Has anyone used the "Heavy D" Stick burner attachment?

[kstone113]

Post 91 its the one I'm talking about. I put the foil in first and just drop in the chunks. I've always used chunks and everytime after a cook I've done, it has just been ash left. One difference between what I did and you did is you've used full wood logs which is obviously better and will smoke for longer than chunks.

But yeah, there is other options for adding wood flavor pellets grills as I mentioned which frankly are easier and less hassle. With all that said, that's why I haven't used it too much and will reserve for brisket and ribs and pulled pork or even a full bird of some type.

If there is any Rec Tec people around you, someone may want to buy off you.

And I will say the times I put in without foil, I did see a fire like you had but since we all here started with foil, I haven't had that happen.

 

[SlowmotionQue]

Post 91 its the one I'm talking about. I put the foil in first and just drop in the chunks. I've always used chunks and everytime after a cook I've done, it has just been ash left. One difference between what I did and you did is you've used full wood logs which is obviously better and will smoke for longer than chunks.

But yeah, there is other options for adding wood flavor pellets grills as I mentioned which frankly are easier and less hassle. With all that said, that's why I haven't used it too much and will reserve for brisket and ribs and pulled pork or even a full bird of some type.

If there is any Rec Tec people around you, someone may want to buy off you.

And I will say the times I put in without foil, I did see a fire like you had but since we all here started with foil, I haven't had that happen.

I saw post #91 and I am familiar with it.

Out of curiously, how many other attempts have you made using this device, with and without foil, and then taking a hard look at your results?

I ask this because Post #68, through about #71 of this thread are mine as well.

A critical look at that post reveals that again, the wood ended up with more of a layer of soot on it, than actual blackening due to smoldering.
In fact, one piece did not burn/smolder/ignite at all, and the pics show that as well.

Also, I'd throw this out there, those who use stick burners, and are proficient at using them, really do not want the wood to "smolder", bur rather they'd like for it to be in flames when it is in the burn chamber of say a side burner.

This flaming wood, and red hot embers, gives off a cleaner smoke than does smoldering wood which tends to give off soot and creosote.

Which is why the smoke is white.

And so again, at least for me, this begs the question. Do I want the "dirty white smoke" which is characteristic of smoldering wood? Which is what I'm going to get if I wrap it in foil.

Or do I want the cleaner smoke from wood which has burned or is burning down to embers.

If I want the latter, which is what a true "stick burner" gives when running on a well managed fire, well then I have to be ready for my temps to go up, unless I am going to somehow load red hot or near red hot burning wood coals into this device once I'm cooking.

No, I really don't want to sell it as it's heft. That offers some value to it.

But I've been using this device and experimenting with it for around 6 months, in winter weather, spring weather and now summer weather. With and without foil wrapping the wood.

Though I've come to the conclusion that it does not yield results for me of the consistency that I'm going to need, no, I don't think I'll get rid of it.

 

[RCAlan]

Well, another day, another cook, another data point.

This time, a 14.75lb brisket, using less wood, foil wrap with the ends of the foil wraps left open and placed with the open ends towards the right when the SD HD is positioned.

This was for a 14hr plus cook.

View attachment 398195

View attachment 398196


This was left over from a full hopper, 35lbs, mix of Lumberjack Char Hickory, CookinPellets Perfect Mix and Lumberjack Competition Blend.

View attachment 398197

This is what the wood looked like immediately after the 14hrs plus cook.
View attachment 398198
View attachment 398199

The wood smoldered, but mostly got smoked itself. I would have liked for a bit more ignition of the wood. Next time I do this, I will make a 1 inch wide slit down the length of the foil wrap, in addition to leaving the ends open, in an attempt to get a bit better ignition of the wood.

The brisket turned out excellent, but I will be continuing in my efforts to tweak the foil wrap technique in the SD HD.

Also, the temps stayed stable at 250* plus or minus 5 degrees, save for the time I opened the lid this morning to foil the brisket.

