# Are all pellets created equal?



## firemanjim

Do all pellets put off the same amount of ash are do some burn better than others? I got a free bag of the Lumbermans pellets with my Smoke Daddy hopper assembly so I gave them a try. After a 7 hour cook the burn pot was half full of ash. Is this the norm for all pellets?


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## themule69

Some burn better than others.

Happy smoken.

David


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## firemanjim

So anyone want to enlighten me on which ones burn the cleanest or you guys gonna make me figure it out on my own?


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## WaterinHoleBrew

Hey Jim, I've used BBQ'ers Delight & GMG at first.... Then I found Camp Chef & I've been using them ever since.  I've personally found that the Camp Chef burns just as efficient as the more expensive brands, but at $5 less a bag !  Been using the Camp Chef for little over a year...


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## seenred

Hi Jim...my experience has been that those Lumberjack pellets are great product.  They do produce a bit more ash than some other pellet brands, but I believe they burn more efficiently and produce a good smoke taste.  

My understanding of pellet manufacturing is certainly not expert level...you might PM Todd (TJohnson)...he knows more about pellet manufacturing than anyone on the forums that I know of, and he can provide you with more insight than I can.  However, it's my understanding that there are about 3 general levels of quality where cooking pellets are concerned:

Lowest quality would be pellets that use oil as the flavor agent.  These pellets are still all hardwood - a base of all oak or all alder, with flavored oils added to mimic the actual flavor wood.  This means that hickory or apple flavored pellets, for example, don't actually contain any hickory or apple wood, but instead are infused with hickory or apple flavored oil.
The next higher quality would be blended pellets.  These pellets use oak or alder as a base wood with a percentage of actual flavor wood blended together.  Typically, the ratio of base wood to flavor wood is around 66/33.  So a blended hickory pellet, for example, would be about 2/3 oak wood and 1/3 hickory wood.  I should add that I've burned more blended pellets than any other, with good results.
IMHO, the highest quality pellets would be 100% flavor wood pellets...example:  100% hickory pellets are just that...no other wood is present, but instead the pellet is manufactured from whole trees that are 100% of the flavor wood indicated.
Just to muddy the waters a bit more, there are apparently some pellet makers that use scrap wood and sawdust from manufacturing in their pellets.  This could be an issue for a couple of reasons...the most concerning of which could be if the scraps or sawdust came from, say, a furniture plant.  Who's to say if the scrap is pure hardwood, or might have a certain amount of trash, glues, resins, etc. in it?

Keep in mind that these are only my opinions and experiences...others may disagree.  Again, I'd suggest you ask Todd...he knows more about this than most.  I don't want to try to push one brand over any other, but a few that I've used with good results:

CookinPellets 100% Hickory

Lumberjack 100% Hickory

BBQr's Delight Hickory and/or Apple (blended pellets)

B & B Pellets - Hickory, Apple or Mesquite (blended pellets...actually rebranded BBQr Delight, sold by Academy Outdoors)

Hope that helps some and doesn't just confuse.  Here's a link to another thread on the subject of pellets that might be good reading for you:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/140632/affordable-cooking-pellets

Red


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## phrett

The best pellets, absolutely, are Cookingpellets.com.  Their 100% hickory are one pellet I can actually taste a difference with and the Perfect Mix is nearly as good.  Low ash and high heat/weight ratio make you use fewer pellets each cook and make cleanouts farther apart.


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## 63willys

I use pellets from Q-Pellets you can find them on the web, I have a Traeger smoker/grill use Traeger pelleted at first didn't really care for them asked around and everyone said use Q-Pellets very little clean up and I feel the temp is more consistant . Give them a try and let me know what you think....good smoking....Dan


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## westby

I'll just throw my 2 cents in and say that Lumberjack pellets have worked very well for me.  I've got OHC, MHC, and 100% Hickory (bought a ton a little over a month ago).  Been burning OHC mainly so far.  Bulk pricing is very good.  Pricey otherwise.


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## backyardsmokin

I have been running Bear Mountain and Green Mountain.  I have had very little ash with both and the perfect amount of smoke for my family.  

I have tried Traeger, but was unimpressed by them.  There are a few shops around me that swear by the Traeger pellets but when I go in there they tend to have lots of stock deeply discounted.


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## okie52

I switched from Traeger to BBQ delight pellets and found a much better smoke flavor in BBQ delilght.  BBQ delight is about 67% oak and 33% Hickory on the flavor wood.  Traeger's (west of the Mississippi) is 70% alder and 30% hickory (if that is the flavorwood you choose).  Then I started using B & B which, as Seen Red stated, was BBQ delight rebranded and sold at Academy.  It goes for about $12 for a 20lb bag.

Two days ago I stepped into a BBQ supply shop in OKC to buy an Amazn Tube and I was greeted with a wonderful hickory aroma.  I was told it was smokin brothers 100% hickory that was going for about $22 a bag.  I still haven't gotten that aroma out of my mind so I'm sure I will be buying some soon.


