A pellet smoker that actually smokes meat??

[MrAhmerGamer]

I am on a freaking journey!! I was all set to get an Ironwood Traeger to smoke some meat and cook some brisket. A buddy warned me to stay away and that Traegers are glorified outdoor ovens and don't really smoke the meat or add smoke flavor. He said he prefers the Pit Boss Vertical smoker. My questions are 1) is there really any pellet smoker that smokes meat the way an off-set smoker does? 2) Does a Traeger actually do it and this guy is wrong? 3) Is the Pit Boss vertical smoker a better option? I am attracted to the pellet smokers for ease of use, wifi connectivity, etc. Thanks in advance for any advice or tips.

 

[pineywoods]

Welcome to SMF
I don't think there is any pellet smoker that will give the same flavor as a stick burner. That's my opinion and I have a pellet smoker adding an amazen smoker helps and certainly makes it better but nothing beats a stick burner. I own both types and use the pellet grill for exactly what you stated ease of use. I can get the pellet smoker going and walk away with my Lang I have to be there to add splits.
Personally I'm thinking of trying one of the gravity charcoal units and see how that does
Good luck with your search

 

[tucson bbq fan]

I am on a freaking journey!! I was all set to get an Ironwood Traeger to smoke some meat and cook some brisket. A buddy warned me to stay away and that Traegers are glorified outdoor ovens and don't really smoke the meat or add smoke flavor. He said he prefers the Pit Boss Vertical smoker. My questions are 1) is there really any pellet smoker that smokes meat the way an off-set smoker does? 2) Does a Traeger actually do it and this guy is wrong? 3) Is the Pit Boss vertical smoker a better option? I am attracted to the pellet smokers for ease of use, wifi connectivity, etc. Thanks in advance for any advice or tips.

Two different subjects: smoke flavor, and the smoking the meat (also known as the chemical transformation that thin blue wood smoke does to the meat). Both pellet and stick burners can give you the great transformation of the meat if set up properly.

Smoke flavor all depends on the pellets used and how you used your stick burner. Pellets: the majority of pellets on the market use core wood, but the majority of smoke flavor comes from the bark and the outermost layer of wood. Wood: If you were using a stick burner (and I have both) and were just tossing raw wood in there, you were getting a lot of smoke from the bark (usually the whiter stuff, as opposed to the good thin blue smoke). A lot of stick burners recommend making charcoal from raw wood first, then using the charcoal in the stick burner. When I have done that, I get less smoke flavor from my stick burner. I use Lumberjack brand pellets, as they use the entire log (bark, outerlayer & core wood) in making pellets. I also use additional pellets in a slotted tube inside the smoker next to the meat to put in a bit more smoke flavor.

I never get as much smoke flavor with my pellet smoker, but I get enough, and the pellet smoker does a great job of smoking meat. I use my pellet more, as it is a lot more convenient. When doing a large piece of meat (large brisket, or pork shoulder), I had to wake up every 3 hours through the night to add wood/charcoal to my offset stick burner and adjust it. With my pellet smoker, I set it and it runs automatically all night long - much better on the sleep! I've had my offset stick burner for close to 20 years, and my pellet for almost 10 years now. The only times I use my stick burner anymore is when I have so much food to smoke, that I need both - which is pretty rare as both have a 4-foot wide bed that is 2-3 feet deep (pellet is 2, stick is 3)

 

[chopsaw]

I am attracted to the pellet smokers for ease of use, wifi connectivity, etc

I'm a Weber kettle user . That's what I have had the longest . Makes great food . I also use a MES 30 for sausage , ham and bacon .
Had an old cheap offset stick burner . Made great food but rusted out , and was a bunch of work .
Last July I bought a Weber SmokeFire pellet grill . Honestly , just because . I never ever thought I would buy a pellet grill .
The cover comes off that thing all the time now . I absolutely love it . Compare to a stick burner ? No , nothing does . Compare to the wood smoked flavor from one of the kettles , nope . It sure does make good food easy . The Weber pellet is a different design from most others . Open like a gas grill , and has the flavor bars . It puts good clean smoke flavor on the food .

 

[sandyut]

I have used my Rec Teq rt700 for many years and love the product it produces. Good smoke flavor. Not as much as my WSM but still very good. I would also advise against Tragers. I am not a fan.

 

[schlotz]

It's a choice. Ease and convenience vs regular maintenance during the smoke and the associated differences. While on occasion I do prefer what can be produced on a stick burner, I've found over the years that I no longer care for a steady diet of it. The pellet version for me has been a great substitute. As others have said you can add a tray or tube for extra smoke but I've come to love the output of my pellet smoker not to mention the convenience. Smoke is plentiful and yet the meat flavor profile is still there. IMO, the best of both, but as I said, it's a choice.

