where are you getting your pellets from?

[bignick1984]

Hey just wondering where you get your pellets from for your smoker? I live in Southern California and seems like not many choices around here and it gets pretty pricey. I usually only get green mountain pellets. I was looking online at bbq delight and it's like $50 a bag.

 

[cmayna]

http://www.amazenproducts.com

 

[dirtsailor2003]

Are you using Pellet smoker like a GMG or Traeger?

 

[mdgirlinfl]

Walmart was my last buy $15. I think it was a 20# bag of apple

 

[bignick1984]

Dirtsailor2003, I have a gmg pellets smoker. I always get green mountain pellets and I have used bbq delight but they are getting expensive.

 

[gmc2003]

BigNick I had to do a double take at you profile picture. At first glance I thought it was a still shot from some 70's porn film. 

chris

 

[tallbm]

So far Amazon.com has been where I am getting mine.  I'm a prime member so I get the Prime or free shipping ones.  I have just gotten into smoking and so far have bought the following for a variety of reasons:

1. CookinPellets 40H Hickory Smoking Pellets 40 pounds - 100% Hickory for $36.59
2. Pit Boss BBQ Wood Pellets, 40 lb., Competition Blend (Maple, Hickory, Cherry) - $20.52
3. Louisiana Grills 55408 Texas Mesquite Pellets, 40-Pound 35% Mesquite/65% Maple Blend - $16.44
4. Pacific Pellet Mesquite Bag, 20-Pound, Mesquite Pellets   30% Mesquite/70% Alder Blend - $13.29
5. Lumber Jack BBQ 7 varieties Pack - 1 Lb. Bag - 100% (Apple, Cherry, Pecan, Hickory, Maple-Hickory-Cherry, Mesquite and Maple)  - $29 (not cost effective at all but best variety pack for price I found and 100% of wood mentioned except for the 1 pound blend bag)

I searched for local distributors and called 2-3 with no answer or returned contact so I'm out on them.  I haven't checked Academy and Cabelas is a bit far away from me so online, free shipping, and no/low tax was the way to go for me :)

My goal was to get a few different types and some blends to play with and figure out what I like and don't like.  Also I wanted options for the variety of meats I would be smoking.  The variety pack will help me figure out what I like without having to buy 20-40 pound bags of every wood out there so I didn't mind paying the steep price one time.

Just know that you will either have to buy 20 pound or 40 pound bags online as almost all of 1-5 pound stuff is the same cost as 20 pound bags so what's the point.  Also I tried to avoid wood "flavored" and went with 100% real hardwood options.  Not options that are "flavored" with oils and such.

In all I did OK on the prices.  It is recommended to blend Mesquite so my two mesquite blends are already handled for me.  The pitboss blend was what I figured I would use for an "all purpose" pellet.  The Hickory is 100% the real deal and Hickory is regarded as the king of smoking woods.  I just need to score me some 100% Alder (for Salmon, fish, and general blending), 100% Pecan, and then figure out if I'm going to prefer between Cherry and Apple to then buy 100% of the fruit wood for blending or other light smoke purposes.  Once I have everything sorted out and 5 tons of pellets later, I think I will be set :P

I hope this gives some food for thought on the approach you want to take, the cost, and your options :)

 

[muddydogs]

Sportsman's Warehouse, $15 for 20 pounds with multiple flavors to choose from.

 

[bregent]

Contact LumberJack (https://bbqpelletsonline.com/) and see if there's a group buy going on in your area. If there isn't, you can start one and they will help put it together by getting folks that live nearby to go in on a bulk purchase. I did one recently and the cost delivered to NorCal was about $15/40lb bag, or about 37 cents a lb. 

Their site states the minimum order per person is 500lbs, but we had some folks that only ordered 4 or 5 40# bags.