Smoke yield from pellets

[msstatedawg]

Considering a Pit Boss pellet smoker but I like a HEAVY smoke flavor. Which pellets are known for producing the most smoke and the heaviest smoke flavor?

 

[SmokingUPnorth]

I used to have good luck with lumberjack pellets. I think a lot of others would recommend them too

 

[motocrash]

If you like heavy smoke, you'll likely need a tube or a tray to augment smoke in a pellet pooper.

 

[SmokinEdge]

Considering a Pit Boss pellet smoker but I like a HEAVY smoke flavor. Which pellets are known for producing the most smoke and the heaviest smoke flavor?

Won’t happen with pellets. Pellet machines burn very clean because of the forge fan that runs constantly. You can add a smoke tube, that helps, but the airflow is high and moves the smoke more that a fired pit. Might want to consider a gravity fed cooker like the Master Built.

 

[eaglewing]

If you like heavy smoke, you'll likely need a tube or a tray to augment smoke in a pellet pooper.

Won’t happen with pellets. Pellet machines burn very clean because of the forge fan that runs constantly. You can add a smoke tube, that helps, but the airflow is high and moves the smoke more that a fired pit. Might want to consider a gravity fed cooker like the Master Built.

I suspect when you say HEAVY smoke flavor you mean like a coal/wood burner.
Of course you want that charcoal/real wood "flavor" BUT, there is NO PELLET in the world that will reproduce charcoal and real wood flavor...
In fact, I'm not sure why people even EXPECT a "pellet grill" to taste and smoke like charcoal/wood!!! IT'S IMPOSSIBLE!! THERE, I SAID IT>

Now, I use smoke tubes and a smoke generator and I can come pretty dam close buy putting REAL WOOD in those tubes.
I actually have fun adding whiskey barrel chips and cherry chips to the tube and getting some seriously good smokey taste.

like SmokinEdge said, you might try a gravity fed coal burner, I know a guy who gave up his pellet smoker and went that way, he loves it.

 

[smokerjim]

I'm with the others if you like lots of smoke I dont think a pellet smoker is the way to go, I have a pitboss 1000t and use a smoke tube ( trays dont stay lit in most pellet grills) and I'm still not thrilled with the smoke amount. I get better smoked meats with my mes 30 and amnps tray. But they dont match up to my offset but I got away from that because of the time tending to it.

 

[eaglewing]

A pellet smoker will still give awesome 'bark' and smoke ring every time... in fact because of the convection fan it can produce super bark

 

[tallbm]

Considering a Pit Boss pellet smoker but I like a HEAVY smoke flavor. Which pellets are known for producing the most smoke and the heaviest smoke flavor?

Yep I think the others are giving good input but don't panic you will still produce amazing BBQ!
I don't own a pellet grill but know people who do and have read basically every pellet grill post that comes here over the past few years so this is where my info is coming from.

1. The pellet tube will be your solution. In your pellet tube just run strong wood pellets like 100% Hickory, or 100% Mesquite (if you can find it). As mentioned the tray wont work in your pellet grill but the tubes do.

2. I personally would run the cheapest pellets you can get your hands on in the pitboss itself. So that would be PitBoss brand Competition Blend (it's widely available) or the PitBoss brand Hickory pellet if it's available to you. PitBoss brand sold at Walmart, Lowes, and Academy is about as inexpensive as they come and burns well.

The Pellet Smoker Behavior:
Pellet grills/smokers burn pellets for heat and smoke. The dilemma here is that when wood burns hotter it produces less smoke. To produce more smoke well the wood has to burn at lower temps. This means if you want more smoke you have to cook at much lower temps which can be unsafe for food cooking and can mean that it takes FOREVER for the food to cook because you want more smoke.

Solution: Burn inexpensive but good burning pellets for heat. Use GREAT and more costly pellets (Lumberjack brand) to burn in your smoke tube for flavor.
This way you control heat and smoke independently and you are now a master that can make amazing BBQ with few limitations!!! Plus it's much friendlier on the wallet in the end.

Try out a pellet tube and some 100% Hickory pellets (Luberjack 100% Hickory is available at Dicks Sporting Goods stores if one near you).
If you find you need/want more smoke flavor buy another tube and burn both at the same time! Tubes burn for like 3 hours or so. Having 2 so you can burn at the same time or do one after another beats having to add chips or wood for smoke every 45 minutes.

I believe one guy on here turned his pellets into dust (get pellets wet, they puff up and shred to the touch, then dry to make dust) and he was able to stuff his tube with dust and produce like a 10 hour burn with it or or something wild like that!

