# Substitute For Camp Chef Pellets



## pugsbrew (Feb 4, 2018)

This has probably been covered a thousand times, but what substitute pellets are being used, and working, on the Camp Chef pellet grills?  

The almost $20 a bag for their pellets, depending on where you find them, isn't hacking it.  

What are you guys using in these grills?

Thanks,
Mark


----------



## weev (Feb 4, 2018)

I have used a few bags of pit boss pellets  they are 20$ for a 40#bag at Menards but seem to work real well


----------



## markh024 (Feb 4, 2018)

I started with Traeger and disliked those due to lots of dust and weak flavor. Currently working on a bag of PB competition blend. They're not bad for the price. I think ill cycle through a few brands before i settle on 1 or 2 brands.  I'm running a Camp Chef Smokepro STX.


----------



## WhoDak (Feb 4, 2018)

My go to pellets are cookn pellets 100% hickory or perfect blend, but they can be on the higher priced side $30 / 40lb bag).  Have tried pit boss ($20 / 40lb bag) and flavor was good, but lots of dust in the bag (ordered on line with shipping)...if I can find the pit boss at local retailer I will give them another shot.


----------



## PerazziMx14 (Feb 5, 2018)

Please delete


----------



## BandCollector (Feb 5, 2018)

PerazziMx14 said:


> WalMart has them online pretty reasonably prices.



What brand does Wasmart have?


----------



## PerazziMx14 (Feb 5, 2018)

Please delete


----------



## BandCollector (Feb 5, 2018)

Thanks PerazziMx14



pugsbrew said:


> This has probably been covered a thousand times, but what substitute pellets are being used, and working, on the Camp Chef pellet grills?
> 
> The almost $20 a bag for their pellets, depending on where you find them, isn't hacking it.
> 
> ...



Mark,

Are you opposed only with the  price of the pellets or are you displeased with the Camp Chef Pellet's performance as well?

John


----------



## markh024 (Feb 5, 2018)

Mark,

Are you opposed only with the  price of the pellets or are you displeased with the Camp Chef Pellet's performance as well?

I haven't even tried the Camp Chef brand yet so i can't comment on those.


----------



## pugsbrew (Feb 5, 2018)

BandCollector said:


> Thanks PerazziMx14
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I believe the pellets work fine.  I just used the smoker for the first time, and it was a 19 hour cook.  The smoker did go through one whole bag of pellets.  The pellets burned quite efficiently.  There was less than 1/2 a cup of ash left when I dropped the ash in to the clean out cup.  Very little ash was spread throughout the inside of the smoker, but I really don't know how much, or how little, there should be.  So, being my first cook, I was pleased with the burn. 

I'm just looking for other, cheaper options, that will actually work in the Camp Chef smoker.  I just found a bag of Pit Boss, hickory, at Wally World.  I will give it a try, it's about half price of Camp Chef.


----------



## tallbm (Feb 5, 2018)

Walmarts around North Texas also carry Pit Boss Competition Blend (PBCB) as well.  I would suggest that one as the base pellet is Maple and then 20-25% of each Hickory and Cherry are reported to be used in it.  I much prefer Maple to Alder or Oak being a base pellet on pellet blends.

If you want good flavor you can burn the BPCB in your pellet cooker and also use it in a tube smoke generator and I believe you would get excellent flavor from it.  I say this because I burn 2 rows of it in my AMNPS to get excellent flavor on short cooks like chicken smokes.

Best of luck!


----------



## pugsbrew (Feb 5, 2018)

tallbm said:


> Walmarts around North Texas also carry Pit Boss Competition Blend (PBCB) as well.  I would suggest that one as the base pellet is Maple and then 20-25% of each Hickory and Cherry are reported to be used in it.  I much prefer Maple to Alder or Oak being a base pellet on pellet blends.
> 
> If you want good flavor you can burn the BPCB in your pellet cooker and also use it in a tube smoke generator and I believe you would get excellent flavor from it.  I say this because I burn 2 rows of it in my AMNPS to get excellent flavor on short cooks like chicken smokes.
> 
> Best of luck!



