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Post by HeavyDuty on May 18, 2022 6:23:36 GMT -5
I’m moving to Texas, where the ability to smoke is a required essential skill. Our new house will have an outside kitchen with a plumbed-in LP fueled grill which all my Texan friends say is acceptable for cooking eggs and vegetables, but I would like some type of solid fueled cooker, too.
I had a Weber Gold for twenty years, but before that I was a dedicated charcoal griller. Now it seems like wood pellet grills have taken over, plus they seem to have the ability of doing both grilling and smoking.
What do people like these days? I'm seeing a lot of chatter about Traegers, but I’m sure there are many options.
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Post by Auf Kiltre on May 18, 2022 7:35:48 GMT -5
I've been here for over 2 years now and still don't have a smoker. I keep thinking about it but haven't pulled the trigger, mainly because every time I indulge in smoked meats my guts fall apart.
Where in Texas are you heading to?
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Post by Lesterstrat on May 18, 2022 8:07:52 GMT -5
Don’t get caught up in all the hype. You’re smoking meat, not performing laser surgery. There’s no need to spend $1,000s on a grill/smoker. I got a Masterbuilt 30” for $200 on sale. Works perfect and has been durable. Biggest thing with grills, or any other outdoor product, is care and storage.
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Post by slacker 🐨 on May 18, 2022 8:35:05 GMT -5
I've been down the smoker path for about 15 years. I started with a Brinkman vertical smoker (shaped like R2D2). That worked very well but it had limited space and took some effort to tend to the charcoal.
My BIL had a Traeger...great results and pretty much set it and forget it (other than potentially spritzing and/or wrapping the meat at some point).
I did a bunch of research and here's what I learned in a nutshell:
Pellet smokers work very well. Some serious BBQ folks look down their nose at 'em, but I think that's mainly because it makes things too easy. Half the fun of BBQ is tending to the process and drinking beer. That being said, I use a pellet smoker. I love the results and I can still drink beer.
Offset firebox smokers were the industry standard for decades. They work well, but there is one thing you should look for (and will have a hard time finding). Most offset firebox smokers have the fire box on one side and the chimney on the opposite side. Solid design choice....the smoke has to go across the meat to get to the chimney. But.....(and it's a big one), you get a hot spot on the side closest to the fire box. It's basically direct heat at that end. A much better design has a full baffle on the bottom with the chimney on the same side as the fire box. The smoke (and heat) have to travel the full length of the smoker under the baffle, then back across the meat to the chimney. The big thing is that your precious meat isn't exposed to direct heat, even on the firebox end.
I mentioned that my BIL had a Traeger. I bought one, used it for years. It got "tired" after about 12 years so I decided to replace it. After a bunch of research, I bought a Green Mountain. I love it. It has wifi so I can change the temp remotely and monitor the smoker temp plus two meat temp probes from my phone. The best part is that I also got a pizza oven accessory. You remove all grilling grates and heat deflector and it sits directly on the fire box. Wood fired pizza at home is a family favorite for us now. We each make our own and they're done in about 5 minutes.
My BIL, who had 2 Traegers over the span of almost 20 years, got a Green Mountain just like mine earlier this spring.
One last thing on pellet "grills". They cook a lot of things very well. Smoked BBQ is outstanding. "Grilled" chicken, brats, pork tenderlions etc are fantastic. It's really marginal for things like steak and fish (grilled fish...smoked salmon is out of this world good). With no direct heat option, it's just not the same.
In my ultimate world, I'd have a Green Mountain plus either a charcoal grill or have some sort of direct heat searing option for the pellet smoker. There is at least one company that offers that, but I don't know much about them. I really wanted the pizza oven and the steaks turn out pretty good....just just don't have that sear that I really like.
Edited to add: charcoal grill folks (the weber police were pretty militant at the old FDP) and hardcore BBQ folks will sneer at you for having a pellet smoker. "It's not grilling with no direct heat". "It's not the same as using real solid hardwoods".....etc. If you can shrug that off, you'll like having one.