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## seenred

Okie52 said:


> I switched from Traeger to BBQ delight pellets and found a much better smoke flavor in BBQ delilght.  BBQ delight is about 67% oak and 33% Hickory on the flavor wood.  Traeger's (west of the Mississippi) is 70% alder and 30% hickory (if that is the flavorwood you choose).  Then I started using B & B which, as Seen Red stated, was BBQ delight rebranded and sold at Academy.  It goes for about $12 for a 20lb bag.
> 
> Two days ago I stepped into a BBQ supply shop in OKC to buy an Amazn Tube and I was greeted with a wonderful hickory aroma.  I was told it was smokin brothers 100% hickory that was going for about $22 a bag.  I still haven't gotten that aroma out of my mind so I'm sure I will be buying some soon.



Hey Okie....what's the name and location of that BBQ shop?  I'm in OKC from time to time, and I'm always looking for local pellet and supply dealers.

Red


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## okie52

SeenRed said:


> Hey Okie....what's the name and location of that BBQ shop?  I'm in OKC from time to time, and I'm always looking for local pellet and supply dealers.
> 
> Red



Seen Red-Everything BBQ.  They're at May and memorial across from Barnes and noble. 

Just bought a bag of 100% hickory yesterday and I'm anxious to give it a try.


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## 63willys

I've been using pellets from Q-Pellets and love them you get even heat with them and they come in 30lb bags they are a much better product than Traeger pellets , look them up on the web Q-Pellets.com


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## seenred

Okie52 said:


> Seen Red-Everything BBQ.  They're at May and memorial across from Barnes and noble.
> 
> Just bought a bag of 100% hickory yesterday and I'm anxious to give it a try.



Ok I know where they are I've been in there one time...they carry a full line of Yoders...first time I got the chance to see a YS640 up close and in person.

Red


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## cueinco

Another happy Cookingpellets.com customer here. I use the Perfect Mix and the 100% Hickory. My only complaint is that the shipping cost is almost the same as the cost of the pellets. 

As to SeenRed's description above, some folks have said that the Traeger pellets use alder with added oil to flavor one way or the other. I asked a sales guy at Costco who was hustling Traeger grills and he claimed that they were all natural. Have no idea who's right but I've chosen not use the Traeger ones even though I have two 20 pound bags sitting in my basement. It would be nice to get a definitive answer on how they're made.


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## okie52

Traegers pellets do use a 70% alder 30% flavor wood blend west of the Mississippi which is why the pellets smoke/flavor is not very strong.


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## okie52

SeenRed said:


> Ok I know where they are I've been in there one time...they carry a full line of Yoders...first time I got the chance to see a YS640 up close and in person.
> 
> Red



The yoders are nice.

They've got some nice products at everything bbq...not the cheapest prices but a nice product/display area.


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## tjohnson

*IMHO:*

I think BBQ Pellets are the closest guarded secret in the BBQ Industry

Are they Alder base or Oak Base?

Are they Hardwood or 100% Natural Wood?

Are Alder Pellets that are marked "100% Hardwood" really "Hardwood"

If Apple is added, are they still "Hardwood Pellets"

How about the words "All Natural"?????

Does this infer that some wood is not natural?

It's a play on words......

It truly amazes me that the industry can't be more transparent and list what's actually in the bag

Some producers use whole trees and others use waste wood from sawmills, cabinet, trim & furniture factories and even a hammer handle factory.

Do these make bad pellets?

The simple answer is "Not Necessarily"

How pellets are produced and what type of equipment is just as important as the type of wood fiber used

A poorly compacted pellet will fall apart in the auger, and produce lower BTU's in the firepot

A pellet high in bark will produce more ash

What is "Food Grade Pellet"?

There's a huge debate on whether a pellet is "Food Grade"

The fact that the U.S. Government has NEVER regulated the industry and NEVER established a definition for "Food Grade Pellet", leads me to believe there really is not a "Food Grade Pellet".  Pellets can be processed on machinery that uses "Food Grade Oil" to lubricate the dies, but does this give them the designation of "Food Grade Pellet"?  I would think the USDA or FDA would have to inspect the equipment for food safety, but I may be wrong.

*IMHO*: This is a marketing term used to infer the product is safe, but by whom?

Is there oil in Pellets?

Most pellets are produced with some sort of oil to lubricate the dies during the process.  A producer could use a "Food Grade Oil" such as corn oil or vegetable oil to lubricate the dies during the pellet making process.  Is the waste oil from McDonalds "Food Grade Oil"?.....Sure Is!

Are Traeger Pellets really made with flavored oils?

Traeger holds patents for adding flavored oils to sawdust, in-order to create a flavored pellet.  I cannot tell you if flavored oils are actually used in Traeger pellets, but I could see "Onion Oil" or "Garlic Oil" being used to create some of their flavored pellets.  Oil if far more expensive than the cost of waste wood that is used in most wood pellets

Conclusion:

I source, sell and use pellets from a number of different pellet producers all over the U.S.

Some produce more ash

Some produce higher BTU's

Some are are more expensive than others

Some have a higher moisture content

Some are hardwood

Some are fruitwood

Find a pellet that works for you and stick with it

Get better at cooking with the pellets you own

Constantly changing pellets increases the variables during cooking

Clean out your firepot every other smoke

Finally....

