Moving on from pellet cooking

[Rod]

I started my Pitmaster journey with a Traeger a few years ago. I’m glad my adventure began that way due to its ease of use for the inexperienced. If I started with just a kettle as is, I most likely would have thrown in the towel. Then I found this incredible community that has taught me so much.

It was a good ride, but I’m moving on from pellet cooking. Selling my Rec Tec to the son-in-law. Since discovering the kettle/fan combo I haven’t used it much in the last 8 months or so. Besides, the kettle/fan combo is a better set and forget cooker with much better smoke flavor. Don’t need to worry about parts failing when you’re right in the middle of a cook for a bunch of guests. Granted nothing has failed to date, but it’s inevitable at some point. Even if the fan on the kettle dies in the middle of a cook, I’m not stranded. Just might have to adjusts vents periodically. The only thing I’ll miss is the capacity.

Guess what I’ll do to fill the void left from my RT-680? If you guessed getting a 26” Weber kettle with fan/Fireboard/SnS/DnG/Easyspin grate, then you guessed correctly. Combined (if need be) with my 22" that solves any capacity concerns. Oh and then there's my PBC.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not bagging on pellet grills. They are great for what they do. It’s just my opinion that the kettle/fan combo does everything a pellet grill can do and does it better with just about as much ease.
Plus, with pellet grill companies popping up all over the place and the technology moving at light speed, who knows what the future may bring.

Thanks to all on this site for getting me to where I am at now and for all future accomplishments! It’s been so much fun learning and sharing with you all and we aren’t anywhere near done yet!

[JoeSousa]

You will love the 26. I still do probably 80% of my cooking on one of my 22s but the 26 is nice to have when you need the capacity. And to save your sanity and wallet don't look at the Ranch.

[Rod]

Yeah the Ranch is way too big and expensive. WSCGC would be great, but it's 5x the cost and 2" smaller in diameter.

[RonB]

It sounds like you know what you want, and you're gonna get there. Congrats.

[Troutman]

I hear ya brother, I do a lot of cooking on my 22" kettle and WSM, both fan controlled with an SNS in the kettle. Also have that Santa Maria attachment for the kettle which really means I have 3 different types of cookers. That said, I still use my pellet cooker for large capacity cooks and certain food. I love pork ribs in it and fish due to the milder smoke profiles. I still use my gasser for quick convenience when building a fire just isn't practical.

I guess they are like children to me, I just can't give any of them up. In fact I'm looking for more. Sometimes I just look at one and say, "what can you and I cook today?"

[grantgallagher]

Im in a very similar boat. Ive pretty much decided to get rid of my smoke vault because i do 90% of smoking now on the kettle. Glad you know what your replacing it with and you sound happy with the decision!

[Mr. Bones]

Kinda hard to beat th versatility of a kettle.
I think ya will be really pleased cookin on yer new 26.75, as well...
With yer fan setup(s), it'll be a breeze.
An, nope: Never once had a kettle break down on me...

[Polarbear777]

I put controllers on my PBC and my kettles and my pk360. It’s about as set and forget as possible And with the Wi-Fi fireboard I can monitor and adjust from anywhere.

As as you said, if it fails you just go back to manual.

[au4stree]

I had a Traeger for about 10 yrs, was a great cooker, I loved it but do not regret going charcoal. I will one day get the thermostat controller, but MCS is killing me. I've been eyeing a Hasty Bake....

That 26 set up is gonna be killer

[SmokeyGator]

If you like the kettle/fan, you would probably REALLY like the summit charcoal/fan. Or some other similar kamado family cooker. They really shine for long low and slow cooks.

[Rod]

SmokeyGator Like I said I would love to have a Summit. I just can't justiy the price. Even if I had a bunch of throw away money. Plus I'd rather have the extra room in the 26".

[jfmorris]

Rod unlike you I came to the kettle not from a pellet smoker but from an offset. The kettle+SNS+fan is as you say so hands off, and so fuel efficient, that I rarely touch my offset any more. I had pellet envy, and would still like a Grilla maybe one day, but the PartyQ I got myself for Christmas has really gone a long way to making me see I can live with the cookers i’ve got. Doesn’t help that I am stashing money away for the next daughter getting married...

I've solved a lot of the capacity issue for smoking on the kettle with an elevated cooking rack, a rib rack, and even a rack down in the DNG on the charcoal grate. Sure the different levels take different cooking times, but I can rotate stuff mid cook to help with that.

i love my Performer Deluxe, and now that someone else here is talking about building a 26” kettle table, it has me thinking that might be my next grill. You just can;t beat charcoal and wood chunks for smoking in my opinion.

[Polarbear777]

Weber should offer a snapjet performer 26”. I suppose at the price point, they don’t expect enough of a market, and they want folks to go to the summit.

[ken g]

Rod,

I went to a Rec Tec from a kettle recently. I will keep my 22" Performer, SNS, DNG and Party Q. But right now I find the Stampede just too darn easy to use and clean up. All that extra work frankly was taking the fun out of cooking.

Additionally, the Quality Control Manager says she prefers the pellet smoked food to the charcoal. Thats the versatile beauty of BBQ. You can customize it to your particular tastes.

[Rod]

Agree 100% about the versatility we can have these days. That's a big part of the fun. Very MCS thirst quenching.

[TripleB]

I don’t think I will ever own a pellet smoker. I’m not putting them down for any reason. There are hundreds of testimonies from pellet owners that rave about their smokers. Ease of operation, the quality of food they turn out, maintenance and clean up, etc, etc. but I just love playing with that fire. Getting the coals lite, pouring them on top of the grate, the sizzle of the meat, controlling the temp, fighting the temp. It’s just so much fun.

Man - Meat - Fire. The BBQ triangle.....

[Murdy]

I agree with that, it's part of the fun. I have a buddy who has a pellet grill and I've eaten some great food off it, but I don't think I will ever own one for the reasons you state.

[dubob]

Anybody that can call that much work fun is to be congratulated. So, I congratulate you both. 👍 I wouldn't do it for pay, let alone for 'fun'. I'll stick with my Bradley OBS and my Woodwind pellet pooper. Y'all have all the fun you can stand. 😁

[Mr. Bones]

Reckon I must be another one with defective wirin, because I also greatly enjoy th fire management; there's jus summat soothin, mesmerizin, an primal bout th process...
reckon I never much, previous, pondered th fact that some might see it as 'work'

[DavidNorcross]

I did the same thing. Had an RT-680 and sold it. Love the Hasty Bake and being back to charcoal.