Affordable Cooking Pellets

[jon easley]

Hello all I have briefly went through all the posts and I will ask again because there was so much info on BBQ pellets I really want to know the low down because I have a Treager I was told that I was only to use their Pellets but at 18 dollars a bag can get pricey and when you are doing a 8 to 12 hour smoke that is about a 20# bag and a little more I have see you all talking about different Brands and that they were 100% verses a 70/30 mix of a hardwood and the flavor you bought like apple ect..... and depending on where you are that base wood will either be oak or I cant remember the other my question to you all I want to use a good brand that is clean burning and can be found local I am not sure where to look here as I just got my pellet smoker/grill and bought 4 bags to get me thought a few cooks but I do want to save on the pellets and I am not wanting to do any mods to my treager I just cannot justify that even though I did get a good price for the one I got so let me know what brand you all prefer so I can do some research here in Colorado to find the pellets and give them a test to see what I like and works best for me and my rig 

thanks 

Jon 

 

[seenred]

 
Hello all I have briefly went through all the posts and I will ask again because there was so much info on BBQ pellets I really want to know the low down because I have a Treager I was told that I was only to use their Pellets but at 18 dollars a bag can get pricey and when you are doing a 8 to 12 hour smoke that is about a 20# bag and a little more I have see you all talking about different Brands and that they were 100% verses a 70/30 mix of a hardwood and the flavor you bought like apple ect..... and depending on where you are that base wood will either be oak or I cant remember the other my question to you all I want to use a good brand that is clean burning and can be found local I am not sure where to look here as I just got my pellet smoker/grill and bought 4 bags to get me thought a few cooks but I do want to save on the pellets and I am not wanting to do any mods to my treager I just cannot justify that even though I did get a good price for the one I got so let me know what brand you all prefer so I can do some research here in Colorado to find the pellets and give them a test to see what I like and works best for me and my rig 

thanks 

Jon 

Hi Jon.  

First, it's true that Traeger will tell you that you can only use their pellets in your pit.  Understand that they are in the business of selling their own products...any quality pellet will work in your rig without the need to do mods.  

Now on to the question of different kinds and flavors of pellets:  many pellet burners prefer the 100% flavor wood pellets you spoke of.  I like them too, but they are generally the more expensive brands (CookinPellets, Lumberjack, Fast Eddy, etc.)  If you can find any of these at a local dealer in your area, that's great!  Most of us have to order these brands and pay shipping/freight costs, which can definitely add up. 

There are also some quality pellet brands that are primarily the 70/30 mix you mentioned, with the 70 being either oak or alder, and the 30% being the flavor wood.  BBQ'rs Delight and B&B pellets fall into this category, and I've used both with good results.  They are in general a little more affordable, at least for me because I can buy them both at local retailers, so it saves the shipping costs of the 100% flavor wood brands.  I can buy the B&B pellets at my local Academy Sports and Outdoor for around $12 per 20 lb. bag.  The BBQ'rs Delight are available at a local lawn and garden retailer for around $17 per 20 lb. bag.

I have also used a pellet brand I can buy at my local lumber yard, called Ozark Premium Hardwood Pellets.  They are technically heating pellets, but are 100% hardwood (oak I believe) and are safe for use in pellet cookers.  These are by far the least expensive I have found, at about $5 per 40 lb. bag.

Hope this helps!  Maybe it'll give you a starting place.  Good luck!

Red

 

[jon easley]

Thanks Red for the reply and I appreciate the information that you have provided to me I will start looking around at all the available stores and I will also check the local lumber yard to see if the carry the ozark brand pellets Im thinking I can use that as a base and mix a fruit wood with it to cook with that as I can still maintain the base heat and add the flavor as well or I could mix it with other woods and maybe experiment around with different woods to maybe find that one combo that works with all meats and a flavor of smoke that tastes good all the time I dont mind spending on the pure woods like apple ect.... as long as I can get a base wood to burn that is not going to break the bank when cooking a good brisket or even that bostonbutt that will take 12 to 14 hours or more and I know as it starts to warm up the consumption will go down a bit but not enough to have a big impact on the pocket book the costs are always going to be in the pellets we all use so as we all help each other out to find what works and what does not in the end we are all after the same things good smoke flavor but not the cost to have it as well as the ability to maintain the heat as we cook that awesome cut of meat we just had to have because we had that mouth watering dream of how that would taste when we smoked it we all have had that dream and not only we just have to tease the neighbors with the smell of that smoker cooking dinner for hours.

thanks again Red

Jon

 

[migraine]

Question for you pellet people...

so far, I have found that my favorite 100% pellet is Todd's pecan pellets.

