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West’s Best-Wood Pellet Grills

I have fallen in love with the ease of pellet grills. In fact, the best wood pellet grills are a “barbecue trick” in and of themselves. I like ’em so much I did an entire book on the subject. Here’s a bit from the Ultimate Wood Pellet Grill Smoker Cookbook where I lay out the best wood pellet grills by brand and what I like about them.

Wood pellet grills are enjoying a surge in popularity these days. This means there are new companies jumping in to the pellet cooker arena. Plus, established players continue to expand their product lines. Here are a few of the top brands and their hallmarks.

Traeger

best wood pellet grill video traeger v rectec

Joe Traeger’s namesake brand of wood pellet smokers remains the top name in the business. These days, the company is growing, employing about 130 people, with the headquarters moving from Oregon to Salt Lake City. Traeger has the benefit of being the original with lots of hard-earned experience in the wood pellet niche. You’ll find plenty of experienced Traeger fans as well as critics that are trying to grab Traeger’s market share.

The prices on Traeger grills vary with the most popular model just under $999 and other smaller units under $500. Traeger’s are well-built and are shaped like a horizontal barrel smoker with a distinct smokestack and a signature tin drip bucket.. Size is the main factor in pricing.

REC TEC

REC TEC is a newer company that touts quality and value including a larger hopper to hold 40 pounds of pellets for longer cooks. The hopper will burn longer and is positioned along the back of the cook chamber allowing for a shorter auger. REC TEC also is known for liberal use of high-grade 304 stainless steel in cooking grates, in the fire pot, and the signature bulls horn handles. The 6-year warranty is also notable, which is much longer than other manufacturers.

The prices on the REC TEC are typically a bit lower by model than the comparable Traeger models. The most popular Stampede model is priced at $899. But at $399, the new low-cost Bullseye model gives you a more affordable way to get into wood pellet cooking.

Camp Chef

Camp Chef is a company that made its mark in grilling before the pellet cooker revolution. Based out of Cache Valley, Utah, the company sells camp ovens, griddles, and now a line of pellet grills under the name Woodwind. The Woodwind line looks jarringly similar to the Traeger Texas line and boasts high temperatures of up to 500°F. The patented ash clean out system is also unique, plus it features a cast iron grate and a side sear box. The signature Woodwind model sells for $899.

Pit Boss

Through Walmart, Pit Boss has introduced the masses to a low-cost wood pellet grill. The Pit Boss story is all about price per square inch of cooking space. The price of the Classic is a surprising $396 and features 700 square inches of cook space. Pit Boss also features a flame broiling option with a simple slider to expose the fire pot. And they have the only hopper that features a convenient small window to allow you to gauge remaining pellets at a glance without opening. The Pit Boss Classic model does not feature the high-quality stainless steel of the other brands listed. You will want to use extra care with the porcelain coated grates and the exposed steel may be prone to corrosion.

Other Brands

There has truly been a surge in the release of new brands of pellet grills over the last few years. Other popular brands include Green Mountain, Z Grills, Fast Eddies, Grilla Grills, and MAK Grills. No doubt there will be new brands on the scene in the future. The good news is that the primary features of these cookers are the same: the ability to use your hardwood of choice and easily control the heat with a simple thermostat. Expect features like searing burners and remote controls to vary and advance as well. However, all of the recipes in this book will work nicely with any of the brands and models listed. Most of the differences are cosmetic, or in basic build quality rather than features.

Choosing Features

Many of the new brands of pellet grills resemble the original Traeger, but there are a few features under the hood worth noting. Higher cooking temperatures can allow for faster searing of steaks, stainless steel holds up best to corrosion, and hopper capacity can allow for longer cook times between refills. Most all brands now offer remote control options if desired.

Here’s Amazon’s Top Ten (affiliate link) pellet grills that they they update regularly.

Main Features of Best Wood Pellet Grill Smokers

  Traeger Proseries 34 Traeger  Tailgater 20 Rec Tec 680 Rec Tec Bullseye Camp Chef Woodwind PG24WWSS Green Mountain Daniel Boone Pit Boss Classic (Walmart)
Grate Porcelain Coated Steel Porcelain Coated Steel Stainless Steel Porcelain Coated Steel Cast Iron Stainless Steel Porcelain Coated Cast Iron
Cooking Area 884 sq in 300 sq in 702 sq in 380 sq in 570 sq in 458 sq in 700 sq in
Temperature Range 150°F-450°F  150°F-400°F 180°F-500°F+ 200°F-550°F 160°F-500°F 150°F-500°F 180°F-500°F+
Color/Finish Powder Coated Steel- Bronze & Blue Available   Powder Coated Steel- Bronze & Blue Available   High-Temp Powder Coated Steel Baked-On Porcelain Enamel Steel Optional Stainless Steel Door High-Temp Black Powder Coated Steel- Bronze Look
Price $999 $449 $998 $399 $899 $599 $396
Manufactured  China China China China China China China
Warranty 3 years 3 years 6 years 1 year 3 years 2 years 1 year
Hopper Capacity 18 lbs 8 lbs 40 lbs 15 lbs 18 lbs 17 lbs 21 lbs
Side or Searing Burner No No No No Yes No Yes

