Pellet Grills and Smokers

[Hate 20,061]

275 until its 170 then I wrap it. I pull it at 202 and let it rest for a couple of hours. The cook time usually takes 5 hours for a 14 lb brisket.

[pearlandhorn 3,260]

I’ve got a traeger and put a 15 pound brisket on at 7 am at 250. Wrapped it at noon when the bark was set (probed after wrapping in butcher paper and it was 170). Pulled it at 2:30 at 203. Let it rest for 2 hours on the stove until the temp hit 165 or so then threw it in a cooler. Sliced it at 6:30 and it was the best brisket I’ve done on that grill.  It was a choice brisket from HEB and it was more juicy than the prime I buy at Costco.

[BearSchlong 8,013]

I love low and slow, but it sure is a bitch to get through the stall when cooking at 225-240.

You fellas might be on to something.  I think I've been overcooking my brisket, maybe I'll do 275 next time.

[pops 6,959]

51 minutes ago, BearSchlong said:

I love low and slow, but it sure is a bitch to get through the stall when cooking at 225-240.

You fellas might be on to something.  I think I've been overcooking my brisket, maybe I'll do 275 next time.

I think that's where Franklin is at.... maybe a little higher. I'll never go back to 225. I'm 275 to 285 all day long now. Still probes like butter when it's done. You just don't wait so long to get to the stall or so long in the stall. 

[CooterBrown 17,760]

Last two briskets I’ve done have been great. I start around noon and aim to finish them around 10pm. Unwrap and cool to 160 internal. Wrap in fresh paper and let rest in a countertop electric turkey roaster set at 150. Eat at noon. That ~12 hour rest matters more than anything, IMO.

[NoName 16,241]

3 hours ago, CooterBrown said:

Last two briskets I’ve done have been great. I start around noon and aim to finish them around 10pm. Unwrap and cool to 160 internal. Wrap in fresh paper and let rest in a countertop electric turkey roaster set at 150. Eat at noon. That ~12 hour rest matters more than anything, IMO.

absolutely, 100% this.

i can't tell you what a difference it makes if you have never done this.

i do foil boat, and you just rest it in that in oven. doesn't dry out.

[Al_4_ISU 12,375]

Pork shoulder went on at 5:20. Set at 225 to get to 200 internal. We’ll see how long this takes

[Al_4_ISU 12,375]

Skirt steak last night. Leaning into this for more conventional grilling and damn, it shines.

[Updawg 2,245]

Pork shoulder went on at 5:20. Set at 225 to get to 200 internal. We’ll see how long this takes

Is that a pit boss? Do you always cook over the open flame like that at a low temp?

Just got one and still experimenting

[Al_4_ISU 12,375]

12 minutes ago, Updawg said:

Is that a pit boss? Do you always cook over the open flame like that at a low temp?

Just got one and still experimenting

Yup, Pit Boss.  I've gone back and forth with the flame on low, seeing how it effects things.  Mostly wanted to see what kind of charring action you might get with the low temp vs straight up indirect heat.  I usually smoke without open flame, but I have a bunch of these pork shoulders and have been messing with them.

Edited May 2, 2022 by Al_4_ISU

[NoRagrets 1,121]

I just bought a Weber gen 2 smokfire. Let’s just say I’m ready to return it after 1 day. I’ve never been so infuriated while grilling.

This is how today went. Wife picks up meat from central market while I pick up the grill. light it up. It gets to temp fast. I burn it off at 600* for about 30 minutes. Cool it down. Put meat on and insert one of the probes that came with it. All is good. Go to flip the meat. Close the lid. And the temp just keeps dropping. Flame out, I presume. So I take it all apart. Clean it. Start it back up. Same damn thing happens.

My wife is mad at me because I bought a lemon, my kids are mad at me because they’re hungry, and I’m mad at me for believing Weber fixed all of their issues with the gen 2 model. 

[Hate 20,061]

Return it and get the Recteq

[Sam Lin 3,535]

Username definitely does not check out.

[NoRagrets 1,121]

7 hours ago, Sam Lin said:

Username definitely does not check out.

No Ragrets, that’s my creedo.

[ohchaucer 1,443]

Alrighty, finally sold off my middle of the road kamado smoker (prerequisite from my wife before buying anything else to crowd up our back patio). So I just bought a Traeger pro 780. I know the wifi is iffy but if that’s the worst part, seems I’m about to successfully enter the pellet world.

Any initial pro tips or watch outs? Will do a lot of chicken (wings, drummies, whole) and sausage regularly and then a brisket, ribs and pork on “special occasions.” And still have the Weber gas for high heat stuff.

[Dbeasy 14,789]

How does everyone deal with a grill or smoker causing your clothes to smell. I hate having to turn around and shower the moment I stop grilling. 

[Updawg 2,245]

Man up or let your wife do it

[Hate 20,061]

That’s not a problem with the pellet grill at all.

[Your Mom 4,763]

I love the smell. Also love using the brisket ice chest for cold drinks. Kids complain that the the cans smell like brisket, I smile and nod. 

