damp or almost wet pellets

[sjep]

Hi Folks! Im brand new to this forum. I did do a search to see if this topic has been discussed before and didnt find anything, just the same Ill apologize for any redundancy. I have about 50lbs each of hickory and apple smoker pellets. they were left sitting my outdoor screen room all winter and they seem hard, almost impossible to get started now when I go to smoke something.. My guess is that they are very damp. How can I go about getting them dry enough to light and then smolder in my smoker? Im using an old master craft electric smoker, non digital, plain basic unit. I also have a smoker box that I can put in my gas grill.
Im in south east FL and humidity here is already very high so leaving outside in the sun only seems to make things worse. . I really dont want to chance putting them in my house convection oven either. If anyone has any ideas I'd sure appreciate it

 

[SmokinEdge]

Welcome from Colorado.

Spread some out on a cookie sheet pan and dry them in the oven. About as low temp as it will set to.

 

[smokerjim]

Did they swell up , as far as drying maybe lay them on a sheet and roast them in your smoker or just go ahead and make dust out of them

 

[sjep]

Did they swell up , as far as drying maybe lay them on a sheet and roast them in your smoker or just go ahead and make dust out of them

Thanks Smoker Jim! No, they didnt swell up but they are incredibly difficult now to get some lit so that they will smolder in a smoker box. So they must be damp, gotta be.

 

[sandyut]

Welcome to SMF from Utah. I never had this issue. I keep mine bagged in the garage. Maybe try drying as recommended above or if it not very many, just buy new ones.

You can buy 5 gallon bucket lids with an o-ring like these. I bought some other brand and I cant find it now.

 

[smokerjim]

Thanks Smoker Jim! No, they didnt swell up but they are incredibly difficult now to get some lit so that they will smolder in a smoker box. So they must be damp, gotta be.

You could microwave a few handfuls for2-3 minutes mixing half way through and see if that works.

 

[sjep]

Welcome from Colorado.

Spread some out on a cookie sheet pan and dry them in the oven. About as low temp as it will set to.

Ok, ill try that. Actually I was starting to think maybe on a cookie sheet and overnight in the oven with just the oven light on to make it kinda warm.

 

[sjep]

Ok, ill try that. Actually I was starting to think maybe on a cookie sheet and overnight in the oven with just the oven light on to make it kinda warm.

Thank you!!!

 

[sjep]

Welcome to SMF from Utah. I never had this issue. I keep mine bagged in the garage. Maybe try drying as recommended above or if it not very many, just buy new ones.

You can buy 5 gallon bucket lids with an o-ring like these. I bought some other brand and I cant find it now.

Thanks! Im in south florida. like a steam room outside today. was a damp winter also, I never saw humidity less than 65%. Im going to have to get a storage system like you suggest and maybe keep them inside my house. I have 50lbs of each that I got on a huge sale, so really do not want to waste them. Thanks again!

 

[BCP3006]

Hi Folks! Im brand new to this forum. I did do a search to see if this topic has been discussed before and didnt find anything, just the same Ill apologize for any redundancy. I have about 50lbs each of hickory and apple smoker pellets. they were left sitting my outdoor screen room all winter and they seem hard, almost impossible to get started now when I go to smoke something.. My guess is that they are very damp. How can I go about getting them dry enough to light and then smolder in my smoker? Im using an old master craft electric smoker, non digital, plain basic unit. I also have a smoker box that I can put in my gas grill.
Im in south east FL and humidity here is already very high so leaving outside in the sun only seems to make things worse. . I really dont want to chance putting them in my house convection oven either. If anyone has any ideas I'd sure appreciate it

Seriously man you need to find a tupperware type of container to store those pellets in because they turn into a water monster and they will suck the moisture out of the air like you wouldn't believe.

If you're finding they are hard to light that's probably the problem because they're too damp. Take some of the pellets and break them between your fingers and they should snap just about like breaking a pretzel but a little bit harder to break...
Are all your dampers open?

 

[BCP3006]

Hi Folks! Im brand new to this forum. I did do a search to see if this topic has been discussed before and didnt find anything, just the same Ill apologize for any redundancy. I have about 50lbs each of hickory and apple smoker pellets. they were left sitting my outdoor screen room all winter and they seem hard, almost impossible to get started now when I go to smoke something.. My guess is that they are very damp. How can I go about getting them dry enough to light and then smolder in my smoker? Im using an old master craft electric smoker, non digital, plain basic unit. I also have a smoker box that I can put in my gas grill.
Im in south east FL and humidity here is already very high so leaving outside in the sun only seems to make things worse. . I really dont want to chance putting them in my house convection oven either. If anyone has any ideas I'd sure appreciate it

 

[BCP3006]

What are you trying to light your pellets with? If it's a match it's not going to work. You need something that's going to put out a lot of energy like a butane torch of some type or an electric charcoal starter that has a fan and a blower on it.

 

[BCP3006]

What are you trying to light your pellets with? If it's a match it's not going to work. You need something that's going to put out a lot of energy like a butane torch of some type or an electric charcoal starter that has a fan and a blower on it.

If the outside of your pellets are shiny and smooth you just might need a little more fire to get those pellets burning whether it be butane or a propane torch or an electric charcoal starter neither will work.

 

[BCP3006]

If the outside of your pellets are shiny and smooth you just might need a little more fire to get those pellets burning whether it be butane or a propane torch or an electric charcoal starter neither will work.

Either fire starter should work other than a match...

 

[BCP3006]

Either fire starter should work other than a match...

You can pick up a hygrometer at Walmart pretty cheap to check the moisture in your pellets

 

[SmokinEdge]

Seriously man you need to find a tupperware type of container to store those pellets in because they turn into a water monster and they will suck the moisture out of the air like you wouldn't believe.

If you're finding they are hard to light that's probably the problem because they're too damp. Take some of the pellets and break them between your fingers and they should snap just about like breaking a pretzel but a little bit harder to break...
Are all your dampers open?

Welcome BCP3006
Hoping all is well.

 

[sjep]

Seriously man you need to find a tupperware type of container to store those pellets in because they turn into a water monster and they will suck the moisture out of the air like you wouldn't believe.

If you're finding they are hard to light that's probably the problem because they're too damp. Take some of the pellets and break them between your fingers and they should snap just about like breaking a pretzel but a little bit harder to break...
Are all your dampers open?

Thanks, Yes, they soak up air moisture Im sure. They are 50lb bags too. I guess I just have to get a garbage can or dog food storage container to keep them in. But before I do that I think they should be dried out first, somehow.