Are Traeger Pellets a Scam? | Mad Scientist BBQ
Vložit
- čas přidán 1. 06. 2024
- Go to honehealth.com/bbq to save 25% on your at-home assessment test and doctor consultation. Remember, for just $45 you will begin a journey today that can change your life for the better-order today, don't wait any longer.
------------------------------------------
Mad Scientist BBQ:
Instagram • / madscientistbbq
Twitter • / madscientistbbq
Facebook • / madscientistbbq
WISIO • www.wisio.com/JeremyYoder
------------------------------------------
Pellet Links
CookinPellets Hickory: amzn.to/3vT4nl3
CookinPellets Mix: amzn.to/3CrpKwa
Smoke Ring BBQ Oak: amzn.to/2ZE5j10
Smoke Ring BBQ Maple: amzn.to/3Gz4F5k
Smoke Ring BBQ Blend: amzn.to/3pJiAju
Knotty Wood Almond: amzn.to/3nCfRpo
Knotty Wood Plum: amzn.to/3Gw46cH
Lumber Jack Hickory: amzn.to/3jLmMLY
Lumber Jack Oak: amzn.to/3bmSR8e
Pit Boss: amzn.to/3bm2dkA
Green Mountain Grills: amzn.to/31btmot
Traeger: amzn.to/3vUp7J0
------------------------------------------
The BBQ HQ Instagram: / thebbqhq
------------------------------------------
WAGYU Beef Tallow • amzn.to/3bTLeH3
PORK LARD • amzn.to/3wMXNeV
------------------------------------------
MY FAVORITE THERMOMETER - Thermoworks affiliate links:
Thermapen ONE: www.thermoworks.com/thermapen...
Thermapen IR: www.thermoworks.com/Thermapen...
Thermapen Mk4: www.thermoworks.com/Thermapen...
Smoke X: www.thermoworks.com/smokex?tw...
Infrared thermometer: www.thermoworks.com/IR-Pro-75...
------------------------------------------
Find Amazon Products from my videos: www.amazon.com/shop/madscient...
------------------------------------------
WISIO: Get my personalized advice: www.wisio.com/JeremyYoder
Email moriah@madscientistbbq.com to get info about a consultation with Jeremy
Order your leather apron here: madscientistbbq.com/products/...
Motion Graphics/Animation provided by Kaitlyn Kirk Designkkirk.me
Some of these links are affiliate links. If you use them, I'll receive a commission and it will help me make more content like this for my channel.
This video is sponsored by Hone. - Jak na to + styl
Blown away by all the comments. I’m elk hunting right now but hiked out of the woods to respond to comments. I’ll do my best to respond before hiking back in the morning.
Legend
Elk meat episodes coming hopefully
nice bbq game meats
F pellets, be a man and man a fire. I’d rather use saw dust like a PK smoker (it’s electric like your trager). Trager doesn’t burn like lump to sear, doesnt smoke like real wood etc. it does a lot well, but nothing great.
@@jasonj6568 your not wrong but it is convenient, electric smokers are the crock pots of bbqs
Crazy to see how this channel has exploded! Started watching in 2016 when I was trying to do my first brisket (I was 15) and found your channel around 2k subscribers. Thanks for the continued dedication and quality
Thanks for the video and I appreciate your open and honest approach!
I cook on a Traeger 780 and and 885. I have used most brands of pellets and agree with your video. For my “big or special” cooks I use 100% oak pellets from lumberjack or cookin’ pellets. For every day cooking I use Traeger pellets because they are so available.
When it comes to Traeger pellets I like the Texas Beef blend for heavier smoke. I like apple or cherry for sides and desserts. I don’t keep any of the Costco blend around. Also… the Turkey pellets are great! The addition of rosemary really helps the poultry shine.
I have a lot of experience with pellets and at this moment have more than 1800 lbs at home.
Thanks Jeremy for the amazing honest video. Straight message for Traeger to step up their game. I love their Ironwood grill but not the pellets. Lumber Jack for me. Great job sir!
Ive been using the Recteq Ultimate blend for a little over a year now and it has become my favorite pellet. My mother has a traeger pellet smoker and always complained about it not giving a noticeable smoke flavor to the point she almost stopped using her smoker. Once she tried the same pellets i have been using she has told me how much difference it has made and she has started using the smoker again. Great video by the way,
Thank you Jeremy! For someone that's fairly new to the backyard pellet smoker this video was super helpful. Makes you think about aspects of the product you buy and how it effects the flavor and overall out come. Super informative!
I’ve had some issues maintaining heat/fluctuating temps and been using Traeger pellets, will have to try your recommended brands to see if the pellet is the issue. Appreciate your commentary!
Amazing! I’ve been watching your videos for a long time. Upgraded from an electric to a pellet, and I’ve lost a lot of the flavor. Used Pitt Boss, and just picked up Bear Mtn. Looking forward to using them, also trying the one you use, Lumber Jack.
