Author Topic: How do you use your Pellet Grill most???  (Read 4118 times)

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Offline ClimberDave

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How do you use your Pellet Grill most???
« Reply #-1 on: September 07, 2017, 12:53:25 PM »
I have been considering getting myself a pellet grill sometime this year and have been trying to justify laying out the $$$ and taking up limited space in the back yard.
Not sure what brand/model yet  (that's a future post)

Just curious, those of you  with PG's  how do you use them most?? 
Use it mainly for low and slow?
Grilling,  like steaks, burgers and chops?   Or do you go to a different grill for this?
Baking
Or...?

Again trying to justify the purchase and figure out what I would use it most for to determine the best size for me.

Thanks
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Offline sliding_billy

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Re: How do you use your Pellet Grill most???
« on: September 07, 2017, 01:01:49 PM »
Mostly pork butts and small briskets around 275 degrees.  1/2 loins and tri-tip around 350 and chicken parts around 400.  Always smoking.  I pan and rack everything to avoid a mess.  Never use it for grilling.  If I want to sear something like the tri-tip, I will do it in another cooker.
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Offline smokeasaurus

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Re: How do you use your Pellet Grill most???
« Reply #1 on: September 07, 2017, 01:10:39 PM »
What makes a pellet grill unique is the 300-400 range for pot roasts and chicken cooks. Some pellet grills do sear quite well. Cookshack and Memphis and of course MAK with the new flame zone.

I sear in pellet grills by removing the heat deflector and grease tray. I foil the bottom of the chamber around the fire-pot. I put the cooking grates back in. I crank up the pellet grill and grill on the cooking grates directly over the fire pot. Grill Grates make it even much better.

So don't worry about grilling on a pellet grill if it is important to you to use it for grilling. They all produce wonderfully smoked food. There is just a large gap these days in quality.

MAK is at the top of the heap and Rec Tec really bridges the gap between the entry level grills and the top level units.

Good luck with your decision.
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Offline Old Dave

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Re: How do you use your Pellet Grill most???
« Reply #2 on: September 07, 2017, 03:51:32 PM »
I use the pellet grills for about everything including low and slow type cooks, medium hot cooks, and the hot and fast cooking. I grill at temperatures above 600 degrees, I also smoke cheese at temperatures of less than 80 degrees. I have a rotisserie setup on one my pellet grills. I have high temp pizza setup on my pellet grill. Like I said, I do most everything on the grills and do love them. I have owned pellet grills since 1991 and still have my first one.
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Offline TMB

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Re: How do you use your Pellet Grill most???
« Reply #3 on: September 07, 2017, 04:07:53 PM »
Mostly low and slow, and larger cooks.    I have SRG's for roasting and small grill work.   
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Offline sparky

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Re: How do you use your Pellet Grill most???
« Reply #4 on: September 07, 2017, 09:12:34 PM »
When drinking.
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Offline Hub

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Re: How do you use your Pellet Grill most???
« Reply #5 on: September 08, 2017, 06:45:55 AM »
My Memphis is a "do it all" pellet cooker capable of all temps from low and slow smoke to searing steaks while my NOS Traeger is mainly a smoker and doesn't get up to searing temps.  I use both a lot.  Spend some time determining what you want to cook and how much of it.  You can cook smaller amounts on a large cooker but overloading a small one doesn't work well.

MAK is the dominant owner brand group on this site and makes a great cooker but there are several other American made high quality cookers  that are underrepresented here.  Keep you eyes open.  We have lots of pellet cooking experience hanging around so ask questions.

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« Last Edit: September 08, 2017, 08:39:17 AM by Hub »
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Offline KJRsmoker

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Re: How do you use your Pellet Grill most???
« Reply #6 on: September 08, 2017, 08:06:55 AM »
I use mine for mostly low and slow (ribs, pork butts, briskets).  I also do my Thanksgiving turkeys on it.  And I bake occasionally on it and the results are as good if not better than in a regular oven.  Very versatile machine.
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Offline TMB

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Re: How do you use your Pellet Grill most???
« Reply #7 on: September 08, 2017, 10:06:27 AM »
Member #2
2 SRG's  (infrared)
1 BEESR (ele Big Easy infrared)
1 DC smoker/ charcoal SRG (infrared)
1 Infrared smoker (Home Built pellet smoker)
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Offline ClimberDave

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Re: How do you use your Pellet Grill most???
« Reply #8 on: September 08, 2017, 10:31:08 AM »
Thanks for all the responses.