I invented the Tube Smoker so a customer could use good quality flavored pellets in the Tube for producing smoke, and less expensive pellets in the hopper for BTU's.

Example:

Smoking Pork Butt - Use 100% hickory in the Tube Smoker and a cheaper blended pellet in the hopper

Smoking Chicken - Use 100% Cherry in the Tube Smoker and a cheaper blended pellet in the hopper


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## okie52

I'm glad you posted about why you created your tube smoker Because that is exactly how I'm using it. 

I had been using bbq delight $20 per 20lb bag) and then found the rebranded version at academy as B & B pellets which sell for about $12 per 20 lb bag. I was happy with the pellet and the price.

But then I found your tube smoker and wanted to use100% hickory from smokin brothers because it had such an outstanding aroma...but it is also $23 for a 20lb bag.

So it's a no brainer to me to use b&B as fuel pellets and smokin brothers in the tube.

I'd also like to compliment you on how well your 18" tube smoker has worked for me.  I already had a big kahuna smoke generator on my traeger and it put out plenty of intense smoke but it also needed tending every 30minutes to an hour.  And then there was the cleaning.  I'm still happy to have the big kahuna attached to my smoker but for my go to smoke generator it's the Amazn tube.  It puts out plenty of smoke, uses pellets, and has virtually no cleanup. I'm very happy with it.


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## tjohnson

Okie52 said:


> I'm glad you posted about why you created your tube smoker Because that is exactly how I'm using it.
> 
> I had been using bbq delight $20 per 20lb bag) and then found the rebranded version at academy as B & B pellets which sell for about $12 per 20 lb bag. I was happy with the pellet and the price.
> 
> But then I found your tube smoker and wanted to use100% hickory from smokin brothers because it had such an outstanding aroma...but it is also $23 for a 20lb bag.
> 
> So it's a no brainer to me to use b&B as fuel pellets and smokin brothers in the tube.
> 
> I'd also like to compliment you on how well your 18" tube smoker has worked for me. I already had a big kahuna smoke generator on my traeger and it put out plenty of intense smoke but it also needed tending every 30minutes to an hour. And then there was the cleaning. I'm still happy to have the big kahuna attached to my smoker but for my go to smoke generator it's the Amazn tube. It puts out plenty of smoke, uses pellets, and has virtually no cleanup. I'm very happy with it.


*Ding....Ding.....Ding!!!!*

*We Have a Winner!*

*You totally "Get It!"*

*When your pellet grill gets to temp, it's just not producing much smoke.  The pellets are burning more efficiently, in-order to produce higher BTU's, so they produce less smoke.  Let the pellets in the hopper produce heat, and the Tube produce smoke.  Best of both worlds!*

*An Oak Based pellet like BBQrs Delight actually produce pretty darn good smoke in the Tube Smoker.  It may not be as strong as Hickory, but oak still has a good flavor.*


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## okie52

TJohnson said:


> *Ding....Ding.....Ding!!!!*
> *We Have a Winner!*
> *You totally "Get It!"*
> 
> *When your pellet grill gets to temp, it's just not producing much smoke.  The pellets are burning more efficiently, in-order to produce higher BTU's, so they produce less smoke.  Let the pellets in the hopper produce heat, and the Tube produce smoke.  Best of both worlds!*
> 
> *An Oak Based pellet like BBQrs Delight actually produce pretty darn good smoke in the Tube Smoker.  It may not be as strong as Hickory, but oak still has a good flavor.*




I was very pleased with BBQ delight and B & B pellets.  Good smoke flavor and low ash output.  And for $12 a 20lb bag on B & B pellets it's a great deal.  I like oak as a base wood much better than alder and I also think it's a good flavor wood too.

I have a PID on my traeger so it is very efficient and doesn't produce enough smoke for my tastes...hence the Amazn tube and 100% flavor wood like hickory, cherry or mesquite.


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## welshrarebit

CueInCO said:


> Another happy Cookingpellets.com customer here. I use the Perfect Mix and the 100% Hickory. My only complaint is that the shipping cost is almost the same as the cost of the pellets.
> 
> As to SeenRed's description above, some folks have said that the Traeger pellets use alder with added oil to flavor one way or the other. I asked a sales guy at Costco who was hustling Traeger grills and he claimed that they were all natural. Have no idea who's right but I've chosen not use the Traeger ones even though I have two 20 pound bags sitting in my basement. It would be nice to get a definitive answer on how they're made.






Okie52 said:


> Traegers pellets do use a 70% alder 30% flavor wood blend west of the Mississippi which is why the pellets smoke/flavor is not very strong.



Yes traeger is "all natural" wood its just not the wood they say it is? Most of their blends are 70% alder and 30% flavor wood (west of the Mississippi) with the exceptions of hickory and mesquite which are 100% alder with some flavor wood oil added!

I bought 60 lbs of traeger "hickory" pellets when my local Costco had them on sale for under $10! I figure that I usually use them to smoke fish at home and alder goes great with fish...