Thanks for making this video.
Jeremy - Nice job on this subject. Difficult to sort through brands for anything BBQ. Thanks for educating us. We have used Cookin’ Pellets in three generations of Traeger smokers with good success.
Thanks for the video Jeremy! I have a Blazn Grid Iron [similar in size to a Yoder YS640] and have almost always used Lumberjack pellets, mostly sticking to the Competition Blend [Maple Hickory Cherry Blend] (1/3, 1/3, 1/3). Good smoke flavor and have never had a clog or issue with them. And can be found fairly cheap at Rural King for around $9/20lb bag.
Used Traegar pellets back when I first got my smoker. Read about the oil flavouring thing and switched pretty quickly to BBQ’rs delight and lumberjack pellets (way better)
Im a new gmg owner and I have been using the lumberjack pellets. My grill guy gets them in and recommends them for my grill.
Love the channel, please keep making this great content. I love learning about all things related to cooking meat with fire.
Great video Jeremy. I use a smoke tube in my Yoder YS640 when I want to impart more smoke. I must say that I love this smoker and though it cost much more than most smokers, I believe the quality makes it a value. I will definitely try some of these pellets mentioned.
I’ve been using Lumberjack, mainly oak and pecan for years, so it”s gratifying to have my decision validated by other meat smokin’ folk!
I look forward to trying out the brands you mentioned that I had not heard of…THANKS!
I have a RecTeq and love it. I use the RexTeq blend. Red oak, whit oak and hickory. Great smoke ring/taste and always burns clean.
Started with the PitBoss blend. First bag was great (Lowe’s) second bag was crap (Tractor supply). Pellets were different colors and clearly something was different- moisture or sun exposure. Thanks for this video. I borrow a lot of your info and adapt to my pellet smoker and have had really good success!
love to see it haha. I remember a previous video you've commented on this subject, but were afraid to name them by brand. Good stuff man as always. Looking to start a business one day all because of your content.
I'm relatively new to pellet grill smoking and the first bag that I bought was Pit Boss competition blend pellets. Pretty good flavor and burns good. Looking to "branch" out however and try a oak pellet. Nice video.
Glad I saw this , have always used Traeger pellets and have not been real satisfied with the smoke flavor. I looked to see what we have locally, we have Royal Oak pellets and I noticed that besides wood pellets they have a product called charcoal pellets using the same process for lump charcoal, would love to hear your opinion on that if you have tried them.
Bought my 1st Traeger around 2007, and I am on my 3rd. I used Bear Mountain on my 1st and it clogged the auger just before our class reunion. I now have an Ironwood 650 and look forward to testing out your pellet tips.
Great enlightening video. I'll be checking out these others.
I have been using the BBQr’s Delight pellets. I’ve enjoyed the flavor they give and the selection of different woods they have like sassafras and orange. I’ve been using my pellet grill for over a year and I’m always wanting to try different things to improve the quality. Good luck on your elk hunt Jeremy.
Do you still like bbqrs delight? Trying to decide what pellets to go with
I've been an authorized LumberJack dealer for about four years now. This video validates the reason I became a dealer. I don't hate Traeger pellets, but after I found LumberJack pellets, I never looked back. Thanks Jeremy!
Just bought my trigger it says inside only used Traeger pellets some people tell me it's not a big deal to use other things is this true
I have smoked food for several years. I used Traeger pellets when I first purchased my Traeger Timberline 1300 smoker a few years ago. Smoking often and the $19 per bag prompted me to find pellets at a lower cost. Fortunately, I came across Lumberjack pellets at a local Rural King store, 3 miles from my home. They cost approximately $9 per bag there, which is a significant difference. I am extremely satisfied with the results of the Lumberjack pellets. I have used their Competition Blend, Pecan, Cherry, Apple and Mesquite blends for various types of foods, sometimes mixing flavors to get the desired results. I highly recommend Lumberjack pellets for use with a Traeger Timberline 1300 smoker, to which I have no financial benefit.
@@michaelstevenson881 happen to see your comment about rural king selling lumberjack my store has all blends in stock never thought of checking there just like to say thanks an $8.88 a bag great deal 👍
@@anthonycash8172 .
@@anthonycash8172 use what ever you want man!! You will have no problem.
Just started researching pellet smokers and came across this video. Thanks for the info and will be a following fan from now on!
I had no idea about this! Thank you very much for the info and recommendations.
Lumberjack all day.
Friends don’t let friends burn traeger pellets.
What about the meat church traeger blend 💀
@@junior09medina JUST SAY NO!!
Agreed. I ran Traegers forever. Haven't turned back since my first bag of LJ.
Underrated comment!