Yes, I have a AMNPS, which will be used next time.  Do you have any problems keeping it lit in your smoker?


----------



## tallbm (Feb 6, 2018)

pugsbrew said:


> Yes, I have a AMNPS, which will be used next time.  Do you have any problems keeping it lit in your smoker?



I do not have any problems but I use a Mailbox Mod and do the following:


I use a propane torch to light the pellets with the torch tip stuck INTO the hole of the AMNPS tray and I light for 55 seconds
My mailbox mod has legs and stands up off the ground and allows air into the bottom of the AMNPS, so my airflow is really good
I microwave my pellets 1 minute, mix and let them rest for 2 min, and then microwave for 1 minute again.  This was a HUGE help for keeping them lit for me!
I make sure and firmly pack pellets to the top of the row but not over the row of my AMNPS
Once you learn the quirks of your AMNPS you will be set.  It is very much like learning the quirks of your smoker :)


----------



## PerazziMx14 (Feb 6, 2018)

Please delete


----------



## BandCollector (Feb 6, 2018)

PerazziMx14 said:


> For the record my pellets are bulk stored in a plastic kitty litter buck with a snap lid that seals good enough to keep out beer cans and tennis balls but not humidity.



LOL!


----------



## bregent (Feb 6, 2018)

tallbm said:


> I do not have any problems but I use a Mailbox Mod and do the following:
> 
> 
> I use a propane torch to light the pellets with the torch tip stuck INTO the hole of the AMNPS tray and I light for 55 seconds
> ...



In a pellet grill? I've never had good luck keeping an AMNPS lit in a pellet grill. Tubes work ok,


----------



## yahoot (Feb 6, 2018)

pugsbrew said:


> This has probably been covered a thousand times, but what substitute pellets are being used, and working, on the Camp Chef pellet grills?
> 
> The almost $20 a bag for their pellets, depending on where you find them, isn't hacking it.
> 
> ...



To reply to your initial question - you can use pretty much any cooking pellet in any pellet grill. You will find differences in flavor and quality across brands, but I haven't found a brand that wouldn't work (and I have tried a lot - I go to trade shows regularly  and collect samples to try out). 

Most brands (incl traeger, camp chef, etc.) are a blend of X% flavor wood (like apple, cherry, hickory, etc.) and Y% "base" wood. Often, base wood is as between 40-60% of the pellet (e.g. 60% base, 40% flavor wood). The most common base woods are oak and Alder. Alder is a very mild, low heat wood - common in the pacific northwest. Makes good fish - VERY mild, which is exactly why I don't like it as a base. Oak is a better base. Hotter and better flavor - if you like blends with a base wood. I personally prefer to buy 100% flavor wood pellets (i.e. 100% apple or 100% hickory, etc.) so I can blend as I choose.

Personally, I like lumberjacks. They do a lot of 100% flavor wood pellets, and some "baseless" blends (maple/hickory/cherry - 1/3 each, no base wood). We do group buys regularly so they are pretty reasonably priced.

Looks like you are in Ohio - you might be able to get omalleys at a reasonable price. They are made in PA and MD, as I recall. I sampled their 100% hickory pellets and they were very good.


----------



## tallbm (Feb 6, 2018)

bregent said:


> In a pellet grill? I've never had good luck keeping an AMNPS lit in a pellet grill. Tubes work ok,



Oops I lost track of the fact that we are talking pellet grills.  I use an MES.  I think the pellet grill guys usually use the tubes for the extra smoke generation rather than the AMNPS tray.  I just saw there is an Oval version of the pellet tube so it doesn't roll around all over.  I think the tubes are the ticket for extra smoke flavor :)


----------



## yahoot (Feb 7, 2018)

If you are using an MES, take a look at their cold smoke attachment. It puts out a LOT of smoke and is easier to manage than the tray. 

