What Are The Best Wood Pellets For Grilling

Green Mountain Grills Pellets

Why Pit Boss Pellets? The Best Wood Pellets for Pellet Grilling and Smoking

For the most part, GMG pellet/grills smokers are only available through smaller local retailers. However, GMG pellets are available from most of the big box stores. None of the GMG pellet range offers a 100% single wood species, they are all blended hardwood pellets. For instance, the GMG Apple blend is a mixture of Applewood, Hickory and Oak.

GMG pellets are a variety of hardwood blends: Images HomeDepot.com

However, the GMG Fruitwood blend does not contain any Oak, its purely a blend of Cherry, Beech and Pecan. The other two blends are Gold which is a mixture of Oak, Hickory and Maple along with their Texas blend which is a mixture of Black Oak, Hickory and a small amount of Texas Mesquite. While GMG pellets may seem expensive per bag for blended pellets, note the larger than average bag size of 28lbs.

  • Pellet Flavours: Apple Blend, Fruitwood Blend, Gold and Texas Blends
  • Bag Size: 28lbs
  • Availability:, Walmart.com& HomeDepot.com

Traeger Grills Mesquite Hardwood Pellets

If youre smoking lots of classic BBQ cuts, Traegers Mesquite variant is an excellent way to go. Many people swear by the product when smoking beef, but you can rely on it for most any food youd like to smoke, including poultry and seafood.

Traeger Grills pellets come in a factory-sealed bag designed to ensure hitch-free handling. The products are made in mills across the U.S., allowing the brand to deliver affordable products as fast as possible.

Most users who try this product end up placing bulk orders to ensure they always have a pack of this excellent blend ready to go. With the Mesquite wood-fired flavor, youre sure to feel the essence of the smoking in every bite.

Wood Pellets Vary In Quality

Doesnt everything, though? In our wood pellet reviews and round-up, we steer you clear of the cheap stuff, but there are some things to be aware of if youre shopping for pellets on your own.

Poorly compressed pellets wont hold together and may fall apart when the auger pulls them in, or as youre scooping or pouring from the bag. That means they wont burn well, resulting in lower temperatures, poor smoke, and generally an unpleasant time for you.

So before you buy, check the bag for dust at the bottom. If theres a lot, it means theyre falling apart already. Avoid!!

So, before you blame your temperature problems on your grill and start ordering replacement parts, try switching to a better brand and see if it doesnt fix the problem.

Also Check: How To Clean Porcelain Grill

Cookinpellets 40pm Perfect Mix

These wood pellets can win over your taste buds when you use them in your pellet grills. Lumber Jack Apple Blend BBQ Grilling Pellets are high quality wood pellets that offer 100 percent flavor wood goodness. One of the things we like about these pellets is that they burn hotter than some of the other pellets. This means that your grill will reach the ideal cooking temperatures in lesser time.

These pellets have got high praise for their flavor. People have said that the Lumber Jack Apple Blend provide clean smoke flavor. Low quality pellets mostly burn with lots of ash and soot which can affect the flavor of the food. The Lumber Jack Pellets have minimal ash build up which ensures that you get great flavor no matter what you cook.

Some people have even used these pellets for making a smokey pizza and they werent disappointed by the results. These arent the cheapest wood pellets out there, but they are worth every penny considering the quality and taste they offer. If you want high-quality wood pellets and have a good budget, we would recommend you go for the Lumber Jack Apple Blend BBQ Grilling Pellets 20 LB Bag.

One of the best things about these pellets is that there are no added flavors or oil and no fillers either. The quality of the wood is excellent and the price is fair too. So if you desire Apple flavor in your grilled food, consider getting the Camp Chef Smoker Grill Premium Apple Hardwood Pellets.

Best Wood Pellets For Smoking In : Best Flavors Ranked

6 Best Wood Pellet Grills of 2018

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You have purchased your wood pellet smoker, but now what? With endless options of flavored wood pellets to choose from its hard to know where to begin.

Experimenting with different flavors of pellets is half the fun of investing in a pellet grill.

Dont worry about sticking with the pellets made by your grill manufacturer either. Well explain why below.

Whether you are new to smoking or have become a pit expert, there is a wood pellet for everyone, and we have listed the best pellets below.

  • Do Wood Pellets Need to be Soaked Before Use?
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    What Are The Best Pellet Flavors

    The short answer? It depends! A lot of the flavors that are good for smoking have already been touched on in this post, but here is a list of the more popular flavors used for smoking pellets:

    • Hickory
    • Alder
    • Pecan

    Each flavor compliments different types of foods in different ways, and its best to check the manufacturers recommendations for which foods will work best with the pellets youre purchasing.

    How Long Will A 20

    This will depend not only on the brand and model of your grill, but also on the smoke setting and how hot youre planning to cook. If youre smoking food at low temperatures of 225F, youll use anywhere from a half-pound to a pound of pellets per hour. Ramp up the heat setting, and youll start burning through up to three pounds of pellets per hour.

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    Memphis Grill Wood Pellets

    A brand of luxury stainless steel pellet grills, Memphis Grills have been one of the leading brands when it comes to outdoor kitchen pellet grills for many years. Their flavours include Apple, Cherry, Hickory, Pecan, Mesquite and Oak.