Thanks for giving pellet smokers some airtime. An offset is in my future, but only after I'm done working 80 hours a week. Hope to see more pellet pit vids. Always very good results with pitboss, but will try the others.
One of the main reason I follow you is because you share your experience with your viewers. Thank you!!!!
I have a Mak Two Star and I love it. The only problem is periodically the pellets I’ve used (CookinPellets) have a moisture problem when left in the hopper. As a result I switched over to the Trager pellets which seem to have a slick coating on the outside that are less likely to swell due to moisture.
Great job on this vid explaining the difference about pellets. I have used a pellet smoker for 7 years now and I use nothing but lumberjack pellets and trust me I have tried all of them except for the knotty wood you mentioned. Lumberjack has given me consistent performance and smokeyness that I desire from them. The oak is very good but for my taste their competition blend is the best and most versatile one they make and I use it on everything from fish, pork, chicken, lamb, duck and beef. The best part is I have a local store that carries them for $8.99 a 20 lb bag. To any who may read this and are looking for a great pellet that will up your game and not break the bank, you gotta try Lumberjack Pellets.
Amazon selling 20lb bags of Lumberjack for $30-$32. You stated you get it locally for $9? Wow!
@@StingerPat Amazon has sellers selling 40 pound bags of pit boss, which are $15 at walmart, for over $40...lol
Amazon is hustling us on that Lumberjack. How about I pay you to buy and ship it to me at a lower price? Lol
😅 9:14
I’ve been working at a corn refinery for 16yrs and I make feed pellets in my area. The process of making pellets is the same, no matter the material. Every material needs moisture added in the conditioner before it enters the pellet mill. Otherwise, you risk premature equipment failure or overheating that can result in a fire in the mill due to a lack of moisture. The difference with Traeger pellets is definitely the additives used as binder during the pelletizing process. For them it’s cheaper to add oil than steam inside the conditioner before it enters the pellet mill. Also they likely don’t have to replace the rolls and dies as often as other companies. So basically they sacrifice flavor for saving money on equipment maintenance. It’s easily $10k per pellet mill for a roll and die set each time they get replaced. So if they’re operating 4 mills that have to be rebuilt every 3 months vs 1.5 months, you can see why they prefer to add oil. It saves them a ton of money on maintenance!!!
Thank you a ton for the reply. Very interesting.
That savings on maintenance costs could potentially have a negative impact on their bottom line though. For instance, I tried their pellets and was not impressed... So instead of getting my $20 a month (give or take) on pellets, they don't get a dime from me... Now multiply my money by how ever many other people like myself who went with another brand, and that maintenance cost savings potentially cost them more than they saved...
I do appreciate the explanation...I had no idea about that stuff.
@@chris_favreau you learned from your purchase not to buy again. Some people and lots of them will buy blindly because of the name abs think it’s the best they’ll use.
@@MountainMcCumbee totally agree with you.... But for "real" bbq folks... The ones that buy a crap ton of bags a year anyway, you know that we like to find what works best overall... So they may not go out of business, but idk that it's so cut and dry that they are "saving" money in the long run by using their current alleged business practice.
I may come back and comment on this when I have time to do so. Been in the business 23 years and have made BBQ pellets for all the major brands. You do not need to add moisture if controlled with the drying process. Only need to add moisture or oils if your product is already kiln dried or below around 6% moisture
Thanks Jeremy for the video I know I asked you last video about what brand of pellets you use , thank you for the explanation !! I love pecan on my offset but I’ll definitely try the 100% oak on my pellet grills. Let me know when your ready to come down to Colorado and do some hunting I think it would be a great time !!
Great informative video sir! Keep it up. I recently just got some Knotty Wood and excited to try it with some brisket this weekend.
BBQers Delight Peach Pellets! I smoked a turkey with them two years ago and then again last year. BEST by far we've ever had. Their pellets are 100% wood, the peach are actually 30% peach/70% oak. Really nice flavor.
I got a Camp Chef SG24 last month. Before my first cook I extensively researched different types of pellets. I came to the same conclusion as you, look for bags that say "Natural hardwood". I really wanted Lumberjack but in a small town my local store didn't have any. The second best I found was Bear Mountain pellets, specifically Hickory and Mesquite. I went with the Hickory and had 5 successful cooks so far with amazing flavor and smoke rings. I really want to try Pecan, might have to order online. Thanks for confirming and adding to the knowledge I already had.
Jeremy, that was a great video you did. Really dig all you videos. Keep up the great work!
Thank you for this video! I just bought a timberline 1300 and a few bags of their pellets. This helped me tremendously at a perfect time!
Love the blends from BBQrs delight. Usually fast shipping too. Been experimenting with Bear Mountain recently and been happy with them as well. Cookin Pellets were great but I felt like my bags had a lot more jamming issues.
