I've been told, heard from other sources that 'pellet smoking' cannot achieve, the smokiness of wood burners, nor that strong smoke flavor. I guess this would be called, smoke 'profile' for a particular smoker.
If the above is true a key criteria for eval, of pellet poopers, would be how close, they are to, achieving wood burner 'Smoke profile'
Which pellet poopers currently have the best smoke profile?
> Weber Genesis EP-330
> Grilla Grills Original Grilla (OG) pellet smoker with Alpha/Connect
> Grilla Grills Pellet Pizza Oven
> Pit Barrel Cooker (gone to a new home)
> WeberQ 2000 (on "loan" to a relative (I'll never see it again))
> Old Smokey Electric (for chickens mostly - when it's too nasty out
to fiddle with a more capable cooker)
> Luhr Jensen Little Chief Electric - Top Loader circa 1990 (smoked fish & jerky)
> Thermoworks Smoke
> 3 Thermoworks Chef Alarms
> Thermoworks Thermapen One
> Thermoworks Thermapen Classic
> Thermoworks Thermopop
> Thermoworks Square DOT
> Thermoworks IR-GUN-S
> Joule Turbo Sous Vide Circulator
> Searzall torch
> BBQ Guru Rib Ring
> WÜSTHOF, Dalstrong, and Buck knives
> Paprika App on Mac and iOS
Pellet smokers are simply very efficient at burning pellets. Above about 275F, they don't produce very much smoke because the pellets are almost completely consumed as they burn. For me, my favorite target temp is 250F or so for beef and pork which gives me a very good smoke profile. For poultry, I shoot for 350-375F which produces a nice light smoke flavor.
I agree that a pellet grill needs to lower temps to get good smoke. I have the original Grilla and the controller deliberately swings the temps through a wider range, which gives really good smoke for my taste. The new Grilla now has a new controller which gives the option to swing the temps and get good smoke or hold them steady with less smoke.
Pellet pooper's do not give you a heavy smoke, but a nice hint of, If you want/need more, smoke tube will help. Another tip I found If wanting more/stronger smoke flavor. Raise meat up. I purchased a extra shelf with legs that raises meat up about 5 inches, above existing grate. also give's you more space to fill it up. As I get older the heavy smoke is not as desirable. So I'm happy with the product it provides.
In general, pellet smokers give a much lighter smoke profile, all of them. I personally like this, I don't care a lot for a VERY heavy smoke, it sets off my GERD. My neighbor has a stickburner and he agrees, sometimes his own heavy smoke is too much, so he has said he prefers my pellet smoker, too.
The Original Grilla produces very nice smoke flavor. It is only heavy if I go low (like 190) and add a tube directly below the meat (and fill it with BBQ'rs Delight Black Walnut). I don't generally want a heavy smoke, but I want noticeable smoke flavor as a component, and not a domineering component, so I tend to cook at 225-250 for most things. More smoke flavor, lower end of that. But the combination of the unique OG shape with the Grilla controller doing the swing... I think it's maybe the best for pellet smoke flavor.
Someone told me that LumberJack pellets put off more smoke. Have any of you used these or some other pellets that do this? The Rec Tec Ultimate Blend pellets that I use don’t put off much smoke. I realize pellets grills don’t put out much, and I have a smoke tube as well, but would still like to use good quality pellets that put out more smoke.
As a side note.... I have had people tell me they prefer meat I have cooked on a pellet cooker to what they have had produced on a stick burner... When I dug into why it came down to the smoke profile.
I think there are a number of people that really enjoy low and slow cooked meats, seasoned with magical bbq rubs, maybe some good sauce on the side, and just kissed with some smoke....
Not everyone wants a strong smoke profile... heck some don't even want a medium smoke profile.... they just like a delicate or more eloquent smoke profile.
Honestly I hate burping smoke rings for the next 24 hours so I appreciate more of a mild smoke profile.
I like heavy smokiness so I generally hated my pellet pooper until I finally realized that I too actually like certain foods cooked on it better. For fish, as a for instance, you never want to overwhelm it with too much smoke, it's too delicate.
What I really do like about pellet cookers is the fact that you get a really nice mahogany color to the protein due to the combustion gases. And for some reason I love the way ribs come out of a pellet, especially brontosaurus beef ribs. I guess it becomes a matter of getting used to, it's a different flavor profile as someone said. I kind of like it at times, other times I rolled different !!
I cook 225 on my Yoder with BBQ Delight Hickory pellets. Like others I want a touch of smoke flavor, however, I don't want it to overwhelm the meat's flavor. If I need more smoke (only two times) I've employed the use of an Amaz-N Smoke Tube). I like BBQ Delight pellets think they have more smokey flavor.
There is no objective measurement of smoke profile, it's just each person's perceived level of smokiness flavor. If you like the taste of the food you make, keep doing what you're doing. If it doesn't seem smoky enough to you, you're probably going to have to change your cooker type, versus just trying other pellet cookers.
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