Pellet Grills and Smokers

[Captainant 26902]

2 hours ago, Pescado_Rojo said:

This is the only way I cook steaks anymore. 225 on the Recteq until they hit internal target, then a 10 minute rest, then sear them off in a hot skillet with a little ghee or beef tallow. 

I got a big cast iron slab from costco for $20 a while back, and have been using it to sear steaks and grill burgers on my cheapo pit boss grill. It really gets a nice crust and cleans up super easy

[Gene Parmesan 3951]

I have a Ninja toaster oven that I'd buy again and recommend, but I don't see the point in this especially at that price.  Just get a name brand pellet grill/smoker.  Set it and forget it is pretty much a function of every cooker that isn't an offset stick burner. 

Edited July 11 by Gene Parmesan

[tigol 2376]

The Ninja Creami is badass. That’s all I’ve got.

[futureman 22342]

I have a Ninja crock pot.  It kicks ass. 

[Jerry Callo 8630]

You should get one and use it in your kitchen.

[Underdog 28118]

Yeah, wife wants one also. 

[Gene Parmesan 3951]

30 minutes ago, Jerry Callo said:

You should get one and use it in your kitchen.

Just crack a window it'll be fine.  The only allure I'd see in this is portability for camping (I don't do much of) or living in an apartment. 

[Goofyboy 3002]

Apart from the obvious differences in fuel and vent control, what differences are you talking about, cookingwise?  Are you talking about what to expect from different temperatures?

Temps, cooking time and how to make sure I don’t dry out things. I think I need to add a water pan for long cooks with brisket or ribs. I’m trying out a turkey breast tonight. Shooting for not rubber.

[wd40 1976]

I heard they're 10% off at the Walmart in Branson

[ROFL BOX 6622]

6 hours ago, Gene Parmesan said:

Just crack a window it'll be fine.  The only allure I'd see in this is portability for camping (I don't do much of) or living in an apartment. 

Bring a generator or enough extension cord.

[ROFL BOX 6622]

6 hours ago, Underdog said:

Yeah, wife wants one also. 

Get this for her instead of the diamond earrings... it's not like you're getting a blowjob anyway.

[Captainant 26902]

19 hours ago, Goofyboy said:

Temps, cooking time and how to make sure I don’t dry out things. I think I need to add a water pan for long cooks with brisket or ribs. I’m trying out a turkey breast tonight. Shooting for not rubber.

I did a whole turkey in my parents Cabela's brand pellet grill a couple years ago for Thanksgiving - it turned out great and cooked surprisingly fast, probably due to air convection in the pellet grill. Granted, I had a whole birds worth of drippings to help keep it moist, but I'd bet you can get a pretty good result and even a baby smoke ring

[Goofyboy 3002]

Last night was a success! Roughly 3 hours cook time. I wrapped it at 130F in foil with some butter and let it go to 165F. Let it rest in the foil and oven for 30 minutes. It was really juicy and good.

[dcbc 14235]

20 hours ago, Goofyboy said:

Temps, cooking time and how to make sure I don’t dry out things. I think I need to add a water pan for long cooks with brisket or ribs. I’m trying out a turkey breast tonight. Shooting for not rubber.

I was just reading about the temps on different kinds of smokers.  I'd run into problems lately with the WSM because I was trying to run it at 225F.  Apparently, that's too low for brisket on a bullet smoker, but pellet smokers, according to what I read, do better at lower temps.

 

For chicken/turkey, I try to get it well over 300F, and I would prefer 350F.

[kevwun 15255]

On 7/12/2024 at 8:40 AM, Captainant said:

I did a whole turkey in my parents Cabela's brand pellet grill a couple years ago for Thanksgiving - it turned out great and cooked surprisingly fast, probably due to air convection in the pellet grill. Granted, I had a whole birds worth of drippings to help keep it moist, but I'd bet you can get a pretty good result and even a baby smoke ring

I did one this past Thanksgiving and it did get done really fast also and it was a big bird.  It was so big I didn't have anything that it would fit it in for brining that I could keep in the fridge.  I ended up injecting with Tony's cajun butter and seasoned it with Tony's the day before and let it sit in the fridge over night on a sheet pan.  Turned out great.  I will probably do the same thing again this year.