What I don't is what is the difference in flavor between pecan and hickory? Or what recommendation matches the closet to a pecan flavor?

I'm a cabinet maker and I know that many times hickory and pecan lumber are mixed together and sold as the same, at least out here on the west coast.

Now that I have a traeger, I'm finding that 100% pecan pellets are impossible to find out here so I'm trying to find an alternative. Or. am I better off sticking with a 70/30 or similar blends?

thanks,

Brian

 

[seenred]

Question for you pellet people...

so far, I have found that my favorite 100% pellet is Todd's pecan pellets.

What I don't is what is the difference in flavor between pecan and hickory? Or what recommendation matches the closet to a pecan flavor?

I'm a cabinet maker and I know that many times hickory and pecan lumber are mixed together and sold as the same, at least out here on the west coast.

Now that I have a traeger, I'm finding that 100% pecan pellets are impossible to find out here so I'm trying to find an alternative. Or. am I better off sticking with a 70/30 or similar blends?


thanks,
Brian

Hey Brian.

In my experience, hickory is probably closest in flavor profile to pecan, with pecan being slightly milder. I've never actually burned any pecan pellets in my pellet pit, but used to use a lot of pecan wood in my old stick burner.

And, if you can't find pecan on the west coast, hickory is about the most common flavor pellet, so you shouldn't ever have trouble finding them out there. Regardless of the brand or flavor wood you like to burn, the key usually is having local dealers where you can buy your pellets. If you have to order, shipping costs can become prohibitive unless you can order large bulk quantities.

Red

 

[pork dork]

Hi Jon,

 
Thanks Red for the reply and I appreciate the information that you have provided to me I will start looking around at all the available stores and I will also check the local lumber yard to see if the carry the ozark brand pellets Im thinking I can use that as a base and mix a fruit wood with it to cook with that as I can still maintain the base heat and add the flavor as well or I could mix it with other woods and maybe experiment around with different woods to maybe find that one combo that works with all meats and a flavor of smoke that tastes good all the time I dont mind spending on the pure woods like apple ect.... as long as I can get a base wood to burn that is not going to break the bank when cooking a good brisket or even that bostonbutt that will take 12 to 14 hours or more and I know as it starts to warm up the consumption will go down a bit but not enough to have a big impact on the pocket book the costs are always going to be in the pellets we all use so as we all help each other out to find what works and what does not in the end we are all after the same things good smoke flavor but not the cost to have it as well as the ability to maintain the heat as we cook that awesome cut of meat we just had to have because we had that mouth watering dream of how that would taste when we smoked it we all have had that dream and not only we just have to tease the neighbors with the smell of that smoker cooking dinner for hours.

thanks again Red

Jon

Hi Jon,

I'm a newbie too and I've been on this forum for only a while but have after a just over a month of research have finally landed on what I want to do as far as a long term goal. That is have a vertical drum smoker (UDS) with my new Treager style pellet hopper that I just got today from E bay in the SmokeDaddyinc store. I'm going to make very large a smoke generator for the extra smoke flavor.  

I started with the elcheapo Brinkmann vertical two door and wanted to smoke a pori butt for a BBQ I was having. I've always loved smoked meats and pork butt and finally decided to do one for a party. I smoked it for 15 hours and was able to sneak in 3 one hour naps. Needless to say as punchy as I was I wasn't very good company but I made the best of an uncomfortable situation. That's why I ordered my hopper and the next mods to my Brinkmann are going to be the addition of the pellet hopper and smoke generator. That is until I can build my UDS.

Long story short and I'm fully prepared to feel the wrath of all the pellet purists on SMF.  I have it on good authority that it really doesn't matter what kind of pellet you smoke with so long as it's good quality food grade pellets. Meaning nothing but pressurized wood. Right now there is a 50% off sale on Bear Mountain pellets at OSH. I got two 20# bags of mesquite pellets for $10 each! They are being discontinued. Tomorrow I"m going to call a city that said they had 17 on the computer at the OSH desk. They can't send them to my store because  they are a discontinued item so I'm going to travel a 3 hour round trip to get all of them.  

