Thoughts on Pellets

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Sakamoto

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So I'm going to pick-up or order my first pellet grill/smoker today! :grin: For reference I'm getting the Louisiana Grills 900 Pellet Grill with Smoke Box if that matters.

After reading plenty of info on pellets I'm just as confused about them as before I read anything!

Does it really make much of a difference on which brand I use other than the type flavor i.e. Hickory, Apple etc. Does one brand burn better?

Any guidance from you guys would be appreciated!
 
Sakamoto said:
... Does it really make much of a difference on which brand I use other than the type flavor i.e. Hickory, Apple etc. ...
Click to expand...
Well, it depends. Taste may not vary much, but if you have the silly idea that the stuff in the bag ought to match the label on the bag, then the answer is yes, it matters.

AFIK, the Lumberjack labeling is accurate as are many others. Traeger is the poster child for mislabeling I think. I have read that their "mesquite" contains no mesquite, only "flavor oils." There is another one like that in their line and many of their bags partially contain cheap fill wood. You can probably find details of various vendors' offerings with web searches or by emailing the vendors and asking.
 
From my limited research I have found that the difference in pellet brands lies in the composure of the pellets. Some brands when they say “Apple” on the bag are really 70% oak and 30% apple. The oak is fairly neutral in smoke flavor but gives good heat. 30% apple for flavor.

Som brands like BBQ Delight and Lumberjack when they say “apple” are 100% apple. You pay a premium for it though.

Pit Boss Competition pellets for example are sold at Lowe’s for 40# for $15. They use no flavor enhancers like oil either but are a composition of different woods. The single wood pellets, no oils added, like Lumberjack and BBQD are double the price or more per lb. You have to decide if the additional price yields better results to your taste buds. But for the higher price you pay you are definetly in the zone of diminishing returns!

I use Lumberjack Hickory and Maple because I’m a baller and make stupid fistfulls of money. That’s how I roll! :first:
 
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Stay away from Traeger. You'll be fine with all the others. Unless it say 100% whatever, it's a blend of whatever flavor it is and another wood, oak or alder depending on where in the country you are. Been using Lumberjack 100% Maple recently. Other favorites are Lumberjack MHC (Maple, Hickory, Cherry) & 100% Pecan. I use Lumberjack because I can get them locally for a good price.
 
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Maybe where you live, but I pay $8.99 for 20# bags of lumberjack, and IMO, there is more than a $3 difference in quality.

Unless they have changed BBQ Delight, is 80% oak.

edit:
Actually this is the description:
The choice of competitors everywhere, BBQr's Delight Wood Pellets are consistently rated among the highest quality pellets available. These pellets are a blend of 2/3 oak and 1/3 flavor wood. Infuse a clean smoke flavor into your food with BBQr's Delight Wood Pellets.

TheBBQJew said:
From my limited research I have found that the difference in pellet brands lies in the composure of the pellets. Some brands when they say “Apple” on the bag are really 70% oak and 30% apple. The oak is fairly neutral in smoke flavor but gives good heat. 30% apple for flavor.

Som brands like BBQ Delight and Lumberjack when they say “apple” are 100% apple. You pay a premium for it though.

Pit Boss Competition pellets for example are sold at Lowe’s for 40# for $15. They use no flavor enhancers like oil either but are a composition of different woods. The single wood pellets, no oils added, like Lumberjack and BBQD are double the price or more per lb. You have to decide if the additional price yields better results to your taste buds. But for the higher price you pay you are definetly in the zone of diminishing returns!

I use Lumberjack Hickory and Maple because I’m a baller and make stupid fistfulls of money. That’s how I roll! :first:
Click to expand...
 
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I know we've had this thread before (maybe multiple times) … I have personally had great luck with Traegar gourmet blend sourced from exclusively my Costco in Jacksonville Florida. The price is right, and I have had very clean consistent burns and enjoy the flavor. These pellets have won several competitions for me.

THAT SAID: It appears folks West of the Mississippi get alder as the base would, and I get oak as the base wood being east so you may need to keep that in mind as I believe that's a big deal in terms of the BTU output.
 
I've tried just about every pellet out there. As far as flavor, I can't tell a difference between apple, hickory, or any other flavors regardless of brand. They all taste like smoke to me.