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## gary s

I just learned a lot about pellets 

Gary


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## okie52

Welshrarebit said:


> Yes traeger is "all natural" wood its just not the wood they say it is? Most of their blends are 70% alder and 30% flavor wood (west of the Mississippi) with the exceptions of hickory and mesquite which are 100% alder with some flavor wood oil added!
> 
> I bought 60 lbs of traeger "hickory" pellets when my local Costco had them on sale for under $10! I figure that I usually use them to smoke fish at home and alder goes great with fish...



$10 a bag is a pretty good price even if you just use it for fuel.

Kind of makes me laugh when traeger insists that you use only traeger pellets or you'll void your warranty.


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## backyardsmokin

After a year of smoking I finally cleaned the inside of my smoker (I know I am horrible), and there was about 5 to 6 cups worth of ash in the smoker.  This was with running only Bear Mountain pellets, but I did have it up to 425 a few times to do pizzas.


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## mrshep70

I don't want to ask a stupid question, but here it is: Where do you place the tube smoker during the cook? I like the idea of using cheaper pellets for fuel and heat, and better pellets in your tube smoker for flavor. I'm new to pellet smokers and I just purchased a Camp Chef PG24LS and I'm looking forward to eating some of my mistakes along the way.


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## seenred

Mrshep70 said:


> I don't want to ask a stupid question, but here it is: Where do you place the tube smoker during the cook? I like the idea of using cheaper pellets for fuel and heat, and better pellets in your tube smoker for flavor. I'm new to pellet smokers and I just purchased a Camp Chef PG24LS and I'm looking forward to eating some of my mistakes along the way.



Not a stupid question at all...I place the tube across the grates along the back of the smoker, opposite the exhaust stack.  Every pellet cooker is a little different, so play with it to decide where is best for your rig.  Just don't put it too close to the RTD probe...the heat from the tube could mess with the PID's temp reading

Red


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## tjohnson

Red's Got You Covered


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## mrshep70

Thanks Red and TJohnson. I've never used a pellet smoker before and I'm sure I will have lots of questions. I'm hoping that the smoker I bought is a fairly descent one. Does anyone on this thread have an opinion on a Camp Chef PG24LS? It lists for $660, but I found one for $379, so I thought it would be a good place to start.


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## tjohnson

I know a few guys who own them and have no issues.  

Enjoy!


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## wade

I am about to buy a Fast Eddy FEC120 but whilst ordering it last week I picked up a Green Mountain Grills "Davy Crockett" and have been playing with it over the weekend. I have written a short post on it here. This was my first play with a pure pellet smoker and I am now hooked. If you are looking at the Camp Chef then the Davy Crockett will be too small for you, however I know someone with the larger "Daniel Boone" model and they are really pleased with that too.

If the pellet burners are similar in the Camp Chef then you will not need any additional smoke. I smoked a pork shoulder and 4 racks of ribs over the weekend and there was plenty of smoke without needing an additional smoke generator. The thing I liked most about the Davy Crockett was that it was WiFi connected - and how easy it was to control it from my mobile phone/tablet. You can set the temperature you need remotely and then walk away and forget about it (though a stir of the pellets in the hopper every couple of hours is recommended to keep them moving). Below is the temperature log from over the weekend. The top (lighter) line shows just how steady the cooking temperature remained over the 11 hour cook (from position "3")













Temperature Profile 2.JPG



__ wade
__ May 4, 2015






The cost of cooking was great too - about 59p per hour.


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## Chuck Willis

I'm Presley using lumberjack smoking pellets and I use predominantly Hickory and Mesquite 100% on each one but I found that smoking brothers has a much better flavor than Lumberjack does, of course the price of Smokin Brothers is little higher than Lumberjack but its flavor is a lot better, you can surely taste the difference and I do a lot of briskets babybacks St Louis ribs chicken turkey.


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## wingrider

Todd - Sure appreciate both of your posts here. I've only had a MES 30 for many years, and produced some good stuff I think. I long ago got your regular A-maze-n and pretty much used it exclusively. A couple of years ago I move it from the MES into a mailbox feeding into the MES and that's my rig. Mounted a computer fan onto the door of the mailbox to provide more air if I needed it.

Now I'm about to embark on the next chapter of my smoking career - I just placed an order for a Camp Chef Woodwind with the sear station. Needless to say I'm excited for it to come in. I understand the point of getting more smoke out of lower temperatures. Guess my initial thoughts have been that I'd probably use the "Low Smoke" setting the most. Of course that could all go out the window when I actually get the grill. Who knows.

Where I'm headed with all this is: Was given one of your tubes a couple of years ago that you had gifted to the NC SMF annual get together. Thank you so much. I must admit, however, that I haven't ended up using it all that often, and for pretty much the reason that with my current setup it seemed to just use up pellets so much faster, and you couldn't really stop it if you reached temperature prior to using up all the pellets. (I can take a knife and separate the pellets in the "channel" pellet rig if that happens.)

So I'm getting the Woodwind hoping to: 1) Get a smoke ring after all these years. Pure aesthetics, I know. 2) Hopefully get a more intense smoke flavor into a pork loin. 3) Not risk so much running out of pellets in longer smokes, i.e., not have to pay as much attention to it. But if I then use the tube, in say a 15 hour plus smoke, wouldn't I have to be loading it all the time, and going through a good bit of pellets using the tube?


