# wood pellets



## scooter (Sep 20, 2007)

Has anyone used wood pellets in the fire box in addition to the main firewood to help keep the temperature up.  I know they make a smoker that uses wood pellets.  I was also wondering if someone could enlighten me of any health concerns using just reqular pellets that are used in a pellet heat stove.  I used a few while smoking some ribs and they do give off a lot of smoke and I didn't notice any negative flavor at all.
Any help would be appreciated.

Scooter


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## fatback joe (Sep 20, 2007)

Have the pellets been treated with anything?


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## flagriller (Sep 20, 2007)

If I used pellets, and I don't, I would certainly use the ones designed for cooking.  I would suspect the heating ones for the stoves are not food grade and not made to the same standard as the cooking ones. My 2 cents.


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## fatback joe (Sep 20, 2007)

I would agree with that........you would assume they make separate ones for cooking for a reason...........


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## webfoot (Sep 20, 2007)

Speaking about Treager smoking pellets, 100% hardwood pellets, no filler or binders.

Convientional heating pellets are typ made from soft woods like fir, at least around here.  

Softwood isn't typ used for smoking.  Personally I'd not use heating pellets for smoking.

YMMV


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## navionjim (Sep 20, 2007)

Great idea hu? DON"T DO IT! I should have submitted this one in the worst smoking mistakes post last week!

Part One: I had a buddy in Oregon who ran a commercial smokehouse, he used to provide me with 50 pound bags of "Tragger" pellets. I used them quite a lot with good results. I brought some down to Houston when I moved here and the humidity soon returned them to the sawdust from which they were made. I still burned them anyway with no problem. 

Part Two: While still in Oregon another buddy who worked in an Alder mill told me that they sold their sawdust to a company that made pellets for wood stoves. So I got to thinking I'd try using the pellet stove pellets for smoking some salmon as I used alder for that anyway. BAD IDEA!!!!!!
The pellets made for pellet stoves are compressed with a phenolic binder to keep them from doing what my food grade Tragger pellets did in Texas. Phenolic are not just toxic, they taste like a cross between dog **** and plastic, with a touch of burned hair thrown in. The wood they were made from would have Bent fine, the binder will ruin everything, fortunately it smells so bad you wouldn't think of eating it and being poisoned in the process. It was a dumb idea anyway because my buddy provided me with all the alder I could ever want, but I just had to try it and ended up with some salmon my cat wouldn't touch.


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## fatback joe (Sep 20, 2007)

So about like using Kingsford then?  LOL


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## flagriller (Sep 20, 2007)

Well if heating pellets are made of softer woods they most likely have more sap and resin in them, not good for smoking.  That's why you can't smoke with pine.  Also as mentioned, you have no idea what they use as a binding material, and I'll bet it's not food grade in heating pellets. Just my 1.75  cents.


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## bbqpitstop (Sep 20, 2007)

Scooter,

I couldn't help but snicker that you smoked with the pellets, ate the ribs, and asked questions later...........THAT to me is true barbecue ingenuity at it's best.

Thank god you're still standing, but truth be told I would've done the same..............it reminds me of a nickname I had one year in grade school "euell gibbons" cause I'd eat just about anything. Anyone remember who Euell Gibbons was? Probably no one under 45 I bet.


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## deejaydebi (Sep 20, 2007)

I remember Euell Gibbons he was a naturalist that ate bugs and roots and all sorts of things laying about.


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## meowey (Sep 20, 2007)

Don't forget the pine nuts!

Take care, have fun, and do good!

Regards,

Meowey


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## scooter (Sep 21, 2007)

Well being a newby I quess we are lucky we never got sick.  Thanks for the forum and the lessons.  I will read everyday to see what else is have messed up  <):-)  Thanks to all of your for the input

Scooter


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## scooter (Sep 21, 2007)

Thanks for the information.  I was really wondering about the type of wood and binders used.  Now I have an idea what it is.  I quess the pellets will work in the campfire ok though  

Thanks again to all of you

Scooter


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