Foil seems to definitely be the way to go. The question now is how much of the wood to leave exposed so as to acquire the benefit of additional wood smoke, while keeping the temperatures in line.

What did You do different that from this posting that everything was good, but from your last posting, the wood ignited and the wood fired off to much? I’ll put a couple of small holes in the wrapped foil and the ends are exposed a little and that’s it. My wrapped wood tends to burn slowly well past 8 hours. I try not to very much from what I’ve found to work for me and my grill while using the SDHD and I haven’t had any problems. The more that the wood is exposed, the more oxygen gets in.. because You know, once the wood completely fires off.... That’s it.

PB Austin XL in SoCal and Always... Semper Fi

 

[SlowmotionQue]

What did You do different that from this posting that everything was good, but from your last posting, the wood ignited and the wood fired off to much? I’ll put a couple of small holes in the wrapped foil and the ends are exposed a little and that’s it. My wrapped wood tends to burn slowly well past 8 hours. I try not to very much from what I’ve found to work for me and my grill while using the SDHD and I haven’t had any problems. The more that the wood is exposed, the more oxygen gets in.. because You know, once the wood completely fires off.... That’s it.

PB Austin XL in SoCal and Always... Semper Fi

You asked what I did differently from last attempt whereby one side of the wood lit off, but the other was covered in soot.

Not much.

I had the ends opened last time, same as here. But today, I had a slight opening, a seam the length of the logs and the foil.

I did start this cook at 225° as opposed to my usual 250°.

See post #82. The ends of the foil are opened. Same as today.

On that day though, one chamber of the wood never ignited. It simply gathered soot. Today however; both chambers did ignite.

The seam though, aside from the starting temperature, is the only other thing that I can think of that I did differently, and I only did that because last time the right chamber wood simply discolored and came nowhere close to igniting or even smoldering.

I added the seam, because I had this happen and reported it in my previous attempt. The ends of the wood lit, and burned down about an inch or two into the log at best, but not the centers.

The centers are pristine. Which is why I cut a seam into the foil this time.

 

[kstone113]

At least you have another heat diffuser.

I've done at least 3 cooks the new way with the foil and have told others about it and it worked. My smoke when doing it has looked good. I even put a video of it on instagram. I do think the big difference with you was the 225 (down from 250) and the open ends. Pretty sure it is as simple as that. I have noticed when I do 225, it takes awhile to get it going to where when I did 250 with ribs a couple times, that got the smoke going within an hour.

Anyways, best of luck to you. Try the meat loath pan trick if you ever need wood flavor.

 

[DoubleBull]

At least you have another heat diffuser.

I've done at least 3 cooks the new way with the foil and have told others about it and it worked. My smoke when doing it has looked good. I even put a video of it on instagram. I do think the big difference with you was the 225 (down from 250) and the open ends. Pretty sure it is as simple as that. I have noticed when I do 225, it takes awhile to get it going to where when I did 250 with ribs a couple times, that got the smoke going within an hour.

Anyways, best of luck to you. Try the meat loath pan trick if you ever need wood flavor.

I have enjoyed reading this thread and your efforts to tweak this are appreciated. What I would like to know is has the smoke profile on the meat been enhanced considerably by use of this accessory?

 

[SlowmotionQue]

I have enjoyed reading this thread and your efforts to tweak this are appreciated. What I would like to know is has the smoke profile on the meat been enhanced considerably by use of this accessory?

Which one of us are you asking?

 

[kstone113]

I have enjoyed reading this thread and your efforts to tweak this are appreciated. What I would like to know is has the smoke profile on the meat been enhanced considerably by use of this accessory?

If you mean the Heavy D with actual wood chunks or logs in it, then I would definitely say yes. I definitely noticed a flavor difference with all the meats I've done with it.

I don't know if this is completely necessary as the aluminum meat loathe pan which is cheap and easy however I don't know if the smoke lasts as long though with the heavy d.

