Let's Talk BBQ
Outdoor Cooking Equipment => Grills & Smokers => Pellet Grills and Smokers => Topic started by: Bhorsman33 on May 10, 2016, 09:09:46 AM
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Morning all! Just curious if anyone has a good brand of pellets that produce more smoke at lower temps?!
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Smoke production is a function of in-efficient combustion. So, the amount of smoke - of the right kind - is more dependent on the programming that goes into the controller. Feed rate, fan speed - or pulsing of the fan, and so on. The lower the burn efficiency, the greater the ash production and accumulation - and the potential of a "flame out" in your fire pot. So - there are some things to consider...
Maybe you would like to try are different types of wood that the pellets are made from. Oak produces the highest BTU of any common wood - so for most of the country- it is the predominant wood used in pellets ( In the Pacific NW - they use Alder...not much Oak available ) But there are some pellets which are 100% "flavor wood". Hickory, Cherry, Apple, - the choices are many.
And - what many of us do is use an Amazin Smoker tube filled with the flavored that we want to influence the cook the most, and pre smoke or "cold smoke" the food item - or use it in conjunction with the cooker running.
This may cause you to have more questions - so fire away! :)
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When I bought my GMG three years ago, the dealer gave me a sweetheart deal on as many bags of Lumberjack pellets as I wanted with no extra shipping cost for the pellets. I got about a five year supply at that time and I couldn't be happier with the price or quality! I've had nothing but good results with this brand!
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Another Lumberjack user here. Local shop sells them for south of $20 for 40# bags and they lug them to your vehicle for you. Just stay away from the Traeger pellets.
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It isn't the brand or even the amount of smoke, but what flavor gets produced. As T pointed out, the methodology of smoke production is complex. Some woods, regardless of pellet brand, will be milder and some will be stronger. I like mesquite for beef and hickory for many things but I also like the nuances produced by pecan, apple, and walnut. Some brands have some ready-mixed pellet blends that are tested and well proportioned.
Interested? Take a gander:
http://www.letstalkbbq.com/index.php?topic=2641.0
http://www.letstalkbbq.com/index.php?topic=2647.0
Hub
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When I was pellet grill testing for Eric, I remember really liking the Lumberjack Oak pellets
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Another Lumberjack happy user here!
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Lumberjack is all we seem to have available locally. They work great
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My current preferred pellets are CookinPellets 40PM Perfect Mix Smoking Pellets from Amazon Prime $33.95 per 40 pound bag with there hickory second.
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I have cooked over 5 yrs. on my Traeger and started using their pellets. In spite of a lot of negative about them I had good luck with them. I tried some of the different flavored pellets but settled into their Oak. I used them because it was all I could get locally. I then started using cooking pellets perfect mix and hickory and liked them both. When they are on special at Amazon it is a good price. Getting old with a bad back the 40 lb. bags are too heavy for me to handle.
Last fall my butcher, who sold me the Traeger switched from handling their pellets to Lumberjack. I have been using them and like them. Their oak or hickory is what I prefer. Don
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I think one that should get into the discussion, and was mentioned by Savannah Smoker - is the Perfect Mix from www.cookinpellets.com
They are truly a great blend that may be my all time favorite for balance of flavor, aroma and smoke. They contain no oak.... Which is an interesting aspect of these pellets.
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I found the best way to increase smoke is to change the controller's cycle time like we did with the old Traeger and Ortech controllers.
Shorter cycle time with the same auger feed time decreases temperature swing and decreases smoke production.
Longer cycle time with the same auger feed time increases temperature swing and increases smoke production.
Sort of like no free lunch.
So I buy pellets for functionality and taste and set the controller to a setting which provides the smoke I want at the temp I am smoking at.
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Just my 2 cents,
I use BBQ's Delights or B&B (same, different name) and Perfect Mix by Cooking Pellets .com (get them through Rec-Tec)
Both are wonderful for cooking and if I need more smoke I just fill up my trusty A-Maze-N smoker tube for that extra touch ;)