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## bregent

Congrats on the new Woodwind, have fun with it:

1) Get a smoke ring after all these years. Pure aesthetics, I know. 

Sure it's only aesthetics, but we eat first with our eyes.  Good smoke ring is rarely a problem with pellet grills.


2) Hopefully get a more intense smoke flavor into a pork loin. 

Not sure if you're aware, but pellet grills have a reputation for creating food with an extremely light smoke profile. The smoke flavor is nice, but it can be so light that some folks cant detect any. Smoking low (180-200) for a few hours will help, as will burning a strong flavored wood like 100% hickory pellet. Many folks add supplemental smoking devices like tubes. 

3) Not risk so much running out of pellets in longer smokes, i.e., not have to pay as much attention to it. But if I then use the tube, in say a 15 hour plus smoke, wouldn't I have to be loading it all the time, and going through a good bit of pellets using the tube?

The tube supplies supplemental smoke flavor.  One tube is probably enough for most smokes but you may want to reload it once. I wouldn't worry about how many pellets you burn up in the tube - it's a drop in the bucket compared to what the grill will use. Depending on the grill, set point, and ambient temps, you could burn 1/2 - 2 lbs an hour.


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## WaydeG

wingrider said:


> Todd - Sure appreciate both of your posts here. I've only had a MES 30 for many years, and produced some good stuff I think. I long ago got your regular A-maze-n and pretty much used it exclusively. A couple of years ago I move it from the MES into a mailbox feeding into the MES and that's my rig. Mounted a computer fan onto the door of the mailbox to provide more air if I needed it.
> 
> Now I'm about to embark on the next chapter of my smoking career - I just placed an order for a Camp Chef Woodwind with the sear station. Needless to say I'm excited for it to come in. I understand the point of getting more smoke out of lower temperatures. Guess my initial thoughts have been that I'd probably use the "Low Smoke" setting the most. Of course that could all go out the window when I actually get the grill. Who knows.
> 
> Where I'm headed with all this is: Was given one of your tubes a couple of years ago that you had gifted to the NC SMF annual get together. Thank you so much. I must admit, however, that I haven't ended up using it all that often, and for pretty much the reason that with my current setup it seemed to just use up pellets so much faster, and you couldn't really stop it if you reached temperature prior to using up all the pellets. (I can take a knife and separate the pellets in the "channel" pellet rig if that happens.)
> 
> So I'm getting the Woodwind hoping to: 1) Get a smoke ring after all these years. Pure aesthetics, I know. 2) Hopefully get a more intense smoke flavor into a pork loin. 3) Not risk so much running out of pellets in longer smokes, i.e., not have to pay as much attention to it. But if I then use the tube, in say a 15 hour plus smoke, wouldn't I have to be loading it all the time, and going through a good bit of pellets using the tube?



As a four year Camp Chef PG 24DLX owner, it’s been rock solid dependable. It’s given me lots of great brisket, chicken, fish, etc. etc. as far as pellets are concerned, I’ve not noticed a marked difference in any of them. My only complaint on the CC was the lack of bark. And I admit it could be user error on my part. I started with the Perfect Mix but the cost went up 25% at Amazon. Yesterday, I picked up a new WiFi GMG Daniel Boone and the owner talked me into a 20# bag of Lumberjack 100% mesquite pellets. So we’ll see. The DB is supposed to produce better smoke and if I add the smoke tube, I have high expectations.


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## schlotz

In the end you are looking for a low ash pellet that provides the smoke flavor and amount that meets your taste.  BBQr's Delight has been the best choice for me as it fits both those requirements.  Mainly smoke with hickory and get great flavor.  If more is needed (rare occasion) I'll add a tray or tube with either hickory or mesquite pellets. YMMV


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## sandyut

phrett said:


> The best pellets, absolutely, are Cookingpellets.com.  Their 100% hickory are one pellet I can actually taste a difference with and the Perfect Mix is nearly as good.  Low ash and high heat/weight ratio make you use fewer pellets each cook and make cleanouts farther apart.



I agree with cookingpellets.com.  got a few bags of the perfect mix with my rec tec.  It would be difficult to change.  Burn good taste good.  their website says there is a local retailer around where I live.  I need to call them.  But I am kinda lazy and like delivery service too...so we will see.


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## sandyut

so i called them...  same price as delivery.  that's just ridiculous why waste the gas and time.  they must not have heard of the internet.


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## mike243

Spritzing with apple juice or any thing wet will help with the smoke profile imo ymmv


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## Eric Hammer

cookingpellets.com is my choice...


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## texomakid

I too use Cookingpellets but this weekend I tried the Apple Mash and I'll tell ya I was disappointed with the lack of smoke in general and little to no smoke flavor. I've also tried the Black Cherry and that's a very unique smoke but I got smoke from them and I got a light smoke flavor. As most know that use Cookingpellets the Hickory & the Perfect Mix are great pellets. I love the aroma of the Perfect mix in my cooker.

My next brand to try will be Lumberjack but I've still got a lot of cooking pellets left to burn since I bought the 15 sack discounted offer. Still have a bag of Sweet Maple I haven't tried yet. They're next in the hopper!


