Anyone swap out a bullet/barrel charcoal smoker for a pellet?

[big_mack]

I am sitting right in the middle of the fence with charcoal on one side and pellet on the other. I don't have any experience in tasting pellets compared to charcoal so flying blind in that department and will have to take a leap of faith in the end. But getting some feedback from people here that have done both would really go a long way in helping make the decision.

I do have a Performer with SNS and also a gasser. And a Fireboard Drive but no fan yet. I don't like the constant fiddling with the vents on the Performer for long cooks and with the price of good meat these days its critical I have every advantage with temp control. And I would prefer a true smoker over the Performer. So I am looking at a quality but affordable pellet pooper like the Chimp(only non wifi in Canada). But I'm also considering a WSM and adding a Pit Viper to the Fireboard for automated set and forget long cook temp control.

Sure the starting and cleanup is going to be a bit more work with a WSM but not enough to be a deal breaker. In a way the decision seems to come down to taste. And that also happens to be such a personal subjective factor. I have read a lot of posts here and I've noticed enough that say pellets are a light smoke taste and they prefer charcoal more. But then again some people are quite happy with pellets. Its a tough call.

[rickgregory]

Smoke differs as you note, but whether one is better is subjective and of course different cookers will do different things. I've considered adding a Chimp because it's nice to be able to dial in a temp and just have it sit at that temp.HOWEVER... I think that advantage is mostly important for long (8+ hour) cooks since it's not hard to get a kettle dialed into a temp in the mid-200s and have it keep there for 3-6 hour. Ribs, chicken, chuckies etc are all doable in that timeframe.

it's when you do brisket or large pork butts, etc that cooks become longer and holding a temp is more of an issue. You can't toss a brisket on at, say, 10pm and let it go overnight at a consistent temp the way you can with a pellet smoker. I mean, you MIGHT get it to do that, but it's less sure.

So... given that you have the Performer+SNS, I'd say... get the Chimp if you want to do longer cooks or even just want to be able to not have to bother with worrying about a cook (e.g. you want to do some ribs but need to run errands etc). Having the choice would be nice.

[JMuseum]

I have a pellet and a WSM for smokers. When people ask me about it tend to say the pellet smoker is the microwave of smokers. It is easy, no fuss, and everything comes out ok. I have a pretty basic pellet, I know some of the fancy ones have more smoke settings, but basically, in a pellet, you get what you get from different bags of pellets. Not to sound snobby, but there is no "art" to it and it limits your range. One thing I would check out if you do not want to "fiddle" with anything is a drop charcoal smoker. It does the temp; you get to do the wood.

[big_mack]

you mean like the masterbuilt gravity? I am not sure any of what is on the market now are the build quality I would want. I heard the masterbuilt has a newer version out that addressed some issues but I suspect its still lesser quality than a weber or grilla.

[STEbbq]

There is no perfect cooker. If taste is the primary consideration, it’s hard to move off charcoal, and might even consider an offset.

The Masterbuilt may not be built to last a lifetime but it is extremely difficult to beat the price point and value for a gravity fed.

[STEbbq]

Or you can go with the Masterbuilt Gravity and use charcoal with the convenience of pellet temp control. I am pretty happy with mine for 2+ years now.

https://www.masterbuilt.com/collections/gravity-series

[big_mack]

there is a second version out now, right? do you know what the changes are?

[STEbbq]

Yes, the changes were designed to fix the most common issues. They now come with an upgraded firebox plates, an improved charcoal grate to limit unburned charcoal from falling through, and better switches as many of the originals failed with heavy use.

[Mark V]

I opted for the Masterbuilt Gravity also. I didn't want to worry if a pellet grill would give the smoke I wanted. The Masterbuilts are decently built, but not built to be a family heirloom. That is ok, I can buy about 6 of them for my lifetime if need be, still be less than the higher price ones and still be happy. I will keep it covered or in the garage. In Minnesota, during the winter, I have not seen more than a 3 degree swing in temps. No moving parts.