And coming from a propane smoker where I used wood chunks and chips but rarely if ever got smoke rings on my meats from that smoker but still would have a great smoke flavor, I thought the first cooks I did on the Rec Tec did not taste quite as smoky. Some like that though and some like me like that strong smoke flavor. Since then though I have learned to put pellets on the heat diffuser and the meat loathe pan trick. So thus why I now only use the Heavy D when doing Ribs, Brisket and Pork Butt/Shoulder.

 

[DoubleBull]

Anyone involved Slomo, I am not picky. Thanks in advance.

 

[SlowmotionQue]

Any one involved. Not picky.

I have enjoyed reading this thread and your efforts to tweak this are appreciated. What I would like to know is has the smoke profile on the meat been enhanced considerably by use of this accessory?

When I have gotten it to work, if you put my feet to the fire, no pun intended, I'd have to say that it enhanced it, but not "considerably".

However the whole "stick burner" thing, and it being able to consistently mimic stick burner flavor, no, it does not do that for me as I evaluate it closely.

The idea is to make the wood smolder and the smoke from the smoldering wood is supposed to give flavor to the food.

The instructions have you fire your grill up to a high heat, get the wood lit, then drop your temp down, and let the wood smolder.

However, and I mentioned this earlier, take a look at a smoldering log sometimes.

What you'll see, is white smoke. Or dirty smoke.

A well run stick burner, with a well managed fire, the wood tends to be at a point which is closer to what Aaron Franklin refers to as "complete combustion"on page 92 of his book; Franklin Barbecue, A Meat Smoking Manifesto.

Though this "complete combustion" is actually never reached in a pit, the goal is to get as close to it as possible. The closer one gets to it, the cleaner the smoke is.

This concept is also broached on the Amazing Ribs site in their articles on wood.

He goes on to say, and I believe him, some of the worst smoke comes from smoldering wood. Or wood which is farther away from complete combustion. So you really don't want the bulk of your smoke to come from smoldering wood.

"Some of the nastiest smoke comes from wood that's smoldering-burning without flame."

So effectively, the little bit of extra smoke that I was getting from the smoldering wood in the SDHD, is actually to large degree "dirty smoke". Look at the smoke in my post #71. It's not thin blue smoke, but closer to white. Which is why you have a difficult time seeing through it. It's not awful IMO, I've seen worse. But it's certainly not great either.

But many of us, myself included, have become so familiar with at least some degree of dirty smoke on our barbecue, in part from cooking with charcoal, that it didn't faze me.

Basically what I was getting was clean smoke from the pellets, with a touch, a tad of dirty smoke from the SDHD.

This tended to make it taste more like barbecue which I had grown familiar with since I got rid of my own stick burner and started using WSMs, Kettles, Kamados.

The results with the SDHD with small amounts of smoldering wood in it, tasted a bit closer to BBQ done over Kingsford or Royal Oak with wood chips, chunks, or logs mixed in. Not a lot closer, mind you, you could still tell that it was done on a pellet smoker. But in my pellet smoker, when I could get the SDHD to smoke, I could taste a difference between using it and not using it. I now know that this was due to the short exposure of my food to the dirty smoke coming from the smoldering wood in the SDHD.

But bottom line, this device in my opinion, is simply not worth my effort to use it because of the adverse affects it has on my temperature control.

I'm also not up for wrapping logs in foil every time I want to use it vs using one of my smoke tubes.

In short, it's simply not worth my time vs using a smoke tube, a MoJo Brick, or as the gentleman above mentions, pellets on top of the diffuser.

Which BTW, also release "dirty" white smoke, but because pellet smoke is light to begin with, the white smoke from pellets is not noxious to me, nor does it leave the acrid aftertaste that white smoke from a smoldering log or wood chunks leaves.

If you ever smell the white smoke from a smoldering smoke tube, or smoke tray filled with pellets, you'll notice that it actually smells good.

