Hi Everyone. I apologize in advance if there is an existing thread - with my search engine skills, I wasn't able to find it? I am a Weber Kettle owner, and am looking to add a PBC. In doing the research (thank you to Amazing Ribs, the Pit, and the new Meathead book!), one piece of the puzzle is finding a source of wood for the smoke. One factor that I really appreciate about the PBC concept is that of minimizing variation, thru design + Kingsford Blue charcoal fuel, etc. My question - would the wood pellets that are becoming increasingly available (for example, Costco now sells Traeger grills & wood pellets) be a good source of smoke vs wood chunks? In my latest email from Kalamazoo Grills (dream!), the have come out with an insert ($200!) to use wood pellets as a smoke source. Do you think that pellets could be used in a similar manner with the PBC? Thank you in advance! Duane
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I'd treat them like wood chips. Put'em (dry) in a foil smoke pouch with a few holes poked in it and just lay the pouch on the coals where drippings from the meat are not falling. Mostly however, you'll find adding wood to the PBC is rarely (if ever) necessary. -
Not in a PBC but I have been using pellets as a smoke source in all my cookers for a couple of years. No foil. Just drop'em one top of the coals. Works good.Comment
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A lot of PBC owners don't use wood. One advantage of the PBC design is it lacks a heat shield so the meat drippings hit the coals directly and create "grill smoke".
I sort of simulated this method this past weekend in my 14.5" Weber Smokey Mountain. I filled the charcoal ring with a small chimney of lit coals, removed the bowl and cooked the 1.5" thick steaks on the top rack until they hit 115 internal. I then moved the steaks to the bottom rack (much closer to the coals) and reverse seared them. These were the best steaks I've ever cooked and it's not even close.
Remember, it's a Pit Barrel Cooker. It's not a Pit Barrel Smoker. It is engineered to cook with Kingsford original and when you start to add things like wood chunks or pellets it changes the fuel dynamics.
I recommend trying something simple (and cheap) in it without wood and see how it turns out. I suspect you'll be extremely happy with the results and won't worry about using wood in it.Comment
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You can throw wood chunks on PBC if you want particular flavors like apple wood or mesquite. Sorry haven't tried pellets. The wood chunks are cheap and easy.Comment
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If you are going to use wood you would be better of with wood chunks to add smoke flavor IMO. I don't own a PBC but when I tried the wood pellets on the grill side of my Lang Hybrid they did not work that good, I had better smoke flavor with the wood chunks or chips while using a 2 zone setup.Comment
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viggen246 , you have to be careful when you are talking about pellets. There are pellets for cooking and pellets for smoking and they can be two different things.
The pellets you are seeing at Wal-Mart are probably the B&B Pellets in a 20 lb bag (probably hickory and apple as options... or at least at my wal-mart) Those are pellets that are fuel for pellet grill/smokers (grills/smokers that use pellets as their fuel source).
Then there are flavor pellets (my Wal-Mart doesn't carry). The flavor pellets are often times used for adding specific smoke flavors to WSM, Kettle, Gas Grill, etc...
I am not 100% on all the differences etc but make sure you are looking at the right thing. I know BBQr's Delight ( http://bbqrsdelight.com/ ) offers both kinds. Maybe CandySueQ can jump in and shed some light as to what would work best or how they may work in a PBC. I am actually interested in this too as I just got a PBC and am wanting to add a little wood smoke as well.Comment
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Eventually I'll fire up the Blues Hog Gateway Drum I won last year, so I can talk intelligently about drum cookers! I'm afraid I'm going to like the results and want to add it to my competition cooker arsenal.
Not all pellets are alike. The 100% specie BBQr's Delight one pound bags are not the same wood as our blended pellet grill fuel. However, pellet grill fuel can be used to smoke. Both kinds are food grade. I actually prefer blended mesquite to smoke with instead of 100% mesquite.
Foil packet with a small hole will stretch out the smoke delivery some, but dropping pellets in the coals works too.Comment
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I use wood in my PBC all the time. I like the subtle flavor it adds. Like Meathead says, it's a note in the symphony, not the whole symphony. I tried wood chips and they burn way too fast with too much white smoke for about 5 minutes and then nothing for the rest of the cook.
I buy my wood chunks from http://www.fruitawoodchunks.com/ . I use apple, cherry, peach, pecan, hickory, depending on what I'm cooking. The Fruitawood chunks are about 4-6 ounces each, so one of them for a short cook or a couple of them for a longer cook is just perfect.
With the "grill smoke" that the PBC generates, most folks don't find the need to add wood. You'll still get a delicious smokey flavor and the prettiest smoke rings ever without a speck of wood.
I use the A-Maze-N tube smoker (tube that holds pellets) in my gasser when I'm smoking salmon and don't want to crap up my PBC walls with fish oils. It works well. I've also used Mo's Smoking Pouch for wood chips on my gasser. Both work really well to give the fish a light smoke, which is all DH wants on his fish. I don't eat fish if I can help it.
The A-Maze-N tube smoker is only about $20 to $30 depending on size.
Kathryn
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I also buy my wood chunks form http://www.fruitawoodchunks.com/. Always freshly cut, reasonable cost, free and quick shipping.
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Like Kathryn ( fzxdoc ) I use wood chunks every cook. They don't so much burn as carbonize. I get a very light blue/gray smoke from the wood and I like the additional layer of flavor it adds. I find the chunks at most local big box hardware stores. With the meat juices hitting hot coals and vaporizing you get a flavor add there as well. Enjoy!Comment
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Great things to try. I intend to go with wood chunks for next cook. then will try adding pellet to the arsenal. I like the idea of being able to meter how much smoke you get since pellets are easy measure. Will report back in a couple of weeks with any results.Comment
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Using the pbc - which I like muchly - I'll put Hickory or Mesquite wood on the coals to add the appropriate flavor for the meat.
Unfortunately, that flavor does not materialize on the meat, and I often find that the wood has only partially been consumed at the end - and this after 11+ hours for a PB and less so for shorter chicken cooks.
Now the meat has a good flavor, just not of Hickory or Mesquite. If I do the same in my old Masterbuilt electric smoker, the desired flavor is up front and present. The smoke ring and the "whatever it is" from charcoal is absent, but it's still delicious. I don't use the electric much anymore, but I can't knock it either. It still works.
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I'm thinking that the Kingsford bricks are tainting the taste. With pure lump Mesquite and Mesquite wood, the flavor in the meat i s muted but present. Better than with bricks. But they sure are consistent!
I have a few thighs wanting a burning, so they are up next for Mesquite; this time I'll try a higher temp in the pbc with lump Mesquite and a dollup of good Arizona desert Mesquite wood. Thighs will have a dry brine and a voo wash; nothing else.
If this were all science I'd quit now. But I love Meathead's science too! I think if weren't for beer, we'd all quit now.
Thank you all for your comments, suggestions and especially your experiments.
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It's nice to hear about your experiences with using wood in the PBC. I still use a chunk or two nearly every time I cook on the PBC and swear I can taste a difference in the smokey flavor if I forget to add wood.
Let us know how your all mesquite, all the time cook on those chicken thighs turns out. Sounds like fun. Hope it doesn't turn out to be too much of a good thing.
KathrynComment
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