[Jfrosty27]

I use a pellet cooker, a Performer, and a gasser. (Among other cookers). I like having all three available. Depends on what I am cooking. I did two racks of ribs on the pellet cooker Saturday, a couple burgers on the gasser yesterday, and will be firing up the Performer (with Vortex) in just a bit for some chicken quarters. So all three in use just this weekend.

[rickgregory]

One other comment... I would not swap out the Performer+SNS for a pellet. I'd simply add the pellet. Use each as it makes sense

[big_mack]

But the space is limited with the kettle and indirect cooking. and I find the temp is not even. Its hotter closer to the coals. From a smoking only perspective, for me, i would prefer a vertical bullet/barrel over rigging up a kettle because of the even heat dispersion and the stable temps you get with the big heat sinks compared to a small vessel of water in the SNS.

[STEbbq]

The Weber SmokeFire could be a contender on the pellet side as its design offers certain taste advantages over peers but I am sure glitchy will come along and comment further.

The other item to consider is a charcoal kamado which offers much less monitoring effort than a Performer with SNS. Grilla has a good one with the Kong and I really like my cheap Akorn.

jfmorris has spent a lot of time with his SNS kamado and Webers and can confirm the minimal effort involved with the SNS kamado.

[big_mack]

Smokefire has too much history of issues and its way more expensive here.
not sure about a kamado. that gets in to a kamado vs a bullet/barrel vs pellet smoker discussion. that's making my head hurt!

[bep35]

I have a WSCG with SNS, Fireboard, and Pit Viper Fan. I did a brisket and chuckie yesterday and the Fireboard/Pit Viper held temperature at 250 all day. It was amazing! With the Fireboard I was able to track temperature of the WSCG and the brisket/chuckie on my smart phone. I foil wrapped both after 6 hours when they reached 160 degrees and were in the stall. I bumped the WSCG up to 300 using my smart app. Everything came together in 2 hours with both pieces of meat coming out about 15 minutes apart and around 203 degrees. They were wrapped in blankets and went into the cooler for a couple hours.

The graph below is from the cook and shows the consistency of the Fireborad/Pit Viper and the temperatures of the brisket/chuckie. The dips in temp were from opening the lid to check the bark, add charcoal, foil wrap meat, etc. The only time the temperature dipped was when the WSCG was opened and it came right back. If you already have the Performer and the Fireboard, I suggest getting a fan if you want consistent temperatures.



The Pellet experience no doubt requires minimal effort. I have a GMG Trek that I use for camping and that's about it, because the flavor profile is so much milder then what I get with charcoal. In summary, if you like more smoke flavor you probably will prefer cooking with charcoal so invest in a fan that works with your Drive. If you or your wife prefer a milder smoke, then Pellets are a good way to go. Either way, have fun.

[big_mack]

The WSCG is more expensive than a smokey mountain but I'd like one to pair up with a Pit Viper and the Fireboard. The double walled summit would be better up north here compared to the smokey mountain. Its on my list of options, which sits at about 6 options right now.

[DTro]

I like to cook with charcoal and to work with the fire. So at this point, no pellet smoker for me. I have cooked on them, just not interested in having one. If you want easy go for it. For charcoal, take a look at the OK Joe Bronco instead of the WSM. It gives you more options for what you get. I will also, as above, suggest not to swap out your kettle, but add to it.

[Panhead John]

big_mack I’ve been following your post with interest. I might have missed it, but how much food are you looking to cook on something? How many people will you regularly be cooking for? I have a Bronco and love it, as do many others here. I’m including a link to Jerod Broussard ‘s review. One thing about this cooker, it’s a beast at holding steady temps. Let me know if you have any questions.

https://amazingribs.com/grill-smoker-combination-grill-smoker/oklahoma-joes-bronco-drum-smoker-review/

[big_mack]

Panhead John thanks I have read a number of your posts already! I actually rank the Bronco and the PBC higher than the WSM due to stable temp. But the Bronco is $700 CDN. Freaking robbery especially considering its on sale and maybe about to be discontinued (from what I was reading on the OJB board) in the US. I won't be buying a new one at the price, that's for sure. I want one. Even with the stable temps I'd add an ATC fireboard/viper just like I would to the PBC and WSM.

