# Something wrong with my pellets?



## ks_wayward_son (Apr 22, 2021)

I've been using Pit Boss pellets that I got from Wal Mart for a few years now.  Thats one thing...is Pit Boss junk?  I was all excited when I got my MES and Amazen smoker that I decided to buy a few ginormous (20 lb) bags.  Haven't gotten CLOSE to using them all.  I think they are going on 3 years, maybe 4.  Well, I follow the instructions and nuke either full pellets or dust in the microwave for a few minutes.  Light er up, and let it burn for a few.  Put it in my mailbox mod and get billowy white smoke it seems for some time.  Doesn't thin out.   I wonder if I got too much of a row burning at once?    Maybe I'm just being paranoid too and it is actually alright.  

How long do you let your pellets burn in your mailbox and filter through before adding food?


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## Coreymacc (Apr 22, 2021)

I've never used the pitboss in an amazin tube, but I bought a few bags for my pellet grill when I first got it because they were cheap. Ended up returning them because they would make heat but no smoke.  Even on low smoke setting I was getting nothing. Maybe it's related? 

Corey


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## SmokinEdge (Apr 22, 2021)

I have burned a couple bags of PB pellets. They aren’t good pellets. Try some lumberjack, Bear Mountain, or GMG gold blend. Those are all very good pellets. And yes, it does make a difference.


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## JCAP (Apr 22, 2021)

Agreed. I don’t like PB pellets. I use Bear Mountain and it’s a huge difference.


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## SmokingUPnorth (Apr 22, 2021)

I’ll second the lumberjack pellets. But is it something that just recently started happening? Have you had good luck with this set up before or always had issues


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## Fueling Around (Apr 22, 2021)

Get a bag of Lumberjack hickory and try that in your tube.
Hickory is the most common smoke flavor in bacon 

I use a smoke tube in both the pellet pooper and kettle.
After trial and error, I figured out that it doesn't make much difference what pellets go in the pooper hopper for flavor. There isn't much specific flavor to appreciate.
I haven't tried PB pellets but have been told by many pellet heads to use other brands.
I get Lumberjack on sale for the same as PB


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## smokerjim (Apr 23, 2021)

I use pitboss all the time, no problems. Do you have your top vent wide open.


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## mike243 (Apr 23, 2021)

I have never worried about what color my smoke is, so far its been working for a lot of years, I get the smoke rolling and put the food on, aint nothing but wood in the wood or pellets, you either trust the wood or not, aint nothing changed in your pellets imo,


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## ks_wayward_son (Apr 23, 2021)

Guess I never gave it much of a thought.  My vent is pretty much crusted wide open, don't really fiddle with it much.   I had just read that if its not TBS, its not the right smoke (barely visible).  Billowy white bad, cuz not burning right.

Wondering if the PB has a bunch of fillers while the Lumberjack and others are proclaimed to be 100% hard wood in composition?  Like I said maybe Im  just being too nitpicky and just let the smoke roll.


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## tropics (Apr 23, 2021)

You may need to get more air under the tray. I used spring binder clips from staples






Some people drill holes and use screws to raise it up
Richie
I am using PB Apple mixed with there charcoal and have no problem.


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## Winterrider (Apr 23, 2021)

Do you have enough venting holes in mailbox to be burning clean or as 

 tropics
 mentioned elevate it. Lumberjack/Bear Mountain user here.


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## smokeymose (Apr 23, 2021)

I have a stand that the mailbox sits on to raise it a couple of inches and drilled my vent holes in the bottom and it works well.
I only use pellets with the amazen tube and get them from amazen. A 5# bag will last me a year or more!


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## smokerjim (Apr 23, 2021)

ks_wayward_son said:


> Guess I never gave it much of a thought.  My vent is pretty much crusted wide open, don't really fiddle with it much.   I had just read that if its not TBS, its not the right smoke (barely visible).  Billowy white bad, cuz not burning right.
> 
> Wondering if the PB has a bunch of fillers while the Lumberjack and others are proclaimed to be 100% hard wood in composition?  Like I said maybe Im  just being too nitpicky and just let the smoke roll.


As long as it's crusted open I wouldn't worry About it. Are you burning 1 or 2 rows at a time.


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## GaryHibbert (Apr 23, 2021)

ks_wayward_son said:


> How long do you let your pellets burn in your mailbox and filter through before adding food?


Actually, I put my food in the MES just after I light the pellets in my AMNPS.  Then I let the pellets burn for 8 to 10 mins and blow them out.  The AMNPS goes into the mailbox as soon as I blow out the flames.  Then I just stand there and wait to see some smoke coming out the MES exhaust.  I never get billowing white smoke.
Are you sure its smoke and not steam coming off the pellets??  Have you stuck your nose over the exhaust and smelled to check?  I keep my pellets in an air tight container to help keep them dry and nuke my pellets twice for 2 minutes each.
Gary


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## kilo charlie (Apr 23, 2021)

I've used Pit Boss pellets with outstanding success for several years now. What I have not done is turn them into dust then expect them to be useful. 

I would suggest buying dust if you want dust and pellets if you want pellets and don't expect one to replace the other.


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## ks_wayward_son (Apr 23, 2021)

I should mention that I don't have the tube smoker, but the actual maze that has three rows.  In my mailbox, I drilled two 1/8" or 3/16" holes on the side, and used steel rods as sort of a "platform" for the smoker to sit on.  Probably about 3 inches or so above the bottom of the mailbox.  