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## dubob

Brand new here today.  Just got a Camp Chef Woodwind SG w/ Sear Box 10 days ago and have used it twice.  Plan to do my first baby back ribs this weekend.  Which brings me to pellets.  There are several brands out there in the local stores and I checked prices at several.  Most are in the $15 to $20 range for 20 lb bags locally and about the same through Amazon Prime.  However, I found Pit Boss pellets at my local Wally World at $8.88 per 20 lb bag.  I saw this thread and read through it and there are several brands mentioned, but nothing at all about Pit Boss.  So whats the story with Pit Boss?  At that price, why would I want to buy any other brand?  What say all y'all?


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## mike243

They are ok,burnt a bag when I bought my PB, I'd go for hickory, I don't think there are any bad pellets even though I shy away from the ones that add oils to get flavored pellets. The pit boss competition is pretty decent too ,everybody's tastes are different so don't take every thing to heart what you read about pellets or pellet smokers,try them all and decide what flavors you like the best


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## Bigtank

All pellets are not created equal.  My favorite is Smoke Ring pellets they are 100% of the wood they say the are. No Fillers!


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## retfr8flyr

I have been very happy with LumberJack Pellets and don't plan to try any others.


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## sweetride95

retfr8flyr said:


> I have been very happy with LumberJack Pellets and don't plan to try any others.


My local Rural King has Lumber Jack back in stock for $9.99/20#. Great pellets for a great price.
I might have to Amazon a bag of the char hickory pellets though.


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## dubob

Bigtank said:


> All pellets are not created equal.  My favorite is Smoke Ring pellets they are 100% of the wood they say the are. No Fillers!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> View attachment 389336


Unfortunately, nearest dealer (only dealer in Utah) is 40 miles away.


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## dubob

sweetride95 said:


> My local Rural King has Lumber Jack back in stock for $9.99/20#. Great pellets for a great price.
> I might have to Amazon a bag of the char hickory pellets though.


There are several businesses listed within 20 miles of my home for this product.  None are big box stores and none are open just yet.  Will call a couple next hour after they open for prices.  The LJ website indicates that they also do not use fillers in the Competition Blend; just 100% Hickory, Maple, and Cherry - split 1/3 for each.  I may have to at least try one bag of the Competition Blend.  All the reviews I've read are positive with this brand.


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## daveomak

These are heating pellets.....  North Idaho Premium...


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## dubob

daveomak said:


> These are heating pellets.....  North Idaho Premium...
> 
> View attachment 389418
> View attachment 389419
> View attachment 389420


??? Sorry Sir (and no disrespect intended), but I don't see the relevance of a heating stove/furnace pellet on a pellet grill cooking thread.  Did I miss something?


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## dubob

Just called one of my local vendors for LJ pellets and they have the Competition Blend in stock at $12.99 for 20#.


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## retfr8flyr

*


dubob said:



There are several businesses listed within 20 miles of my home for this product.  None are big box stores and none are open just yet.  Will call a couple next hour after they open for prices.  The LJ website indicates that they also do not use fillers in the Competition Blend; just 100% Hickory, Maple, and Cherry - split 1/3 for each.  I may have to at least try one bag of the Competition Blend.  All the reviews I've read are positive with this brand.

Click to expand...

My favorites are the Comp blend and 100% Hickory. I also like a blend of 50/50 Hickory and Cheery that I made. I haven't tried the Mesquite yet but have read good things about it. 
*


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## daveomak

dubob said:


> ??? Sorry Sir (and no disrespect intended), but I don't see the relevance of a heating stove/furnace pellet on a pellet grill cooking thread.  Did I miss something?



Some folks use heating pellets to cook with on their pellet grills..


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## dubob

daveomak said:


> Some folks use heating pellets to cook with on their pellet grills..


Being new to the pellet grill fraternity, that would never have occurred to me.  I don't know anything about those pellets, but would assume they are made to produce heat and not smoke.  I know a few people that use pellet heating devices and they don't smoke much at all.  Thank you for the clarification.


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## WaterRat

dubob said:


> Brand new here today.  Just got a Camp Chef Woodwind SG w/ Sear Box 10 days ago and have used it twice.  Plan to do my first baby back ribs this weekend.  Which brings me to pellets.  There are several brands out there in the local stores and I checked prices at several.  Most are in the $15 to $20 range for 20 lb bags locally and about the same through Amazon Prime.  However, I found Pit Boss pellets at my local Wally World at $8.88 per 20 lb bag.  I saw this thread and read through it and there are several brands mentioned, but nothing at all about Pit Boss.  So whats the story with Pit Boss?  At that price, why would I want to buy any other brand?  What say all y'all?



I use the Pit Boss pellets all the time as I can get them locally at WallyWorld or Lowes in #40 bags. The competition blend is Hickory/maple/cherry. I find minimal dust in the bags and the ash in the cup after a cook seems very reasonable. The flavor is mild as you would expect from that mix. I'd like to try the LJ but can't get them locally.


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## bregent

dubob said:


> I don't know anything about those pellets, but would assume they are made to produce heat and not smoke. I know a few people that use pellet heating devices and they don't smoke much at all. Thank you for the clarification.