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Post by walshb 🦒 on May 18, 2022 11:13:02 GMT -5
I have to go against the grain a little. My brother has a Traeger pellet smoker and he has complained several times about the lack of smoke flavor. He does like the "set it and forget it" aspect of it though. My son-in-law also bought a Traeger, and I have noticed the same thing.... not much smoke flavor. Those are my only experiences with them, other than reading similar comments on some forums. Some say it depends on the pellets that you buy, that some pellets are better than others. IIRC, someone recommended Green Mountain pellets on one of the forums. I went with a Broil King vertical propane smoker a couple of years ago, and have no complaints so far. I got lucky and found one on a clearance sale, at a Electronics Express of all places, for around $250. Even the thermometer seems to be accurate. Now it looks like they're over $500 though. So it's not a recommendation, you can probably do better than that. Whatever you decide, good luck with your purchase! Traeger forum |
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Post by slacker 🐨 on May 18, 2022 11:36:06 GMT -5
The pellets do make a difference. I use Lumberjack pellets...my Green Mountain has no shortage of smoke. With the traeger, if I really wanted more smoke flavor I sometimes used an auxiliary SS mesh tube with more pellets that I'd get smoldering with a torch. It was designed for that purpose. I've never felt the need to use it with the Green Mountain and I get a nice, pronounced smoke ring with everything I smoke. How pronounced the flavor is depends on the pellets. If you like intense flavor, use mesquite or hickory. Milder...use apple or cherry. Pecan seems even milder yet.
My go-to has always been cherry for beef, Apple for pork and pecan for chicken.
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Post by rdr on May 18, 2022 12:11:31 GMT -5
My son has the smallest Grilla smoker. It is made of double wall heavy stainless and works great. Plenty of smoke flavor.
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Post by K4 on May 18, 2022 12:43:52 GMT -5
The problem I find with the cheaper pellet grills is the single layer thin steel. They lose heat too fast. The upper end traegers are double wall.
I prefer the Green Egg smokers.
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Post by tahitijack on May 18, 2022 13:29:23 GMT -5
I was thinking about replacing my KitchenAid gas grille which came with the home. The last Weber I purchased was in 2016. Started checking Weber website and was shocked at the costs. Had the KitchenAid cleaned and shined by a pro it will probably be in service a few more summers. Whew.
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Post by HeavyDuty on May 18, 2022 17:08:12 GMT -5
Where in Texas are you heading to? Temple area. |
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Post by HeavyDuty on May 18, 2022 17:17:47 GMT -5
The problem I find with the cheaper pellet grills is the single layer thin steel. They lose heat too fast. The upper end traegers are double wall. I prefer the Green Egg smokers. Green Egg was on my list of things to check out, but I didn’t realize it was a smoker, not just a grill. |
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Post by HeavyDuty on May 18, 2022 17:20:22 GMT -5
I've been down the smoker path for about 15 years. I started with a Brinkman vertical smoker (shaped like R2D2). That worked very well but it had limited space and took some effort to tend to the charcoal. My BIL had a Traeger...great results and pretty much set it and forget it (other than potentially spritzing and/or wrapping the meat at some point). I did a bunch of research and here's what I learned in a nutshell: Pellet smokers work very well. Some serious BBQ folks look down their nose at 'em, but I think that's mainly because it makes things too easy. Half the fun of BBQ is tending to the process and drinking beer. That being said, I use a pellet smoker. I love the results and I can still drink beer. Offset firebox smokers were the industry standard for decades. They work well, but there is one thing you should look for (and will have a hard time finding). Most offset firebox smokers have the fire box on one side and the chimney on the opposite side. Solid design choice....the smoke has to go across the meat to get to the chimney. But.....