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Pellet smokers 2018 questions

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archrmike

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Hey folks, I have been a die hard charcoal/wood smoker using 2 of the Weber 22 1/2" WSM's for years. I have had great success using these to smoke brisket, pork butt, ribs and chicken to the delight of family friends and coworkers. But I am getting older and have back issues and am finding I just am not smoking meat as often as I would like.
I am thinking about making the dive into pellet smokers. My concern is smoke flavor or lack thereof. To me there is no such thing as too much smoker flavor.
Are the new pellet smokers better and delivering that? I understand they have some that at lower temperature settings smolder more than burn to create more.
Also, do the larger ones need to burn more pellets to keep the temperature? Right now, I am leaning towards the Green Mountain Jim Bowie model. Larger than two cooking for 2 is needed but I figure if I am going to light it up, I am going to fill it up with meat.
I would love any feedback to help.
 
I had a Jim Bowie for years and as much as I wanted to love it, I didn't. GMG is a great company with great customer service, but if you're looking for deep smoke, the JB will not give it to you. I currently have a GMG Davy Crockett and Mak 1-star. The Mak 1-star does a great job as a smoker. My little DC does a good job and I use it much more often as I don't have to cook so much food as it's just me and my wife nowadays unless we've got people coming over. The DC's smoke profile is lighter than than my Mak 1, but the DC is a lot better than my JB ever was.
What's your budget for a smoker? This will help with recommendations.
 
Well not what I wanted to hear but I thank you for your honesty.
Budget is $900. The Jim Bowie is on sale for $699 right now.
 
The Grilla is supposed to have a good smoke flavor. That is according to several podcasts and some forums. When I started looking at Pellet Cookers they were close but not made on American soil was an issue. That and the drive was a little much.
 
The smoke flavor is definitely less from my Yoder than I got when I had a stick burner, but I'm OK with that. From what I've read here, most pellet poopers are lighter in smoke flavor than what you are probably used to. But you can always add an Amazing tube or some other additional pellet burning accessory to get more smoke flavor.

I would strongly suggest that you try to find someone living near you that would be willing to cook some meat in a pellet pooper so that you can try and see if the smoke profile is to your liking.
 
I don’t have a Pooper. But I’m Told the Smoke Flavor is Lighter but also different - more like Cotton Candy.........
 
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I found the smoke flavor to be different than charcoal or wood. Not saying bad, but different. I had a yoder and sold it after about a year.

I know at least 4 people that own pellet poopers and they love them and they love the convenience. Just personal preference for me.
 
If you stand by the claim that there is no such thing as too much smoke, don't get a pellet grill.....

Now I've just got a Traeger. Using their pellets, almost no smoke flavor. Switched to cookinpellets and it's better but not heavy. I may try the amazen tube next. I don't like loads of smoke on most things but a long cook should have a bit more than what I get.
 
I can second the fact the Mak 1-Star delivers a lot of smoke. It’s probably 85-90% that of a stickburner. I still prefer the flavour of the stickburner, but I’m willing to trade the 10-15% from time-to-time when I don’t want to pull an all-nighter. My family prefers the Mak, because they like it’s cleaner, lighter smoke profile. I’ve felt no need to add smoking tubes or other supplements.

The downside is that it’s $1700 delivered.
 
My MAK 1 star has delivered exactly what I was expecting. The next thing, as mentioned above, is to BE SURE to feed it decent pellets. Cookin pellets, A-Maz-En pellets and lumber jack pellets have always given me great results in the flavors I use.




As far as budget goes. Big Poppa Smokers has a layaway/installment plan to help ease the financial hit on a MAK.
 
IMnotalwaysHO, if you have a $900 budget, and you want maximum smoke and capacity, AND you are only buying for smoking at 150-425ish, and not grilling, look at some of the vertical, pellet smokers. There are also other really good pellet cookers. My reason for recomending a vertical, is because you will get the airflow and smoke running past all of the meat. That means, to me, that you will get the largest amount of smoke flavor from any kind of pellet you use. I have seen some well under $900. I do not have one. Mine is a regular barrel style.

If you think that "not enough smoke" is going to be a problem there are other cookers that might be better.
 
I have two problems with pellet smokers. 1. They are usually flimsy and cheaply made. 2. I don't like the "commoditization" of bbq where the romance and finesse are removed and you essentially have an oven that cranks out bbq. However, with the popularity of pellet smokers and my desire to own all kinds of outdoor cooking apparati, I keep looking at them. There is a company out of my great state of Nebraska that makes thick metal solid cookers in the style of "real" pits. They are over the budget you described but I'd wait a few months and buy a cooker that doesn't feel like you're opening a snow shovel, but feels like you're opening a vault door. (there are plenty of scientific benefits to having a cooker made out of thick metal) http://www.blazngrillworks.com/the-grid-iron/
 
I am still hoping Smitty will read and reply but thank everyone who has so far. It has been very valuable input that has me totally back to square one which might just be where I need to be.
I went to a pellet cooker forum and saw some pictures of different briskets coming off of different pellet grills and I see why there are so many fans of the Mak ones. Great smoke ring and bark.
I have realized I am not going to buy the Green Mount Jim Bowie for sure. In the end, I am still going to have at least one Weber WSM and know I can make some killer BBQ with plenty of smoke flavor.
I have an option of borrowing a Traeger and think I am going to do that and smoke a brisket to see how it comes out before I make any purchase. Thank you all so much!
 
archrmike said:
In the end, I am still going to have at least one Weber WSM and know I can make some killer BBQ with plenty of smoke flavor.
I have an option of borrowing a Traeger and think I am going to do that and smoke a brisket to see how it comes out before I make any purchase. Thank you all so much!
Click to expand...

Good luck with your search! I know that from experience you will be happy with the convenience of a pellet cooker.
 
I have a GMG Daniel Boone. Smoke is decent, but nothing like the PBC or Humphreys. Not even close, honestly. I added a pellet smoke tube which helps, but still not as good as the others. Regardless, I love the grill and still use it more than the others based off of shear easiness and it still cooks awesome smokey food, even briskets/pork/etc. I'm cooking for my wife and I most of the time, so the GMG gets the go. She isn't a heavy smoke person, so the medium smoke the settup provides is perfect. I also use the smoke tube as a cold smoking device for cheese in the GMG. Works great.
 
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archrmike said:
I am still hoping Smitty will read and reply but thank everyone who has so far. It has been very valuable input that has me totally back to square one which might just be where I need to be.
I went to a pellet cooker forum and saw some pictures of different briskets coming off of different pellet grills and I see why there are so many fans of the Mak ones. Great smoke ring and bark.
I have realized I am not going to buy the Green Mount Jim Bowie for sure. In the end, I am still going to have at least one Weber WSM and know I can make some killer BBQ with plenty of smoke flavor.
I have an option of borrowing a Traeger and think I am going to do that and smoke a brisket to see how it comes out before I make any purchase. Thank you all so much!
Click to expand...

I’m still Undecided on Pellet Poopers. I don’t Need One - thinking I’m Only interested to see what All the Fuss is about so wouldn’t want to invest too much BUT not investing much doesn’t get you the Better Poopers......trying a Cheap One may turn One Off from Pellets when the Better Poopers might Turn One On.
Be Best to Borrow a Nice One But that’s Hard to do.........from All my Ponderings it seems a Traeger would Not Impress.......:twitch:
Tell your Friend to Upgrade to a Mak or Yoder or Memphis so you can Really see if Pellets are for you ......... :loco:
 
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