I have actually turned the PB pellets into dust by spraying a fine mist on them and waiting for them to break down and then sort of rubbing them between my hands and sifting them into a bowl.  I dry them out some more by putting them in the oven on low.  Gets a lot thinner smoke which I will use for cold smoking at times.  Seems alright.  

Maybe I should mention I have the Competition, Classic, and Apple blends, and storing them in big plastic tubs.  

I always smoke my stuff in the garage with main door half open to stay out of the elements.  Maybe being inside gives me a misconception about how much smoke is actually being released.  

When I cold smoke, I will run a really small fan to get some more oxygen in through the door,  otherwise it will burn out.   Try to burn 1 row at a time.  

If a lot of you guys are saying you are using Pitboss no problem, I'm sure they are fine.


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## RiversideSm0ker (Apr 23, 2021)

I have tried the hickory blend from Pit Boss to use in a smoke tube and they burn really well for me. It's actually thin blue smoke. Even more amazing is that I tried the oak hickory blend of the Expert Grill brand and they seem to impart an awesome flavor. Same thing with thin blue smoke. Those were only like $6 or $7 for a 20lb bag. I guess you just need to experiment and give a few brands a try. I'm nothing but satisfied with the Pit Boss pellets I have tried so far.

G


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## SmokinEdge (Apr 23, 2021)

ks_wayward_son said:


> Guess I never gave it much of a thought.  My vent is pretty much crusted wide open, don't really fiddle with it much.   I had just read that if its not TBS, its not the right smoke (barely visible).  Billowy white bad, cuz not burning right.
> 
> Wondering if the PB has a bunch of fillers while the Lumberjack and others are proclaimed to be 100% hard wood in composition?  Like I said maybe Im  just being too nitpicky and just let the smoke roll.


Most pellets like treager, Pit Boss the ones that are most available in super stores, are made mostly of alder wood with just a bit of the flavor wood listed on the bag. Alder is great for fish or even cheese, but way too light for most meats, but it’s cheap to produce and profitable to sell. 
Brands like Lumberjack, Bear Mountain, GMG Gold, Pellet Head, are 100% flavor wood. It is a big difference.


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## ks_wayward_son (Apr 24, 2021)

Sounds like I may have to try a bag of Lumberjack.  Every time I smoke some summer sausage or meat sticks and the like, I'm never hit with a good smoky note.  But I have done cheese several times, and there is a good flavor.  Like you said Edge, maybe PB for cheese, and Lumberjack would be for meats and such.  Just don't know what I will do with almost 3 whole bags of PB.

Checked Dick's website.  Theres about 12 different combinations of wood.  Always liked Hickory, but other ones sound good too.


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## Fueling Around (Apr 24, 2021)

ks_wayward_son said:


> ...
> Like you said Edge, maybe PB for cheese, and Lumberjack would be for meats and such.  Just don't know what I will do with almost 3 whole bags of PB.
> ...


Easy!  Get a pellet grill?


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## ks_wayward_son (May 1, 2021)

Good idea, Fueling!  Just gotta come up with more room of where to put it though.  I was talking about trying the Lumberjack pellets sometime, well lo and behold sometimes a problem just works itself out.   Recently a Bomgaars store opened up in our town and just checked it out today.  Lumberjack pellets were there for 12.99 for 20 pounds, but get this...9.00 on sale.  Got a bag of 100% Hickory and Cherry to try out.  Ka-ching.  They also sell Bear Mountain.  Man, life is good.


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## Fueling Around (May 1, 2021)

Great find!  
After trying a lot of brands, my preference is Lumberjack. 





ks_wayward_son said:


> ...
> Got a bag of 100% Hickory and Cherry to try out.  Ka-ching.  They also sell Bear Mountain.  Man, life is good.


I have to mix cherry with other pellets in the tube to keep it burning


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## ks_wayward_son (May 2, 2021)

ks_wayward_son said:


> but get this...9.00 on sale.


Scratch that.  Just looked at the ticket again.  They were only 7.00 for a 20 lb bag.  Man, they also had 100% Pecan, Char Hickory, some blends.  I think they go off sale today.  Its hard to not go and get more.


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## Briskets&Butts (May 8, 2021)

Just my two cents but if there is _any _chance moisture got into the bag, pellets can ruin and become sawdust then can harden back up and clog up your auger so be careful there because that can lead to a long (unfun) repair. I made similar mistake and got overzealous and bought a huge bag and this happened. Didn't realize but they got damp and cost me to repair it. Now only but the smaller bags and use a resealable plastic container with moisture control packets. 



ks_wayward_son said:


> I've been using Pit Boss pellets that I got from Wal Mart for a few years now.  Thats one thing...is Pit Boss junk?  I was all excited when I got my MES and Amazen smoker that I decided to buy a few ginormous (20 lb) bags.  Haven't gotten CLOSE to using them all.  I think they are going on 3 years, maybe 4.  Well, I follow the instructions and nuke either full pellets or dust in the microwave for a few minutes.  Light er up, and let it burn for a few.  Put it in my mailbox mod and get billowy white smoke it seems for some time.  Doesn't thin out.   I wonder if I got too much of a row burning at once?    Maybe I'm just being paranoid too and it is actually alright.
> 
> How long do you let your pellets burn in your mailbox and filter through before adding food?


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