[Dr Fear 1264]

On 6/4/2024 at 4:51 PM, SmokeyTheBear said:

I ordered in Feb. Expect an email with your invoice to approve before they build. Then it took about 3 weeks after that for delivery.  

I am now at 26 weeks (1/2 Earth year) since I ordered, got the invoice email 6 weeks ago and still waiting.  Hopefully next week.

[SmokeyTheBear 5554]

22 minutes ago, Dr Fear said:

I am now at 26 weeks (1/2 Earth year) since I ordered, got the invoice email 6 weeks ago and still waiting.  Hopefully next week.

The wait is worth it.  I've thrown everything at this and it's just so easy to get great results.  

[Dr Fear 1264]

8 minutes ago, SmokeyTheBear said:

The wait is worth it.  I've thrown everything at this and it's just so easy to get great results.  

Yeah, all that looks pretty damn good.

[TexasHooch 4994]

I just bought this, sight unseen, at a local online auction:

 

 

Picking it up today, so we'll see.  As long as the electronics and mechanicals work, I think it'll end up being a steal after I clean her up.

 

[TexasHooch 4994]

Picked it up and it's full functional- the only thing that I might replace is the drip pan.  She's a mess though.  Maybe I'll post some before and afters.

[Mo Horn 8696]

What did you pay for it? 

[SmokeyTheBear 5554]

Beef back ribs and poppers for the watch party. LSG and Horns for the win!

[TexasHooch 4994]

20 hours ago, Mo Horn said:

What did you pay for it? 

$67 after taxes and fees.  I spent an additional $8 on a paint stripper attachment for the griddle.  Worked well, just a little more to do in the corners and then I'll re-season.  I'm still a bit on the fence about whether or not to replace the drip pan- that'll be $55 if I do.

All and all, it was indeed a steal.  I think, anyway.

 

[Dr Fear 1264]

I got to make brisket, pulled pork and ribs for a party in a few weeks an a Saturday at noon. I plan on making the pork and brisket the night before, I got a Vevor warning oven and I can hold at 150 for 12ish hours. I'm worried if I do the same with the ribs wrapped (in foil?) that quality will suffer. Thoughts? Ideas?

[T’Boo Ted Marshall 2719]

Got a Traeger and firing up a brisket that should be ready for kick tomorrow.
Will post pics of dead Clubby’s later

[ROFL BOX 6622]

5 hours ago, Dr Fear said:

...Saturday at noon. I

 

...I can hold at 150 for 12ish hours. I'm worried if I do the same with the ribs wrapped (in foil?) that quality will suffer.

¿Open foil or butcher paper every 90 minutes & spray with apple cider vinegar?

[Slacks 6691]

I'm telling you this because I love you. 

 

For those of you who want the ease of a pellet grill, but the flavor of actual charcoal and wood, you want a Gravity Smoker.

I have a Chargriller 980 and I use it every week. It has changed the game on all foods.

Wanna reverse sear a ribeye or burger on a weeknight? No problem.

Wanna smoke ribs, pork, brisket, no problem.

The only two "main" brands out are Chrageiller and Masterbuilt, which are the same company.

If you're like I was, which was wanting the controllable simplicity of pellets, but want it to taste like "smoke". Gravity smoker is the answer.

Go.

[T’Boo Ted Marshall 2719]

Go time.

[VirginiaLonghorn 4722]

🤔

[T’Boo Ted Marshall 2719]

Kids that don’t know any better.

[Tonesky 804]

Initial burn-in underway!

I used an Old Smokey and charcoal for about 15 years (dating to a long gone duplex that was just north of campus in the 3100 block of Tom Green) and then gas for the next almost 30 years.  This will be interesting….

[T’Boo Ted Marshall 2719]

I will say mine came out more dry than my offset ever did.