I have been running Cookinpellets exclusively in my GMG all summer and never had any jamming issues
I've had good results in my GMG DB Prime with Lumber Jack, Bear Mountain, and B&B. B&B Championship has become my "standard" pellet right now because of burn rate, heat output, and the blend of post oak, pecan, and cherry taste great and give great color, bark, and most of all great smoke flavor to everything I cook.
I just got my first smoker and a bag of bear mountain pellets, ganna make pulled pork this weekend. Hopefully they're good, they had a great smell when i did my burnin
Great video! I have owned a pellet grill since June. My biggest complaint is not enough smoke flavor. I switched from a vertical smoker using chips and chunks. This video makes sense. Can't wait to try these brands.
Thanks for the input on this. I'm s year old Pellet grill user(Treager) and I'm still looking and trying different pellets and ways of cooking to, at least, come close to the wood and charcoal smoker flavor. I just did a 16hour Brisket last weekend and, even with Supersmoke setting, it barely had any serious smoke flavor to it. Beautiful color and smoke ring, but barely any smoke flavor. I'll look for the other brands out there and see what I can get.
Great job, Jeremy. This is going to be one of your most-viewed videos ever!
I started out using Traeger pellets and seen an ad for Rural King where they sell Lumberjack for 1/2 the price of Traeger. Tried them on a whim and I was very surprised at the difference in smoke flavor. Lumberjack is what goes in my pellet grill now!
It’s not a big deal adding different pellets to your traeger? Just don’t wanna ruin it
@@Spmccoy13 They can't void your warranty for not using their pellets. No way to prove it. Just don't offer them the info. Say "yes" when asked. LOL.
I've been using other brands since mine was just a few months old. It is 14 years old now and still going.
@@Spmccoy13 I started with Traegers pellets then switched to lumberjack and have only been using them for a year now with no issues.
Thank you for sharing. Very informative.
I have been using a traeger smoker for over a year now and I've used a lot of different brands. I never liked traeger pellets or pit boss pellets, ever since I used lumberjack, I've never used anything else. Awesome video!
I have tried several brands myself, and Bear Mountain BBQ pellets has a good flavor, burns hit and clean. Much less ash in burn pot, which you didn't get into in your video.
Jeremy - might be time for a follow up video on pellets. This one was super helpful for me. Have tried the hickory Cookinpellets so far. Was using Bear Mountain beforehand. On my Traeger, the cookinpellets have some trouble getting started. Need to clean out ash after every cook. Need to set initial temp to 500 to get it above target temp. Then once over target by 50 degrees, I set to my target. Also am seeing wider temp range on my traeger so it’s a bit more “fire management” on the pellet grill for me. These aren’t complaints but would love to see you survey your subscribers and summarize what people are saying.
I did my first cook on the smoker side of my PitBoss KC Combo yesterday. Used PitBoss pellets as I had bought those with that unit at a big-box retailer (it’s a dual electric smoker/propane griddle). Wish I had seen this comment first. I had a similar problem getting the pellets burning steady at 225F, because the smoker kept shutting down (I had done a burn-in on the smoker side a while back without issues, but have been cooking on the griddle half before yesterday). I was considering changing out the pellets in case it was a moisture issue, but first I tried running it up to 450F for about 20 min, and after that if worked fine when it came back to 225F. I smoked the ribeye at 225F to a 105F internal temp (found my smoker probe and my Thermapen agreed within about 2F), then I seared it on the propane griddle side. Unfortunately, I overshot the steak temp during searing so it was medium rather than medium rare. The ribeye was still quite moist, and pretty good although not at the doneness I prefer. Didn’t think that I was getting a lot of smoke flavor though. Next time I’ll probably pull it from smoker at 100F and then sear it on the griddle. The griddle really puts a nice sear on it due to the large area of surface contact! This morning I’ve been watching pellet reviews to see if I might want to make changes. Very interesting to note that in the review Jeremy did with TheBBQHQ, Traeger pellets were the top-rated ones using multiple tasters. I’d suspect that might be influenced by what the tasters use at home, as mentioned in the review.
Appreciate the honest, transparent information!
I’ve been telling people about lumberjack since I found out about it. Charred hickory is my favorite. Love that you are reinforcing my find.
I use the Gourmet Traeger blend from Costco and the bag itself says Hardwood Pellets. Then in the description it describes that their U.S. mills process pure hardwood. The bag for it is also heavier duty than the normal bags.
Just food for thought. Great vid!
I’m going to give this blend a try. Did not like any traeger pellets. My go to is bear mountain
Love Cookin Pellets and BBQrs Delight. I'm really excited to open this bag of Wine Country BBQ pellets which is wine infused oak.
Love Cookin pellets ultimate blend is all I use!
BBQrs Delight is the same people who make B&B
Cookin Pellets Perfect Blend is my favorite too. I'd like a good cherry or pecan pellet for ribs. But I can't complain about anything I've cooked with Cookin Pellets.