(and it's a big one), you get a hot spot on the side closest to the fire box. It's basically direct heat at that end. A much better design has a full baffle on the bottom with the chimney on the same side as the fire box. The smoke (and heat) have to travel the full length of the smoker under the baffle, then back across the meat to the chimney. The big thing is that your precious meat isn't exposed to direct heat, even on the firebox end. I mentioned that my BIL had a Traeger. I bought one, used it for years. It got "tired" after about 12 years so I decided to replace it. After a bunch of research, I bought a Green Mountain. I love it. It has wifi so I can change the temp remotely and monitor the smoker temp plus two meat temp probes from my phone. The best part is that I also got a pizza oven accessory. You remove all grilling grates and heat deflector and it sits directly on the fire box. Wood fired pizza at home is a family favorite for us now. We each make our own and they're done in about 5 minutes. My BIL, who had 2 Traegers over the span of almost 20 years, got a Green Mountain just like mine earlier this spring. One last thing on pellet "grills". They cook a lot of things very well. Smoked BBQ is outstanding. "Grilled" chicken, brats, pork tenderlions etc are fantastic. It's really marginal for things like steak and fish (grilled fish...smoked salmon is out of this world good). With no direct heat option, it's just not the same. In my ultimate world, I'd have a Green Mountain plus either a charcoal grill or have some sort of direct heat searing option for the pellet smoker. There is at least one company that offers that, but I don't know much about them. I really wanted the pizza oven and the steaks turn out pretty good....just just don't have that sear that I really like. Edited to add: charcoal grill folks (the weber police were pretty militant at the old FDP) and hardcore BBQ folks will sneer at you for having a pellet smoker. "It's not grilling with no direct heat". "It's not the same as using real solid hardwoods".....etc. If you can shrug that off, you'll like having one. Great info! I’m definitely a utility griller - I’m not into cork (pellet?) sniffing. The fact that I was perfectly happy with a Weber gas grill as my only cooker for twenty years should tell you a lot. I think the combination of the built in gas grill (hopefully it’s one that can be converted to a flattop) and a pellet smoker would keep me endlessly amused for the rest of my years. |
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Post by justin on May 18, 2022 20:30:55 GMT -5
I have a propane Weber that I like very much. I've smoked in it with a pellet tube but my small 2-burner setup cannot get below 250F with one burner on low. Most of my outdoor cooking calls for a grill, rather than a smoker. But I have been looking at smokers recently and the one that intrigues me is the Masterbuilt Gravity Series charcoal smoker. It's got the wifi and and all that, but you can supplement the coal with wood chunks if you'd like. Everybody has a Traeger and I dare to be different.
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Post by k9bigdog on May 19, 2022 7:45:11 GMT -5
I started with charcoal smokers, switched to propane, and eventually upgraded everything I have to pellets. You can't beat them for ease of use. I also have kettle-type charcoal grill/smoker that I bought last year for a competition. Of course the competition got cancelled and I now have an extra grill on the patio. (Woe is me!  ) My pellet smokers are all Camp Chef. For the money they are excellent and Camp Chef has some of the best customer service in the business. I don't think Traegers are bad but I DO think they are a bit over-priced. There are people out there that will tell you to buy a Rec-Tec or a Yoder but they are very very expensive. What a pellet grill/smoker CAN'T do well for you is grill/sear. I still have a Weber on the deck, next to my pellet unit. My Camp Chef DLX has a cool attachment called the Sidekick which is a 30,000 BTU propane burner attached to the right side of my grill. I have a flattop griddle for it, a pizza oven, and a BBQ grill box. Very versatile. Depending on where you live, you'll want an insulating blanket accessory for your pellet smoker if it gets cold in your area and a very good cover. Do not let those pellets get wet and don't store them in the bag on a bare concrete floor. I use the plastic Home Depot buckets with a gamma-seal lid for mine and I've never lost a bag of pellets from moisture. Some people complain that the pellet smokers don't give them enough "smoke flavor" and they use a smoke tube to get more. I think that smokiness is supposed to be an element in the overall flavor profile, not the dominant flavor so I disagree with that assessment. I have a smoke tube but I use it mostly for cold smoking. Good quality pellets make a huge difference as well. I'm also a big fan of Lumberjack brand pellets. (Traeger's pellets are absolute crap.) There are a few other brands out there that are very good too, and Cabela's brand pellets are actually made by Lumberjack. They even have a few of their own "flavors" that Lumberjack makes for them. I have a lot of experience smoking and with pellet smokers. If I can help, let me know. BTW: I'm in this "competition" and could use your votes guys... charchampion.com/2022/joseph-guidice |
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Post by K4 on May 19, 2022 7:57:33 GMT -5
Want my vote huh?