[Murfdogg21 4,398]

18 hours ago, Dbeasy said:

How does everyone deal with a grill or smoker causing your clothes to smell. I hate having to turn around and shower the moment I stop grilling. 

Brisket smoke > Axe body spray

[VirginiaLonghorn 4,727]

3 minutes ago, Murfdogg21 said:

Brisket smoke > Axe body spray

Apparently, it depends on whom you Axe …

[Catpfish 618]

Well, because of this thread, I ordered a Yoder YS640 and got it Wednesday. I've never really done any smoking at all but decided to give pork ribs a try figuring they would be the easiest. I'm not sure why I waited so long.

No foil, wrap or spritzing at all, just sea salt, pepper and a generic pork rub. 3.5 hours at 230 later and they are juicy and tasty. Kudos to all for the discussion

[cabowabo 4,390]

Ordered a Recteq RT700 on Sunday and had it delivered yesterday. Assembled this morning, did the initial burn in, and then threw on a couple racks of spare ribs. Got about an hour left. Will throw on pork butt tonight. Initial impressions are favorable.

Edited June 25, 2022 by cabowabo

[Your Mom 4,763]

I got the same one a couple weeks ago.  Recteq 700. I’ve done ribs, brisket, chicken, and a couple pork tenderloins. So easy. Really enjoying it. 

On my offset I always used oak because mesquite was too overpowering. On the recteq I used B&B post oak pellets. Obviously the pellet smoker can’t generate the amount of smoke as an offset and I found the bark to be less than I’d like. Less bark texture and less smoke flavor. It was great on other cuts of meat but lacking for a brisket.  This was without a smoke tube which I’ve since ordered. I’m wondering if mesquite pellets would be a better choice.  Maybe the more robust flavor of mesquite would go a little further in pellet form than oak does. 

[Hate 20,061]

Pecan.

[TexEx15 17,325]

Upgraded from a vertical Masterbilt that was my entry into smoking. Will be breaking this in with two briskets Friday evening for serving Saturday night.

 

[Pescado_Rojo 19,262]

On 6/26/2022 at 8:19 AM, Your Mom said:

I got the same one a couple weeks ago.  Recteq 700. I’ve done ribs, brisket, chicken, and a couple pork tenderloins. So easy. Really enjoying it. 

On my offset I always used oak because mesquite was too overpowering. On the recteq I used B&B post oak pellets. Obviously the pellet smoker can’t generate the amount of smoke as an offset and I found the bark to be less than I’d like. Less bark texture and less smoke flavor. It was great on other cuts of meat but lacking for a brisket.  This was without a smoke tube which I’ve since ordered. I’m wondering if mesquite pellets would be a better choice.  Maybe the more robust flavor of mesquite would go a little further in pellet form than oak does. 

I think the smoke tube helps a lot. Here’s the last brisket I did with the smoke tube. 
Any of you guys with a 590 figure out a solution for the hot spot over the burn cup? I’m about to order the shelf to get a little more space from the surface and maybe put a foil water pan on the main grill grate. 
 

[ohchaucer 1,443]

Pescado, what smoke tube are you using and any particular tricks? That bark looks legit. I’ve been playing with my Traeger for a few weeks now but have yet to do brisket. The pellet smoke is great for chicken, ribs and sausage but can imagine it won’t be QUITE up to the task with a brisket.

[Shaddie 1,631]

On my pellet I now use mesquite pellets ( I know only about 20% mesquite) and in tube have a mix of hickory chips and pellets. It burns faster so re-up about once an hour but seems like a lot of smoke taste. 

[TPCJ007 48]

I switched to B&B mesquite pellets and I feel it's been an improvement. Beef ribs from a couple weeks ago.

[Pescado_Rojo 19,262]

3 hours ago, ohchaucer said:

Pescado, what smoke tube are you using and any particular tricks? That bark looks legit. I’ve been playing with my Traeger for a few weeks now but have yet to do brisket. The pellet smoke is great for chicken, ribs and sausage but can imagine it won’t be QUITE up to the task with a brisket.

This $15 one from Amazon.

Also using B&B Post Oak pellets in the smoker and the smoke tube. 

[Both Tacos 1,805]

First brisket on the Z Grill pellet smoker. Did the Meat Church weekday brisket style and it turned out really good.

[semitired 79]

Bout to wear out my pit boss. Does anyone have experience with Yoder? Can you do an open flame like a pit boss? The 640 Yoder has my eye.

[Updawg 2,245]

Bout to wear out my pit boss. Does anyone have experience with Yoder? Can you do an open flame like a pit boss? The 640 Yoder has my eye.

How long have you had the pit boss? How is it wearing out

Curious because I just bought one a few months ago

[semitired 79]

9 minutes ago, Updawg said:

How long have you had the pit boss? How is it wearing out

Curious because I just bought one a few months ago

Four years, but I use at least four to five times a week. My electronics are going out, along with rusting of the grates and heating element. It still works, for now, but I'm looking for an excuse to make a change. I also have a Blackstone and I think I can combine a Yoder to do both.

[Catpfish 618]

Bout to wear out my pit boss. Does anyone have experience with Yoder? Can you do an open flame like a pit boss? The 640 Yoder has my eye.