However smell white smoke from a smoldering mesquite or hickory log, and it won't smell nearly as good and you likely won't be able to tolerate it for long, and it will leave an acrid aftertaste if you should eat food exposed to it for a long time.

Sorry for the length, but I'm trying to paint you as vivid a picture as I can and give you the best description of what I have observed thus far using it.

 

[RCAlan]

Anyone involved Slomo, I am not picky. Thanks in advance.

So You see, every device is not for everyone... This posting is not meant for a back and forth argument, it’s just my opinion. I actually enjoy the smoke flavor profile and the smoke aroma that I get with my SDHD. It’s taken a quite a few cooks to get too this point... Early on without doing the Wrap, the wood would just ignite, the temps would soar out of control and there would be a Smokey mess... The wrong kind of smoke. When I wrap my wood chunks, I get a nice long, light, steady smoke. Nothing bitter or foul smelling and my Grills temps stays very steady. There are several products for sale online and in stores that are wood chips in foiled cups that People use in Propane Grills that are very effective. The Aluminum Foil wrapping of the Wood Chunks and Splits in the SDHD is essentially the same idea and can be done with great success. Again, as I’ve posted many times before, the SDHD is not for everyone... Just like every BBQ product on the Market is not for everyone. That’s just the BBQ world we live in... but the SDHD with Aluminum Foiled Wrap Wood Chunks can be very effective and give your bbq that nice little extra smoke flavor that some people miss while using pellet grills. Is the SDHD for everyone? No.

PB Austin XL in SoCal and Always... Semper Fi

 

[SlowmotionQue]

You are exactly right. It’s not for “everyone”.

This is why I’m careful to emphasize that my results, experiences, outcomes are mine and only mine. You’ll also see me use the abbreviation “YMMV” or similar communication in some of my posts regarding it. Others might not get the same results as mine and thus will be happy with it.

As a side note, I’d like to add a few comments which may be of benefit in this discussion, and may explain some of what I observed.

I’ve gone back and reviewed the days that I’ve had “successes” with it and looked at the weather on those days using “Weather Underground” archives.

The successful days tended to be in the late winter and early spring. Indeed one successful day the temp outside was as low as 29°F and never got above about 49°F during the hours of the cook.

Things started to and tended to go off the rails for me when using this device however as spring and summer set in and the weather got hotter. One other of my post in here, which described yet another prior instance of causing me to have to “rescue” the food, the temp was 80°F outside.

A good pit master, and indeed some firemen who have fought forest fires or house fires, and others with experience with wood fires, may tell you that wood fires behave, and burning wood can behave differently depending upon environmental conditions such as weather.

And so I’m not surprised that my “worst” results, came when it was warm outside and my “best” results came in freezing or closer to freezing conditions. The cold, no doubt in my mind, played a role in retarding the ignition of the wood.

In addition, condition of and type of wood can play a role in its combustion.

For example, green wood doesn’t ignite as quickly as does well seasoned wood. Wood that is too dry will ignite quickly and burn hotter. Take a look at the pics in post #31 at the perfectly cut wood log. Post #32 shows it as well. That wood is green and less dense in comparison to the stuff from out of that Kingsford bag. Both are hickory wood. But notice how much more seasoned and dense the stuff from out of the Kingsford bag is vs the rectangular logs I bought.

Finally, as to the foil wrapping bit.

The fact that this even need be done to get good results from this product, and to my knowledge this information is nowhere to be found in the instructions for using it, makes me feel that this item is not quite ready for prime time.

Things such as how much wood to use, how much of that wood and which areas of it to leave exposed, in my opinion, are not things which should be left to us to find out.

Of the aforementioned items intended to generate additional smoke that the gentleman RCAllan points to above in his post, as well as the familiar smoke tube, I could be wrong here, but I don’t believe that any of them has the same potential to damage my cooks as a result of direct flame or overheating, and even possibly cause me peripheral or collateral damage as does an out of control fire burning inside of SDHD.

A look at the flames coming from it as I removed it during my last cook lead me to feel this way.

