Smitty’s Pellet Pooper Ponderings

SmittyJonz said:

Well Right Now I don’t Have the Funds. But, there’s no Real reason to get one - except To Master another cooker - but that would only take a week or 2 or so - then maybe I’m Bored with it.? :twitch:

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You should just invest in a peller hopper, and hook it into the side of your UDS. Save you money, get rid of curiousities, maybe be a fun project?

SmittyJonz said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVzLaO7nr1I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGlfxK7p244

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On the second video it looks like they doctored the second steak up for the pr0n shots. On the grill it didn't look like it'd picked up marks from the grates and its color was off.

SmittyJonz said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVzLaO7nr1I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGlfxK7p244

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You can't use the whole chamber to smoke?

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SmittyJonz said:

So I’ve had a couple pooper threads - most say Smoke is lighter but different and some of them say lighter and not as Good as charcoal n chunks. Asked about searing and many said most poopers can’t Sear Well - charcoal is Better. So a Pooper can smoke n grill but can’t do either better than charcoal . They get to smoking temp and settled in Faster but most take as long as a charcoal grill to Hit max temp for grilling and yet poopers are getting more and more Popular...... :twitch:

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I have to disagree some, my Rec Tec pooper puts plenty of smoke flavor, not as much as the battle box or a stick burner but it works for me and using it I have taken a first in brisket and ribs etc...It will also get up to and over 500 deg for a good sear.

SJ—-let me put it this way- if it’s all I had, I’d be happy. Seriously, it’s really good. It’s clean, it’s light- no charcoal dust in car, on clothes etc. and I’m 100% pleased with the amount of smoke.

Panacea- nope.

There’s ways to alter smoke amounts on pellet cookers. I’ve not seen the need on anything I’ve cooked. . I’m quite happy with what I am getting from B&B Hickory and Mesquite.

My whole gig was to obtain a smaller cooker I could cook more often without a ton of leftovers. Davy Crockett fits perfectly. Rack of ribs or two, couple chickens butts and picnics, or just double smoke leftovers.

If you’re looking for a catering competition machine this isn’t it. But the food this DC produces is as good or better than anything you’ll get out. My Bride said so )

SmittyJonz said:

Seems RecTec owners hang on to theirs........

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They do but the new line that just came out is pushing lots of owners to upgrade. Try the RecTec facebook group - I see them for sale there.

SmittyJonz said:

So I’ve had a couple pooper threads - most say Smoke is lighter but different and some of them say lighter and not as Good as charcoal n chunks. Asked about searing and many said most poopers can’t Sear Well - charcoal is Better. So a Pooper can smoke n grill but can’t do either better than charcoal . They get to smoking temp and settled in Faster but most take as long as a charcoal grill to Hit max temp for grilling (30-45 minutes) and yet poopers are getting more and more Popular...... :twitch:

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I can only speak for what I have and know that not all PG's are created equal, it's not just the build quality or extra bells and whistles, some cook different than others, just like grills, charcoal smokers and stick burners.

To your 1st point and I've done cooks side by side PG and Drum, was one better than the other I don't think so but they are different, there are going to be cooks where the Drum is preferred and others where the PG gets the call and it's not because of convenience, it's because of smoke profile and what I want todo with the cook.

Grilling on the MAK with the Flame Zone will singe the hair off your hand if you are not careful, is it better than cooking direct over lump or better yet wood on a santa Maria I'd give the latter 2 the edge but hands down better than a gasser and I've cooked some pretty good steaks and burgers on a gasser too. As far as grilling temp the MAK with the Flame Zone is easily ready to rock in less than 20min which is the time it would take to light a chimney of lump.

Contemplated a long, long time whether or not to invest in a PG and my only disappointment is I didn't do it sooner. Again I can only speak for what I have but it puts out great food and everything I've cooked on it so far has been excellent. Oh and I didn't buy it for convenience because I have plenty of time to cook and the Weber Kettle or Hunsaker are set it and forget it as far as I'm concerned. As a side note I'm not using a smoke tube and have no plans on using one in the future.

I personally don't think you'll be happy with a GMG or Traeger, maybe the GMG Davy Crockett or a Traeger with a Savannah Stoker controller would get you a smoke profile you'd be happy with. It's also not like you're going in with eyes wide open, you already want to hate it, well unless you like cotton candy. :wink:

SmittyJonz said:

So I’ve had a couple pooper threads - most say Smoke is lighter but different and some of them say lighter and not as Good as charcoal n chunks. Asked about searing and many said most poopers can’t Sear Well - charcoal is Better. So a Pooper can smoke n grill but can’t do either better than charcoal . They get to smoking temp and settled in Faster but most take as long as a charcoal grill to Hit max temp for grilling (30-45 minutes) and yet poopers are getting more and more Popular...... :twitch:

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Much of this is not accurate and just generalizations based on limited exposure to the pellet cooker world imo.

My FPG-500 gets to temperature in the same time a gas grill would with the flip of a switch and can sear directly at over 600 degrees … this is where cooker selection and the intended use-case becomes so important.

I personally prefer the smoke flavor imparted by pellet cookers (this is entirely subjective and should be an individual preference imo).

One thing I am looking at is that I want to buy it once. A MAK, Yoder, or Memphis can be a lifetime smoker. Most of the others are thin metal, and are designed so that the price can be under a target number.

I have one of those, I was fortunate to find a Camp Chef SmokePro SE for $180.00 at a big box clearance. I purchased it to try out pellet smoking.

I really like the flavor, and the ease of cooking. Having it to cook in the 350 deg range means I am not heating the house.

I feel that it might last 3 years.

I am also starting my search, and am looking strongly at the Yoder. It is like buying a once in a lifetime stick burner.

I don't want to do this twice, and the cost for something like a MAK or Yoder is not that much difference. $200 more than the big REC TEC for the YS-640.

I have a real nice gasser that I intend to keep forever, so in my case, I am looking for a smoker, not a griller.

Everyone tauts the high temps their PG's will reach, but in my experience unless you've got a Flame Zone type area the high temp means nothing as far as searing things like burners, steaks, etc. You need direct radiant heat to do that well; hot air just doesn't cut the mustard. You may get good grate marks, but not a good overall sear.

SmittyJonz said:

There should be a Pellet Pooper Foundation that sets up Pooper Test kitchens thruout the country that lets you come in a do a Test cook on any Unit you are interested in - even for a small Rental Fee. Some of you guys Need to get this started - put the 1st One in Dallas.......

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The Ace Hardware here cook on a Traeger every Sunday afternoon, I'm sure there are other dealers that do that be it GMG, Traeger, Pitts and Spitts, Yoder and so on.