What do you mean by open flame? The 640 has a "door" in the deflector plate that can be removed. The door is directly over the pellet burner. If you are wondering about searing, I'm sure you can get it over 700 pretty quickly and you can buy searing grates that should help with potential flare-ups.

[BearSchlong 8,013]

I kilt the feeding mechanism on my Recteq. Gotta get a new set of guts from the manufacturer.

My own fault for letting too much sawdust accumulate in the feeder.

[Pescado_Rojo 19,262]

I ordered the griddle for my Recteq 590. After seasoning it Saturday, I had to make breakfast tacos Sunday morning. 

[Pescado_Rojo 19,262]

Then I dialed it back down to 250 and threw on a pork butt for dinner. 

[Hate 20,061]

What did you set the temp to for the griddle?

 

[closetojumping 62,010]

Sorry if this is a really dumb question or if it has been discussed on the prior 9 pages I am not reading, but is it possible to do prime rib in a BGE? If so, does anyone have a good process or link to one? If it isn't possible to make quality prime rib in one, forgive for being a moron. My wife is not from the US and doesn't like BBQ of any sort and has asked about this route as something different.

[Pescado_Rojo 19,262]

9 minutes ago, Hate said:

What did you set the temp to for the griddle?

 

To cook or to season? 

Seasoning: Place the griddle in a cold grill, then set it to 200 degrees. Let it sit at 200 for 2 hrs, then apply a light coat of high smoke point oil (I used grapeseed) and dial it up to 400. Add a fresh, thin coat of oil every 30 minutes until you get a shiny black finish on the griddle. I think I did 4 coats, but maybe it was 5. Turn off grill and let griddle sit in it until completely cool. 

To Cook, I set it for 400 and let it heat up for 30 minutes. I put on the potatoes and bacon first, then cooked the eggs in the bacon grease. Next time I might turn the heat off and let it sit 5 minutes before I put the eggs on. They got well done pretty fast. 

[Pescado_Rojo 19,262]

14 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

Sorry if this is a really dumb question or if it has been discussed on the prior 9 pages I am not reading, but is it possible to do prime rib in a BGE? If so, does anyone have a good process or link to one? If it isn't possible to make quality prime rib in one, forgive for being a moron. My wife is not from the US and doesn't like BBQ of any sort and has asked about this route as something different.

It's absolutely possible, though I'm far from an expert on using one. You might try the BGE Thread

[Al_4_ISU 12,375]

I'd like to deep clean the grates on my Pit Boss.  Specifically the one that covers the flame (as opposed to the cooking surface - I'll just wirebrush that).  Anyone have any tips or tricks?

[NoName 16,241]

On 8/1/2022 at 1:05 PM, closetojumping said:

Sorry if this is a really dumb question or if it has been discussed on the prior 9 pages I am not reading, but is it possible to do prime rib in a BGE? If so, does anyone have a good process or link to one? If it isn't possible to make quality prime rib in one, forgive for being a moron. My wife is not from the US and doesn't like BBQ of any sort and has asked about this route as something different.

didn't @immamac say he does prime rib at NYE or Christmas on a BGE?

[Al_4_ISU 12,375]

On 8/1/2022 at 12:52 PM, Pescado_Rojo said:

I ordered the griddle for my Recteq 590. After seasoning it Saturday, I had to make breakfast tacos Sunday morning. 

How did you like the griddle?

My wife has been pushing hard for a Blackstone, but this would be cheaper and take up less space.  Plus it's less of a hassle to buy pellets than refill propane tanks.

Edited August 23, 2022 by Al_4_ISU

[Pescado_Rojo 19,262]

11 minutes ago, Al_4_ISU said:

How did you like the griddle?

My wife has been pushing hard for a Blackstone, but this would be cheaper and take up less space.  Plus it's less of a hassle to buy pellets than refill propane tanks.

I like it a lot. It's fairly large so kind of cumbersome to clean and store, but you can pretty much cook a full breakfast for the whole family at the same time. Next time I make burgers I'm going to try smash burgers on the griddle. 

[immamac 41,747]

On 8/1/2022 at 1:05 PM, closetojumping said:

Sorry if this is a really dumb question or if it has been discussed on the prior 9 pages I am not reading, but is it possible to do prime rib in a BGE? If so, does anyone have a good process or link to one? If it isn't possible to make quality prime rib in one, forgive for being a moron. My wife is not from the US and doesn't like BBQ of any sort and has asked about this route as something different.

https://www.atbbq.com/thesauce/recipes/standing-prime-rib-roast/

 

 

 

[KYHorn 16,719]

[Al_4_ISU 12,375]

23 hours ago, Pescado_Rojo said:

I like it a lot. It's fairly large so kind of cumbersome to clean and store, but you can pretty much cook a full breakfast for the whole family at the same time. Next time I make burgers I'm going to try smash burgers on the griddle. 

I ordered a 10" x 20" yesterday and am excited to try it.  I wasn't really looking forward to ponying up for a Black Stone and having one more appliance.  I'd much rather clean and store a cast iron griddle (I'll just hose it off with the garden hose and keep in the garage).

Edited August 24, 2022 by Al_4_ISU