It is for this reason that it’s back to my Xtreme smoke setting and my smoke tubes in lieu of the SDHD.

Like the gentleman said. It’s not for everyone. Or more specifically it’s not for me.

 

[SlowmotionQue]

So, after pulling my 2nd brisket off my GMG using The Heavy D, to rescue it from HUGE temp jumps and flare ups, I finally went and bought a OKJoe offset, reverse flow, smoker. I didn't try ALL of the guidance offered by RCAlan (thanks btw) so I'm sure you can get it to work with enough finagling. For me, if I have to do that much on a pellet smoker, I would rather just manage a real fire (which I needed to learn to do anyway). ....
RJ

Some of my results were similar. I have also witnessed huge temp jumps and flare ups during it's use.

 

[RCAlan]

I know most Pellet Grill Owners have evolved and enjoy the lighter flavor profile that wood pellets produce. Many like the ease of use and prefer not to have too manage grill temps or tend to wood like a true Stick Burner would have You to do. But, there is a minority of Pellet Grill Owners, like Myself, that can and will burn real wood in their pellet grills with great success in various ways. Great Posting BC Buck in your Thread!! Most Pellet Grill Owners couldn’t imagine tending to a wood fire in their pellet grills... The “Set it and Forget it” movement in bbqing has truly arrived, but with one major setback... Wood Pellets will never produce the same Smoke flavor profile as actual real hardwood. Many don’t care, but some like Myself do. I’ve also come to the conclusion that if You truly miss and want true wood smoke flavor in your bbq, you’ll have to burn real wood in your pellet grills to get there. Besides using the SmokeDaddy Wood Burning Heat Diffuser with good results, the level of wood smoke flavor still wasn’t the same as an actual Stick Burner... I was like D.mn, how can I improve this?? Another Poster kstone113, mention adding a Aluminum Meat Loaf Pan and putting wood chunks or pellets in it to get ignition to add smoke flavor. I figured out if I installed a small steel Charcoal basket or Grilling Wok inside the lower portion of my pellet grill and opposite of the hopper side, then I could place wood chunks in the basket, about half full, light it and get it going. I’ve tried wrapping in foil this way and without. I’ve gotten a better, stronger smoke flavor profile without the foil, but the foil wrapped wood will burn longer. Remember, Hardwood will ignite and then smoke for quite some time... Once the wood fire has started, I then start up my Pellet Grill and get it ready... Which is about 15-20min preheat, by then, the wood is just smoking and the pellet grill is ready. I then drop my pellet grills temp down to 200*-225* degrees knowing that with the wood chunks will produce some extra heat, but since the wood is just smoking and not on all out fire, the extra heat being produce is very manageable... Also, all the Wood Chunks aren’t burning at the same time, they will ignite during the course of the cook... The Smokers temps will jump up a bit when this happens... I’ve found if necessary, you can always add a water pan to help keep the “Smokers” temps extra stable and it really helps. Also, depending on your brand of Pellet Smoker, You can lay a piece of aluminum foil with holes in it over the charcoal basket to help prevent flare ups. Depending on what’s in the “Smoker” being cooked, You can add more wood chunks if needed for longer cooks if desired. Is this option for every Pellet Grill Owner? No. Most couldn’t imagine tending to real wood smoking in their pellet grills.. Some will say, that’s not what pellet grills were made to do, burning real wood in a Pellet Grill. Will You have perfect temp control going this route? No and You shouldn’t expect it. Many will say, why not just buy a real stick burner... Well because, You can have and experience the best of both worlds at the same time and there will be no doubt in the Smoke flavor profile is just like a stick burner, because You’re burning Real Wood just like a real stick burner. For those that may be curious, give it a shot... Have I given up on the SmokeDaddy Wood Burning Heat Diffuser? No, I still use it without the wood and it does work with the foil wrapping. I’ve just evolved and I don’t mine the extra work which is actually very little extra effort.