[DTro]

big_mack- Didn't suggest it was better just more options in the box compared to the WSM. In the package you get all the hardware needed hang up to 9 racks of ribs, and the ability to move the coal basket to the top of the barrel to change it from a smoker to a grill. Like Panhead John I love mine too. Your buying options seem much more limited than ours and I didn't have to pay full price. But if I had to replace mine now, I would pay full price if I had to.

[glitchy]

The WSCG offers everything that a kettle and a WSM can do in one package along with the ability to run 18 plus hours easily on a single load of fuel at rock steady temps with fan control.

As far as the earlier comment as to you get what you get from a pellet, that’s no more true than saying the food from every smoker that uses charcoal produces the exact same results. Having had several pellet grills , I can tell you both the grill and the pellets burned lead to different results.

If you’re used to smoking on charcoal at 225, there’s a good chance you will think most pellet grills have a really light smoke profile. That’s not as true as all the people that have smoked with charcoal smokers would like everyone else to believe. Pellet grills have a very clean smoke profile. They burn only wood in a hot high airflow fire. Charcoal smokers mostly burn a low airflow somewhat constrained fire. It’s a dirtier burn and a unique flavor. When I cook on my WSCG at higher temps 275ish, I actually get a cleaner smoke similar to my pellet grills. When I smoke at 225 on it, I can taste a bitterness in the smoke. On the contrary, pellets produce better smoke at lower temperatures, because it does give the pellets a little time to smolder…I guess kinda like making dirty smoke, but dirty pellet smoke is like super clean charcoal fueled smoke.

Now the bad news, pellet smokers that have better smoke profiles cost more. That isn’t mental justification like nay sayers like to throw out, it’s because it costs money to innovate and support a product that is different rather than make a slight variation in looks and follow the same design as all the other cookers out there. Almost every one of the sub $1000 pellet grills is a knock off of the original Traeger with different outside aesthetics and some user convenience features. No real differences in the burning and airflow designs.

Weber, MAK, Yoder, LSG, etc. have invested in design changes to the drip pans, exhaust, controller, fire pot, etc. that improve smoke production and/or circulation within the cook chamber.

[glitchy]

big_mack If you were in Texas I’d agree with that. Outside of Texas and other places with very temperate climates, I don’t know how many BBQ places actually use offsets. There’s all kinds of smokers being used. Cookshack has a whole line of commercial pellet grills and I think that’s a really big part of their business. There’s also electric commercial smokers and big rotisserie stick burners from like old hickory. Unless you’ve seen what they’re cooking on and seen offsets out back?

[big_mack]

glitchy yes I have seen the offsets.

[glitchy]

big_mack Very cool, it’s funny the further north you get the more resilient people are to weather. Around here people look at me funny when I say I bbq more in the winter than the summer.

[Purc]

I'm in the same boat. I love my Weber MT kettle, SnS, Vortex and roti. In the past week I did 2 chuckies,a tri tip and I have a rack of STL ribs on now. I've looked at both the 18 and 22 WSM and I have visited the local Grilla Grills store.Their grills looked great with quality materials. I could not fit the ribs today on the WSM 18 without cutting them in half or hanging them. So maybe the WSM 22 even though it uses a lot of fuel. I'm torn as well about a pellet with more room or a WSM to smoke a full packer. The WSCG may be the answer but it is more money than I want to spend even after I get a WSM, the Arbor Mfg charcoal basket, and several other mods. Regardless I'll keep my kettle because it does so much. MCS has me in a bind. I also need/want a flat top griddle. BTW, I have just fully retired, moved from TN to TX and I need to expand the back patio area and put a roof over the area to handle my outdoor kitchen dreams. I sold my gasser before the move and as of now, I do not miss it.

[big_mack]

sounds like we are in the same boat for sure. I want it all but have to make the best of a limited budget. kind of a challenging puzzle.

[radiodome21]

Yes, yes I did do exactly that. After owning a WSM for a few years I bought the Grilla Silverbac pellet smoker in March 2021.

