Pellet Smokers - Flavor Quality

[2012Coleman]

Someone posted the following in another forum, and I was wondering if others shared this opinion:

someone wrote:
The pellet grill/smoker is superb and really hard to beat. Doesn't produce the totally smoked flavor of a charcoal/wood smoker, but is great unto it self.

What say you?

[2012Coleman]

Super_Dave wrote:
2012coleman, look up Smokin-It smokers. They are true lazy Q. With digital PID, I turn on before I go to bed and get a full night sleep.

I did look them up - I know that you have one, and also recently bought a GMG.

Do you like the Smokin-It smoker better?

Do the Smokin-It smokers take chunk wood in the firebox? I imagine the Model 1 would be sufficient for my needs.

[Searching_Ut]

I first decided to get a pellet smoker after learning about them from a guy in Louisiana I was helping resolve a wiring issue on a plane he was building. Turned out he earned all the money to build the plane through BBQ competitions. Best chicken and Ribs I've tasted to date, but I hope to get something as good myself someday.

Pellet grills impart a great smoke ring, and a light to medium smoke flavor that never gets that sooty, or creosote bitterness you often get when the cook stops down the airflow on the more conventional smoker too much. Temperature is very well controlled with a good pellet grill, and they are pretty much set and forget in convenience.

I started with a Camp Chef pellet grill that I got right when they started making them. Still going strong despite years of use in all weather conditions. Just have to be careful not to get the pellets wet as they revert back to sawdust when wet.

Just purchased a little portable Traeger PTG from the Traeger Rep at Costco a couple weeks back. He only had the one left and let it go with cover/case and a small inverter for a great price. It's far from a great unit but should get the job done on the road, and it fits in the spot I want to carry it in.

As should be obvious, I love mine. Got rid of my Egg and side burner once I went to pellets. Kept the electric smoker but that's just used as a warmer once in awhile. Don't think you can go wrong with a with a pellet smoker once you figure it out, and find the pellets that impart the flavor you like best. They do great with pizza as well, and I do my thanksgiving turkey on mine every year for a fantastically juicy bird, and of course my Christmas holiday prime rib is done on the smoker as well.

[DReisinger]

I use a Smoky Mountain Series upright. Started life as gas, converted to electric, an old heating element from electric grill at thrift store, SS dog dish on heating element and a couple blocks of Ohio hickory, you can vary the smoke flavor with the vent on top. Works great.

[GoPackGo]

I fulltime and have a Green Mountain Grills Davey Crockett, have been using it for 3 years now and love the thing.

IMHO it does not impart quite as much smoke flavor as a true smoker. I would say you get a medium amount. It's probably because of the pellets and some pellet brands seem to have a better reputation then others - so it's worthwhile to try different brands. And I'm also not sure that a pellet is 100 percent hickory or mesquite, etc. It IS 100 percent wood, just not sure what kind of wood.

The good things about a pellet grill -

- Your food is cooked over a wood fire. Way tastier then electric or propane.
- Set the cooking temperature and it's automatically maintained. GMG even has wireless capability - can monitor food temp and adjust cooking temp if needed.
- They are versatile. With one machine, you can set the temp low and smoke for hours (even overnight), or set it higher and 'grill' food.

[Super_Dave]

2012coleman, look up Smokin-It smokers. They are true lazy Q. With digital PID, I turn on before I go to bed and get a full night sleep.

[garmp]

I have a RecTec for right at a year now and can't say enough good things about it. I also have a gas grill and a Brinkmann charcoal smoker. Each has its purpose. Pellet smokers do not produce the deep rich wood smoke that a wood or charcoal smoker does but does get the job done!
The RecTec has surpassed my expectations. Fill the hopper with pellets, set the temp and cook away. Some great recipes are out there and you can adapt them to your taste. DW was VERY hesitant when I bought this, cost, patio space, electricity, etc. Now, she's in love with it.
I formulated a recipe by mixing other recipes and combining this and that to which I can, via brining (a whole other topic) successfully make a $2.69 a pound pork loin taste like a $.99 a pound ham!
Smoking is fun as well as tasty!
Bottom line – get a pellet grill/smoker! You won't regret it!

[mowin]

Having used many type of smokers, stick burners, propane, elect and pellet, I have to agree the pellet smoker has the lightest smoke flavor.

So if your used to the smoke profile from other pits, you are more likely to notice the "lack" of smoke flavor from a pellet smoker.
If the pellet smoker is your first pit, you will most likely be more than satisfied with the flavor.

I do use the A-MAZE-N tube in my pellet smoker to get the smoke profile i like.

[2012Coleman]

Thanks for all the great feedback. I have the Weber Bullet smoker, but I was thinking of getting a GMG for longer cooks like pork butt and brisket. I've cooked both on the Weber, but having to get up in the middle of the night to tend to the charcoal is a hassle - a worthwhile hassle, but a hassle nonetheless.

Now I'm on the fence.

Y-Guy - where do you get your pellets?

[Jason234]

I have a Rec-Tec wood pellet smoker. I love it and the customer service is second to none. The owner gives you his cell phone to call him direct with any issues. I had a Traeger, never again.

[IDman]

I like my Traegers as we get delicious smokey flavor because we do it correctly. One of the best things about pellet smokers is that you DO get a bark (crust) and a good smoke ring. You cannot get those using electric or gas smokers.

[ScottG]

KCFDCapt wrote:
Beware of Traeger. The went to China for a manufacturer and quality suffered.

Sounds like good advice.
My buddy had the small table top Treager and it continually covered the food in grey ash. Treager couldn't figure out the problem but sent him several parts. He finally gave up and bought another brand.

[jnharley]

We also have a GMG Davey Crocket and love the flavor. It smokes well yet gets hot enough to cook a great steak. We smoke our small cuts of meat (steak, pork chops, chicken, etc) 30 minutes and remove from the smoker. Then we crank the temp up to the highest setting. After it comes to temp, we put the meat back on. We cook chicken slightly different after smoking because it does not need that high heat. Last night we tried lamb chops and they were fantastic. We are big mesquite fans and we use that flavor pellet almost exclusively.

[Y-Guy]

To me it's a trade off. I don't care for charcoal taste, wood is great but I don't have the time, space or desire to deal with chunks of wood. The pellet smoker we have, a Louisiana Smoker, let me make fantastic smoked meats at home without the hassle. Does wood create more flavor? Perhaps, but just like cooking with anything it takes time, practice and patience. Using the right quality pellets matters. I've sampled a dozen friends smoked meats all off of pellet smokers. Some have a great smokey taste others not so much. To me impatience is usually the problem, low and slow is the key.

I'm happy with our Louisiana Smoker, it was the best Mothers Day present I've ever bought my wife and she agrees. If I were buying today the Green Mountain would be top on my list. Personally I will no purchase a Traeger for reasons already stated and others.

[Super_Dave]

firemedic1992 wrote:
I love my Green Mountain Grills Davy Crockett pellet Grill and would disagree that they don't produce the smoky taste.

The argument isn't that they don't produce a smoky taste, it is that they don't produce the same smoky taste as wood or charcoal fueled smokers. And to this I whole heartedly agree. They are good, just not as good.