Recommendation needed - cost effective flavorful pellets

[danbono]

I doubt any company selling BBQ pellets adds non-hardwood fillers.
When some folks talk about 'fillers' in BBQ pellets, they are usually referring to species of hardwoods other than what is listed on the bag. This is most commonly oak and alder. Most pellets out there have fillers - hardwood fillers - but fillers. A few exceptions are Lumberjack, Cookin Pellets, and Smoke Ring. Looks like Ol Hick mentioned above does as well. They sell 100% flavorwood pellets, as well as blends that are clearly listed. Some other companies sell blends that list the species, but very few sell single species pellets, other than oak or alder.

I use only Lumberjack 100% hickory because it gives me the richest smoke flavor. I buy them in bulk and get them delivered for about 40 cents a lb.

Hi Can you give me more info. on buying LumberJack Pellets by bulk?
Sorry just read your post on it How did it work out any problems?.
Thanks Dan

 

[bigfurmn]

Runnings also carries Lumberjack pellets if you have one near you. I know MN has a few and upstate NY also. Not sure where else they are but I do love that store!

 

[Dr. Dobbins]

Lumberjack, I am in Arizona that has BBQIsland and I use those pellets. I am getting great smoke flavor. Lumberjack is a close second, I would use them as a good all round pellet.

 

[Panama_Red]

Check out Blains Farm Supply. I believe they are in Indiana. They handle Lumber Jack pellets. I was looking for some 100% Hickory pellets and found Blains on the internet. They were running a special at the time. Any order over $50.00 free shipping. I ordered five 20# bags to get the free shipping. They shipped 100# of pellets via UPS to South Texas. I only use the 100% pellets in a smoke tube, so 100# will last several years. I buy the cheapest pellets I can find locally for the hopper as this is basically a heat source only.

 

[tallbm]

Check out Blains Farm Supply. I believe they are in Indiana. They handle Lumber Jack pellets. I was looking for some 100% Hickory pellets and found Blains on the internet. They were running a special at the time. Any order over $50.00 free shipping. I ordered five 20# bags to get the free shipping. They shipped 100# of pellets via UPS to South Texas. I only use the 100% pellets in a smoke tube, so 100# will last several years. I buy the cheapest pellets I can find locally for the hopper as this is basically a heat source only.

Hi there and welcome!
Nice to hear you do what I always recommend... except i have to use that caveat that I don't run a pellet smoker/grill lol.
Thanks for the info on ordering from Blains too, that should help a lot of folks out!

 

[catavalon21]

Congrats on finding a bunch of lumber jack pellets! I dont run a pellet grill/smoker but I do use LJ pellets for my MES with an A-Maze-N Pellet Smoker tray. BTW. Dick's Sporting Goods also sells LJ pellets and I bet you can order to the store to get any they sell online but dont have in the store... like Mesquite for amazing flavor with beef! :D

I didn't see anyone mention it (but might have missed it) but I have read a ton of threads where pellet smoker guys want more smoke flavor.
The best solution they come to seems to be the A-Maze-N Pellet Tube, the extendable version here:

You can get 4-6 hours of smoke generation from it AND the important thing is that it was made to work in lower oxygen environments like your pellet smoker!

If I owned a pellet grill I would do the following strategy:

1. Buy and use the cheapest, well working and locally availble pellets to put into the hopper, something like Bit Poss Competition Blend which can be found at most walmarts and lowes
2. THEN I would use the good LumberJack pellets in the tube to generate my real flavor smoke
   • The idea is that less expensive pellets provide heat and higher quality better pellets provide flavor.

See when wood burns the hotter the fire the less smoke you get. The lower the fire temp the more smoke you get. Pellet smokers/grills use your wood pellets for heat and to get more heat they have to burn hotter thereby reducing your smoke production.

That is the one thing to understand with pellet smokers/grills. If you want heat u get less smoke. If you want more smoke u get less heat. Finally, your control over heat may not be so fine grain so you are at the mercy of the machine.

As others have reported in the past, getting and using a tube to generate smoke gives more control and a better smoked product.

Again, I don't own a pellet smoker/grill so I can't tell you that I do this BUT if you search and scour over the forum and the internet you will find the cases that report what I'm relaying to you 2nd hand :)

I hope this info helps! :D

Nailed it