PB Austin XL in SoCal and Always... Semper Fi

 

[SlowmotionQue]

... Besides using the SmokeDaddy Wood Burning Heat Diffuser with good results, the level of wood smoke flavor still wasn’t the same as an actual Stick Burner... I was like D.mn, how can I improve this??

I appreciate that you bring up this point.

I wish that you had elaborated on what may have been the reasons for this.

I suspect that the fact that a few chunks of smoldering wood, or even a couple of small logs, are not enough to offer wood flavor the same as an actual stick burner.

....Another Poster kstone113, mention adding a Aluminum Meat Loaf Pan and putting wood chunks or pellets in it to get ignition to add smoke flavor. I figured out if I installed a small steel Charcoal basket or Grilling Wok inside the lower portion of my pellet grill and opposite of the hopper side, then I could place wood chunks in the basket, about half full, light it and get it going. I’ve tried wrapping in foil this way and without. I’ve gotten a better, stronger smoke flavor profile without the foil, but the foil wrapped wood will burn longer. Remember, Hardwood will ignite and then smoke for quite some time...

Yes, it will. But the important thing to remember is that smoldering wood is not what the real pit masters want.

They like for their wood to be in flames. That's whether they are using traditional side burners or reverse flow burners, or crude pits where they're spreading red hot coals onto a "floor" and putting meat above them, or off to the side of them.

The very faint, barely visible, thin blue smoke coming from off of wood which is in flames, or which has been reduced to glowing embers is the smoke that they want. Not dirty smoke coming from smoldering wood.

Once the wood fire has started, I then start up my Pellet Grill and get it ready... Which is about 15-20min preheat, by then, the wood is just smoking and the pellet grill is ready. I then drop my pellet grills temp down to 200*-225* degrees knowing that with the wood chunks will produce some extra heat, but since the wood is just smoking and not on all out fire, the extra heat being produce is very manageable... Also, all the Wood Chunks aren’t burning at the same time, they will ignite during the course of the cook... The Smokers temps will jump up a bit when this happens... I’ve found if necessary, you can always add a water pan to help keep the “Smokers” temps extra stable and it really helps. Also, depending on your brand of Pellet Smoker, You can lay a piece of aluminum foil with holes in it over the charcoal basket to help prevent flare ups. Depending on what’s in the “Smoker” being cooked, You can add more wood chunks if needed for longer cooks if desired. Is this option for every Pellet Grill Owner? No. Most couldn’t imagine tending to real wood smoking in their pellet grills.. Some will say, that’s not what pellet grills were made to do, burning real wood in a Pellet Grill. Will You have perfect temp control going this route? No and You shouldn’t expect it. Many will say, why not just buy a real stick burner...

Glad to hear that's working out for you. Whatever works.

...... Well because, You can have and experience the best of both worlds at the same time and there will be no doubt in the Smoke flavor profile is just like a stick burner, because You’re burning Real Wood just like a real stick burner. For those that may be curious, give it a shot...

I don't know about the "best" of both worlds.

And I say that because the "best" that a real stick burner has to offer in terms of smoke flavor, does not come from smoldering wood chips.

Or better put, one cannot and should not expect to get the same smoke flavor from burning wood chunks in a basket placed inside of a pellet smoker as one would get from burning wood splits over a several hour cook in a reverse flow or traditional offset stick burner.

Have I given up on the SmokeDaddy Wood Burning Heat Diffuser? No, I still use it without the wood and it does work with the foil wrapping. I’ve just evolved and I don’t mine the extra work which is actually very little extra effort.

PB Austin XL in SoCal and Always... Semper Fi

I've "evolved" in the use of my SDHD as well and use it as just a diffuser, making no attempt to add wood to it.

You know, early in your post you brought up an excellent points. I'd like to revisit it if I may:

I know most Pellet Grill Owners have evolved and enjoy the lighter flavor profile that wood pellets produce. Many like the ease of use and prefer not to have too manage grill temps or tend to wood like a true Stick Burner would have You to do....

