Pellets

Capt Ron

New member
I've been using various smokers for 35 years and love cooking with wood smoke, but as I get older "easier looks better". The pellet fired units look very appealing, but I have not seen one in action. My greatest concern is the availability of pellets.To put into perspective, I live about 70 miles to the nearest Waly World or Home Depot...am I going to have to buy 500# of pellets to keep cost down and insure that I have fuel? How many pounds can I expect to consume smoking 3 or 4 butts at 225?

Thanks
 

MAK DADDY

Moderator
With the MAK you would use around 10lbs for a 15hr cook, you can smoke up to 8 at one time.
I would check with the pellet manufactures to see where their nearest dealer is to you.
 

jmeitz

New member
Jeremie I dont consider these tests to be gospel...Bob what do you think?

I agree, but i have noticed a big difference in consumption between grills, especially when its cold out. Some of my old grills would go through over 20lbs in a 16hr cook at temps below 50 while others only use 10-12 lbs.
 

vesteroid

New member
I suspect they were accurate for that one spot on the country with that one ambient temp range.

As I live 4500 feet higher than that tester, and its much colder here I find I use considerably more.

while I think its a decent guide, dont take it as thats how many you will use in all cooks where you live.
 

Big Poppa

Administrator
different people tested different grills too...in different locations. lets get back to the original topic.
 

MAK DADDY

Moderator
Our testing was very different but we are in a different climate and used different pellets. I actually see an increase in efficiency when it's colder and dryer, the humidity seems to play a roll as well.
No way could you burn 20lbs in 16hrs below 250 degrees with any pellet cooker I have seen.
Here is the pellet consumption test we performed on the 2 Star here in Oregon with Bear Mountain Hickory.
Smoke .48lbs/hr
200 .63lbs/hr
300 1.25lbs/hr
400 1.62lbs/hr
High 2.3lbs/hr

You also have to consider other factors like cooking volume of the unit, smoke output, and temperature swings.
 

sparky

New member
you totals are lower than the ones post on the other forum. that's pretty good. i like your results.
 

Phrett Bender

New member
My GMG Daniel Boone burns about 3/4 pound of pellets per hour at 200°, and around 1 1/2 pounds per hour at 300°. GMG's are not insulated so they will burn more pellets than those that are insulated.
 

Bear

Moderator
I don't know how many pellets my grill uses. When the bin gets low, I pour in some more. When the bag gets low, I get another bag off of the pallet. When the pallet gets low, I call Candy Sue!
 

jimsbarbecue

Moderator
One item that is forgotten is when you lower your temp in a pit from say 400 to 300. If the pit is well insulated it may take a long time for the temp to come down.
 

sparky

New member
insulated pits seem to hold temps better. less pellet usage. although wasn't there a video about bentley cooking on a mak and he turned the mak off 5 minutes earlier and he was still cooking chicken on it. so the maks hold temps well also.
 
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sparky

New member
been using bear mountain pellets from cash and carry (cheap). drove to elk grove to buy 160lbs of cookingpellets off a police officer who just got a cs-570. cool guy, not someone i would hang out with but a pellethead no less. i gave him bp site and told him to watch videos to help him along. i used cookingpellets perfect mix to cook a pork butt last night. seems to burn hotter. 7lb butt took less than 12 hours at 225 degrees. last one on bear mountain took 14. perfect mix is real dusty. last night at 3am i went out to fill my hopper i scooped some out of a tub i poured 40lbs in with a pitcher and alot of dust, even off the top of the tub. bear mountain doesn't have all that much dust.
 
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