    It would appear Memphis Grills pellets are a hardwood blend: Images BBQGuys.com

    • Pellet Flavours: Apple, Cherry, Hickory, Pecan, Mesquite & Oak
    • Bag Size: 20 lbs
    • Availability:& BBQGuys.com

    Ol’ Hick Jim Beam Bourbon Barrel Pellets

    What Makes Traeger The Best Pellet Grill?

    Wood smoked is great. But, bourbon smoked is even better! And, these Ol Hick Smoking Pellets are legit made from bourbon barrels.

    Theyre pure oak so you get a good burn with clean smoke and high heat. But, you also get a distinctly bourbon flavor that you just wouldnt be able to infuse in meat any other way. Theyre pretty much pure genius and were here for it!

    Additive free and great to pair with practically any type of meat, seafood, vege or even dessert, the Ol Hick Jim Beam Pellets are a must-try even if its a one-off.

    Pros

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    Can I Use Wood Pellets In An Oven

    The oven inside your home is simply not designed to handle the sort of smoke wood pellets create, and using them inside your oven could fill your kitchen and home with smoke and endanger your family by creating a serious fire hazard. Similarly, wood chips and wood chunks, whether soaked or not, should not be used in an oven or stove.

    A Closer Look At The Top Rated Smoker Pellets

    So thats it, youre now an expert on everything wood pellet related. Well almost, the next step of course is to pick up a bag and get smoking! You should already have an idea of what sort of pellet youre after, but if not, hopefully these reviews will arm you with enough information to pull the trigger.

    This section offers a detailed look at each of our top choices. Well cover company history, success stories as well as a few tips and tricks weve picked up along the way.

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    Cookinpellets 40h Hickory Smoking Pellets

    The manufacturer of these wood pellets is the same as the first choice in this post, although the product has a few differences. You can expect the same quality from the 40H as from the 40M perfect-mix wood pellet. The difference between the 40H and 40M is that its not a mixture of various types of hardwood rather, its made from 100% hickory wood as raw material.

    Youll see many people prefer hickory for barbecue and cooking because of its strong release of unique flavors. Now, there are a lot of other hickory pellets available in the market, so why the 40H from CookinPellets? Well, to get your expected flavor from the wood, you need a pellet that contains 100% of the wood. Youll see a lot of pellets on the market that have a mixture of woods, but the ratio is not mentioned, so you dont know what percentage of the wood youre getting in the pellets, and thats why you often lack the flavor you expect.

    You need a pellet that lets you know exactly what material its made from, and what percentage. CookinPellets has maintained their company quality as they state exactly whats in their pellets. If they say its 100% hickory, you can rest assured its 100% hickory.

    Pros

    • A unique aroma that youd expect from a hickory pellet.
    • 100% selected & fully pressed hickory material
    • Provides consistent burns and high BTU.
    • High-quality manufacturing process and raw material selection
    • Trusted manufacturer with insurance of quality

    Cons

    Check Latest Price on Amazon

    Faqs About Storing Smoker Pellets

    Pit Boss Portable Ranch Hand Wood Pellet Grill, 440 Sq. In ...

    Can I leave pellets in the hopper?

    Its best practice to empty any unused pellets out of the hopper after every single smoke.

    Most pellet hoppers dont have a tight seal and can let moisture/humidity in that will soften and start to disintegrate your pellets. Moist pellets can lead to jams, wont burn as well and encourages mold to grow, which isnt safe to consume.

    How do I store smoker pellets?

    If you cant keep pellets in the hopper then how do you store them? Can you just leave pellets in the bag they came in?

    Some brands, like Cookin Pellets, say you should store pellets in their bag, even after theyve been opened. But, in most cases, using an air-tight container will keep them in the best possible condition to prolong their life. We like Oklahoma Joes Pellet Bucket Kit that comes with a scoop and a mesh insert to separate out any wood dust.

    Note: Dont store pellets near heat or flames. They are flammable after all!

    How long do wood pellets last in storage?

    How long smoking pellets last in storage depends hugely on how good a condition they came in and how well theyre stored.

    Stored in a humid climate in an open bag, smoking pellets might not even last 1 month before starting to break down. But, stored correctly in a weatherproof bucket, quality smoking pellets can easily last 6 months + in perfect condition. Weve even had some in storage for a few years that were all good.

    How do I know if my wood pellets are bad?

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    What Are Wood Pellets

    Wood pellets are small pellet-sized and -shaped pieces of ground-up wood and organic matter. They originated during the early 1980s as an alternative to oil. During this time, the United States faced a severe oil shortage, which prompted entrepreneurs to explore alternative fuel sources for stoves. Soon thereafter, the worlds first pellet stove was released. Pellet stoves use electricity to ignite pellets and produce heat. While the United States no longer suffers from an oil shortage, many households continue to use pellet stoves during the cool fall and winter months.