You are exactly right. And this is the reason why Kamado Joe is coming out with a new pellet Kamado, and it is rumored that non other than Weber is coming out with their own pellet grill.

https://twitter.com/kamadojoe

 

[RCAlan]

Quote... The very faint, barely visible, thin blue smoke coming from off of wood which is in flames, or which has been reduced to glowing embers is the smoke that they want. Not dirty smoke coming from smoldering wood.... Quote..

Exactly... and that’s what I described in my previous posting... Not smoldering wood, but wood that is burning and wood embers that are smoking... Oh and I know it works. In a perfect bbq world, everyone would be singing Kumbaya and waiting for bbq brisket Manna to come from the sky... In the mean time, I and others have experienced great bbq, while burning wood in our pellet grills. My technique allows the wood to burn and smoke and the embers to smoke... I can also continue to add wood to the basket/Grill Wok as I continue with my cook if I so desire... Whatever works... This works. I’m not trying to convince You, trust that... I’m just posting to those that share and feel the same as I do. To those that want that is missing in their pellet grill experience. Real Wood Smoke Flavor... Not smoldering smoke that you keep describing. But hay, to each their own. More importantly, I hope everyone has an enjoyable Labor Day with their Families and Friends and remember those who are in need and those who are in Service.

PB Austin XL in SoCal and Always... Semper Fi

 

[SlowmotionQue]

Exactly... and that’s what I described in my previous posting... Not smoldering wood, but wood that is burning and wood embers that are smoking... Oh and I know it works. In a perfect bbq world, everyone would be singing Kumbaya and waiting for bbq brisket Manna to come from the sky...

Funny you say that as I’m not convinced that there are not any out there right now who might be doing just that.

..In the mean time, I and others have experienced great bbq, while burning wood in our pellet grills.

Well, rather than wait for those others of whom you speak, to chime in here on the afore described method, I think that I’ll give it a shot myself when I have some time to try it. It certainly sounds promising anyway.

...My technique allows the wood to burn and smoke and the embers to smoke... I can also continue to add wood to the basket/Grill Wok as I continue with my cook if I so desire... Whatever works... This works. I’m not trying to convince You, trust that... I’m just posting to those that share and feel the same as I do. To those that want that is missing in their pellet grill experience. Real Wood Smoke Flavor... Not smoldering smoke that you keep describing.

Hopefully, several folks will try this and get results such as you describe.

I’m certainly going to try it.

.... But hay, to each their own.

Exactly. Each to his own. Whatever works for you.

More importantly, I hope everyone has an enjoyable Labor Day with their Families and Friends and remember those who are in need and those who are in Service....

I certainly will, and I hope that others do as well.

 

[RCAlan]

FYI... Very important, for those thinking about burning wood in your pellet grills, You will not be able to Set your grill and Forget it... Your grills temps will also not be within 5*-10* degrees of your set point.. Not even close. When burning wood in the charcoal basket, I set my grill at 225* degrees and it ran more near 275* plus degrees due to the burning wood increased my grills temp. When I set the temp to 250* degrees, while the wood was burning, the actual temp was 300* plus degrees. The lower your grills set temp, the better. 200*-225* is the best temps to try, knowing that it will actually be closer to 250* plus degrees while smoking embers... and closer to 300* while the wood is freshly burning. Burning embers will give you lower temps then burning wood. Also, the amount of wood chunks being used/burn will also factor in. If You can’t cook at temps 50* plus degrees higher then your set point, then this option is not for you. Also, the more your grills fan is on, it will feed the flames of the wood and your temps will shoot up... not so much while the burnt embers are smoking. Each brand of Pellet Grill is different and each will have different results. If You have the space, a water pan really helps in temp management and the larger the pan the better. For those that have to have rock solid temp control and that’s one of the main reasons many bought their Pellet Grills in the first place, then this option may not be for you. Remember, the effort is to make Your pellet grill into a stick burner and burning wood will increase the heat in your grills, there’s no way around it, but the increase temps can be managed. If others have any useful ideas for temp management, please share. I think if the air intake can be managed, the better results in temp control. If You can work around the draw backs of the increase in the grills temps, the added real wood smoke is well worth the effort and a try. It’s still a work in progress, but the last few attempts have gone very, very well and Way better then using the SDHD with unwrapped wood in it.