Ship 4 racks of ribs and half a brisket to..........
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Post by Rick Knight on May 19, 2022 9:18:55 GMT -5
My brother's pellet smoker seems to work very well but, given the difference in cost, I'm content burning charcoal and wood in a traditional smoker.
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Post by ninworks on May 19, 2022 14:14:58 GMT -5
I have one of the Weber R2 D2 looking smokers as well. It works great but you have to stay on top of the charcoal supply or the fire will die. I use mesquite chunks for the smoke. Great smoke flavor. I have a wireless battery powered monitor for it that has a transmitter with a temp probe for the meat and one hooked to the grill for fire temp. I can sit in the house and monitor it. I am considering trying to rig some kind of gas burner for it. Much easier to control the temp that way.
Funny this thread popped up today. I've been smoking a turkey since about 8:00 this morning and it's almost done.
Never tried one of the pellet units. My step daughter has had one for years and loves it.
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Post by NoSoapRadio on May 19, 2022 16:03:28 GMT -5
I've used a 22" Weber kettle with bagged wood chunks forever for smoking. It just works. I've looked at the Traegers but didn't see any reason to spend the money. I get at least ten years out of the Weber and when it goes belly up I can replace it for $100 when they go on sale around Father's Day. It look's to me that there's a lot that can go wrong with the pellet smokers. I like simple.
I have a three burner Weber propane grill for cooking up burgers, brats, and dogs. I'm happy with it.
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Post by rdr on May 19, 2022 21:10:48 GMT -5
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Post by markfromhawaii on May 19, 2022 22:13:39 GMT -5
The problem I find with the cheaper pellet grills is the single layer thin steel. They lose heat too fast. The upper end traegers are double wall. I prefer the Green Egg smokers. I’ve got a Kamado Joe myself. 😉 |
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GmanNJ
Wholenote
somewhere deep in the swamps of Joisey
Posts: 315
Formerly Known As: Your Friendly Neighborhood Gman
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Post by GmanNJ on May 20, 2022 21:24:40 GMT -5
I used my charcoal Weber Performer for everything. Love the charcoal flavor but smoking you need to put in a water pan to help regulate the heat and constantly monitor it (fuel, temps, wood chips)
Upgraded to Pit Boss Platinum (only available at Walmart of all places) The platinum has a PID controller that works over bluetooth and wifi to an app on my phone. It has 2 internal probe thermometers that you can also check on the app. You can change temp, monitor probe temp and even turn it off miles away on the app if your phone has internet access (cell or wifi). I still have my Weber for steaks and my gasser that just sits there for the most part. Keeps stuff warm and has a side burner that I mostly use. What I found is:
Pellet grill regulates the heat so well that no water pan is needed. and overnight smokes are worry free (26lb pellet hopper)
Super fuel efficient and comes to temp quickly
Lower temp = more smoke/higher temp less so. This means low and slow gets good smoke
Pellets come in many wood types. I use competition which is hickory, oak, fruit wood (apple or cherry)
I have a smoke tube for when I make bacon (I like the apple wood flavor in the bacon)
If you like the charcoal flavor they have charcoal pellets- they just burn hotter
with that said I use the pellet pooper for smoking (bacon, pastrami, pork butts, ribs, brisket) and the weber charcoal grill for steaks, burgers, fish. The right tool for the right job. Doing ribs or a pork butt is set it and forget it- the app tells you via notification that its ready (temp, timer or both). Much cheaper than the Traeger and well built with thick steel construction
made a bunch of meat candy (pork belly burnt ends) and the other half of the belly for bacon which is curing in the fridge.
I need all three grills for my needs. Each has its strong points and does what it does amazingly. I found out that trying to get one that does it all means it does not do it all well. If you have the room and money get a pellet pooper and a charcoal grill at a minimum.
my 2 cents
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) My pellet smokers are all Camp Chef. For the money they are excellent and Camp Chef has some of the best customer service in the business. I don't think Traegers are bad but I DO think they are a bit over-priced. There are people out there that will tell you to buy a Rec-Tec or a Yoder but they are very very expensive.
