Blended vs. Single Species Pellets

[SoCalGeo]

Wondering what the Hive has to say about pellet purity. Most pellets seem to be blends of a single, flavoring-wood species mixed in with a greater percentage of filler wood species, the filler species often described by product hype as generating a neutral-tasting smoke. By my own lacadaisical research it seems most blending species seem to be white or red oak, alder or maple. Seems the most popular flavoring woods are cherry, apple, pecan, peach, hickory and mesquite.

I prefer the flavor beef and pork acquire when smoked over a cherry/pecan mix. It's a personal preference. If I wanted to smoke over maple, oak or alder I would. Contrary to hype, IMHO, these woods are not neutral as advertised and indeed will mask the flavors of the desired flavoring species.

I'd like to hear the Hive's thoughts on this premise, and about experiences supporting using blends vs. experiences where a single species pellet is preferred.

[Deaf Arty]

Since I started with a Traeger, I used Traeger pellets. They're all blended to some degree (alder base on the west coast, oak base in the east I understand). When I got my GMG DB I got a bag of another brand of 100% hickory . But to use up the last of a bag of Traeger blended pellets, I mixed the two. More blended. Never noticed a difference. However, when I went to using only one brand of pellets at a time, I did notice a more consistent burn. Temps were much more stable with a single brand. Still can't detect noticeable flavor difference, but I've learned my lesson about mixing brands.

[Mr. Bones]

I do not make any claim to have a degree in Pelletology, though there are some here who doubtless qualify...
I do firmly believe that anytime one ingredient / flavour component is Diluted by another, it changes th' flavour profile.
I fail to see how it could not do so.
I mix smoker woods alla th' time, 'cause there is great nuance when I do so.

Like ya' said; If I wanted to smoke usin' Maple, Oak, or Alder, why, that's what I'd throw in th' firebox...

Re; "Th' Hive": I have also likened th' Pit to th' Hive, Th' Collective, etc., in previous posts...
My BBQ Borg Designation is Seven of Eleven (7th of 11 kids)
Resistance Is Futile!

[CandySueQ]

I don't mind being in the Pit, but even though I drive a Winnie Bee Van I don't want to be in a Hive! Allergic to them things.

[kmhfive]

I, too, wish that the pellet marketing groups would be more clear in what they are selling! I'm not sure that I am a consistent enough cook to tell the difference between oak and maple yet, but if I want apple wood or cherry wood as a flavor component, I'd like to do any sort of mixing myself. I was pretty frustrated when I bought a bag of "apple" pellets and then saw the fine print on the bag that it was mostly oak!

[Ozzie]

There are a couple of excellent posts in this thread by CandySueQ who i recon' is the resident expert on pellets. They are too big to quote here but definitely worth the read. Definitely addresses your topic. Huskee Spinaker et al, she put out some great info there, might I suggest it get pulled together and presented in the reference section of the website.

[Powersmoke_80]

Yes Candy Sue is the expert and I believe the reason that they mix oak with other ones is to get the heat output. And I'm sure because of the availability of quantity of other species like cherry.

[CandySueQ]

100% specie wood pellets (excepting our oak) just don't burn well. I was at a trade show cooking for the public early in my time with the company and some ID10T put 100% apple pellets in pellet grill fuel apple bags. There was fire, there was smoke, but there was no heat. Strangest thing I ever did see. I was at a contest in Jeff City, MO several years back and I just needed a couple of pounds of pellets to finish the cook. Had some 100% hickory so I tossed it in the hopper. The ash piled up on the deflector shield above the firepot and literally fell into the pot and smothered the fire. When you're cooking with a pellet-fired cooker, you have to have consistent heat or you're not cooking. I do NOT consider oak a filler wood! It's the Queen of all smoking woods while Hickory is King.

Honestly, I have access to every kind of pellet we make 100% specie and blends (kitty litter too)! Most of the time even when cooking in the BGE or Weber Kettle I grab a handful of blended pellets for smoke flavor instead of 100%. I've been doing side by side comparisons with wood chips, 100% specie pellets and blended pellets on 3 Weber Kettles out on the back porch here at the factory. I'm wanting to take the aluminum foil pouch instructions off packaging since there's more and more talk about aluminum health detriments. So, I'm testing with briquettes, lump charcoal and measuring amounts of pellets and chips to see how long smoke lasts. Taste comparisons of all 3 grills happens about lunch time. I've only done 2 cooks so far and I messed up on the last one and have to repeat to fix my error. I now know that my 8 tasters prefer blended cherry to 100% apple pellets or apple chips...

[Jerod Broussard]

Cherry is the emperor!!!

[MBMorgan]

Jerod Broussard , I never thought I'd have to help you out with a twisted response ... but technically Cherry is the Bomb!

[bten]

Always have been a mesquite, oak or pecan guy. I guess it need to try Cherry!

[Eugene A]

I just got my pellet grill (Camp Chef), along with a bag of "competition" pellets (a blend), plus a bag of apple pellets and a bag of cherry pellets. My plan is to play with the competition blend to see how it affects the flavor, followed by one of the other bags of pellets. Plan B is to use the apple pellets for pork, the cherry pellets for poultry, and the blend for everything else. Plan C is to mix the apple and cherry together, for use with pork and poultry, and to use the competition blend for everything else. Plan D is to just have fun learning what the pellet grill can do, and learning how the different pellets affect flavor. I'm thinking that Plan D is the way to go.

[EdF]

Plan D is my favorite!

[Pirate Scott]

Great Thread, Thanks for all the information everyone contributed.

[Nate]

Well personally I think calling us "the hive" should have automatically voided the question...
we are not some sort of Beyoncé fan club.....

but anyway... what Candy said....