BBQ pellets and heating pellets are virtually identical, it all depends on what woods are used. Wood stoves don't produce much smoke because that's how they are designed, not because of the pellets.


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## schlotz

Isn't there a concern for what type of wood and how its processed for stoves vs food smokers? Thought I read somewhere that the requirements for stoves is not that restrictive, i.e. maybe pressure treated lumber scraps etc...


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## Rmartinez2

dubob said:


> Brand new here today.  Just got a Camp Chef Woodwind SG w/ Sear Box 10 days ago and have used it twice.  Plan to do my first baby back ribs this weekend.  Which brings me to pellets.  There are several brands out there in the local stores and I checked prices at several.  Most are in the $15 to $20 range for 20 lb bags locally and about the same through Amazon Prime.  However, I found Pit Boss pellets at my local Wally World at $8.88 per 20 lb bag.  I saw this thread and read through it and there are several brands mentioned, but nothing at all about Pit Boss.  So whats the story with Pit Boss?  At that price, why would I want to buy any other brand?  What say all y'all?



So far all i've used is pit boss branded pellets mainly because i have a pitboss grill and that was all that was at lowes. I also went to walmart and saw the $8.88 so picked up a fruit blend and some hickory. I seem to get a very decent amount of smoke flavor thus far on all 3 (competition blend, hickory and fruit blend). I will say though that in looking at the label you will see that it says that the pellets may not be 100% of what its branded as. I think its worded to some effect of they are processed in the same plant as other pellets and therefore may contain other woods. I do think however they are 100% wood meaning no glue or anything like that from what i could tell.


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## WaterRat

Rmartinez2 said:


> I will say though that in looking at the label you will see that it says that the pellets may not be 100% of what its branded as. I think its worded to some effect of they are processed in the same plant as other pellets and therefore may contain other woods. I do think however they are 100% wood meaning no glue or anything like that from what i could tell.



All their pellets are a blend of wood. Usually maple or alder is used as the mild/neutral wood with the apple/cherry/hickory, etc. as the "flavor" component. They used to show the blends on their website but it looks like that page is being redone right now. So no, their apple pellets are not 100% apple wood but they are 100% good hardwood. Lots of the pellet companies do his but some don't.


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## retfr8flyr

Delete


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## retfr8flyr

WaterRat said:


> I use the Pit Boss pellets all the time as I can get them locally at WallyWorld or Lowes in #40 bags. The competition blend is Hickory/maple/cherry. I find minimal dust in the bags and the ash in the cup after a cook seems very reasonable. The flavor is mild as you would expect from that mix. I'd like to try the LJ but can't get them locally.



Is there a Dicks Sporting goods anywhere near you, they carry them? I actually watch the Dicks sales and order online. I last ordered a bunch, as they had 20% off and free shipping, so it will be a month, or so, until I order again. I may just get a bulk order this time, from one of the online suppliers, as I am really sold on Lumber Jack pellets.


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## WaterRat

retfr8flyr said:


> Is there a Dicks Sporting goods anywhere near you, they carry them? I actually watch the Dicks sales and order online. I last ordered a bunch, as they had 20% off and free shipping, so it will be a month, or so, until I order again. I may just get a bulk order this time, from one of the online suppliers, as I am really sold on Lumber Jack pellets.



There is. I don't do business with Dick's.


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## daveomak

bregent said:


> BBQ pellets and heating pellets are virtually identical, it all depends on what woods are used. Wood stoves don't produce much smoke because that's how they are designed, not because of the pellets.



Why would a pellet manufacturer put this label on their pellets if they are "virtually identical' ??? And how do you know they are "virtually identical" ???


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## dubob

I now have 4 bags (20lb) of the Lumber Jack Comp Blend.  I found a local Traeger dealer who also sells the LJ brand.  The sales clerk said the LJ Comp Blend is all he uses in his Traeger.  Good enough for me.  Oh, the price isn't bad either - $12.99/bag.  Life is good!


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## Bigtank

dubob said:


> Unfortunately, nearest dealer (only dealer in Utah) is 40 miles away.


I drive that far too, i try to buy 4 or 5 bags at a time.


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## sweetride95

I would NOT be cooking with generic heating pellets.


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## gmc2003

I can't comment on the actual wood content between cooking pellets and heating pellets, but I can say from personal experience that the length of the actual heating pellet varys enormously. I've had heating pellets drop out of the bag longer then an inch. Also I've seen different color pellets in the same bag of heating pellets. Quality control isn't as big an issue when using pellets for heating purposes. 

Chris


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## WaydeG

I guess I don’t understand why one would spend $30-$40 on a brisket and try to find cheap pellets. I’ve been through them all as I’m a skeptic. I’ve settled on Lumber Jack as the best option. 50/50 pecan and cherry for brisket, 70/30 apple and cherry for pork. Hickory for chicken. Fish? Meh. They all seem good. I cook on both a Camp Chef DLX and a GMG Jim Bowie WiFi. I even throw pellets on my Pit Barrel Cooker with good results.