 

[2fatpugs]

M MrAhmerGamer I suggest watching the video I posted a few days ago comparing Yoder, GMG, P&S and Weber. From my own person research, the Weber SmokeFire produce the most smoke flavored product from any pellet grill. If you want even more smoke flavor and still be lazy, I suggest getting a gravity fed charcoal smoker like the Masterbuilt or Char-Griller.

 

[bauchjw]

A buddy warned me to stay away and that Traegers are glorified outdoor ovens and don't really smoke the meat or add smoke flavor. He said he prefers the Pit Boss Vertical smoker. My questions are 1) is there really any pellet smoker that smokes meat the way an off-set smoker does? 2) Does a Traeger actually do it and this guy is wrong? 3) Is the Pit Boss vertical smoker a better option?

I’m not sure which Pit Boss your buddy uses, but I don’t think they are different than Traeger, a heating element burns pellets. If you read their descriptions on how they work, it’s identical. Traeger is just more money. They are different designs though. I have a Traeger now and enjoy it for all the reasons above, but I used to have a MES 40 I loved even more and was cheaper. It’s up to your preference and budget, but I wouldn’t let a friend who has a somewhat misinformed opinion sway you.

 

[Buckeye02]

I’m not sure which Pit Boss your buddy uses, but I don’t think they are different than Traeger, a heating element burns pellets. If you read their descriptions on how they work, it’s identical. Traeger is just more money. They are different designs though. I have a Traeger now and enjoy it for all the reasons above, but I used to have a MES 40 I loved even more and was cheaper. It’s up to your preference and budget, but I wouldn’t let a friend who has a somewhat misinformed opinion sway you.

I think his buddy is referring to the vertical pitboss cabinet smokers. I had one and it did put more smoke flavor on meat than the RT700 that I have. No clue if it's because it was vertical instead or horizontal or not. But you never knew when anything was going to be done because the temp swings were over 100° for the entire cook. And I did kinda catch it on fire making ABTs when one rolled back on the grates too far and the grease went down into the fire pot. Made things kind of interesting to say the least. Luckily walmart had a good return policy!

 

[bauchjw]

I think his buddy is referring to the vertical pitboss cabinet smokers. I had one and it did put more smoke flavor on meat than the RT700 that I have. No clue if it's because it was vertical instead or horizontal or not. But you never knew when anything was going to be done because the temp swings were over 100° for the entire cook. And I did kinda catch it on fire making ABTs when one rolled back on the grates too far and the grease went down into the fire pot. Made things kind of interesting to say the least. Luckily walmart had a good return policy!

Wow! That sounds like an adventure! Must have been an interesting return! I guess I’m no pit boss expert, but I looked at them a while back and don’t remember seeing anything that makes it any more of a “real smoker” than a Traeger. From a purest view, if it’s not cooking wood then they are all glorified ovens, so his buddies pit boss is no different. I guess my point is if you need electricity to make your smoker work, you don’t have anymore “rig” credibility than the next guy with a different design that needs to be plugged in too. It should be about making good food in a budget that’s comfortable and relevant to your life experience anyway.

 

[SmokingUPnorth]

I used lumberjack pellets in apellet tube in my Traeger when I had it. Added a lot of flavor. Should have kept it but I’m add with bbq toys so I sold it and got a WSM

 

[TNJAKE]

Wow! That sounds like an adventure! Must have been an interesting return! I guess I’m no pit boss expert, but I looked at them a while back and don’t remember seeing anything that makes it any more of a “real smoker” than a Traeger. From a purest view, if it’s not cooking wood then they are all glorified ovens, so his buddies pit boss is no different. I guess my point is if you need electricity to make your smoker work, you don’t have anymore “rig” credibility than the next guy with a different design that needs to be plugged in too. It should be about making good food in a budget that’s comfortable and relevant to your life experience anyway.

I agree. I have a pitboss Austin xl. I love it and has been flawless. The owner of pitboss was the creator of traeger when they first came out in the 90s. They eventually had a dispute. He left and created Dansons who make Louisiana grills and pitboss. That's the reason pitboss and traeger are so similar. Sooooooo many people get hung up on "this pellet smoker sucks and this one doesn't". Honestly they all do the same thing. We do a disservice to people by bashing other brands and telling folks rec TEC or die lol. The only difference would be moving up to the Yoder or smokin brothers and other high high end grills

 

[chesterinflorida]

The pellet grills that routinely gets high marks for putting excellent smoke flavor on meat are the Mak grills. They cost an arm and a leg though. If you can afford one, they are hard to beat though.
I’ve heard good things regarding the smoke flavor of the Weber Smoke-fire, but they tend to have issues and you need to know that going in.