The WSM was a prize so I didn't spend a dime on it, and haven't bothered with any modifications b/c those can add up to more than the cost of the WSM. I bought the Grilla pellet b/c I was annoyed with the WSM and my cooks on it because the food that I made didn't turn out well, and in some cases had to be tossed due to a mid cook flameouts I experienced while doing some overnight smokes during cold Chicago weather. I also found myself wondering if I was tasting the smoke from the chunks of wood, or the Kingsford professional charcoal I was buying at Costco. Whatever it was I didn't like it. So after months of not really using the WSM I bought my Grilla, and loved it since day one. That was also around the time I joined the Pit, and as I started to learn more things BBQ I realized that I needed to look back at the WSM. Now I have found myself using the WSM a lot more, often in conjunction with the Grilla. I realized that the issues I was having with the WSM were due to one reason: me. I didn't really invest much time in trying to figure it out and learning from it. Now, I have. And I love it. I just ordered a National WSM Cookout Day T-shirt and wore it on Saturday with the intention of cooking a brisket on it this weekend. But life got in the way and I ended up eating out this weekend in downtown Chicago. It'll get smoked though and soon.

But I also love my pellet grill. I think the food is great and so does my family. I've done more than just meat on it and it's great. I don't like tending to fires in cold weather, which is why I have no interest in an offset. I also never use the WSM in winter for the same reasons. But my Grilla is flawless in the winter, and the minimal upkeep is easy. My wife caught me eying thew WSCG and said, "We don't need another grill." And she's correct; we don't need one but I might. If I were to get the WSCG I would probably have to sacrifice the WSM.....or maybe just hide it from my wife.

As for the smoke profile difference between the two it is there. Again, it's subjective. I'll often cook ribs and chicken with the same rub on both smokers and then do a taste test with the family. The results are always mixed too, which makes it more fun and the food has been awesome. The WSCG could be next, but I am not done with my WSM yet, and for that matter my Silverbac.

[big_mack]

Thanks for sharing. that was exactly the kind of comment I was looking for. Do you mind stating what the key thing you were doing wrong with the the WSM? If I had the money I'd get the WSM and the WSCG and the newest and improved Smokefire all in Black! But in reality I'll probably sell my Performer and get a WSM with a Pit Viper and then after a sufficient spousal approved waiting period I'd get the Chimp.

[radiodome21]

Combination of things. While I thought I was doing the minion method, I really wasn't. I didn't load up the charcoal chamber with enough charcoal. I only added 2-3 chunks of mild fruit wood. I was also lighting too many coals in my starter so then my temps were always screwy. Vent management needed work too and I didn't use the water pan that much. I started watching Harry Soo & other Youtube videos, reading different blogs, and I picked up a Billows as well. So far so good for now.

[big_mack]

radiodome21 thanks. I have struggled a bit with charcoal in the kettle early on. And I've been watching a lot of the WSM youtube videos the last two days, including Harry Soo. I had not picked up on potential issues with lighting to many for the start so thats good to know.

[bbqLuv]

I went from a charcoal grill to a gas grill and used the gaser for decades. But when I tasted a brisket smoked on a Traeger pellet grill. I kicked the gaser to the curb and bought a pellet grill, then I upgraded to the Traeger Timber Line 850. And I have never looked back.
Why buy a Traeger?
(1) A Traeger® is easy to start: an electronic autostart ignition ignites the pellets in the firepot. No matches, no lighter fluid, but the standard household electric current (110 VAC) is needed to power the ignition and fan.
(2) A Traeger® cooks food evenly: Traeger’s claim to fame is a grill that smokes or slowly cooks food without burning it. The grill is designed for indirect cooking, circulating the smoke and heat around the food so that it is cooked evenly on all sides. This effective system of heat leaves meat juicy and is perfect for delicate fish, steak, prime rib, chicken, hamburgers, vegetables, or baking a pizza. Cookies and biscuits are possible too!
(3) Great tasting food: A Traeger Grill® basically cooks the food low and slow using wood pellets. Happy customers claim the steaks come out "perfect and juicy" every time and the roasts are not dry.
Seven more reasons to buy a pellet grill
1. Smoking
2. Grilling
3. Barbecuing
4. Baking
5. Roasting
6. Searing
7. Braising

[Bkhuna]

Did you get a commission on that post?

