# What pellets



## velvetant (Oct 15, 2017)

New to smoking, been using my Rec Tec 680 for a little over a month.
I've been using cookinpellets perfect mix and I dont care for it. Not sure what it is but something in it I don't like. I have used the Rec Tec mix that was sent with the smoker and it seems good.
Started using lumberjack pellets. I like the sweet wood mix, good flavor but subtle.  The 100% apple, mesquite, pecan, maple and alder seem good . Been trying my own mixes.
I also use the Amazn smoker tube to try different flavors. 
Curious what everyone is using.


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## cmayna (Oct 15, 2017)

A-MAZE-N's pellets, of course
amazenproducts.com


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## bregent (Oct 16, 2017)

I think you're the first person that I've ever heard that didn't like Perfect Mix :) Have you tried their 100% hickory? It's very nice. But I usually just run Lumberjack hickory with a little cherry mixed in. A-Maze-N pellets are fine if you're just running an AMNPS or tube, but way too expensive if you run a pellet grill.


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## troutman (Oct 17, 2017)

Lumber jack here


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## velvetant (Oct 18, 2017)

Not sure if I'm doing something wrong but I have read it's  pretty hard to over smoke with a pellet grill. 
I think you're right about me being the only one that doesn't like them from all the good reviews I've read about the perfect pellets.
So far lumberjack pellets are doing better for me.
This weekend I'm trying spare ribs with the 3-2-1 method


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## sportsbeerfood (Oct 18, 2017)

I have a CharGriller Pellet Grill and I cant find pellets that burn evenly or produce any smoke flavor. Ive used Lumberjack and Traeger brand pellets with a smoke tube and the smoke flavor isnt there. I dont like to hear negative things about the rec tec 680 cause that was gonna possibly be my upgrade. Any advice on the best pellet grill and best pellets would be awesome. Thanks and happy Q!!
                           Lucas


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## velvetant (Oct 18, 2017)

Absolutely no problem with my Rec Tec 680, I love the grill. Just not happy with the Cookinpellets flavor.
My Lumberjack mesquite smoked hambugers are by far the best burgers I have ever cooked.
I've also done meatloaf and pulled pork with the various Lumberjack pellets and enjoyed them very much.

I would recommend the Rec Tec without hesitation


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## sportsbeerfood (Oct 18, 2017)

Im gonna buy myself an Oklahoma Joe offset anyways but always wanna have a pellet grill also. Ive been intrested in the rec tec  and GMG


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## bregent (Oct 18, 2017)

sportsbeerfood said:


> I have a CharGriller Pellet Grill and I cant find pellets that burn evenly or produce any smoke flavor. Ive used Lumberjack and Traeger brand pellets with a smoke tube and the smoke flavor isnt there. I dont like to hear negative things about the rec tec 680 cause that was gonna possibly be my upgrade. Any advice on the best pellet grill and best pellets would be awesome. Thanks and happy Q!!
> Lucas



My experience with several different pellet grills is that they all produce approximately the same amount of smoke flavor. If you're not getting enough smoke with your current pellet grill plus a smoke tube, I doubt a different pellet grill will solve that problem. Fact is, different folks like different levels of smoke and some are never satisfied with the lower levels that pellet grills provide, while others think the level is perfect.


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## sportsbeerfood (Oct 18, 2017)

Im ready for an offset for sure. Oklahoma Joe sounds like the best bet for the price


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## sportsbeerfood (Oct 18, 2017)

The Lumberjacks I used burned evenly with little temp swing but little smoke flavor in meat.


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## tallbm (Oct 18, 2017)

sportsbeerfood said:


> I have a CharGriller Pellet Grill and I cant find pellets that burn evenly or produce any smoke flavor. Ive used Lumberjack and Traeger brand pellets with a smoke tube and the smoke flavor isnt there. I dont like to hear negative things about the rec tec 680 cause that was gonna possibly be my upgrade. Any advice on the best pellet grill and best pellets would be awesome. Thanks and happy Q!!
> Lucas



What Lumberjack pellets are you using in the smoke tube?


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## Moose364 (Oct 23, 2017)

I use Lumber Jack pellets myself. I have read good things about BBQ Delight pellets but have not tried them yet


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## hagewood91 (Oct 23, 2017)

I have used several brands in two different grill/smokers. First I used a chargriller grill/smoker. No matter what pellet was used, it always was lackluster on smoke production, however, the best was cookinpellets 100% hickory. With that said, after I bought my RecTec, I had no problem with smoke production. Using the same cookinpellets, I got a totally different smoke profile. I just finished up a bag of hickory cookinpellets, and am going to try the pitboss brand. I got the competition blend. I hope these do well since you can get them at Walmart, and they are half the price of all the others. I have heard good things about them but until next weekend, I will not have any input on them. Just stay away from the brands with "flavored" wood.