I use the Traeger pellets and have found that using SuperSmoke mode helps but I will also use an additional smoke tube for lots of cooks. I also use them with our Masterbilt Electric with the cold smoke option. Huge volumes of smoke and great flavor.
Awesome Knowledge! Thank you so much!
Good video, do you know if the brand of pellets you recommended run well in a Trager grill? For example, Do they gum up as you say or create a lot of ash?
From what I have seen, Traeger brand makes way more ash than others. And you use way more pellets for the same cook. I think if you use a cheaper hard wood, there is less BTU per lb than a real hardwood.
Hey Jeremy, good job. Two years ago, you did "The Ultimate Smoker Comparison". Do you think that with better pellets, the results might be closer (the pellet grill comming a distant third)?
If he had the LSG pellet grill, perhaps?
I think the results would be closer. I need to do some testing with different pellets to see how they perform head to head. There is a pretty stark difference I think in flavor from traeger pellets and other brands.
@@MadScientistBBQ I would be interested in an updated comparison video with the best available pellets too
@@MadScientistBBQ are you going to use a smoke tube or tray in the cook sometime soon? I’ve had great success with the tray. Key for me was to make sure the pellets are well lit but not over the top so that they are smoldering. Thanks for the videos!
@@MadScientistBBQ ya we need a pellet test.
Jeremy, I've been using Cooking pellets on the GMG for a few years and love them. BTW, I now have an Old Country Pit (AAS 180) that I love and get to play using an offset now.
I 100% agree with your assessment. I've been using pellet smokers frequently for over 3 years now and Lumberjack is my favorite brand of pellets. I also use Bear Mountain which I feel is a small step down from LJ (slightly more ash & not quite as much flavor) but they are cheaper and easier to find locally. Finally, I've used PitBoss and thought they were just okay and Traeger Pellets which were complete crap. I recently bought Smoke Baum and I'll be trying them soon, I'm also interested in trying Knotty Wood & CookinPellets.
Bear Mountain Pellets are my go to.
Just bought a bag of charcoal pellets to experiment on next.
Great videos
And still using Wagyu Beef Tallow in almost everything I make - including 4 racks of short ribs yesterday.
Off the charts.
Sidebar: thoughts on using the Meater wireless thermometer? I have become addicted to them.
Smoked my short ribs to 170's and then wrapped them in butcher paper smeared with Wagyu Beef Tallow, inserted a Meater probe into each rack and sat back till they hit 203 degrees.
Each rack was perfect -
Let the racks rest in a cooler for 4 hours.
And off to the races.
Best to all,
David/
I've actually been waiting for you to do a video like this one. I wasn't sure if you would because I know pellet smokers are not your favorite. I've used Traeger pellets, and they are ok, but not great. I've also used Knotty Wood, and I LOVE them. I've tried both their pellets, almond and plum. I find the plum to be great for smoking bacon (which is a BIG consumer of my smoker time in this house). So it was good to hear someone who knows a lot more than I do give kudos to the pellets I use. I am interested in trying the CookinPellets, so those might just be my next purchase. Thank you!
May I ask how you prepare bacon in your smoker?
@@re1ner you can buy bacon racks online. I bought mine from Pit Boss's website, as I have a Pit Boss pellet smoker. What I love is that the racks have grease trays on the bottom that capture the bacon grease, which I put in mason jars and save for cooking with.
@@JSFurst nice. Looking at one on Amazon right now. How long does the grease last for you and do you refrigerate? Also, what's your cook time for the bacon? All the online recipes tend to overcook.
@@re1ner I leave it on the smoker for about an hour and a half at 225-250. I flip it on the racks half way through the cook. And yes, I refrigerate the bacon grease. It's hard to tell how long it lasts because I make a lot of bacon and use the grease pretty quickly. Though I really only keep 16 oz on hand at any time. This last one has been in the fridge about 3 weeks.
Great vid and great info. I have a PitBoss pellet smoker and I love it. I used the PitBoss brand pellets first just because they came with it. I have switched to Bear Mountain and they are way better I feel and easy to get here in Boise. I am going to look into Lumber Jack and the 2 others you mentioned very soon. Thanks Jeremy.
Awesome video. Thanks a bunch for the advise.
Down here in Texas we have B&B pellets. I use their competition blend and it seems like a great pellet. I use my CC pellet grill about twice every week for the last 3 years. No problems with the pellets.
I use B&B pecan for chicken, post oak mixed with some JD pellets for beef.
B&B competition blend is my go to as well
I use B&B competition blend too - any idea why it's cheaper than their other wood varieties?