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## Bigtank

WaydeG said:


> I guess I don’t understand why one would spend $30-$40 on a brisket and try to find cheap pellets. I’ve been through them all as I’m a skeptic. I’ve settled on Lumber Jack as the best option. 50/50 pecan and cherry for brisket, 70/30 apple and cherry for pork. Hickory for chicken. Fish? Meh. They all seem good. I cook on both a Camp Chef DLX and a GMG Jim Bowie WiFi. I even throw pellets on my Pit Barrel Cooker with good results.



I aggree that's why I use Smoke Ring very low dust.  My favorite is *MBC* _Maple/Beech/Cherry_ A mild blend that combines three sweet woods giving an amazing flavor to anything you cook. Goes well with everything. If I can't find Smoke Ring pellets my 2nd choice is Lumber Jack and in a pinch I will use traeger


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## bregent

daveomak said:


> Why would a pellet manufacturer put this label on their pellets if they are "virtually identical' ??? And how do you know they are "virtually identical" ???



First of all, my comment was directed to someone questioning if heating pellets would put out enough smoke. To clarify my answer, there is no special process that creates more smoke for BBQ pellets. They are created virtually the same way.

I'm not sure what you intended by posting that label. All it is saying is that you should not eat wood pellets, and should only burn them in appliances designed to burn wood pellets.

I certainly wouldn't use random heating pellets in my grill. But I've seen emails from MFG's of heating pellets that state their pellets are made from 100% hardwood and are perfectly safe to use in pellet smokers. We have no source of hardwood heating pellets in Cal. but if I did, I would contact the mfg and speak to them about it. I know several folks in the midwest who have and done that and get great results.


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## mike243

Tried the LJ Char/Hickory last nite on some 1.5" pork chops and wow talk about smoke , I was pleased with the 1 hr cook for taste. Will find something to throw on it for tomorrow maybe for another short cook for some more testing. Ran it up to 500 just to see if it could get there and it did with a lot of smoke the whole time,might have found a new favorite for the short weeknight supper cooks lol


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## sweetride95

mike243 said:


> Tried the LJ Char/Hickory last nite on some 1.5" pork chops and wow talk about smoke , I was pleased with the 1 hr cook for taste. Will find something to throw on it for tomorrow maybe for another short cook for some more testing. Ran it up to 500 just to see if it could get there and it did with a lot of smoke the whole time,might have found a new favorite for the short weeknight supper cooks lol



That's great to hear. I have a bag of char/hickory I haven't had a chance to try yet. I'm still sorting out cooking on these pellet grills, I have been a little nervous about overdoing the smoke. I had had great success with LJ cherry and competition blend pellets. Once the weather finally breaks I hope to get some longer cooks in, play the spectrum of pellets LJ offers.


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## dubob

I have a 2# brisket flat in the CC right now and I'm using the LJ MHC Blend.  Just pulled and wrapped in foil about 40 minutes ago after almost 3 hours.  The IT was at 164F.  Started at High Smoke (220F) and just bumped it up to 225F.  Don't know if that will bring the IT all the way up to 200F - 204F range but will check it in a couple hours to see where its at.  If not at or near 200F after 4 hours, I'll bump it up to 250F.  This is my very first brisket ever and I have my fingers crossed it turns out to be eatable.  My 3-2-1 baby backs turned out perfect (except the CC sauce recipe sucked - for us) last week and the  sirloin & chuck eye steaks I've done were near perfect also.  So there is hope for the brisket.  Stay tuned.


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## schlotz

Done briskets are by feel vs temp.  You use a probe looking for little to no resistance.  Good luck!


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## dubob

Damn!  Went to the store and was gone about an hour.  When I left the IT was 174F.  When I returned it was 211F.  Damn; hope it isn't a total loss.  The probe test shows little resistane when pushing the probe into the meat.  I immediately remove it from the grill and wrapped in a heavy towel and put it in a cooler.  I plan to let it rest there for at least 4 - if not 5 - hours.  Still have at least 2 1/2 hours to go.  It must have heated real fast because it is only a 2 LB flat.  Should have set the grill at 200F instead of 225F.  Live and learn.


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## mike243

I eat most of my mistakes and find that they still taste good lol


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## dubob

In case you missed it, I finished this account in another thread.


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## rmitch2448

firemanjim said:


> Do all pellets put off the same amount of ash are do some burn better than others? I got a free bag of the Lumbermans pellets with my Smoke Daddy hopper assembly so I gave them a try. After a 7 hour cook the burn pot was half full of ash. Is this the norm for all pellets?


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## rmitch2448

Just purchased a GMG Jim Bowie. Now that I broke my bank to get the smoker I am forced to search out good cheap pellets to start with.  Best deal I can find so far is the Pit Boss pellets $20/ 40#s and GMG pellets $13/ 28#s.  Anyone have any thoughts on the Green Mountain pellets?


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## texomakid

I'm planning to try several more brands & woods that are on the pellet market but one I've ran across that is unique is the CookingPellets Black Cherry. If you get a chance to try this pellet I recommend it. Their Hickory & Perfect mix are my 2 go to pellets but I bought a bag of these and I like them. Still looking forward to trying Lumberjack pellets as well. I look for 100% of the wood they advertise. I don't want fillers.


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