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## sportsbeerfood (Oct 23, 2017)

hagewood91 said:


> I have used several brands in two different grill/smokers. First I used a chargriller grill/smoker. No matter what pellet was used, it always was lackluster on smoke production, however, the best was cookinpellets 100% hickory. With that said, after I bought my RecTec, I had no problem with smoke production. Using the same cookinpellets, I got a totally different smoke profile. I just finished up a bag of hickory cookinpellets, and am going to try the pitboss brand. I got the competition blend. I hope these do well since you can get them at Walmart, and they are half the price of all the others. I have heard good things about them but until next weekend, I will not have any input on them. Just stay away from the brands with "flavored" wood.



So hated your Chargriller pellet grill as well? Im interested in a GMG.


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## hagewood91 (Oct 24, 2017)

I didn't hate my chargriller. It still helped me produce some of the best food I have ever made up until I got my RecTec. I also have a Louisiana Grill at hand too. ( My brother in law lives next door and just got it). The PID on the rectec, and the extreme smoke button really puts the icing on the cake for smoke production out of a pellet smoker. Add in a tube of your favorite pellets and I don't see how anyone would need more smoke. Just look at the smoke on this butt I did last week. Nice and pink with a great bark on it as well!


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## Moose364 (Oct 24, 2017)

Man that looks awesome, I just need a sammich now, and I agree once you get a Good built pellet smoker you don't have to worry about not having enough smoke. I have a smoker Brother's that I love.


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## bregent (Oct 24, 2017)

>Just look at the smoke on this butt I did last week.

That butt looks great. But just to be clear, the smoke ring has nothing to do with smoke - it comes from other combustion gasses. You can have great smoke ring and zero smoke flavor, and have great smoke flavor and zero smoke ring.


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## hagewood91 (Oct 24, 2017)

That is good to know. I can assure you it had great smoke flavor, as did the beans that were sitting beside it! Thank you for the heads up though!


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## Moose364 (Oct 24, 2017)

When you burn wood, it creates a gas known as nitrogen dioxide. The gas dissolves on the wet surface of the meat, binding with the myoglobin, and preventing it from becoming that dreaded brown _metmyoglobin_. The smoke locks in that prized pink color.
The pink smoke ring occurs only on the outside edge of the meat because the nitrogen gas absorbs from the outside in. Typical smoke rings will be 1/8 to 1/2 inch deep. Want to achieve that 1/2 inch ring? The key is moisture. The dissolved gas can’t go very far into the meat if the surface is bone dry.


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## tallbm (Oct 24, 2017)

hagewood91 said:


> ... I just finished up a bag of hickory cookinpellets, and am going to try the pitboss brand. I got the competition blend. I hope these do well since you can get them at Walmart, and they are half the price of all the others. I have heard good things about them but until next weekend, I will not have any input on them. Just stay away from the brands with "flavored" wood.



I like the Pit Boss Competition Blend (PBCB) but just know that it is a bit light on the flavor.  If you can double up or go heavier on the smoke for any smokes that are less than 6 hours then you should be ok.  I use the AMNPS with my MES smoker and I always burn two rows at the same time when I use the PBCB.  Best of luck! :)


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## sportsbeerfood (Oct 25, 2017)

hagewood91 said:


> I didn't hate my chargriller. It still helped me produce some of the best food I have ever made up until I got my RecTec. I also have a Louisiana Grill at hand too. ( My brother in law lives next door and just got it). The PID on the rectec, and the extreme smoke button really puts the icing on the cake for smoke production out of a pellet smoker. Add in a tube of your favorite pellets and I don't see how anyone would need more smoke. Just look at the smoke on this butt I did last week. Nice and pink with a great bark on it as well!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


How much does the extreme smoke button work and how does the grill function different to get that "extreme smoke" feature to work?


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## zerowin (Oct 25, 2017)

Moose364 said:


> I use Lumber Jack pellets myself. I have read good things about BBQ Delight pellets but have not tried them yet



B&B Pellets are allegedly BBQr's Delight rebranded.  I love the hickory, as it's the only one available near me, and they are very reasonably priced at walmart.  The hickory pellets on ground beef is almost too strong of a smoke flavor for me.  The down side is they are only stocked seasonally and you can't order them shipped to store afaik.  I'd really like to try the apple as well.



hagewood91 said:


> I have used several brands in two different grill/smokers. First I used a chargriller grill/smoker. No matter what pellet was used, it always was lackluster on smoke production, however, the best was cookinpellets 100% hickory. With that said, after I bought my RecTec, I had no problem with smoke production. Using the same cookinpellets, I got a totally different smoke profile. I just finished up a bag of hickory cookinpellets, and am going to try the pitboss brand. I got the competition blend. I hope these do well since you can get them at Walmart, and they are half the price of all the others. I have heard good things about them but until next weekend, I will not have any input on them. Just stay away from the brands with "flavored" wood.