Know Your Smoker

As the pit master, your job is to control the cook. Life is made a bit easier with a good pellet smoker. There are still a few variables to which you’ll want to pay close attention.

  • Time – From preheat to resting the meat after a cook, you’ll want to put some extra thought and planning into the amount of time you will need. Most all pellet grills have an important preheat time frame to observe. When working low and slow with larger cuts of meat your cook times can be quite long. Start early and give yourself plenty of wiggle room to hit your desired serving time. Even after you pull the meat off the grill, there’s an extra 10 minute “rest” recommended for large cuts of meat before carving.
  • The Meat – Your “cooking” starts at the butcher shop or grocery with the selection of the best looking cuts. Quality meats with more fat provide the best flavor. Remember: the bigger the cuts, the more cook time and seasoning you’ll need.
  • Spices – We have great seasoning blends mapped out in the recipes you find inside, but often simplicity and freshness make a difference. Use the freshest spices you can get your hands on. You also can “bloom” some spices in a dry frying pan over low heat to activate the oils and enhance flavors.
  • Smoke Type – Choose your wood pellet flavor to match your meat. We’ll cover this more in the next chapter, but the wood you choose matters to the consistency of these recipes.
  • Placement – Your pellet grill typically has a very even cooking temperature devoid of typical hot spots thanks to the convection-like heat circulation caused by the fan and the heat deflector. Still, try to position your food in the pathway of the smoke inside the chamber.
  • Temperature – Lower cook temperatures for smoking provides the most effective way to break down collagen and fat in the meat and absorb maximum smoke flavor. Outside temperature is also a concern that can affect cook temperature and time. Try to position your pellet grill out of the way of direct harsh winds.

The Lowdown on Temperature

On typical grills I always suggest setting up hot and cold “zones” where you can move meats to control cooking speeds. That tactic is not an option on pellet cookers. Instead, you’ll be working with set levels of heat, such as hot smoking, cold smoking, and smoke roasting. This book focuses on traditional smoking at lower temperatures (225 to-275°F). It’s at these lower temperatures that the real magic happens. With this set- it-and-forget-it style of pellet cooking, low-temperature meats are gently coaxed into fall-off-the-bone succulence.

Most low-and-slow meat smoking takes place between 225°F and 275°F. However, cooking at lower temperatures doesn’t mean you can’t go too far and overcook your food. Different foods have different internal temperature targets. For example, leaner cuts of meat dry out easily. If you’re not careful, you’ll end up with jerky!

When you use your pellet grill at higher temperatures, it is best described as smoke roasting. Like a gas grill you’ll attain high-heat char and browning but unlike a gas grill you’ll have smoke flavor. Most of the baking and cooking you can do in your home oven can also be done in these types of smokers. The popular pellet  smokers mentioned in this book can all reach highs well over 400 degrees. Electric smokers are also easy to operate but have a more limited temperature high end of 275ºF. They are not nearly as versatile.

The pellet grill’s other secret weapon is the ability to achieve higher temperatures than a typical smoker so we’ll sneak in a few specialties when we get to recipes that take advantage of high heat, like reverse searing.

Optional Gear

You’ll want a few extra tools to enhance your grilling experience. While not necessary, these accessories help ensure properly cooked foods, ease transport to and from your smoker, lend a hand with meal prep and cleanup, and can boost your wood pellet rep. I recommend adding at least a few—if not all—to your arsenal.

Drip Pans and Bucket Liners

Heavy Duty Foodservice foil with an 18″ width is the common choice to cover the drip pan in your pellet smoker. Recently, some of the grill manufacturers are now making drip pan liners as well as disposable inserts to keep your drip bucket clean. It may seem like overprotection, but drippings and grease are exceptionally stubborn and better to throw out than wash down a sink. I recommend Drip EZ brand liners.