@@andrewlennane3411 The other only come in 20lb bags in my area at $9.99 a bag. Buy a 40lb. and get it cheaper per pound.9
Get back in the woods and get an elk! That is way more important. I enjoy all of your videos and I'm looking forward to hear your opinion on the charcoal palettes that came out. Pellet grills aren't my favorite but they are a convenient option.
Appreciate this info and this certainly helps me make better choices. Thank you
Thank you! I am a novice at smoking meats. I own a Treager pellet smoker and Iike it a lot.My only complaint with it was lack of smoke flavor.I cant wait to try some different pellets. Your vids are great!
I also should mention that Jack Daniel's makes a whiskey barrel charcoal pellet that you mix half and half with your regular and it tends to give a better bark and closer feel to traditional smokers
I’m not saying you’re wrong, but Jeremy did a video where he cooked with a straight up bourbon barrel - that was still saturated with bourbon - and it made no difference lol. I think that is just a marketing sham
@@GM-122 you're right. I think the advantage to Jack pellets is that they're a widely available decent quality oak. I use them (chips and pellets) blended with fruit tree wood, but I don't think the whiskey adds anything.
thank you for the valuable tip!! Greatly appreciated!!
Jeremy, u r the mannnn!!! This was an AWESOME video!!! I have been researching and educating myself on how to "up" my BBQ game and your channel is an incredible source of education and inspiration. Last year, I purchased a used WSM grill to confirm/deny my new hobby. I have had a blast with the WSM grill and just placed my order for a RecTeq pellet grill earlier this week. This past week, I have been researching which type of pellets are proven winners based on various on-line forums, CZcams channels, etc. Needless to say, this video was very timely. I did some research on where to purchase the recommended pellets. It looks like the Knotty Wood pellets can be sourced through Home Depot, even with a two shipping options: 1) directly to home or 2) pickup at store. So I will place an order for a bag of almond and bag of plum and keep you posted on my thougts. Keep up the great work as your channel has help me to learn, grow and expand my BBQ!!!!
I’ve had my pellet smoker for about a year and after trying about 7 different pellets I settled on Kingsford. All natural, no fillers, little ash. I’m willing to pay for shipping but these happen to be available at some of the nearby Walmarts. Their hickory pellets have the most smoke flavor.
I will agree with you there, I regularly use Kingsford hickory and cherry. I always get good consistent results and the flavor is just as good as the $$$ brands. I just received a couple bags of the Royal Oak Charcoal Pellets and will be doing a pork shoulder with a mix of charcoal and hickory. I'm looking forward to the results!
I’ve settled on Kingsford too. Good flavor and super availability. I find it funny Treager Pellets are more expensive as a rule. Treager good grills not so good pellets.
@@pughs5star643 love to hear about your results.
I found Kingsford 20 lbs bag at Kroger for $5. Just FYI.
Same - I've had really good luck with the 100% Kingsford Hickory and Cherry. Sometimes the 20lbs bag goes on sale at Publix for like $7. I will usually mix the hickory and cherry 50/50 when I don't want as intense smoke for poultry. I just wish they made a 100% Oak pellet, but the hickory is pretty strong smoke flavor for red meat.
Man I love this channel. Any way I went from sticks to pellets (life was getting in the way) and I really missed being able to make my own blends of wood. I've found that Bear Mountain (can be found at Tractor Supply and Lowe's) has the best pellet for blends. For an exceptional smoke of one type of wood, I agree Knotty Wood (can be found at Home Depot) is where it is.
Is knotty wood only almond and plum? Do they have more traditional flavors?
I own a Pit Boss and have been wanting to try Bear mountain pellets, thanks.
@@GabbaGhoul89 yeah it's just the two flavors of almond and plum. But honestly they're both really well rounded that I don't really have a problem with just the two flavors.
@@airbrgr No problem. I really like their Bold BBQ blend and the Bourbon Whiskey Pellets as well.
A buddy recommended Bear Mountain to me last night!
Thank you for making this video I use a Traeger with traeger pellets for years and I was never happy with my ribs or brisket. I never knew that pellets could make a big difference always thought they all the same. Thank you so much I can’t wait for warm weather and cook a brisket with new pallets.
It’s as if you read my mind. I’ve been digging through all the different pellets and most of the labeling is so deceptive. Thank you for shining some light on this subject. I’m going to try a few of your recommendations
I have a Pit Boss Pro Series 4 smoker, and I’ve only used the pit boss branded pellets. However I’ve learned with this smoker if I cook at 225-ish I get awesome smoke ring and flavor. I plan on trying some of the brands in this video to see how they turn out, but my lower and slower method with my smoker provides awesome flavor with the Pit Boss branded pellets.
If you want more smoke in the meet just use the smoker tube
Just got a pit boss and 6 flavor pellets .. gotta lotta smoking to do before I can try another brand haha
I'm using Bear Mountain in my Grilla Grills smoker. Mostly Pecan, but sometimes Oak and I've tried a few others.