Beyond that, most are fairly similar. Lighter smoke flavor than charcoal or wood fired smokers. Some supplement with a smoke tube, which seems to help some. Others prefer the lighter smoke profile anyway.

 

[Fueling Around]

Welcome to SMF and I hope we don't overload you with our well-intentioned help.

Which Pit Boss Vertical does your buddy claims is the better choice? They make propane, electric, and pellet.

I have a Traeger knockoff by Masterbuilt. I have tried many pellets in the hopper and none produced a good smoke flavor. Now I use the cheapest pellets in the hopper
and 1 or 2 smoke tubes with Lumberjack pellets.

The original smoke tube and tray is by A-Maze-N now a Pit Boss company.

For general grilling the Weber kettle is still my first choice. The Masterbuilt is not a grill. Kids across the street have a Cabelas rebranded Pit Boss. They grill all the time as the heat shield is better.

...
The owner of pitboss was the creator of traeger when they first came out in the 90s. They eventually had a dispute. He left and created Dansons who make Louisiana grills and pitboss. That's the reason pitboss and traeger are so similar.
...

Jake this is not true. Read the Danson story. Danson is the parent company of Louisiana Grills, Pit Boss, and also A-Maze-N among others
Joe Traeger joined Danson in 2018
Traeger and Pit Boss have radically different designs in the heat shield

 

[yankee2bbq]

I am attracted to the pellet smokers for ease of use, wifi connectivity, etc. Thanks in advance for any advice or tips.

You can get this in a Weber Smokey Mountain (WSM). Since you are interested in electronic control, check out adding a bbq guru controller.
The WSM produces great bbq:

 

[MSK2193]

My two pence' worth.. My RecTec has become the least favorite smoker. Taste is fine but I cannot get past the amount of dust that settles on the protein. After my LonStar stick burner in #1 spot for taste, I love the quality that my Bradley bisquette smoker produces.. Deep smoke ring but very delicate smoke taste. Green Egg would be third. The Bradley is electric, kinda set and forget like a pellet smoker, and so far has performed really well.

 

[TNJAKE]

Welcome to SMF and I hope we don't overload you with our well-intentioned help.

Which Pit Boss Vertical does your buddy claims is the better choice? They make propane, electric, and pellet.

I have a Traeger knockoff by Masterbuilt. I have tried many pellets in the hopper and none produced a good smoke flavor. Now I use the cheapest pellets in the hopper
and 1 or 2 smoke tubes with Lumberjack pellets.

The original smoke tube and tray is by A-Maze-N now a Pit Boss company.

For general grilling the Weber kettle is still my first choice. The Masterbuilt is not a grill. Kids across the street have a Cabelas rebranded Pit Boss. They grill all the time as the heat shield is better.
Jake this is not true. Read the Danson story. Danson is the parent company of Louisiana Grills, Pit Boss, and also A-Maze-N among others
Joe Traeger joined Danson in 2018
Traeger and Pit Boss have radically different designs in the heat shield

Sorry I misspoke about joe traeger "owning" Dansons. He "joined" Dansons. And I didn't say pitboss and traeger were clones. I said they had similar designs. Traeger has a lawsuit against joe that states he stole trade secrets and employed them to Dansons for the creation of their grills. Parts of the lawsuit has been settled but remains ongoing on the aspect of trade secrets

 

[Buckeye02]

Wow! That sounds like an adventure! Must have been an interesting return! I guess I’m no pit boss expert, but I looked at them a while back and don’t remember seeing anything that makes it any more of a “real smoker” than a Traeger. From a purest view, if it’s not cooking wood then they are all glorified ovens, so his buddies pit boss is no different. I guess my point is if you need electricity to make your smoker work, you don’t have anymore “rig” credibility than the next guy with a different design that needs to be plugged in too. It should be about making good food in a budget that’s comfortable and relevant to your life experience anyway.

I couldn't agree more. I fell into the Recteq trap. I like the 304ss and the 6 year warranty. But the cheap cuisinart grill that I had put the same smoke flavor on the meat. I have a 26" kettle that is by far my favorite smoker. Super easy to use and no electronics amd puts amazing smoke flavor on w.e you cook.

 

[chopsaw]

Weber Smoke-fire, but they tend to have issues and you need to know that going in.

So what issues have you had with yours ?

 

[chesterinflorida]

So what issues have you had with yours ?

Don’t own one, but you can do a simple google search and get loads of information. From the most part, the design leads to grease fires, but there are ways of combating that.