I have an MES and I had all but retired it because of the poor smoke performance. I got a pellet maze (sample at a trade  show), which works OK but struggled to stay lit sometimes. 

I also tried a smoke chief smoke generator I received at a different show, which I rigged to work with the MES. It put out a lot of smoke, but the rigging suffered creosote buildup (the generator has a very small outlet - small enough to put through the rotisserie hole on a gas grill, so when I extended it to be long enough to work on an MES, the creosote problem got much worse).   

Then I found the masterbuilt cold smoke attachment. WOW. Massive smoke, simple to use. Put the MES back in the game. Have done just about everything on it - brisket, butts, turkeys, ribs, hams, loins- you name it.


----------



## zerowin (Feb 8, 2018)

PerazziMx14 said:


> For the record my pellets are bulk stored in a plastic kitty litter buck with a snap lid that seals good enough to keep out beer cans and tennis balls but not humidity.



Lol!

I am still partial to the B&B brand that walmart carries, which is BBQr's Delight rebranded.  The apple is a mix of apple and oak, but the hickory is 100%.  I find they have better flavor than camp chef, pit boss, traeger etc. and are pretty reasonably priced at 11-12 dollars for 20lbs.  I have yet to try Lumberjacks though, the closest I can get a group shipment is almost an hour away.



 yahoot
  I will have to look for omalleys, I'm in south central PA, so thanks!


----------



## bregent (Feb 8, 2018)

zerowin said:


> Lol!
> 
> I am still partial to the B&B brand that walmart carries, which is BBQr's Delight rebranded.  The apple is a mix of apple and oak, but the hickory is 100%.  I find they have better flavor than camp chef, pit boss, traeger etc. and are pretty reasonably priced at 11-12 dollars for 20lbs.  I have yet to try Lumberjacks though, the closest I can get a group shipment is almost an hour away.
> 
> @yahoot  I will have to look for omalleys, I'm in south central PA, so thanks!



I've never used B&B, but as far as I know, BBQ Delight does not sell 100% hickory in the large bag. According to their website, all of the pellet grill fuel is blended with oak.


----------



## wingrider (Feb 13, 2018)

Just got a Woodwind so haven't tried many pellet brands yet. For anyone that likes the Camp Chef pellets you can get them for $12.99 for 20 lbs online at Sportsmen's Warehouse https://www.sportsmanswarehouse.com...t-Grill-Accessories/prod99999032024/cat130908



PerazziMx14 said:


> I think when using the amazing pellet tray lots of air flow is the biggest factor. in it staying lighted.



I agree with that. I finally made the mailbox mod for my MES 30 and mounted a computer fan on the door of the mailbox. Wired it up with a small rheostat. Doesn't take much. I had to go with a lower flow fan than I first put in. Too much air and it just flames instead of smokes. Before that I was also having to microwave them to get them to stay lit in the MES.


----------



## tallbm (Feb 13, 2018)

If I owned a pellet grill I think I would buy he cheapest pellets I could for the FUEL aspect of it and I would run an A-Maze-N tube with Lumberjack 100% wood pellets like I do with my AMNPS Tray.  

Yeah I have quite a few bags of 100% pellets BUT they are so good and I love making my own blends and knowing it is exactly what I want.  The flavors can't be beat!


----------



## Waterville Jesse (Feb 13, 2018)

I have a gmg pellet grill, and a Cascade Smoker custom unit with a pellet burner.  Right now I am burning GMG Texas blend in both and am happy with the results. I also have a tube smoker that I put into the big unit when I want more smoke flavor.


----------



## MrGrillmarks (Feb 23, 2018)

Dick's sporting goods has the Camp Chef pellets for $12.99 a bag (various kinds).  They usually have coupons and offer free shipping over $50, this is where I get mine delivered right to my front door!


----------