I have a grilla! 💪
I've been using Bear Mtn as well, definitely better than Traeger. Was hoping others could rank if they've tried some brands he mentioned
@@darthbane3557 I've been satisfied with grillas pellets...got them when I got the grill. I've only had them though, they've produced good flavors on everything I've made. Definitely looking forward to trying other brands once I go through these!
This is an awesome and informative video. Thank you!
I just did a price comparison:
- Costco Traeger Premium - $0.78/lb
- Lumber Jack Hickory - $1.61/lb
- CookinPellets Perfect Mix - $1.00/lb
- Knotty Wood Almond Wood - $1.47/lb
Use that for what it is worth.
We think B&B pellets are an incredible value. Haven’t found a better pellet for the price. We recently upgraded from Traeger Timberline 1300 to a Yoder YS640S and boy oh boy what a difference!
B&b are excellent
It’s the only brand I’ve seen around me, I wondered how how they compared.
I have never tried B and B. I’ll have to give it a shot
B and B Championship blend is the best I use them on my Lonestar Pellet Grill
B&B lump oak is the best there is as well.
Lumber Jack are my go to pellets...I get them at Dick's Sporting Goods of all places. Competition blend is probably my favorite overall...fruit woods are my second favorite.
Pro tip...Dicks will price match with Rural King who sells a 20lb back of Lumberjack for $8.88
@@Boots267 I wish I'd known that sooner! I bought probably 20 bags of Lumberjack this year from Dick's at $15 a bag.
Won't set foot in dick's they are anti 2nd amendment and anti American. Lets Go Brandon!!
Another Great Video Jeremy,
The local BBQ store by me sells lumberjack wood pellets and mentioned to me that Lumberjack makes the Weber brand wood pellets for Weber. I am not positive if it is true, but that is what the Weber rep told the BBQ Store. I've used the Lumberjack Pecan Blend for tomahawks and the smoke flavoring was perfect.
Thank you so much for helping those of us that adapt your cooking lessons to us pellet people. It's an easier way for us to cook .please consider doing some more cooks on p grills ! You rock !
Hoodia? Hellya
Lumber jack is by FAR the best from everything I've tried over the last 10 years
I prefer Lumberjack over any other brand I've tried thus far, though I haven't tried the 2 recommended brands you mentioned. Informative video - thanks!
I've never been able to try Lumberjack, as they're not sold near me. But Cookin Pellets Perfect Blend always cook well.
Cookin Pellets is made near me in Racine Wi. They came high recommended from a BBQ shop in Milwaukee. Me and a few guys are about to order their 15 bag pallet delivered and give them a try. Your video just gave us some more confidence in that decision. Thanks!
Thanks! I use Kingsford and Reqteq pellets. I have a Bullseye for grilling only. (I have a kamado and an offset for smoking) I will try some of the other pellets.
I’ve been using kingsFord. I get at my grocery store $15. It says 100% wood no fillers or binders. They carry hickory and cherry. I have tried Treager I can’t say I notice a difference except price. I just ordered hickory cookinpellets. A couple of bucks more but free shipping. I’m cooking on a ZGrill. Everything I’ve cooked has come out good but I don’t have anything to compare it too. I’ll see if I notice any difference.
Kingsford are great pellets…they’re made by Lumberjack 👍
Same here, very happy with Kingsford pellets!
@@tank4dacubz799 Did not know this. I will try them, because I see Kingsford pellets around here. But not Lumberjack.
@@shawngillogly6873 Yeah, my local place had Kingsford reps out earlier this year - they gave me a 6# bag to try. Asked my guy what he thought about them & he said "They're great, Lumberjack makes them." Tried the hickory and they were indeed quite good.
I usually go with a local supplier here (I get some awesome mesquite pellets from W. TX), but LJ & KF are my other go to pellets.
I did just order some of those hickory CookinPellets to try!
Ditto on Kingsford. They go in and out of stock but I can usually find them at one of the Walmarts in my area.
I have also found B&B post oak pellets to be a great, affordable option. However, as important as the quality of pellet you’re using is, it doesn’t automatically equate to a great smoke ring or that bark that you’re looking for to replicate the results of a stick burner. To do that, you have to slow the process way down in a pellet cooker if your going to get that “Texas brisket” bark that we all love. Forget 12 hour cooks. Think in the 16-20 hour ballpark. Malcolm Reed does a great pellet cooker brisket video that helped me understand how to extend the cook to help create that Texas style bark that’s still a massive crowd pleaser when there just isn’t time to manage the offset.
B&B post oak are the best I have found. They don’t give off a cardboard smell like others I have tried. I use the same technique also smoke for at least 12 hours then turn up and cook to tenderness
We’re happy we can find B&B available here in Florida.