If you’re interested in pellet grill cooking be sure to check out more from The Ultimate Wood Pellet Grill Smoker Cookbook available HERE.

blogging

Wood Pellet Grill Smoker Book

FINALLY it’s out in the wild!  I love the way my wood pellet grill smoker cookbook turned out!

I had been talking with a lot of readers about what kind of BBQ they want to learn about and I was surprised to get a few suggestions for EASY smoker recipes for goodies like ribs, beef jerky, and specifically wood pellet grill smoker recipes. It all clicked. I LOVE using my wood pellet grill.

“The Ultimate Wood Pellet Grill Smoker Cookbook” is available for order now HERE on Amazon!

wood pellet grill smoker cookbook

About nine years ago I got my first look at a pellet fired smoker and I was AMAZED! “This is the ultimate BARBECUE TRICK!,” I thought.  Years later, it’s now my primary way to cook on the patio.  I’m lazy. It’s easy. The way the best wood pellet grills cook is totally cool:

So, I worked hard to break down and write down all the “essentials” about Pellet Power BBQ. Then, my wife, MJ and I had a blast putting these recipes together and getting them just right. We can’t wait to share the SMO Fried Chicken recipe in the book. It is now one of our all time favorite recipes.

Keep checking my socials (and here) and I’ll continue to share recipes, tips, sneak peeks, and more.
It’s available now on Amazon HERE – “The Ultimate Wood Pellet Grill Smoker Cookbook.”

wood pellet grill illustration

This is one of my rough images I did for the illustrator of the book. You’ll see the beautiful artist’s version in the book. I was actually kinda proud of this one I did on my phone 🙂

Featured

Electric Smokers Compared: Bradley vs Masterbuilt

Masterbuilt vs Bradley

Masterbuilt’s Wood Chip loader

I love the convenience of a simple electric smoker. In my book The Complete Electric Smoker Cookbook (free audio book version HERE) I  spent considerable time to get the Electric Smokers Compared. Here’s the Bradley vs Masterbuilt vs Charbroil lowdown. When you compare Bradley vs Masterbuilt (or even Bradley vs Charbroil) you’ll need to know that Bradley’s wood “pucks” (or bisquettes as they call them) are proprietary. Masterbuilt vs Charbroil are very similar using wood chips. However the chip “containers” differ. I like that Masterbuilt can be “side loaded” (see below). Charbroil has great build quality. I’ve been using mine happily since I shared this Electric Smoker Unboxing video here.   I really like having both a window and stainless steel on this model.

In short – for base models – Charbroil wins when we have the base model  electric smokers compared on price:

Here’s an adapted excerpt from the book with a few video examples to help you decide on a brand you may prefer.

First, Electric smokers are beloved for simplicity. That’s why I originally fell in love with my first simple Brinkmann Gourmet electric smoker.  The Brinkmann Smoker was the first thing that got me into the smoking game.

Here are the top benefits of electric smokers when it comes to preparing foods safely and reliably.

  • First of all the temperature is easily controlled and dependable. Like your home oven, your smoker’s electric heating element is built to hold a solid steady temperature.
  • The heat is reliable. It won’t “go out” accidentally.
  • It has a cleaner operation with no need to exchange a lot of charcoal or fuel.
  • Stainless steel interior allows for a more sterile environment.
  • Finally, sealed cook chambers and modern construction are better for keeping out the elements than standard smokers.

3 MUSKETEERS: ELECTRIC SMOKERS COMPARED

Bradley, Char-Broil, and Masterbuilt are the “Three Musketeers” of electric smoking. All electric smoker models have very similar, and in some cases almost identical, features. Some may have a few important and potentially limiting specialty features (such as for cold smoking or high temperature), but when it comes to electric smokers compared side by side there are a few hallmarks of each brand.

  • Bradley

    Bradley smokers can be spotted from a mile away due to the Bradley Bisquette feeding system.  Bisquettes are proprietary to Bradley and therefore keep you locked into the Bradley brand. The mechanical Bisquette feeder is great for cooks who want quantifiable control of wood and smoke flavor. Woodchips come in tons of flaviors and, likewise, Bisquettes are available in 14 “flavors,” including the most common smoking woods and some more exotic woods.
    The Bradley family of smokers comes in original, digital, and smart versions. Digital versions allow you to dial in an exact temperature while smart smokers allow for remote control from your smartphone.