I don't know if you have OSH where you are because your city isn't in your bio yet but if you look around you may just find a similar deal.

Here's smoke in your eye, 

 

[jon easley]

I was able to find a dealer not too far away that has the pellets recommended for Treager for 14.99 a bag far better than any other place in town most have them at 18 to 20 a bag

 

[pwillie]

I have been using the B &B pellets from Academy for some time now and here is what I found out before I started using them.  BBQ Delight has a location in Pine Bluff Arkansas and I have a friend who works there.  She told me that the B&B pellet is the exact same pellet as BBQ Delight and that they sell both.  B&B is just another label that they sell for less.  She told me that she expects

Academy to raise their price before long.  I just wish that they had more selection.

 

[seenred]

 
Hi Jon,

Hi Jon,

I'm a newbie too and I've been on this forum for only a while but have after a just over a month of research have finally landed on what I want to do as far as a long term goal. That is have a vertical drum smoker (UDS) with my new Treager style pellet hopper that I just got today from E bay in the SmokeDaddyinc store. I'm going to make very large a smoke generator for the extra smoke flavor.  

I started with the elcheapo Brinkmann vertical two door and wanted to smoke a pori butt for a BBQ I was having. I've always loved smoked meats and pork butt and finally decided to do one for a party. I smoked it for 15 hours and was able to sneak in 3 one hour naps. Needless to say as punchy as I was I wasn't very good company but I made the best of an uncomfortable situation. That's why I ordered my hopper and the next mods to my Brinkmann are going to be the addition of the pellet hopper and smoke generator. That is until I can build my UDS.

Long story short and I'm fully prepared to feel the wrath of all the pellet purists on SMF.  I have it on good authority that it really doesn't matter what kind of pellet you smoke with so long as it's good quality food grade pellets. Meaning nothing but pressurized wood. Right now there is a 50% off sale on Bear Mountain pellets at OSH. I got two 20# bags of mesquite pellets for $10 each! They are being discontinued. Tomorrow I"m going to call a city that said they had 17 on the computer at the OSH desk. They can't send them to my store because  they are a discontinued item so I'm going to travel a 3 hour round trip to get all of them.  

I don't know if you have OSH where you are because your city isn't in your bio yet but if you look around you may just find a similar deal.

Here's smoke in your eye, 

Hi Pork Dork...that hybrid UDS/Pellet smoker sounds awesome to me.  Please post pics when you get it built!  Sounds like you found a good deal on those Bear Mtn. pellets.  

Red

 

[seenred]

 
I have been using the B &B pellets from Academy for some time now and here is what I found out before I started using them.  BBQ Delight has a location in Pine Bluff Arkansas and I have a friend who works there.  She told me that the B&B pellet is the exact same pellet as BBQ Delight and that they sell both.  B&B is just another label that they sell for less.  She told me that she expects

Academy to raise their price before long.  I just wish that they had more selection.

Hey Tarbaby.

I've used a bunch of those B&B pellets from Academy and like them a lot.  I have also been told they are re-branded BBQr's Delight.  This is the first I've heard that Academy was gonna raise the price on them again...they've already gone up once since I first started buying them there.  I used to buy them for $9.99 per bag...now I think they are more like $12 per bag...which is still a good price, but it wouldn't surprise me to see them keep going up as word gets out.

Red

 

[pwillie]

They are still 9.99 at my store so the 12 must be the raise that my source was speaking about.  I bought up a bunch..............

 

[seenred]

 
They are still 9.99 at my store so the 12 must be the raise that my source was speaking about.  I bought up a bunch..............

Makes sense...even at $12 they are still a pretty good price.  I bought up some CookinPellets recently when Amazon was running a really good sale, so I don't have the room right now to store any more.  But the next time I restock it'll probably be a bunch more of the B&B hickory and apple.

Red

 

[pork dork]

BBQ Delight

 
Hi Pork Dork...that hybrid UDS/Pellet smoker sounds awesome to me.  Please post pics when you get it built!  Sounds like you found a good deal on those Bear Mtn. pellets.  

Red

Red

Ya, I called the OSH that's 1.5 Hrs away and they didn't have any. Well then why the hell does it say on the OSH linked system that you had 17 bags. It's too far to go to see if I'm dealing with a lazy person again so I'll just have to do with my two 20# and the 20 that's commin' with the hopper. 