@@rickylozano891 cool first name yo
I love their mesquite and their pecan pellets 👌🏽👌🏽👌🏽
I 100% agree. Pellet smoker make it easy to cook overnight too!! I’ll have to give the B&B a try
From the guy who asked about pellets on your last video, many thanks for making this video. Great to hear your thoughts
Subscribed...love your vids. I bought a traeger and can say that I was afraid to try anything other than traeger pellets because I didn't want to potentially break the Smoker. After watching this I am going to try some other pellets because I am clearly missing out on flavor...and what I've made has tasted great.
Can you try Sam’s brand “smokehouse” pellets the bag says natural with no flavors or oils. I really like them and would like to see how they stack up compared to some of the other top of the line brands.
I like the Smokehouse pellets also. I have also used the traeger and pit boss pellets. I personally think the smokehouse has a better flavor and I also realized this summer that the smokehouse pellets must have a harder pellet. I made pulled pork twice this summer, 10 hour smoke time. The first time was with pit boss and my hopper was almost empty by the end. The smokehouse hopper was just under half the second time. I've only had my smoker for about 2 years now but personally I think the smokehouse gives pretty good flavor
I use bear mountain fairly cheap and easy to find in my area. I thought they had great flavor until I used an offset for 4th of July weekend and now I find the flavor lacking. Bought a smoke tube to try and enhance flavor trying it out tomorrow actually, so we shall see.
Let us know the result. I too am looking at getting a smoke tube to add smoke flavor.
Smoke tube adds enough smoke flavor for me. Although nothing beats true offset smoker
I agree, adding smoke tube is a must. Kinda tricky to get it going so that it’s not totally smoldering with thick smoke. I prefer the Amazn smoker maze. Make sure you get the one specifically for pellets.
Thank you Jeremy. I have been waiting for a video like this. Awesome job as always
Can’t wait for the pellet comparison video.
I don’t have local access to lumberjack but I usually go for GMG or Bear Mountain pellets.
I use Kingsford Classic Blend. I have NEVER been left wishing there were more flavor. Try them out!
That's the Walmart special
@@mikewhitmore4502 I've never been to Walmart. I buy them at Meijer.
I bought a whole pallet of Kingsford pellets from Lowe's it's never let me down on my hundreds of brisket cooks.
@@thegrillace I've never seen them on the west coast.. Walmart has putt boss and lowes has traeger
@@mikewhitmore4502 I have seen lowes have the pitboss 40 pound bags for 14.99.
Smoke tube and time - regardless of the quality of pellets, using a smoke tube and going overnight at 180 will put just as much smoke as a stick burner with excellent bark. Harder to do hot and fast.
Do you have a smoke tube recommendation? Please and thank you .
Really? I’ll try
@@nobs7882 sorry for the late response. Anything stainless steel off Amazon will do the trick.
I have tried various different brand but I always go back to lumber Jack. I haven’t tried the other ones you mentioned, but I may order a bag and try it. Great video as usual, can never get enough of them, thank you and keep on smoking.
I used traeger pellets once because it came as a package when i bought my ironwood 650 then started using B&B much better taste and actually provided a better bark on my brisket. Definitely insterested in getting some lumberjack pellets.
I own a Traeger and started with their pellets but after a few cooks (I'm new to this) I was somewhat disappointed with the lack of flavour. I tried a few other brands and the ones I like the most so far is Furtado Farms out of Ontario Canada and Lumber Jack, I'm not sure yet which one I prefer but the Furtado Farms does come in a 30 lbs bag for roughly the same price in Canada. I'm not from Ontario and this ain't a chauvinist thing but I would love to hear from other people who have tried both of these pellet brands.
I live here and have been to their farm. Great ppl, product. I buy their flavored chuck woods when using my weber.
Hey Bruno, I’m from Toronto and I got my Timberline 850 this past spring. I’ve been using both the Traeger pellets and the Furtado Farms. I found that the Traeger had a more consistent start-up and burn but the Furtado had a slightly better smoke. I like Jeremy but I will have to challenge him on his comparison as it wasn’t oak vs oak.
@@youvereachedkyle dicksonbbq?
My first bag of pellets was a Bear Mountain mesquite and I was very happy with the results. Wanting to try something new, I bought Pit Boss from WalMart... Underwhelmed to say the least. Bear Mountain went on sale at my local grocery store for @ $12 a bag and they never raised the price back up so I've been buying their varieties and have never been disappointed.
The Bear Mountain Oak and Pecan are staples for me.
I've had good results with bear mountain too, will definitely grab a bag of lumberjack to try next spring/summer though (I have at least 40lb left to use, and the smoker doesn't see much use in the winter).
I came here to also endorse Bear Mountain. I typically use Oak, Maple, or Alder.
Love this! Had to do trial and error a few years ago. Glad to know that you like lumberjack too.
GREAT STUFF, Jeremy! Keep up the great work!