So don't fret. You have some options and I'm positive you will produce heavy smoked BBQ. Hell I've just about oversmoked BBQ using the pellet tray which produces milder smoke than the tube so I'm confident you can get your smoke level with a tube or 2 or 3 :D

 

[eaglewing]

I also have a Smokin-it smoke gernerator for long cooks, this thing kicks @$$

 

[RoadRunner18]

You can't go wrong with Lumber Jack 100% Hickory, Mesquite, and Apple wood pellets

 

[1MoreFord]

tallbm, if you have an Atwood's or Rural King nearby you can get LumberJack cheaper than PitBoss pellets. If you have an Academy Sports you can get B&B pellets that are rebranded BBQer's Delights cheaper too, so you can run good pellets all around with some luck and research. Don't forget Tractor Supply. They are selling Bear Mountain cheap too now.

Also, since you mention Dick's they will price match the stores I mentioned above but I would avoid buying from Dick's if possible.

 

[eaglewing]

Don't forget Tractor Supply. They are selling Bear Mountain cheap too now.

My next stop when I get low..

 

[bregent]

Considering a Pit Boss pellet smoker but I like a HEAVY smoke flavor. Which pellets are known for producing the most smoke and the heaviest smoke flavor?

Before you buy anything, see if you can find someone in your area that has a pellet grill and taste some of the food. I know of plenty of folks that like heavy smoke flavor that were never satisfied with the smoke profile of pellet grills, even with supplemental smoke devices. You might want to consider a gravity feed charcoal grill, if ease of operation is what you are after.

If you still are wanting a pellet grill, look for one that modulates the fan. Some of the reasons pellet grills yield lower smoke flavor are
1) The high temperature in the burn chamber oxidizes the aromatics in the smoke
2) The high airflow dilutes the smoke
3) The drip tray blocks much of the smoke from reaching the food, as the smoke comes up around the edges and out the exhaust

The pulsing fan somewhat alleviates #1 and #2 and in the case of the Weber Smokefire, #3. The CookShack PG500 also has a configuration that forces all smoke past the food.

And as already mentioned, burn a pellet with the strongest flavor. For me that's 100% hickory. Be aware that most pellets out there use 60%-70% of a 'filler' wood, not the species labelled. LumberJack and Cookin' Pellets are two brands that offer 100% flavor wood. LumberJack are also about the least expensive pellet available.

I'm not personally a fan of using a tube. They burn cold, which to me, produces a flavor I don't like.

 

[msstatedawg]

Before you buy anything, see if you can find someone in your area that has a pellet grill and taste some of the food. I know of plenty of folks that like heavy smoke flavor that were never satisfied with the smoke profile of pellet grills, even with supplemental smoke devices. You might want to consider a gravity feed charcoal grill, if ease of operation is what you are after.

If you still are wanting a pellet grill, look for one that modulates the fan. Some of the reasons pellet grills yield lower smoke flavor are
1) The high temperature in the burn chamber oxidizes the aromatics in the smoke
2) The high airflow dilutes the smoke
3) The drip tray blocks much of the smoke from reaching the food, as the smoke comes up around the edges and out the exhaust

The pulsing fan somewhat alleviates #1 and #2 and in the case of the Weber Smokefire, #3. The CookShack PG500 also has a configuration that forces all smoke past the food.

And as already mentioned, burn a pellet with the strongest flavor. For me that's 100% hickory. Be aware that most pellets out there use 60%-70% of a 'filler' wood, not the species labelled. LumberJack and Cookin' Pellets are two brands that offer 100% flavor wood. LumberJack are also about the least expensive pellet available.

I'm not personally a fan of using a tube. They burn cold, which to me, produces a flavor I don't like.

SIL has a pellet and the butt was pretty dang good. Was surprised actually. Mostly wondering if i could do the same with a pellet but add a little more smoke flavor. One of the earlier comments had me interested in researching smoke generators.

 

[tallbm]

tallbm, if you have an Atwood's or Rural King nearby you can get LumberJack cheaper than PitBoss pellets. If you have an Academy Sports you can get B&B pellets that are rebranded BBQer's Delights cheaper too, so you can run good pellets all around with some luck and research. Don't forget Tractor Supply. They are selling Bear Mountain cheap too now.

Also, since you mention Dick's they will price match the stores I mentioned above but I would avoid buying from Dick's if possible.

Thanks for the info! No Atwoods or Rural King near me.
I would run the cheapest yet highest quality pellets for fuel. I'm glad you listed those other options.
Near me the most adequate and cheapest around are the Pit Boss Competition Blend 40lbs for $14.96. Hard to beat that but I dread going into Walmart here in TX. It is always crammed full of people and having worked for Walmart while in college I understand how horrible of a company they are and try to avoid giving them business when possible.

I get my Lumberjack from a guy that is kinda local that buys about 4 pallets at a time and resells them. Prices are good and I'm so stocked up it will be a couple of years before I need to buy more... unless I run out of 100% Mesquite which Lumberjack discontinued :( :( :(

I have to find an alternative 100% Mesquite pellet or dust option out there somewhere. So anyone please tell me if you come across one that is feasible lol.