Next project is this 16" x 4" aluminum tube to make into my smoke generator. I've seen them with the burner and tube on the top and on the bottom. Which way would you have it if you were in my shoes? Keep in mind that I may put chunks along with chips and or pellets. It all depends on what works best. I've already ordered a great fish tank air pump. 

Brinkmann mods 011.jpg

• pork dork
• Mar 16, 2014

Here's smoke in your eye,

 

[backyardsmokin]

I haven't done many smokes as of late (few jerky, some lunch meat and two corned beefs yesterday), but I have been using Bear Mtn.  In my GMG they run clean and for a long time.  I used about 3/4 of a bag for a 14 hr smoke at 225, then some hot dogs at 350 (gasser ran out of propane).  Cash and Carry is running about 8.99 for a 20lb bag or $16 for a 40 lb bag.

 

[seenred]

Next project is this 16" x 4" aluminum tube to make into my smoke generator. I've seen them with the burner and tube on the top and on the bottom. Which way would you have it if you were in my shoes? Keep in mind that I may put chunks along with chips and or pellets. It all depends on what works best. I've already ordered a great fish tank air pump. 

I'd have to see more of your design plan to answer.  Where will the tank pump go in relation to the burner and tube?  How will you vent into the smoker?  

Red

 

[pork dork]

 
I'd have to see more of your design plan to answer.  Where will the tank pump go in relation to the burner and tube?  How will you vent into the smoker?  

Red

That's what I'm trying to come up with. I'm going to put the hoppers burner threw the bottom of my boxy two door vertical brinkmann. I thought I'd put the hopper on the left side because it has the smoke daddy logo on it. Kinda cool lookin'  with it's auger tube running underneath and the smoke gen on the right.

I've seen both styles of smoke gens ones that pull smoke from the top of their tube and ones that pull from the bottom. Now as for where I'm going to attach it to the outside of the ECBbox I'm thinking it has to go just above the heat shield because the Treager hopper uses a fan like a convection oven. Also above the vents so it doesn't blow across and out the other vent.  There's going to be about 8" vertical between the bottom of the smoker and the bottom of my water bowl. So If I put the heat shield about 4" above the heat source then the smoke gen should go somewhere between the two. 

But then again what do I know I'm a newbie to all this BBQ modification stuff.

Here's smoke in your eye,

Brinkmann mods.jpg

• pork dork
• Mar 16, 2014

Brinkmann mods 012.jpg

• pork dork
• Mar 16, 2014

 

[seenred]

But then again what do I know I'm a newbie to all this BBQ modification stuff.

Here's smoke in your eye,

I hear you brother...There are plenty of folks here who are alot handier than me, but I do enjoy watching the talents and creativity of others.  You might pose questions about this over in the Builds forums...I'll bet you can get some good feedback there.  There may even be someone over there who's already built something similar.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/f/203/other-builds

Can't wait to see how it turns out.

Red

 

[rtbbq2]

I buy my pellets in full 40lb. bags from Todd. I live in Minnesota so he is only 10 miles away. No freight. Not sure what freight would cost buy he is an option. Here is his site. Todd is also on this site.

                               http://www.amazenproducts.com/Default.asp

Kill it and grill it! Unless you're like me. I say.... Kill it and smoke it.........

 

[seenred]

I buy my pellets in full 40lb. bags from Todd. I live in Minnesota so he is only 10 miles away. No freight. Not sure what freight would cost buy he is an option. Here is his site. Todd is also on this site.


                               http://www.amazenproducts.com/Default.asp

Kill it and grill it! Unless you're like me. I say.... Kill it and smoke it.........:439:

It's the freight costs that'll kill ya. I've never found pricing on Todd's website for anything bigger than 5 lb. bags...if you don't mind me asking, what do you pay for a 40 lb. bag at Todd's?

TIA
Red

 

[rtbbq2]

It's the freight costs that'll kill ya. I've never found pricing on Todd's website for anything bigger than 5 lb. bags...if you don't mind me asking, what do you pay for a 40 lb. bag at Todd's?

TIA

 You have to call him and he will give you a price....Let him know you are on the forum when you call. Last time I horse traded for some products from my company......RTB..