  • Char-Broil

    Char-Broil has been around since 1948. Charbroil is known for affordability, solid value, quality, and great design. The newer deluxe models include some hi-tech extras such as wireless control and internal thermometers. There is also a tight latch to clasp the door securely. There’s something about a chunky latch that makes my inner caveman happy.  Char-Broil also offers variants such as the Simple Smoker. It’s the perfect size for smoking that once-a-year Thanksgiving turkey. Additionally, if you’re looking to get into the world of wireless control and Bluetooth connectivity with your smartphone, Char-Broil has great options in its digital line. The company has recently stepped up the technology across all their cookers with the SmartChef series. Great for the gadget gurus.

  • Masterbuilt

    Masterbuilt boasts a mini-fridge design with a desirable wood chip–loading feature, therefore letting you restock the wood chips without opening the chamber doors, and thus not losing any heat. It’s the killer feature. Plus, Masterbuilt has a tradition of catering to hunters with the electric (and non-electric) Sportsman line of smokers.

Other Brands
Other available brands include the primitive bullet electric smoker similar to the one I started with from Brinkmann, plus smokers from Smoke Hollow, Cookshack, and many more that will work with the information and recipes in this book.

A Special Note
Finally, you may note that I haven’t mentioned REC TEC and Traeger, both of which are pellet cookers. Smoker recipes and information in The Complete Electric Smoker cookbook can all work with pellet cookers but haven’t been highlighted here because pellet cookers generally cook with heat generated from burning wood pellets and not an electric heating element. I am a big fan of pellet power. However, they are not officially electric smokers compared to the above names. However they do use electricity to ignite the pellets and to power an auger and fan that stokes the intensity of the burning pellets in a small fire pot.

Electric Smoker Features

  BRADLEY ORIGINAL SMOKER BRADLEY SMART SMOKERWith iSmoke BLUETOOTH CHAR-BROIL VERTICAL ELECTRIC SMOKER CHAR-BROIL DIGITAL SMOKER WITH SMARTCHEF WiFi MASTERBUILT  DIGITAL ELECTRIC SMOKER 30” MASTERBUILT BLUETOOTH SMART DIGITAL SMOKER 40”
Wheels No 2 optional wheels No Yes Optional wheel kit Yes
Window No No No Yes No Yes
Watts 500 500 1500 750 800 800
Probe No Yes, 2 No Yes No Yes
Color Black Stainless Black Stainless Black Stainless
Number of Racks 4 6 (optional 4 additional) 3 4 4 4
Cook Space 520 sq in. 780 sq in. (130 additional with optional racks)  504 sq in. 721 sq in. 721 sq in. 925 sq in.
Price $269.99 $595 $109 $369 $188 $365
Max Temp 280° 280° 400° 275° 275° 275°
Wood Feeder Proprietary Bisquettes Proprietary Bisquettes Internal wood chip box Internal wood chip box External patented side-loading External patented side-loading
Remote No Smartphone app No Smartphone app No Smartphone app

The above is from The Complete Electric Smoker Cookbook. 

Also available on Audible (free offer) HERE

Featured

Kamander Charcoal Grill Unboxing

Kamander charcoal grillChar-Broil has released the Kamander Charcoal grill and it looks to be a big green egg killer.

It’s a double walled steel insulated “kamado style” charcoal grill that crushed the price of it’s green counterpart. The cost at amazon is around $350 but assembly is definitely required with the Kamander Charcoal Grill.

Construction was easy. But recommended for two people. It took about 90 minutes with just me.

I think you cant beat the price of the Kamander Charcoal grill compared to the ceramic cookers that seem so heavy and – perhaps – fragile with ceramic construction.

The Kamander Charcoal Grill’s best features:

  • It’s not too heavy (easy to move)

  • cool to the touch (even when approaching 800 degrees inside)

  • good looks and heavy duty latch / handle

  • held a nice low steady temperature

Take a look at the accompanying video and I time lapse unboxing and initial firing.  I was also impressed at how well the Kamander Charcoal Grill held a stable low 250 degrees.   Plus even at high temperatures (I got it over 700 degrees f ) the steel exterior remained relatively cool to the touch.

If you hate the thought of piecing together a grill like this I did discover Amazon has a service offering expert assembly for under $60.

The materials are solid.  The wheels on the Kamander are a nice, heavy, solid rubber.  The latch and front handle are also “heavy-duty” and chunky.   Nice seal on the rim too.

Still, the weight of the whole grill is said to be 115 lbs and easier to handle than i imagined for double walled steel.

We liked the sturdy stainless steel shelf and the stand are are included in the model. With the Big Green egg a lot of the extras – like a drip pan – are additional purchases.

A quick search of prices for Big green Egg vs others shows that the price for most Big Green eggs were close to a thousand bucks except a tiny version that was priced at approximately $650. Other brands like Kamado Joe are a bit lower priced vs Big green egg.