 

[Steff3]

Thanks for the info! No Atwoods or Rural King near me.
I would run the cheapest yet highest quality pellets for fuel. I'm glad you listed those other options.
Near me the most adequate and cheapest around are the Pit Boss Competition Blend 40lbs for $14.96. Hard to beat that but I dread going into Walmart here in TX. It is always crammed full of people and having worked for Walmart while in college I understand how horrible of a company they are and try to avoid giving them business when possible.

I get my Lumberjack from a guy that is kinda local that buys about 4 pallets at a time and resells them. Prices are good and I'm so stocked up it will be a couple of years before I need to buy more... unless I run out of 100% Mesquite which Lumberjack discontinued :( :( :(

I have to find an alternative 100% Mesquite pellet or dust option out there somewhere. So anyone please tell me if you come across one that is feasible lol.

Try these, heard they're suppose to be mfg by Lumberjack...

https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/cabelas-bbq-wood-pellets?searchTerm=Cabela%20wood%20pellets

 

[tallbm]

Try these, heard they're suppose to be mfg by Lumberjack...

https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/cabelas-bbq-wood-pellets?searchTerm=Cabela%20wood%20pellets

Thanks, I'll check into them. I thought I had heard their manufacturer changed not to long ago but definitely worth confirming.... if their online customer support department is now back lol.

 

[Steff3]

Thanks, I'll check into them. I thought I had heard their manufacturer changed not to long ago but definitely worth confirming.... if their online customer support department is now back lol.

I hadn't heard that. Will be interesting to know what you may find out.....

 

[1MoreFord]

tallbm, currently Atwoods is running Lumber Jack Hickory for $6.99 / 20lbs compared to the normal price of $8.99. Best get Dick's to price match you some.

Here's some Hickory and Mesquite sawdust too.

Sawdust : Butcher & Packer, Sausage Making and Meat Processing Supplies

Butcher & Packer : Sawdust - Books Brine & Marinade Supplies Cleaners & Lubricants Gloves Gift Boxes Hooks Hunting &amp Deer Processing Jerky Supplies Knives, Cutlery, & Cleavers Meat Grinders Meat Tenderizers Netting Paper & Cutters Processing Supplies Kitchen & Cooking Supplies Sausage Making...

www.butcher-packer.com

If you have an Academy Sports nearby they carry some 40lb bags of B&B in Championship blend, Hickory, and Pecan although it's not always in stock. Good pellets but all are blends.

B&B 40 lb Championship Blend Pellet Grill Fuel | Academy

Need to ignite your pellet grill? Use the B&B 40 lb Championship Blend Pellet Grill Fuel. It's made from 100% natural wood without chemical additives, and it burns ...

www.academy.com

 

[tallbm]

tallbm, currently Atwoods is running Lumber Jack Hickory for $6.99 / 20lbs compared to the normal price of $8.99. Best get Dick's to price match you some.

Here's some Hickory and Mesquite sawdust too.

Sawdust : Butcher & Packer, Sausage Making and Meat Processing Supplies

Butcher & Packer : Sawdust - Books Brine & Marinade Supplies Cleaners & Lubricants Gloves Gift Boxes Hooks Hunting &amp Deer Processing Jerky Supplies Knives, Cutlery, & Cleavers Meat Grinders Meat Tenderizers Netting Paper & Cutters Processing Supplies Kitchen & Cooking Supplies Sausage Making...

www.butcher-packer.com

If you have an Academy Sports nearby they carry some 40lb bags of B&B in Championship blend, Hickory, and Pecan although it's not always in stock. Good pellets but all are blends.

B&B 40 lb Championship Blend Pellet Grill Fuel | Academy

Need to ignite your pellet grill? Use the B&B 40 lb Championship Blend Pellet Grill Fuel. It's made from 100% natural wood without chemical additives, and it burns ...

www.academy.com

Thanks for the info, especially on the Mesquite dust!
Right now I have at least 70 pounds of Lumberjack 100% Mesquite pellets. I have close to 40 pounds of each of Lumberjack 100% Cherry, 100% Maple, 100% Pecan, and 100% Apple. About 15 pounds of 100% Alder. Bout 20 pounds of 100% hickory. About 20 pounds of PB CB. About 19 pounds of PB Char Oak. And then about 55 pounds of random blends.

I only burn them in my AMNPS tray for my electric smoker so I'm loaded up with pellets for a while hahaha. Mesquite is the one I run through the quickest with all my brisket smokes. Everything else moves pretty slowly in comparison.
I would love to trade away my Pecan pellets though. I'm just not trilled with it at all. It will be come blend fodder for me.
No one around me wanted to trade so I'm stuck with it.
If there is anyone in the Dallas area that would like a to trade some pellets, I have a bunch of Lumberjack 100% Pecan I would trade for 100% Mesquite, 100% Apple, or maybe 100% Hickory :)