That said, I CAN taste a different in the amount of smoke flavor from different pellets. I've been using lumberjack 100% hickory for a couple yrs now. Less Ash, longer burns per hopper full. Better smoke profile. I buy them by the ton, and pick them up at a local trucking company.
Think the last ton came out to be around .32c a #.
 
mowin said:
I've tried just about every pellet out there. As far as flavor, I can't tell a difference between apple, hickory, or any other flavors regardless of brand. They all taste like smoke to me.

That said, I CAN taste a different in the amount of smoke flavor from different pellets. I've been using lumberjack 100% hickory for a couple yrs now. Less Ash, longer burns per hopper full. Better smoke profile. I buy them by the ton, and pick them up at a local trucking company.
Think the last ton came out to be around .32c a #.
Click to expand...

Ton as in 2,000 pounds? Do you have a restaurant that uses pellets? :p
 
CAUTION! WHEN PURCHASING PELLETS, ALWAYS CALL THE MANUFACTURER TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE BUYING WHAT YOU THINK YOU ARE BUYING.
Whats on the bag is not usually accurate. There are very few that print exactly what is in the bag.
There is so much confusion when it comes to the pellets we buy. For instance, Pit Boss Pellet labeling makes it look like they are 100% flavor wood or a blend of flavor woods, when actually, they contain at most, only 50% of actual flavor wood and the rest, a base wood. Many other brands are the same. Lumber Jack, on the other hand, states exactly what's in the pellets.
What I'm hoping is that pellet manufacturers read this thread and the many like it and decide to be honest about what's in the bag, which is dreaming, I know.
Stick with Lumber Jack. We all know they are honest.
 
I do buy some local pellets that I know are alder and flavor wood. I am OK with that as I also use alder in my stick burner. It is good smoke wood. The Alder is 100% alder!

Same thing with Oak. I just stay away from brands that use flavor oils.
 
My issue is with supplier honesty. Tell me honestly what is in the bag and I'll decide whether I want to buy it. Lie to me this time, then will the lie be different on the next bag?
 
I’ve tried most of them and prefer lumberjack. Use 100% hickory and 100% cherry for most cooks. For grilling I tend to use mhc blend. Lumberjack hickory is strongest smoke flavor I have tried. I buy 1000lbs each March or so and it lasts me about a year

fb92df0c665f1c5a9bca64093089cba0.jpg


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Price delivered comes out to about 45 cents per lb


Memphis Elite





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
To start with, I've always used the BBQ'ers Delight Pellets. Very nice quality. Any pellet that uses oils to flavor the wood, I just say no to.

So when manufacturers (like Trager) list their pellets as "100% Hardwood," all that really means is that it is probably made of a deciduous species. Alder is a hardwood, although if we look at the Janka wood hardness scale, it is one of the softest hard woods.

Hickory/Pecan 1820
Apple 1730
White Oak 1360
Cherry 950
Alder 590

So alder is basically the softest base wood used in pellet making. Alder pellets generate a lot more ash blowing around your smoker. It would be interesting to study the heat output, and consumption to maintain temp, of alder based pellets vs. oak based pellets, since the softer the wood, the more air it contains.
 
didisea said:
... It would be interesting to study the heat output, and consumption to maintain temp, of alder based pellets vs. oak based pellets, since the softer the wood, the more air it contains.
Click to expand...
Actually these studies have been done for heating with wood. The heat value of a wood is basically proportional to its density. So if the bags cost the same, alder is three times more expensive than hickory on a BTU basis.

So, by using alder as a filler, Traeger sells more bags of pellets for a given amount of cooking.


Edit/Oops, sorry: @didisea's numbers were for softness not density. From various charts from a quick Google search it looks like alder is about half the density of hickory, not one-third. So the cost/BTU would be double for a $20/20# bag of alder versus a $20/20# bag of hickory. In MN/our lake home we avoid heating with aspen for this reason and instead look for oak, maple, and birch.
 
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Wow, I'm surprised at how many are willing to help! THANKS!!! I think I'll go with the Lumberjack brand for now.

Again thanks for everyone chiming in with all of this excellent advice!
 
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