[bbqLuv]

I wish.
If you believe stick burners produce a better flavor than a pellet grill that may be true. Notwithstanding better flavor is a subjective taste.
I enjoy all my BBQ has done on a pellet grill--acceptable to fantastic. And tonight, it is pizza that will be going on the grill.

Bkhuna that you for asking.

[willxfmr]

I started with an entry level pellet smoker, added a WSM to get a different flavor profile. I then upgraded my pellet rig to LSG pellet smoker. On my first pellet pooper, a Camp Chef DLX 24, I learned to get a more pronounced smoke profile by learning to run lower temps at the start of the cook, or running a smoke tube filled with wood chips. The smoke tube had the advantage of letting me run higher temps, and still maintain a good smoke profile. Once you learn to balance the heat and smoke, you can make great BBQ even on a budget pellet smoker.

On the WSM, after learning to run it manually, I added a Pit Viper fan. Charcoal and wood have a different flavor than pellets, and once you learn make a good fire, what you like for smoke levels, and how much wood it takes to get there, you can make great BBQ on the WSM, and let it run mostly hands off for 10 hours or more. There are a lot of mods available for the WSM that will help with some of the weaknesses inherent to it, but none of them are really necessary. Out of the box the WSM is a very capable cooker.

The LSG pooper is a different beast from the Camp Chef and every other entry level pellet cooker. Their fire pot design is unique, and allows solid smoke production at a wide range of temps. No more fussing with a smoke tube, easier clean up, and a much higher build quality. As long as you know the basics of time and temp, making great BBQ is a breeze in the LSG pooper. Add the monitoring provided by the Fireboard controller, and you have a killer pellet rig.

Give my experience with all 3 smokers, here is what I would recommend.

If your budget only allows for an entry level pellet pooper, then I would go with a fan controlled WSM instead. In the long run I think it is easier, and more versatile than a basic pooper.

If you are able to upgrade to a higher quality pellet smoker that is able to produce better smoke, across a wider range of temps, then that will be an easier route to good BBQ than the WSM. Like glitchy said, to get to this level, you are going to be in the $1000 plus range. That does not mean that you can't make good BBQ on a budget pooper, it's just a more involved process.

If the budget allows going with one of the premium pellet smokers like the LSG or the MAC, then it's a no brainier to go that route.

Since no discussion of what cooker does what best at different price points would be complete without a complete left turn. And do not ever tell anyone I said this, but for a low cost of entry, ease of control, low learning curve, and the ability to make great BBQ, the Oklahoma Joe Bronco has a reputation of being a great cooker. But again, you never heard me say that.

[Panhead John]

HEY EVERYBODY, willxfmr THINKS "THE OKLAHOMA JOE BRONCO HAS A REPUTATION OF BEING A GREAT COOKER".

😂

[willxfmr]

Panhead John Thanks for keeping it low key buddy.

[Alan Brice]

PBC PBC PBC!

[Draznnl]

I used a WSM for about ten years. Last year I got a Yoder pellet grill for my birthday. While I miss some of the smokiness, my wife actually prefers the lighter smoke profile of the pellet grill. And there is no comparison in terms of ease of use. As others have said, the pellet grill really is set it and forget it.

[Draznnl]

Not having had a fan and controller on my WSM, I don’t know how set and forget it would be. You are right that starting and cleaning are much easier with the pellet cooker, big_mack. Even with a fan and controller, can you leave a WSM to run to the store for more charcoal when a cook takes longer than expected? I’ve made an emergency pellet run and not worried about my Yoder.

[big_mack]

Draznnl yes you can leave it unattended for an errand run. Once I get the fan to add to the fireboard, I'll even be able to monitor temps remotely and adjust temps too. Just cant do the automated startup like the pellet ones can. Or one could also just get the gravity fed charcoal smokers and have it all. Those are tempting but the affordable ones don't look like they are built to last or take abuse like my old 20 year old weber gasser can which is never covered and used summer/winter.

[Finster]

Don't know about the WSM, but I've left my PBC for a couple of hours to run errands without any issues....
As for running out of fuel in the middle of a cook... never gonna happen.
I'm never without at least 4 or 5 bags of charcoal on hand