PB Austin XL in SoCal and Always... Semper Fi

 

[SlowmotionQue]

FYI... Very important, for those thinking about burning wood in your pellet grills, You will not be able to Set your grill and Forget it...

I pretty much stopped reading right there, but curiosity got the better of me and I scanned the rest.

But RC, you did this membership a great service by getting this out there up front. And I thank you.

Anyone armed with this knowledge, can just about decide whether it is or is not worth the tradeoff of automation vs flavor which, let’s face it, “might be close to" flavor which would be obtained from a real stick burner. And that's IF everything goes well and you don't end up with temps going well above your set point.

I, for one, thank you for being upfront with this important tidbit.

Your grills temps will also not be within 5*-10* degrees of your set point.. Not even close. When burning wood in the charcoal basket, I set my grill at 225* degrees and it ran more near 275* plus degrees due to the burning wood increased my grills temp. When I set the temp to 250* degrees, while the wood was burning, the actual temp was 300* plus degrees.

Wow.

If You can’t cook at temps 50* plus degrees higher then your set point, then this option is not for you.

It would seem not to be. But what then is the point in setting a temperature at all, if you can't trust that setting and things might end up 50° plus degrees higher than what you set them?

Also, the more your grills fan is on, it will feed the flames of the wood and your temps will shoot up... not so much while the burnt embers are smoking.

Hmmmmm. All of this begs the question; "If one were fine with witnessing 50 plus degree temp swings and they were OK with no "set it and forget it" advantages that a pellet grill offers, why wouldn't they simply buy a real stick burner and be “absolutely guaranteed” of getting stick burner results for such efforts and compromises?"

 

[RCAlan]

I pretty much stopped reading right there, but curiosity got the better of me and I scanned the rest.

But RC, you did this membership a great service by getting this out there up front. And I thank you.

Anyone armed with this knowledge, can just about decide whether it is or is not worth the tradeoff of automation vs flavor which, let’s face it, “might be close to" flavor which would be obtained from a real stick burner. And that's IF everything goes well and you don't end up with temps going well above your set point.

I, for one, thank you for being upfront with this important tidbit.



Wow.



Well RC, speaking only for myself here, and understanding that others might feel the same way, I thank you profusely for putting this out there up front and for saving me the time and trouble of attempting this technique.

Out of control temps are what motivate many people, myself included, towards pellet grill ownership in the first place. They bought pellet grills so that they "could" set it and forget it when it came to smoking foods.



Hmmmmm. All of this begs the question; "If one were fine with witnessing 50 plus degree temp swings and they were OK with no "set it and forget it" advantages that a pellet grill offers, why wouldn't they simply buy a real stick burner and be “absolutely guaranteed” of getting stick burner results for such efforts and compromises?"

I get Your point... If the goal is to enjoy a real stick burner flavor profile in Ones bbq, why not just use a real Stick Burner, which is truly the original and best way? Well, IMO opinion, it’s the hobby aspect of trying new things and testing news ways and seeing what those efforts can bring. If I can get my pellet grill to produce real wood smoke, why not give it a try? Will those efforts bring results exactly as an original Stick Burner? You never know until you give it a shot...
That’s one of the fun aspects of this hobby besides making great bbq is being able to try something different and perhaps make something better by thinking outside the box.
Does burning real wood increase the wood flavor profile produced by pellet grills? Yes. Are there some compromises in this effort? Yes. Is it worth the extra effort? For some, Yes and for some, No.

PB Austin XL in SoCal and Always... Semper Fi