[Goofyboy 3002]

Initial burn-in underway!
I used an Old Smokey and charcoal for about 15 years (dating to a long gone duplex that was just north of campus in the 3100 block of Tom Green) and then gas for the next almost 30 years.  This will be interesting….

Congrats! I just added the front folding shelf to mine.

[mdleast 8091]

Made burnt ends for the UTSA game. East breezy and delicious

[VirginiaLonghorn 4722]

One inch thick porterhouse cut pork chop, brined, then …

Grilled in the pellet smoker at 400F to 140F internal.  Flipped and rotated every 3 minutes for even cooking.  Juicy, tender, and a hint of smoke.

[Tonesky 804]

Just before wrapping. 

[Gil Bang 25551]

On 4/16/2024 at 9:37 AM, Sam Lin said:

Good rule for anyone using any temp probe, check the accuracy in boiling water every few months.

I stick mine up my ass.  If it's between 98 and 99 I know it's good to go. 

[Slacks 6691]

On 9/30/2024 at 10:28 PM, Gil Bang said:

I stick mine up my ass.  If it's between 98 and 99 I know it's good to go. 

I was looking for a random pair to respond to with this gif.... You win.

[huge 3774]

On 9/14/2024 at 9:45 AM, Slacks said:

I'm telling you this because I love you. 

 

For those of you who want the ease of a pellet grill, but the flavor of actual charcoal and wood, you want a Gravity Smoker.

I have a Chargriller 980 and I use it every week. It has changed the game on all foods.

Wanna reverse sear a ribeye or burger on a weeknight? No problem.

Wanna smoke ribs, pork, brisket, no problem.

The only two "main" brands out are Chrageiller and Masterbuilt, which are the same company.

If you're like I was, which was wanting the controllable simplicity of pellets, but want it to taste like "smoke". Gravity smoker is the answer.

Go.

After looking around I think I want a Masterbuilt 1050.  Includes a griddle attachment to turn it into a blackstone.

 

[Macanudo 12743]

I have to replace my Green Mountain Davy Crockett.   I got a good 6 years out of it but it's just done.  Overall it was a good grill and did everything pretty well.   I smoked a shit ton of ribs and briskets on it while also doing a good job on burgers, chicken and steaks.  My one beef (other than it wearing out faster than it should have) was the power cord/source.   The cord attached to the grill via an old school plug like a cigarette lighter in a car from the 80s.   That was one of the big issues the last few years as the connector was finicky. 

I'm looking to keep the price under $800-1000.  Someone tell me why I don't just go to Academy and get a Pit Boss. 

[Goofyboy 3002]

I just made my first brisket in my Weber Searwood 600 XL. I added a water pan and set it for 225 over night. 12lb brisket came out great and using the pellet style grill was basically idiot proof.

[Updawg 2245]

I have a pit boss and it’s been good so far
Only issue is the pellets don’t slide down evenly so it will create a void and I have to push them some

[Etexhorn13 3013]

Anyone familiar with Pit Boss Austin XLs? I saw someone selling this one for $100, looks to be some minor wear but everything works fine. For $100 it seems like a pretty good deal. 

[TexasHooch 4994]

If everything works, that's a great deal.  It retails for about $450.  Compare that with a similarly sized and equipped traeger at $700 and it's clear that this is a 2nd tier brand. That said, at $100, it doesn't need to last forever.  Another thing I always consider when I deal hunt for grills and smokers is whether parts are readily available- Which they definitely are for this model.

[Texasborn91 872]

12 hours ago, Etexhorn13 said:

Anyone familiar with Pit Boss Austin XLs? I saw someone selling this one for $100, looks to be some minor wear but everything works fine. For $100 it seems like a pretty good deal. 

I’ve had mine 3 years. For a cheap option and grilling it’s amazing. Never gonna be great for smoke if trying to bbq. There’s also 2 seperate attachments I bought with it. A deflector plate that goes over the burn pot and a plate that inserts to cover the opening on the temp probe side. It’s oddly not covered and throws some weird temp to the thermometer some times. I’ve changed to igniter on it once. I’ve also had to change the display once and it’s going out again. 100 is a steal. Prolly about to upgrade and give it to my FIL