for like 9 years, I went out and got a REC TEC in November...and I love it!. It was not to replace my WSM, but an addition.
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Do you find the smoke flavor strong enough or can you really taste any smoke at all?
 
I guess it's just a personal deal. My neighbor has a Treager and loves it and makes great food on it. I personally do not care to cook that way but I think they are good if that's what you want.
 
I had chicken off a pellet grill at Harry Soo's class. It could have come from a gas grill.
 
Alan F said:
I had chicken off a pellet grill at Harry Soo's class. It could have come from a gas grill.
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Hmmm so no smoke taste at all huh? Of course it depends on how the cooked it. Pellets will give almost no smoke at higher temps (above 250). I think most people who want to impart smoke flavor to their food will start out at a lower temp and then finish off with a higher temps.
 
Most of the food I've had off pellet grills has some smoke, but it's fairly weak. Kind of a hint of smoke, instead of it being a major component of the food. That said my dad loves his Traeger. It's just not the same to me.
 
I have a Traeger Texas on the porch, actually it was my wife that wanted it. keep in mind that most of us are use to the heavier smoke flavor we get from our WSM or even an offset. Some people who want to cook at a higher temp do use smoke tubes or something like that. Personally I haven't used mine as a smoker and have only done chicken on it which I must admit is pretty good, not a heavy smoke flavor but not like the oven either. I've read on another forum that most let the food cruise in the smoke mode which does produce a consistant amount of smoke through out the cook at timed intervals. I'm still on the fence about it but my wife wants to keep it, got it at a Traeger road show at Costco and even though it's made in China it still works pretty good.
 
I and as for pellet consumption, on low temps I understand it's pretty low I go 375 when doing chicken and I can get 6-7 cooks per bag, I haven't paid that much attention to useage but I still have 4 out of 5 bags left.
 
Thanks Don for the reply. It sounds like there is some smoke flavor but its just "different". Probably just like how i'd explain my electric smoker. There is definitely a smokey flavor to the food that i put in the electric but the smoke flavor its different than the WSM. To be honest with you i have never though food tasted oversmoked on my WSM but once in the electric i thought it might have been slightly oversmoked.
 
My daughter has a Traeger, I will admit it does a good job of grilling or low and slow but not much smoke flavor. Although I don't know enough about it to say you can't ramp up the smoke flavor.
 
I've brought home BBQ from other places on occasion that has a light smoke flavor, these where gas cookers and the family prefers the heavier smoke from the WSM, well, except my wife who say's she really doesn't like smoked food that much at least that's how it sounds when she has a mouthful of Q.The smoke flavor is a personal preference which is going to be different from one person to another, I may acctually try it as a smoker this year instead of a wood pellet fired oven.
 
N Cage said:
Pellets will give almost no smoke at higher temps (above 250). I think most people who want to impart smoke flavor to their food will start out at a lower temp and then finish off with a higher temps.
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That's how many competition cooks do it with pellet cookers. I have a PG1000 from cookshack and it burns about a pound an hour and puts out plenty of smoke under 250°ish. The pellets will also have a lot to do with the smoke taste, some are based with Alder which has very little, whereas oak or mesquite pellets will give more.
Pellet grills are very versatile, I have yet to find anything I can't cook on mine including deep frying and making cheesecakes.
 
I find that I much prefer my brisket off the WSM so far. I know they sell smoke tubes and stuff, but I have not tried it. Been very happy with everything but the brisket off the pellet smoker. I did a WSM Brisket this past weekend..but at the time I put it in foil, I usually put it in the rec tec. Once I nail down a brisket on the pellet grill I will be happy!.
 
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