Newbie Confused

[Vegasmailman]

The more I go to different sites and read the more confused on what I really need to buy. Seems like all the recipes for ribs pork requires a smoker. So now I am wondering should a smoker only be purchased or does pellet grill fits all the needs. Help

 

[scooter]

The answer to your question really revolves around what type of cooking you want to do? A pellet cooker is a multi functional cooker/smoker that is controlled by a circuit board so it takes the need for fire management knowledge out of the equation. You set the temp and it will smoke at that temp so you can concentrate on flavor profiles and cook processes.
As with anything that has multi-functionality pellet cookers have weaknesses. The most notable is the smoke flavor they put on items you put in them is lighter than traditional smokers. My opinion on the why of it is because with a pellet cooker it uses a fan to stoke the firepot with oxygen but at the same time is blowing smoke out of the pit, not letting it settle as much on the food as with other cookers that don't utilize a fan. If you want a heavier smoke flavor in a pellet cooker you will need to make some adjustments on your process or purchase a smoke generator such as a Smoke Daddy or Amazn smoker. I use a Smoke Daddy I attached to my 2 Star years ago to help in the two areas where the smoke flavoring a pellet cooker puts on is particularly light which is 1) anything cooked for under three hours or 2) anything cooked at over 300F.
Some owners are completely fine with the flavor they get from their pellet cookers while many others are not. It's a personal taste.
Also, while pellet cookers can and do most every kind of cooking you'll need it to do, I've found that in some circumstances there just isn't a replacement for good old charcoal. I have a BPS drum (charcoal) and a MAK 2 Star (pellets) and between them I have the best of both worlds covered.

 

[Big Poppa]

well put The technical term for what Scooter is describing is 'air exchanges' Pellet grills are a very clean smoke I might add too....the air is being exchanged several times a minute....with a cabinet smoker you put two chunks of wood on top of your coals and your meat may even be too smoky ON a jambo the rolls royce of stick burners it is a light smoke based on a clean fire...

 

[TentHunter]

I agree with everything that was already said and would augment it with one thing:

Don't let anyone tell you, given the right conditions, and pellets, that you can't get a good deep smoke flavor/penetration with a good pellet smoker!

I smoke homemade bacon, smoked sausage, hams, etc all on my MAK all the time and get really good deep smoke penetration. I will augment it with a A-Maze-N tube smoker, and then run in smoke-mode and have no problems getting the deep smoke penetration I want. Peruse the "Searching for the Cure" section and you'll fine all sorts of examples.

Another key is the type of pellets. What a really good deep smoke flavor? Use BBQer's Delight Hickory, Black Walnut and Apple. Contrary to what a lot of people say Apple is NOT a light smoke flavor. It's the heaviest smoke of all the fruit woods and gives a very deep penetrating smoke flavor. That's why I love it on Bacon.

And the best part? It's all a very controlled clean smoke, not a heavy billowing white smoke that leaves a nasty creosote taste on the food.

The MAK's are also known for putting out a little more smoke than some other brands, and you simply cannot beat a MAK for quality.

And yes you can grill on a good pellet smoker too. There are a few pellet grills offering grilling options now. I don't grill nearly as often as I smoke/BBQ, but when when I do, my MAK FlameZone handles my grilling needs just fine.

 

[scooter]

Contrary to what a lot of people say Apple is NOT a light smoke flavor. It's the heaviest smoke of all the fruit woods and gives a very deep penetrating smoke flavor. That's why I love it on Bacon.

Cliff, are you talking about apple wood pellets where they're mixed with oak wood? I wouldn't characterize apple wood by the various species mixtures of hardwood sawdust found in apple wood pellets.
My experience with pure apple wood chunks in my drum is that it provides a lighter smoke flavor than other fruitwoods I've tried (cherry, peach) and never a deep penetrating one but herein lies the difference between peoples palates.

 

[TentHunter]

Scooter, I'm talking about both 100% applewood pellets/chunks, as well as the oak/apple blended pellets. I've been smoking with applewood for years, long before I ever got a pellet grill, and it is definitely a heavier smoke.

Even Candy Sue's description of Applewood pellets (the 100% flavorwood kind) is listed as "strong." Part of that is because Apple wood has such a strong, sweetish, campfire like smell.

And keep in mind I'm talking about using it at cold-smoke & hot-smoke temps (165° - 185°) for hours where it really has a chance to penetrate, not at BBQ temps or higher, where you get a lighter smoke profile anyway.


I wish you could smell & taste my bacon and you'd see how deep the smoke flavor is. And it's not a nasty creosote smoke flavor either. It's a really good smoke flavor.

 

[scooter]

Yeah, I could see how cold smoking with it would have stronger profile. I use it specifically on chicken and turkey due to it's lighter smoke flavor profile. It might be the characteristics of the different species of applewood? I know that the different species of hickory have different flavor profiles as I've hear Chris Lilly talk about the species he likes to use (Pignut). It's probably the same with apple. The species of applewood I get from Fruta could be different than the species you get.

 

[Big Poppa]

scooter try sharpe wood in orange cbba members and do a ton for backyarders and host classes