ChiefsPlanet - Food and Drink Just got my first pellet smoker. Any tips?

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Just got my first pellet smoker. Any tips? (https://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/showthread.php?t=338240)

I wouldn't do a brisket right away. Things like pork butt are almost can't screw up. Brisket is one of the most difficult and expensive cuts to get right. Make sure you've got temp measurement and meat prep right on cheaper cuts first I would say.

People think they can taste a big difference between pellets and sticks?

LMAO

Quote:

Originally Posted by notorious (Post 15668296)

People think they can taste a difference between pellets and sticks?

LMAO

Pellets melt in your mouth, sticks are more tough.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lzen (Post 15667876)

Get one of these to use exclusively for cleaning out the ash in the firebox.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Bucket-H...0100/202017218

A friend of mine roasted his vacuum by cleaning too soon.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sorce (Post 15668298)

Pellets melt in your mouth, sticks are more tough.

What about a bundle of sticks?

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Originally Posted by notorious (Post 15668303)

What about a bundle of sticks?

They need Jesus.

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Originally Posted by Sorce (Post 15668281)

This.

Go with pork butts or whole chickens to start with.

Work your way up to ribs and brisket.

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Originally Posted by ChiTown (Post 15668022)

Yeah, I like the smoke flavor, but you can absolutely get too much smoke on the meat. I want the smoke to be an additive to what I've got on the smoker, but I want the marinade, rub, etc of the meat to be the main event.

Too much smoke leads to creosote buildup which will make everything taste bitter.

Quote:

Originally Posted by htismaqe (Post 15668329)

Too much smoke leads to creosote buildup which will make everything taste bitter.

Not the first time I've read this, but I have a ton of buildup in my WSM and it has never put out any meat with even a hint of bitterness.

:shrug:

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChiTown (Post 15667799)

I had an island built and bought the drop in version of the YS640. You are correct, colder temps don't bother the smoker with the thickness of that unit. Hell, it's so heavy, my wife can hardly open the hood :)

Yeah if not for the counter weight on top, it would be a bicep abuser.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jjchieffan (Post 15667504)

I watched some videos on YouTube. One guy smoked his ribs using the 4--1-1 method. Smoke 4 hours at 225, wrap in foil and add water. Cook for another hour, remove the foil, add BBQ sauce and smoke for another hour. I've never tried that method. Sounds like a short cut to get them tender in half the time. Do any of you like that method?
Is it really that easy with pellet smokers?

I've cooked baby back pork ribs a few times using this method you mentioned on my Traeger and they turned out great. I used apple juice instead of water. After smoking them added a mixture of seasonings, honey, yellow mustard etc. Here's the link of the recipe.

https://www.traegergrills.com/recipe...baby-back-ribs

Everyone at the family BBQ loved them.

Last night I cooked a 2lbs tri-tip on my Traeger. First I rubbed some dry seasoning on then smoked the meat for 2 hrs. Then I put it in some foil after basting it with Mustard, Korean hot sauce, Worchester sauce, and Mmmm BBQs sauce. I cooked it at 275 for about 40min. Came out great. This was me just experimenting with different sauces.

Have some fun with it and try to experiment with what you may like.

Feel the thick dirty gray smoke produces the off flavors, at least in wood burners.

People tend to put their meat on too early when its billowing like a campfire instead of waiting for the wood to burn clean.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MTG#10 (Post 15668349)

Not the first time I've read this, but I have a ton of buildup in my WSM and it has never put out any meat with even a hint of bitterness.

:shrug:

Buildup on the smoke isn't the issue. Too much smoke will actually deposit creosote on the meat itself.

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Originally Posted by KCUnited (Post 15668406)

Absolutely true.