Pellet grills are for Reals

[realdocBBQ]

I think it's funny how threatened some people are by a process...

Running a stickburner is a bit of a labor of love, it's not the hardest thing in the world, but you DO have to kind of learn what you're doing... and lots of guys who run offset smokers or some kind of stickburner like to perpetuate the myth that it's some kind of really difficult process, and they're part of an exclusive 'club', an 'expert', so to speak, on achieving good BBQ.

Then along comes a pellet smoker/grill - and guys can throw on a few racks of ribs or a few pork butts, a brisket or two and come out with great BBQ while sitting around or working on the lawn or even run their pellet smoker from home via an app.

This truly threatens the mystique associated with (some of) the stickburner fraternity. While I have yet to find a pellet smoker that truly and consistently does just as good a job as an offset, I always tell people, "With a good pellet smoker and decent prep work, you can get 80% of the way there with about 10% of the effort."

Seeing the vehemence and vitriol against pellet smoker guys in some of the Facebook groups and on some of the forums out there, it's crazy. I laff at them, but truly, this same kind of mentality holds true with a lot of other groups and 'fraternities', don'tcha know?

Chevy vs Ferd
American vs Japanese/Chinese/Taiwanese manufactured
S&W vs Glock
Post oak vs all others (lol)
Beans vs no beans (you know that of which I speak...)

We're inherently prideful people, humans are. We have to fight AGAINST pride in an effort to be humble. Social media ESPECIALLY is designed to feed your ego and either hide your identity or allows you to express your opinion to a much wide base of people whom you will never meet - so you ain't got to worry too much about getting punched in the mouth.

I've put some of those jackalopes on ignore just based on their repetitive attacks on pellet smoker folks, even though I've been guilty of it myself. It's become a cult-ish kind of joke sometimes, too. Now that I have... hell, what, like 9 smokers/cookers in about every different flavor and type (ok, no electric smokers, that is where I'll draw the line! ), I still find myself feeling a bias toward the one that is associated with the most "perceived" skill and effort - so I can feel both more valuable AND like more of a martyr for staying up all night cooking for folks.

We're some funny critters, h00mans are...

[Troutman]

I think its "jack-a-loons"

[Carolyn]

".....AR are participating in friendly banter...."
A little Amazing-Ribbing, so to speak. 😆

[klflowers]

You must have missed my post about beans vs no beans. It was the final word. And I feel that way about gas grills. Just use the kitchen stove! But then again, I have a 3 burner propane stove, so...

[Troutman]

Personally I'll stick with my wood

[smokenoob]

Fixed that for ya
“Personally I'll stick with my wood pellets”

[Murdy]

Personally, I'll stick my wood . . . nevermind

[mrteddyprincess]

I got a pellet smoker. I just burn really big pellets I call splits. Mega pellet smoker? Smoker? I don't know. I just smoke with wood. Whether we call that wood "pellets" or not is just a matter of scale. B

[Draznnl]

There's nothing wrong with wanting to play with your wood. Just like there's nothing wrong with communicating via a manual typewriter or traveling in a horse and buggy. Similarly, there's nothing wrong with pellet smoking. Just like there's nothing wrong with writing all your posts with Chat GPT or traveling in a Tesla Cybertruck. In other words, none of us are right and none of us are wrong. It's all about what works for you. If you're happy with your cooking method, that's all that matters.

[Old Glory]

This: "With a good pellet smoker and decent prep work, you can get 80% of the way there with about 10% of the effort." and

THIS: "I like playing with the fire. So plugging in the pellet grill and setting the temp, then putting the food on takes the soul out of it for me. It's fun to play with the fire and get great results."

When I have Time I use charcoal or the offset. My day to day is Pellet. Home at 6:00 need to get dinner on the table it's the gasser or pellet pooper. My kid is in 3 sports so games on Saturday and Sunday. Sous Vide and the pellet cooker win. Tools in my arsenal I use to be able to cook food I like.

When I have time, playing with fire is the way.

[Smoker_Boy]

There's nothing wrong with wanting to play with your wood. Just like there's nothing wrong with communicating via a manual typewriter or traveling in a horse and buggy. Similarly, there's nothing wrong with pellet smoking. Just like there's nothing wrong with writing all your posts with Chat GPT or traveling in a Tesla Cybertruck. In other words, none of us are right and none of us are wrong. It's all about what works for you. If you're happy with your cooking method, that's all that matters.

None of us are right in the head.


There - fixed that for ya.

[bbqLuv]

How dare you say I’m not wrong!
I joined amazing ribs to get BBQ Wright

[Panhead John]

Yeah, I’m glad everyone here plays nice and doesn’t resort to the Facebook tactics. It helps to have a “thicker than normal” skin though, which most here seem to have. The occasional good natured ribbing between us, adds to the fun of being a member….. the pellet pooper vs stickburner Smackdown was a hoot! I might delete this last sentence later but, 🤓 if I had the room, I’d probably have a pellet grill myself!

[bbqLuv]

Private message is for the smack down
That is why I blacked myself. I’m my pin worse critic

[realdocBBQ]

Yeah, I’m glad everyone here plays nice and doesn’t resort to the Facebook tactics. It helps to have a “thicker than normal” skin though, which most here seem to have. The occasional good natured ribbing between us, adds to the fun of being a member….. the pellet pooper vs stickburner Smackdown was a hoot! I might delete this last sentence later but, 🤓 if I had the room, I’d probably have a pellet grill myself!

I think we needa get back to some smackdowns....

[klflowers]

The only thing I don't have is a real stick burner. And I am NOT going to Florida to get carolts KBQ. IT WON'T FIT IN THE KIA. I AM NOT BUYING A TRUCK! But seriously, before I got active here I owned a kettle and a WSM. Now my pellet grill does the bulk of my outdoor cooking due to time constraints. After I retire depending on how much I travel in the RV, the WSM and/or the Bronco will be in the rotation. And the kettle and the Joe. BUT NOT THE KBQ (that is just to reinforce not going to Florida).

[Draznnl]

Florida is a nice place. What do you have against Florida? And what do you have against Carol? And what do you have against the KBQ? It seems you’re having a rather negative spell there. And it might be tight, but the KBQ would fit in the Kia. 😎😎

[carolts]

I'm starting to get a complex...

[carolts]

I'll bet the KBQ would fit in the RV ;-)

[Troutman]

You know at the end of the day I'm a gadget freak. Other than a kamado, I think at one point in time I've own at least one of everything. I really liked the convenience of a pellet grill as everyone has said. What we didn't like was the lack of a true deep smoke flavor you get from charcoal and/or wood. So we sold ours. That's not to say the flavor you get from one might actually appeal to your palette. I think it comes down to the amount of time you want to spend and the actual result you want to achieve. I'm off on cooking live fire at the moment with oak splits. Tomorrow I may get tired of going through the hassle of building a fire. If or when that day comes I may opt for a Traeger Ironwood, I hear the smoke issue has gotten a lot better with the new PID controller setups.

Bottom line, geek out on the hardware but concentrate on the food you are producing. The hardware is just the means to an end, who cares how you get there, just go.


(The AR philosopher now steps down from his soap box)

[Smoker_Boy]

Watch that first step...

[Old Glory]

I agree. I also think some things are better with the lighter smoke that you get with pellets. Chicken for me is better with just a touch of smoke.

[Purc]

I agree. It's the pitmaster, not the pit per Harry Soo. But I sure do like to geek out on new toys. I am glad I have no room for more because MCS is always present.