When keeping the 2 Star on low at 225, could it use a pellet tube for more smoke? Or is it one of the few pellet smokers that can bellow out the white stuff like a stick burner?
MAK's never bellow out that yucky white stuff. The smoke is a lighter with that blueish gray hue to it and gives a really nice clean smoke taste. Like Robb (rwalters) said, you can actually taste the food, not just smoke.
Here's my take on 100% flavorwood pellets versus oak blended.
I will sometimes use 100% flavorwood pellets (fruitwood, pecan, hickory, etc) for low & slow cooks, BUT they do produce quite a bit more ash than an oak-blended pellet. I love Lumberjacks Competition blend (Maple/Hickory/Cherry - AKA their "MHC" blend) but I always have a lot more ash to clean out afterward.
I prefer to mix 100% Flavorwoods 50/50 with oak, especially for higher temp cooks. Oak just burns cleaner with more BTU's (more efficient), and less ash. And to be honest it's hard to tell a difference in taste because Oak has a more nondescript flavor so the flavorwood gives the influence.
It's like using hardwood lump charcoal with chunks of wood.
For grilling temps (450°+), straight oak pellets are what burn the hottest and cleanest. I'm talking A LOT lower ash!
Another great pellet for grilling temps (if you can find them) are Lumberjacks "Charblend Hickory". The charcoal mixed in allows them to burn extremely cleanly & hot with lower ash.
They're hard to find, though, unless you get them in a bulk order.That's my story and I'm sticking to it!
