# Competition Blend Pellets



## jeffro99 (Jun 26, 2014)

I am having a hard time finding a source for pellets up here in Canada. I noticed Canadian tire is now selling 20 lbs bags of Louisiana Grills pellets. Has anyone tried these?

the one in interested in is called a Competition blend made up of 50% Maple. 25% Hickory. 25% Cherry


----------



## consigliere (Jun 26, 2014)

I have the apple pellets but haven't tried them yet.  Will be putting them on this weekend for a big pork shoulder.  Will let you know how they work in the AMNPS.  If they work out, I'll be buying a bag of competition as well.


----------



## jeffro99 (Jun 26, 2014)

Consigliere said:


> I have the apple pellets but haven't tried them yet.  Will be putting them on this weekend for a big pork shoulder.  Will let you know how they work in the AMNPS.  If they work out, I'll be buying a bag of competition as well.


awesome I have enough to get thru the weekend but will need some soon, let me know

Cheers


----------



## daveomak (Jun 26, 2014)

jeffro99 said:


> I am having a hard time finding a source for pellets up here in Canada. I noticed Canadian tire is now selling 20 lbs bags of Louisiana Grills pellets. Has anyone tried these?
> the one in interested in is called a Competition blend made up of 50% Maple. 25% Hickory. 25% Cherry





That looks like a good blend....   Cherry won't burn on it's own....  Too hard or something...  the hickory and maple will definitely help it burn...  the 3 woods have distinct flavors..... Maple very mild....  Hickory, well we've eaten a lot of bacon smoked in Hickory.....  And Cherry provides a fruity flavor......   I'm going out on a limb here..(pun intended)  That would be a very good blend for all around smoke flavor most everyone would enjoy...  It won't be overpowering.....  subtle and mild....


----------



## goliath (Jun 26, 2014)

i have tried  the hickory, competition blend, and i think mesquite
worked for me, i prefer Lumberjack and just got a ton shipped out to northern BC. Still  works out cheaper than Canadian Tire pellets !!!!!

Goliath


----------



## consigliere (Jul 2, 2014)

I tried these this weekend.  Mixed results using my ANMPS, but don't think its related to the pellets themselves.  I tried using the apple with a large pan of baked beans and they wouldn't run, I believe too much moisture.  Also tried them with a pork butt sitting in sauce and a large (2-3 litres) tray of water.  Again wouldn't burn.  The instructions for ANMPS say no water, but I have gotten the Amaze-N pellets to burn with a small water tray.  The pellets burned perfectly in the regular tray, just wouldn't stay going in the ANMPS.

For long smokes I am going to have to figure something out because the water tray is key for keeping good temp control on my MES cookmaster.  I'm thinking a mailbox mod is in order.


----------



## jeffro99 (Jul 4, 2014)

Consigliere said:


> I tried these this weekend.  Mixed results using my ANMPS, but don't think its related to the pellets themselves.  I tried using the apple with a large pan of baked beans and they wouldn't run, I believe too much moisture.  Also tried them with a pork butt sitting in sauce and a large (2-3 litres) tray of water.  Again wouldn't burn.  The instructions for ANMPS say no water, but I have gotten the Amaze-N pellets to burn with a small water tray.  The pellets burned perfectly in the regular tray, just wouldn't stay going in the ANMPS.
> 
> For long smokes I am going to have to figure something out because the water tray is key for keeping good temp control on my MES cookmaster.  I'm thinking a mailbox mod is in order.


how where they for flavour?

yeah get on the mailbox train, best mod to add to the amnps


----------



## consigliere (Jul 7, 2014)

Flavour was pretty good.  The apple was fairly subtle.  Not a lot of experience for comparison though.


----------



## consigliere (Jul 14, 2014)

I did some more smoking this weekend.  Tried some St Louis Style ribs with the ANMPS loaded up with Apple pellets again.  Did not work again.  I didn't protect the ANMPS from drippings, that was my problem this time.

To confirm the ANMPS will burn these pellets at all I did a cold smoke test.  Worked perfectly.  Threw in some cheese since it was going....marble and parmesan.

Seems my ANMPS issues have all been because of my execution, not the pellets themselves.


----------



## jeffro99 (Jul 15, 2014)

try the mailbox mod. best thing to add to an AMNPS


----------



## daveomak (Jul 15, 2014)

Water in any smoker expands 1600 to 1....  when the temp goes up, the smoker fills with water vapor and puts the pellets out.....   Also I have noted in my MES with the mailbox mod, the expanding steam will stop the air flow into the mailbox also.....   

SOOOOOOOOOOOOO......   get rid of the water.....   You do not need water to get good smoked flavor.....  the old timers never put water in their smokes....


----------



## jeepdiver (Jul 15, 2014)

Not sure how the mes is set up but if you need something to stabilize temp, you could try sand.  Worked great im my old propane smoker


----------



## consigliere (Jul 21, 2014)

I finally got a smoke off no problem with the Apple pellets.  Just had to follow the instructions!


----------

