Help on a pellet smoker

[dannylang]

I have been smoking for quite a while on a stick burner, Lang 36 patio, looking to simplify the process. Is there any pellet smokers out there that will produce the same quality of food as a stick burner does, and not have to watch the smoker for temp fluxuation.

 

[gmc2003]

Same quality - YES, same smoke profile - Probably not. Even with an amazn tube I don't think you'll get the same smoke profile.

Chris

 

[SlowmotionQue]

Same quality - YES, same smoke profile - Probably not. Even with an amazn tube I don't think you'll get the same smoke profile.

Chris

I agree. You can get good food from off of a pellet smoker. But the same smoke profile as you're getting from your current Lang36 Patio offset stick burner? Most likely not.

If one could reliably get offset stick burner results in terms of smoke profile using pellets, well then Aaron Franklin and a lot of traditional pit masters, and offset cooker professionals out there, would probably be using pellet smokers instead of what they currently use.

In light of that, I'd be skeptical of any comments indicating that any low cost, consumer grade pellet smoker can match the smoke profile of a good offset stick burner with someone skilled in fire management running it.

Pellet smoke typically leaves a different flavor, a lighter smoke profile on food than what is produced from cooking food from burning logs in a stick burner.

Some people can deal with this difference or "compromise" depending upon how one looks at it, in exchange for the convenience of a set it and forget it pellet smoker.

But no, I agree with gmc2003/Chris above. I've found that to myself and apparently many others who have remarked on the subject, food produced on a pellet smoker does not have the same smoke profile as food cooked on a well run quality stick burner.

 

[mike243]

My advice is to touch base with some body that lives nearby and smoke something on a pellet smoker and sample it. hate to see folks expecting 1 thing then get a different flavor profile. Pellet cooking isn't for everybody. I enjoy the food off mine but its a lot different than traditional smoked food. I hope less cancer causing smoke lol, will never part with any of my different smokers and cant knock any. I also am not a sales person trying to sell any brand and think all of them can cook great food with a little bit of practice. some folks drive high dollar cars and some of us drive lower end,they all get us there no matter the bling.

 

[SlowmotionQue]

My advice is to touch base with some body that lives nearby and smoke something on a pellet smoker and sample it. hate to see folks expecting 1 thing then get a different flavor profile. Pellet cooking isn't for everybody. I enjoy the food off mine but its a lot different than traditional smoked food. I hope less cancer causing smoke lol, will never part with any of my different smokers and cant knock any. I also am not a sales person trying to sell any brand and think all of them can cook great food with a little bit of practice. some folks drive high dollar cars and some of us drive lower end,they all get us there no matter the bling.

That's the best advice he's gotten in this thread.

Recommending some specific brand of pellet smoker to him isn't the answer when it could turn out that he doesn't like pellet smoked food at all, no matter which pellet smoker it comes off of.

You're right. His best option at this point, would likely be to find someone who, or some restaurant or food truck which, has a pellet smoker and taste for himself BBQ which has been cooked on a pellet smoker, sample it and see if he likes it first.

Then he can make a selection on brand, or not.

 

[jac63]

My advice is to touch base with some body that lives nearby and smoke something on a pellet smoker and sample it. hate to see folks expecting 1 thing then get a different flavor profile. Pellet cooking isn't for everybody. I enjoy the food off mine but its a lot different than traditional smoked food. I hope less cancer causing smoke lol, will never part with any of my different smokers and cant knock any. I also am not a sales person trying to sell any brand and think all of them can cook great food with a little bit of practice. some folks drive high dollar cars and some of us drive lower end,they all get us there no matter the bling.

A voice of reason!
I agree that there is no one size fits all for all of us. There is no doubt that a pellet smoker will give a milder (read less) smoke flavor. For my wife and I, who a heavy smoke gives us each heartburn, a pellet smoker is perfect. I love the flavor of a good stick or charcoal smoker but don't care for the after affects. I'm not ready to part with them just yet either but it turns out my Pit Boss is perfect for us, for someone else maybe not so much.

 

[retfr8flyr]

I have a Traeger and I am very happy with it but it doesn't have a stick burner flavor profile. From my research the pellet grill the comes closest to what you are looking for would be a Mack 1, or 2 star General.

 

[SlowmotionQue]

I have a Traeger and I am very happy with it but it doesn't have a stick burner flavor profile. From my research the pellet grill the comes closest to what you are looking for would be a Mack 1, or 2 star General.