    In addition to being used in stoves, wood pellets are also used in smokers and grills. When lit, they create a hot fire that produces lots of smoke. However, the wood pellets used in smokers and grills isnt the same as those used in stoves. Stove wood pellets often contain a combination of both hardwood and softwood, whereas grill and smoker wood pellets typically consist entirely of hardwood.

    Wood pellets are popular in certain types of grills, such as the Traeger. Since the pellets are so small, you will use a lot of them. Fortunately, grills that use wood pellets control the speed of the wood pellets burning, which helps ensure a consistent cook.

    Asmoke Wood Pellets For Smoker Grill

    ASMOKE Wood Pellets are 100% natural wood pellets that use real fruit orchards. Compared to other hardwood pellets, they have no additives, fillers, sprays for scenting, glues or chemicals because it is all natural! With SGS Report you are assure of protectability and away from any harmful chemicals. Use ASMOKEs premium apple hardwood for delectable flavors without any artificial taste!

    They are safe, easy-to-use, long lasting, and work on any type of grills or smokers. ASMOKE outranks other brands because they offer the best smokey flavor that wont smother your food with their extra herbs.

    With ASMOKE pellets, each season is an opportunity to cook the tastes you love! Fall brings flavors like apple cider vinaigrette mixed vegetables like sweet potatoes and winter squash winter spices make smoked whitefish taste amazing barbeque chicken sausages never tasted so good!

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    Pros And Cons Of Using Cooking/smoking Chunks

    For many backyard barbecue masters, nothing but actual wood will do. The flames are bigger, the smoke is more pure, and the experience is unrivaled.

    If youre cooking on a grill or smoker that typically uses charcoal, then cooking chunks are the perfect way to take your food to the next level. There is really no reason to use wood pellets in a charcoal grill. The wood pellets burn to ash shortly after being lit. And once the wood pellets have turned to ash, they stop providing flavor and become useless. Its never a good idea to open your grill over and over again to keep adding wood pellets if youre looking, then you arent cooking!

    Cooking chunks work better in a traditional grill or smoker for several reasons. Since they are larger and not made of ground-up wood smoking chunks burn more slowly than their wood pellet counterparts. Of course, this is important because it means you wont have to open your grills or smokers lid as frequently as you would when using wood pellets, allowing for more stable cooking temperatures as well as preserving the flavorful smoke inside your grill or smoker.

    Cooking chunks offer you flexibility and maximum flavor bigger chunks equals bigger flavor. The smoke is clear blue and smells great, just the way you want it. They can be used to cook steaks or pizza at 700 degrees, or to cook a pork butt at 225 for 15 hours.

    Reviews: The Best Wood Pellets For Smoking

    Why Traeger is the Best Pellet Grill – Stop Grilling. Start Traegering.

    Here are some of the best quality and most flavourful wood pellets for smoking

    Amazon

    What I love about the Traeger brand wood pellets is the large variety of flavors and wood types that you can select from and the fact that they do not use fillers.

    • There are different wood types and flavors in the Traeger Wood Pellet, depending on your choice.
    • The Pellets are made from 100% natural hardwood, and there are no additives or binding agents.
    • The pellets give an amazing wood-fired flavor and taste every time.
    • This is an excellent quality product trusted by many happy customers.
    Rating Category

    The Bear Mountain BBQ pellets are ideal for smoking, in a softer Wood Pellet form.

    • You can choose between many available flavors in the BNear Mountain BBQ Smoking Wood pellets.
    • There is also the option of a large 40lb bag of pellets or a smaller 20lb bag of pellets.
    • The Wood Pellets are made from 100% natural premium hardwoods with no-filler or additives.
    • You can use these pellets with your outdoor pellet, gas, charcoal, or electric grills and smokers, for grilling and smoking.
    Rating Category

    Amazon

    One of Grilling and Smoking Chips top favorites is the Western BBQ Smoking Wood Chips and Pellets.

    Rating Category

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    Why Would You Buy Wood Pellets

    BBQ chefs conventionally think that when you do wood pellet cooking, the food tastes different. If you use something like a propane grill, the food doesnt taste like much of anything, other than its own natural flavor. You can always enhance the flavor or change it by adding spices, soaking it in a marinade, etc.

    With wood pellets, you fire them, and then you infuse whatever youre smoking with their taste. By doing this, you can subtly change the flavor.

    There are many different wood pellet types you can buy. Some popular flavors include:

    • Cherry
    • Maple
    • Hickory

    You might sometimes find blends or more exotic flavors. You can read about what each flavor does to food, or you can experiment with it yourself. You might find some new favorite recipes if you try different food items and various wood pellets.

    Pairing Different Flavor Woods With Different Foods

    There are a ton of different wood pellet flavors you can choose from. Its hard to say what the best smoke flavor is, it being a matter of opinion.

    However, some wood pellet flavors lend themselves to certain foods better than others, and after decades of trial and error, pairing different woods with different foods, theres fairly widely agreed upon matchings.

    Here are a few examples of the best smoking woods for different foods:

    • Alder salmon, poultry, game birds
    • Apple poultry, pork, lamb, seafood
    • Cherry all meats
    • Oak all meats, often blended with other wood
    • Pecan poultry

    Learn more in our guide to wood pellet storage.

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