View Full Version : Pellet Cooker Help Please
Samichlaus
08-13-2006, 11:47 AM
My buddy feels he's not getting enough "smoke" flavor out of his Traeger Big-Tex cooker. Is there any thing he can do? He's using Traeger brand pellets.
http://www.traegerindustries.com/BBQ/texas2GRILL_img.jpg
kcquer
08-13-2006, 11:48 AM
Which controller does he have?
Samichlaus
08-13-2006, 12:11 PM
hmmm..I dunno, it's about 3 years old if that makes a difference. It has 3 settings; high, medium, and smoke.
Bossmanbbq
08-13-2006, 12:27 PM
My buddy feels he's not getting enough "smoke" flavor out of his Traeger Big-Tex cooker. Is there any thing he can do? He's using Traeger brand pellets.
http://www.traegerindustries.com/BBQ/texas2GRILL_img.jpg
I have a Traeger Texas style smoker and love it, I do not like Traeger's pellets just for the reason you have stated. What I have done is I now use BBQ'ers Delight pellets produced by heat resource. Traegers pellets are an Alder wood base (80%) where the Delight pellets are Oak base (80%) this has made a HUGE diffrence in taste and in the amount of pellets I use. Sounds crazy but I use LESS pellets when smoking using the Delight pellets compared to the Traeger pellets. I'll try and find the website info for you. You can also go to cookshack and order there pellets, they too are far better then Traeger's pellets.
The only other suggestion I can give you is to have him mix the pellets as well, I used oak and maple or mesquite mix and it seemed to give alittle more flavor. But changing pellets made a world of diffrence.
Bossman
chuckmarting@bossmanbbq.com
Bossmanbbq
08-13-2006, 12:42 PM
Sami, here is the websites for both BBQers Delight and Cookshack. Just a side note, I went in on a group buy back in January(300 bags total for the group) and purchased 30-20lb bags and paid $8.50 a bag which included shipping. Still Delights bags are resealable and like I said they last alot longer. Hope this helps.
http://www.bbqrsdelight.com/pelletfuel.html
http://www.cookshack.com
Bossman
chuckmarting@bossmanbbq.com
Samichlaus
08-13-2006, 01:33 PM
Awesome! Thanks!
kcquer
08-13-2006, 05:56 PM
Traegers pellets are an Alder wood base (80%) where the Delight pellets are Oak base (80%) this has made a HUGE diffrence in taste and in the amount of pellets I use. Sounds crazy but I use LESS pellets when smoking using the Delight pellets compared to the Traeger pellets.
Traeger pellets no longer use alder for a base, they use oak, been that way since the first of the year. They are still however a blended pellet.
To get maximum smoke flavor out of my FE, I use pure flavor pellets for the first 2 hours of the cook on the smoke setting. The actual temp achieved on that setting will depend on the pellets used as it's based on a time cycle not on a temp setting.
After 2 hours I switch to a blend of oak(for heat) and flavor pellets on a higher heat setting (med in your friends case).
Smoke ring (and to some degree smoke flavor) will be enhanced by using meat cold from the fridge (no set out time before cooking).
Also try these folks for pellets http://www.bbqwoodpellets.com/ I buy their pellets from a local retailer and really like the flavor I get from them.
Samichlaus
08-13-2006, 09:48 PM
Thanks for the info kcquer. I think that's exactly what he needs. That link looks great too.
YankeeBBQ
08-14-2006, 05:28 AM
I use BBQ'rs deligh pellets in my FE 100 and get plenty of smoke. For larger cuts of meat you want to cook on the smoke setting for 2 to 3 hours and then turn your cooker up. Here's a pic of a Brisket I did on the FE.
http://www.ismellsmoke.com/todaycook/febcook-Images/2.jpg
Good looking hunk of meat YankeeBBQ. Nice smoke ring.
I don't have a pellet cooker, but I use BBQ Delight pellets to generate smoke in my gas[gasp:eek: ] fired lazy-q cabinet cooker, and have gotten good results.
BBQ Delight pellets in 100% species is expensive, though. I have used the pellets from Epp's Farm [the website KC provided] and they are excellent. I just placed an order with thim this morning.
kcquer
08-14-2006, 06:32 AM
I use BBQ'rs deligh pellets in my FE 100 and get plenty of smoke. For larger cuts of meat you want to cook on the smoke setting for 2 to 3 hours and then turn your cooker up. Here's a pic of a Brisket I did on the FE.
With the FE, I cook 2 hrs on smoke and 2 hours on 180 (which doesn't work out to be much different than smoke with the pellet combo I use) and finish at 240. Works like a charm.
Very good looking brisket.
jminion
08-14-2006, 07:01 AM
To get more smoke flavor start the cook on smoke for at least the first couple of hours (4 is better), keep the pit temp down 190 to 200 range. After that move the setting to med for a low and slow cook.
Bossmanbbq
08-14-2006, 12:37 PM
Good looking hunk of meat YankeeBBQ. Nice smoke ring.
I don't have a pellet cooker, but I use BBQ Delight pellets to generate smoke in my gas[gasp:eek: ] fired lazy-q cabinet cooker, and have gotten good results.
BBQ Delight pellets in 100% species is expensive, though. I have used the pellets from Epp's Farm [the website KC provided] and they are excellent. I just placed an order with thim this morning.
qman what are there prices like? Do you know if they offer a discount on bulk orders? Just wondering.
Bossman
chuckmarting@bossmanbbq.com
Epps Farms? 40 pound bag for 34.00 including shipping For 100 percent single species wood, thats like 85 cents a pound.
I think the blended pellets are the same price.
I do not know if they have bulk discount, but suspect that they do, since they sell to retailers.
Just for a comparision-I pay $5.95 per one pound bag of BBQ Delight in my local grill supply store.:eek:
My advice is: DO NOT USE RABBIT PELLETS.
My advice is: DO NOT USE RABBIT PELLETS.
Do they make your Q taste like Rabbits?
Bossmanbbq
08-14-2006, 05:27 PM
Epps Farms? 40 pound bag for 34.00 including shipping For 100 percent single species wood, thats like 85 cents a pound.
I think the blended pellets are the same price.
I do not know if they have bulk discount, but suspect that they do, since they sell to retailers.
Just for a comparision-I pay $5.95 per one pound bag of BBQ Delight in my local grill supply store.:eek:
Thats pretty close to the cost of the BBQ delight, we got a pretty good discount when we bulked ordered. I'll give them a call and see, thanks for the information.
Bossman
chuckmarting@bossmanbbq.com
Do they make your Q taste like Rabbits?
No, but the rabbits vaugely resemble que.
dhaddock
08-15-2006, 03:35 PM
I have discovered the joys of Jack Daniels old No.7 smoking pellets... when done correctly.. you can get up to 5 hours of good JD smoke... the use the old barrels for the pellets, and that also offer wood chips....
I have a Traeger Texas style smoker and love it, I do not like Traeger's pellets just for the reason you have stated. What I have done is I now use BBQ'ers Delight pellets produced by heat resource. Traegers pellets are an Alder wood base (80%) where the Delight pellets are Oak base (80%) this has made a HUGE diffrence in taste and in the amount of pellets I use. Sounds crazy but I use LESS pellets when smoking using the Delight pellets compared to the Traeger pellets. I'll try and find the website info for you. You can also go to cookshack and order there pellets, they too are far better then Traeger's pellets.
The only other suggestion I can give you is to have him mix the pellets as well, I used oak and maple or mesquite mix and it seemed to give alittle more flavor. But changing pellets made a world of diffrence.
Bossman
chuckmarting@bossmanbbq.com
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