Gadgets

Weber Performer Deluxe Charcoal Grill Review

Weber Performer Deluxe Charcoal Grill Review

weber performer deluxeBy Devendra Mali

Weber have been making grills for a long time, but they’re not regarded as an old-fashioned company, because everything they do is so innovative. As the market for grills continues to grow, they keep responding with new pioneering designs to keep buyers interested. One of these designs was a bowl shaped cooking area which is now well-known and easily recognizable worldwide. Another huge Weber success was perfecting the art of grill grate manufacture, and both of these are present on the Weber Performer Deluxe 22-Inch Charcoal Grill, which has become Weber’s standout product. We’re going to discuss it here; taking a tour through all the features and identifying some potential flaws. Ultimately after reading this review, you’ll have an idea about whether a purchase would be right for you.

Pros:

  • 363 square inches of cooking space
  • 22-Inch cooking bowl
  • Easy Set-up
  • Porcelain-enameled surface for ease of cleaning
  • Removable timer
  • Excellent grates

Cons:

  • Design could have been more visually pleasing
  • Inaccurate lid-thermometer

Size/Portability

The Performer Deluxe weighs 99 pounds, but they’ve installed great wheels, so you’ll be able to roll it out into the back garden with very little effort. The measurements are 41.2 inches in length by 28.5 inches of width and the height is 50.2 inches, so it’s a pretty big unit, that offers lots of space for all your cooking needs, but if you want to transport it you’ll have to take the Performer apart and re-assemble. Fortunately the assembly is doable in 15 minutes, following the instructions in the manual, so you’ll be able to take it with you for camping trips and tailgating parties. If you recognize the bowl, that’s because it’s the same design Weber used on the Original Kettle Grill, with the difference here being the inclusion of the wheeled cart with extra space for food preparation. The shopping cart style design could have been a little more pleasing to look at, but it would be harsh to labor this point, because this is one absolutely incredible grill, for reasons I’ll explain in the performance section.

Performance

I mentioned the bowl was the same as on the Original Kettle, and while this is true, when it comes to design and how it looks; there’s more to it than that. In gas grilling, BTU output and grates determine a products success, whereas in charcoal grilling, grates are all-important. Grates retain heat, and disperse it outwardly, enabling food to cook, and the speed at which they do this, along with how evenly they hold heat inside, is the difference between greatness, and an average taste. Weber did something magical here with the grates; they’re the perfect thickness, are made of solid cast-iron, and cook food in a way Weber have tried to re-create on other grills like the Original Kettle, but never quite succeeded. These grills are very good, and with the Performer, you get magical moist flavor-filled end results that have no parallels. When you pair these grates, with the added benefit of the bowl system enabling you to cook whole chickens and turkeys, as well as stake and ribs, you get outrageously good value.

Have you ever started cooking, and you got called inside almost immediately, only to run back out fearing your food might be burnt? Have you ever been grilling, and felt like you’d rather be watching TV until the food is done? Usually, you’d be risking an imperfect dinner, but Weber have helpfully included a detachable timer, so you can take it with you wherever you go, and always be in full control of your barbecue. This is classic Weber, to have an idea of what specific things would make grilling easier for customers, and adding them on.

In this same vain, the ash-catcher on the Performer Deluxe, will also please customers. Isn’t it annoying to see ash flying around as you cook? Well, the Performers ash-catcher is enclosed so none escapes, and ash will stick to its surface at the bottom. When you want to clean it out, the ash will simply fall into a garbage bag. The whole grill is just as easy to clean, with Weber’s porcelain-enamel coating, so one wipe will completely clean the grill, ready for its next use. This way you can enjoy your 363 square inches of space, rather than worry about how long it’s going to take to scrape all the debris off it.

The only thing I’d say against the Performer is that they tried to sweeten the deal by including a lid thermometer, but it doesn’t work very well and isn’t all that accurate. Fortunately though, the Performer does heat up quickly and reaches temperatures of over 470 degrees; just don’t rely on the thermometer to tell you that.

Conclusion

These are the best grates in existence, outside of commercial grills used at restaurants. Weber have also provided 363 square inches of space, an easy to clean surface, detachable timer, a great ash-catcher, and extra space to prepare food. This is a phenomenal grill, and that’s why it’s so popular, even though it does have an unreliable thermometer. The Verdict: A supreme new high in grill manufacture.

For more grill reviews, comparisons and guides please visit: http://divinegrill.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Devendra_Mali/1791050 http://EzineArticles.com/?Weber-Performer-Deluxe-Charcoal-Grill-Review&id=9492698