I was looking for something mainly for low and slow  but have read a lot of them claim they can  be used to sear  etc  however I have read quite a few places that most of them really don't do  the higher temps well. 

Not sure  the size I will be going with,  on one hand for the two of us I can get by with a smaller one, but  like the flexibility of the larger ones if we have friends over.

Budget is $1000-1200  and have been looking at both the RecTec's and the GMG's

I like the RecTec warranty and seems to be built a bit better,  but   am kinda drawn towards the WiFi capability with the GMC

Decisions, decisions! 
« Last Edit: September 20, 2017, 09:52:09 AM by ClimberDave »
Kamado Joe III Big Joe
Weber 22" One-Touch kettle
Weber Smokey Joe Simpsons Edition
PBC
Slow and Sear
Generic gasser
Roccbox Pizza Oven
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Joule
Anova Nano

Offline Smokerjunky

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Re: How do you use your Pellet Grill most???
« Reply #9 on: September 08, 2017, 10:54:38 AM »
Good luck with your search.  I am sure that you will enjoy whatever you decided on.  I would, however, encourage you to take a look at the Grand Slam by Blaz'n Grill Works.  Made in Nebraska - heavy duty, some nice exclusive features, and reliable.  I have had mine for a couple years with not a single hiccup. I use it for nearly everything.  It does get up to 500 Degrees although I rarely run it there.  I use if for low and slow (bottom temp is 160 degrees and goes up in 5 degree increments to 500).  I set it at 375 for bacon - comes our perfect every time. Although it will throw some good grill marks on a steak I like to use it to reverse-sear steaks to get some smoke on them before throwing them on the Weber to sear.

The price range is right at the top of what you are looking for but it really is an outstanding value and has some great exclusive features.  One of my favorites is the removable burn pot so you can empty the burn pot without dismantling the grill. And Made in the USA!

Best of luck - look forward to seeing what you decide on.
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Offline ClimberDave

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Re: How do you use your Pellet Grill most???
« Reply #10 on: September 08, 2017, 12:59:41 PM »
Good luck with your search.  I am sure that you will enjoy whatever you decided on.  I would, however, encourage you to take a look at the Grand Slam by Blaz'n Grill Works.  Made in Nebraska - heavy duty, some nice exclusive features, and reliable.  I have had mine for a couple years with not a single hiccup. I use it for nearly everything.  It does get up to 500 Degrees although I rarely run it there.  I use if for low and slow (bottom temp is 160 degrees and goes up in 5 degree increments to 500).  I set it at 375 for bacon - comes our perfect every time. Although it will throw some good grill marks on a steak I like to use it to reverse-sear steaks to get some smoke on them before throwing them on the Weber to sear.

The price range is right at the top of what you are looking for but it really is an outstanding value and has some great exclusive features.  One of my favorites is the removable burn pot so you can empty the burn pot without dismantling the grill. And Made in the USA!

Best of luck - look forward to seeing what you decide on.

Thanks on the info.  I hadn't heard of  Blaz'n before,  they look like they are pretty well built,  I have added them to my list.
Kamado Joe III Big Joe
Weber 22" One-Touch kettle
Weber Smokey Joe Simpsons Edition
PBC
Slow and Sear
Generic gasser
Roccbox Pizza Oven
Anova One
Joule
Anova Nano

Offline sparky

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Re: How do you use your Pellet Grill most???
« Reply #11 on: September 08, 2017, 01:25:19 PM »
Rec tec makes a very fine pellet grill.  Wifi isn't all that great. I never use mine. You want to be outside with the smoker anyway having a cold one.
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Offline smokeasaurus

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Re: How do you use your Pellet Grill most???
« Reply #12 on: September 08, 2017, 01:42:36 PM »
Not to bash GMG but Rec Tec is much better made with ss in the right places and a great controller. Wi-Fi does not warrant such a big drop in quality if you ask me.
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Offline Pappymn

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How do you use your Pellet Grill most
« Reply #13 on: September 08, 2017, 07:52:25 PM »
I only use mine for low and slow


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