I use the pit boss comp blend as foil fuel when I have meat wrapped because it is so inexpensive and heats fairly evenly.  I can't say always, as my wife really likes the flavor, it's just a bit too much maple taste for me, but lots of folks prefer that.


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## Rfd (Oct 25, 2017)

sportsbeerfood said:


> How much does the extreme smoke button work and how does the grill function different to get that "extreme smoke" feature to work?


I believe it has a fan that cycles on/off to produce more smoke


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## hagewood91 (Oct 27, 2017)

sportsbeerfood said:


> How much does the extreme smoke button work and how does the grill function different to get that "extreme smoke" feature to work?





Rfd said:


> I believe it has a fan that cycles on/off to produce more smoke




It indeed, does cut the fan off and on to produce more smoke. It is quite a bit of difference and doesn't make the temps swing more than 2-5 degrees. I am in Middle Tennessee so the cold here isn't bad, it is smoking weather right now for sure, but I am sure in a really cold environment that this feature would be hindered, because of trying to keep the temps up.


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## okie52 (Nov 1, 2017)

zerowin said:


> B&B Pellets are allegedly BBQr's Delight rebranded.  I love the hickory, as it's the only one available near me, and they are very reasonably priced at walmart.  The hickory pellets on ground beef is almost too strong of a smoke flavor for me.  The down side is they are only stocked seasonally and you can't order them shipped to store afaik.  I'd really like to try the apple as well.
> 
> 
> 
> I use the pit boss comp blend as foil fuel when I have meat wrapped because it is so inexpensive and heats fairly evenly.  I can't say always, as my wife really likes the flavor, it's just a bit too much maple taste for me, but lots of folks prefer that.




I've been using B& B for a few years now and yes they are the rebrand of BBQ delight.  They are well stocked at Academy stores in central OK and runs about $14 for a 20lb bag.  Used to be $12 but still a good deal compared to other pellets I've purchased.


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## philh (Nov 2, 2017)

If you live in Texas HEB now carries B&B Pellets. All flavors for 11.95 for a 20# bag. That's where I get mine.


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## zerowin (Nov 2, 2017)

I was wrong about them being seasonal.  I just cleaned out two local walmarts from recent deliveries so I'm good for the winter now.  11.52 per 20lb bag.


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## troutman (Nov 2, 2017)

My only issue with B&B is if you notice on the bag it says “flavored”.  Not sure what that means but it’s like buying a drink with artificial flavoring added. I don’t want to burn the “likeness” of apple, I want to burn apple wood.


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## bregent (Nov 2, 2017)

troutman said:


> My only issue with B&B is if you notice on the bag it says “flavored”.  Not sure what that means but it’s like buying a drink with artificial flavoring added. I don’t want to burn the “likeness” of apple, I want to burn apple wood.



The BBQ delight pellet grill fuel is a blend of oak and the flavor wood listed on the bag.  They do make 100% flavor wood pellets, but those are only sold in 1lb bags.


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## troutman (Nov 2, 2017)

I've read where the term "flavored" really refers to blending say an apple wood with some other "flavor" of wood like oak or hickory.  It may be a misleading term, not necessarily artificial flavoring.  Having said that, I'm still skeptical.  I'm envisioning them spraying apple juice on the pellets. :)


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## philh (Nov 2, 2017)

I use B&B Oak pellets so they are all the same wood. The Oak base and the Oak flavored wood. 100% Oak. lol


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## tallbm (Nov 2, 2017)

philh said:


> I use B&B Oak pellets so they are all the same wood. The Oak base and the Oak flavored wood. 100% Oak. lol



I did the same thing with Camp Chef and their Alder flavor.  I believe their base wood is Alder so Alder flavor = 100% Alder lol


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## ross77 (Nov 5, 2017)

Rec Tec owner here.  I've generally been using Lumberjack 100% hickory and I like the smoke flavor.  It's a 'cleaner' smoke than what I got from my Masterbuilt electric.  The Masterbuilt put out more smoke flavor but I felt it was too much, like an ask tray.
I used the Lumberjack Pecan/Oak pellet blend with a full brisket and I was very happy with the smoke flavor.


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## jdudeck (Nov 14, 2019)

hagewood91 said:


> It indeed, does cut the fan off and on to produce more smoke. It is quite a bit of difference and doesn't make the temps swing more than 2-5 degrees. I am in Middle Tennessee so the cold here isn't bad, it is smoking weather right now for sure, but I am sure in a really cold environment that this feature would be hindered, because of trying to keep the temps up.



I "inherited" a RecTec 680 that is older, and doesn't have the "Extreme Smoke" feature. I asked RecTec about it and they said I would need to replace the controller ($100+). I am an electronics engineer, so I figure I can hack my grill to cycle the fan. My question is, when in "Extreme Smoke" mode, how long does the fan stay on and stay off as it is cycling?


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