It's interesting that you mention those, because a little while back, late July of this year, and on one of the other popular smoking forums in a big pellet grill thread they have running, a new MAK 1 Star owner seeking advice on an upcoming brisket cook mentioned that he liked a lot of smoke. And that so far that he had not had as much smoke as he would have liked.

So either way you go, when it comes to pellet grills, you can find owners across brands and no matter which brand, who mention less smoke flavor than what they are accustomed to.

 

[jlud]

I often think of getting a stick burner to go with my ys640 for when I have time to hang out and babysit it.....grass is always greener I guess.

Smoke profile not as much as my WSM, but the Yoder makes it easy. Going to try some Myron Mixon hickory soon, Lumberjack dried up around me.

 

[SlowmotionQue]

Just by happenstance, I was looking elsewhere and found the following very informative video.

It’s a blind taste test of food cooked on 4 different types of cookers.

The video is called “The Ultimate Smoker Test”.

 

[dannylang]

Man that video tells a lot, thanks for that.

 

[SlowmotionQue]

Man that video tells a lot, thanks for that.

Happy to have posted it up.

I first saw it on another forum, and so giving credit where it is due, I'm happy that someone over there pointed the members to it and that I was fortunate enough to see it.

It is very telling, and it answers a lot of questions and goes at least some way towards putting to rest a lot of the controversy, at least in my own mind, regarding this matter.

 

[mike243]

I would take this a step further and say to find someone that has the same smoker or at least the same make if not model smoker you're rhinking about buying because it seems they are a bit different in their approach and the results you can expect.

, lets be honest, you can only get so much flavor out of any pellet no matter what smoker you have,your limited by the pellets, you take 1 guy seasons 2 meats and throw them on 2 different smokers with the same pellets, guess what not a nickel's difference in the taste. Argue all day it wont change the taste, length of time in smoke mode seasoning and the love put forth by the cook will determine the final flavor. hope every body enjoys cooking and eating as much as I do and don't worry what others use to cook their grub on, taste to the owner is all that matters

 

[dannylang]

Man there’s a lot of different views here, I was only looking to simplify my smoking process,cooking with a stick burner is a timely process, from getting or cutting wood, then keeping the temp where it needs to be, instead of putting pellets in the hopper, then cut grass or whatever you needed to do, then come back to it, check internal temps and ready to eat. That was my only intake on this post.
dannylang

 

[SlowmotionQue]

I have been smoking for quite a while on a stick burner, Lang 36 patio, looking to simplify the process. Is there any pellet smokers out there that will produce the same quality of food as a stick burner does, and not have to watch the smoker for temp fluxuation.

Man there’s a lot of different views here, I was only looking to simplify my smoking process, cooking with a stick burner is a timely process, from getting or cutting wood, then keeping the temp where it needs to be, instead of putting pellets in the hopper, then cut grass or whatever you needed to do, then come back to it, check internal temps and ready to eat. That was my only intake on this post.
dannylang

Well, yeah, there are a lot of different views here.

In your first post, at least in part it looked like you asked specifically about the “quality of food” of one vs the other. which would of course go to taste.

Now in your latest post, you’re pointing to “convenience” of one vs the other or “simplifying” things.

The reason why people offered you opinions on taste or “quality of food” between the two, was well, because you effectively asked for them.

 

[solman]

Man there’s a lot of different views here, I was only looking to simplify my smoking process,cooking with a stick burner is a timely process, from getting or cutting wood, then keeping the temp where it needs to be, instead of putting pellets in the hopper, then cut grass or whatever you needed to do, then come back to it, check internal temps and ready to eat. That was my only intake on this post.
dannylang

have you considered electric? but a lot of those guys end up using pellet trays to generate smoke, so you're back to the issue of not getting enough smoke flavor out of pellets.

i'm obviously biased because i love my propane smoker, but propane could be another option. it gets hot enough to generate smoke out of wood chunks, and it seems to be the closest to your stick burner in burning whole wood pieces to generate smoke. i have mine almost to be "set it and forget it" at this point.

 

[dannylang]

I already have a electric masterbuilt refridgator type smoker all ready, yes it’s very easy to smoke on, but the food taste and quality is not the same as my Lang smoker. Really just looking to see what kind of results that the pellet smoker is capible of producing.
DannyLang

 

[jlud]

Well I guess the answer is “no”....likely won’t get same taste quality with pellet that you are used to. Yes, can definitely simplify with pellet overall, but a bit less flavor.

 

[mike243]

No taste wont be no where near the lang and dont think you can get pellet flavor profile from the lang, I can come closer to a stick burner with my masterbuilt than I can my pellet smoker