The "healthiest" pellets?

[bregent]

Bear Mountain lists Apple and Mesquite.
Use the store locator and see if a source is close.
I notice the locator didn't list the store I purchased pellets. Possibly due to it being a local chain

Neither are 100% flavor wood, which is what the last several posts in this thread are referring to. If I recall, Bear Mountain uses 65% alder with the balance of flavor wood.

 

[Fueling Around]

Thanks for the info.
I first purchased Lumberjack pellets this spring. Don't remember if they has mesquite, but the apple was blend.

I stumbled across Bear Mountain a couple months ago and the sale price was too good to pass up without trying.
Alder? Makes sense as they are somewhere in the Pacific Northwest.
Lots of apple available in the area, but mesquite, hickory, and pecan are not.

 

[fullborebbq]

I have used and like the Cookin pellet brand pellets. They advertise NO Fillers!

 

[tallbm]

I have used and like the Cookin pellet brand pellets. They advertise NO Fillers! View attachment 460643

Yeah Cookin Pellets are great too.
They only offer 3 options (really seems like just 2 options). 100% Hickory, their Competition Blend, and then I think their website also lists 100% Black Cherry (check me on this one).

I've never seen or heard of anyone using the cherry option.
I have and use their Hickory option (40lb/bag). I got it before I found Lumberjack locally. So I can attest for the Hickory being good to go. When it runs out (years from now haha) I'll buy a bag of Lumberjack since its more locally available and should be good to go!

 

[Dangeruss]

Is there any companies that sell different type of wood species pellets sold in the U.S.? Examples would be mulberry, plum, walnut, orange, buttonwood, grapevine. Also outside of the U.S. which I don't think can be done although I have seen olive wood chunks sold at the butcher shop. Something like Pimento (Jamaica), Guava, etc. I did see one website had a wood pellet blend out of Jamaica for making Jerk but they only sold it in Jamaica.

 

[tallbm]

Is there any companies that sell different type of wood species pellets sold in the U.S.? Examples would be mulberry, plum, walnut, orange, buttonwood, grapevine. Also outside of the U.S. which I don't think can be done although I have seen olive wood chunks sold at the butcher shop. Something like Pimento (Jamaica), Guava, etc. I did see one website had a wood pellet blend out of Jamaica for making Jerk but they only sold it in Jamaica.

Hi there and welcome!

Here's a site where you can order a variety pack. 7 flavors in one pound sizes. I did this when i started out to try all kinds of different woods for cooking :)

Lumber Jack 1 Pound Variety Pack (7 varieties) - Free Shipping | Pellet Wedgie & Samples

This Lumber Jack variety pack is great when using a Smokin Wedgie, Electric Smoker, Tube Smoker or Tray Smoker. You get 1 pound of each of the following varieti

bbqpelletsonline.com

Price is not great for the amount of wood you are getting BUT the variety is what you are paying for.

 

[Snizzley]

Hi there and welcome!

Here's a site where you can order a variety pack. 7 flavors in one pound sizes. I did this when i started out to try all kinds of different woods for cooking :)

Lumber Jack 1 Pound Variety Pack (7 varieties) - Free Shipping | Pellet Wedgie & Samples

This Lumber Jack variety pack is great when using a Smokin Wedgie, Electric Smoker, Tube Smoker or Tray Smoker. You get 1 pound of each of the following varieti

bbqpelletsonline.com

Price is not great for the amount of wood you are getting BUT the variety is what you are paying for.

Awesome thank you for this tip!

 

[Dangeruss]

Thanks for the link tallbm , but I am looking for different varieties than that those seem pretty common

 

[bregent]

I stumbled across Bear Mountain a couple months ago and the sale price was too good to pass up without trying.

Nothing wrong with Bear Mountain, they are great. I can get them locally at a good price and it's all that I used when I first started. But I wasn't getting enough smoke flavor from them for my tastes. I found that 100% hickory gives me a nice smoke profile without having to use any supplemental smoking device (tube, tray, etc)

 

[tallbm]

Thanks for the link tallbm , but I am looking for different varieties than that those seem pretty common

No problem.

That is about as close as I have ever found.
I did notice on their site they had a brand that is doing 100% Almond Wood which seemed interesting. That was about as exotic as I have seen.
CookinPellets mentions 100% Black Cherry but I'm not sure how different that is from standard cherry.

Let us know if you find any sources for less common options :)

 

[bill1]

I'd like to hear about almond wood. I have access to almond trees but figured they were no good for cooking. Would love to hear differently.

 

[tallbm]

I'd like to hear about almond wood. I have access to almond trees but figured they were no good for cooking. Would love to hear differently.

I have no info from it but my understanding is that it is safe to smoke with any Hardwood, Nutwood (usually a hardwood tree), or Fruitwood.

If the bag wasn't so expensive online I would give it a shot but I don't need another bag of pellets that I'm not really using (like my Pecan) to burn in my AMNPS when I already have a few hundred pounds of other stuff in my inventory hahaha :)

 

[Fueling Around]

...
Also outside of the U.S. which I don't think can be done although I have seen olive wood chunks sold at the butcher shop. Something like Pimento (Jamaica), Guava, etc. I did see one website had a wood pellet blend out of Jamaica for making Jerk but they only sold it in Jamaica.

Here is a well established source (2006) of pimento pellets, chips, sticks, leaves, etc. https://pimentowood.com/
I have a sack of their pellets that I got from a group purchase through zwiller
They're good for flavor. I used the pellets in a tube on the Weber kettle with charcoal.
Next time I'm using oak staves from a whisky barrel as fuel. Probably in the kettle. I gave away my offset this year, and I don't have my fridge conversion completed.

 

[Fueling Around]

...
I don't need another bag of pellets that I'm not really using (like my Pecan) ...

I agree on the pecan. I love the nuts especially Texas paper shell. Smoking I get almost no flavor.
I got about 3# from local store that sells out of bulk bins. Happy I didn't waste my money on a 20# sack.

 

[tallbm]

I agree on the pecan. I love the nuts especially Texas paper shell. Smoking I get almost no flavor.
I got about 3# from local store that sells out of bulk bins. Happy I didn't waste my money on a 20# sack.

I have a 40 pound bag with like 35 pounds in it hahaha.
It just doesnt add enough flavor for me and isn't special enough tasting either. I use it as a blend or filler as needed. I feel like stick burner pecan is more flavorful but still not super special either.

I'll see if i can trade some of it with my brother for his 100% Mesquite stash. He kinda feels like as long as he has wood pellets to smoke with all is good so maybe I can make a deal there hahaha

 

[bill1]

Thanks Tallbm for the safety info on almond. I agree with your logic that it is safe, just not sure if it's tasty.
I rather like pecan, at least the chips I've bought. Strong as hickory; not quite as pungent as mesquite. Good flavor and good smellin' for the pit boss. I use it quite a bit.

 

[Dangeruss]

I live in suburb of tc in Minnesota there is a place called Charcoal Store that has wood chunks or chips different types of wood like plum and nectarine. Only pellet that intrigued me was the beechwood

 

[fullborebbq]

As it turns out the bag of Mesquite pellets I have is the Lumber Jack brand. always enjoyed the flavor they impart.

 

[dons2346]

Anyone try those LJ charcoal/hickory pellets? They are supposed to impart a cooked over charcoal flavor. Doesn't sound to appetizing to me

 

[mike243]

They work fine, I have made some good steaks using them, I mix with hickory to smoke, do you not cook steaks over charcoal? same thing, I reckon you only use a gas grill?