Pellets Alternative pellets?

[Shedd]

Midwest I see 40# bags of Kirkland pellets at Costco for about $15. My question is are these the Smoke Ring pellets you are talking about.

The Kirkland brand are the only ones I’ve been buying, I really cannot tell the difference in any as far as the smoke flavor I desire. I just use a smoke tube and smoke box, never had an issue getting a smoke ring on certain meats.

 

[midwest]

No, it it kirTland, not kirKland. Two different companies.

Smoke Ring BBQ Pellets- The choice of the Best BBQ Restaurants.

All Natural Premium BBQ & grilling pellets for use wood pellet smokers and grills. No fillers and Always 100% of the specified wood. Used by some of the best BBQ restaurants and Competition teams in the Country.

kirtlandproducts.com

 

[Clint62]

I've read lumber jack pellets are more barky on the outside..and consequently tend to make more smoke. I'm going to try it on the 575, which doesn't make much smoke at any temperature setting.

 

[Shedd]

I've read lumber jack pellets are more barky on the outside..and consequently tend to make more smoke. I'm going to try it on the 575, which doesn't make much smoke at any temperature setting.

I’ve used lumber Jack, bear mountain, pit boss, about everything people have suggested and I honestly couldn’t tell any difference. I’ve come to my conclusion that most people that say they have a good smoke flavor without tubes and such are either satisfied with the results and or hasn’t been introduced to the smoke I’ve been accustomed to my whole life. However even though my 780 can’t come close to competing with my BGE on smoking meats, high temp cooking, and keeping meats extremely moist, I have come to like the Traeger for some things so it’s got its place. It was given to me to try and review for my friends business, I wasn’t in the market for a pellet grill. I have friends that cater to big events as well as a couple guys compete in competitions, but when it comes to good smoked meats at family get togethers, they don’t use them.

 

[RayClem]

I've read lumber jack pellets are more barky on the outside..and consequently tend to make more smoke. I'm going to try it on the 575, which doesn't make much smoke at any temperature setting.

It often depends upon the types of wood used to make the pellets. Fruit trees like apple, plum and cherry are difficult to debark due to the way they grow. They are more like a shrub than a tree. Thus, the typical method used is to take a chipper out into the orchard, cut down trees that are no longer producing and toss the entire tree into the chipper. This is called whole-tree chips. Such chips will have bark which can make more smoke, but be careful as these chips might also have more silica which can lead to clinkers in the firepot. I stopped using apple chips due to the clinker issue.

Some types of woods are more easily debarked. Trees are cut down in the forest, limbs are removed, and the trunks are transported to a mill where the wood is debarked and chipped. Thus, oak, hickory, maple, etc might not include bark. It all depends upon the processing.

I like using bourbon oak chips which are made from old bourbon barrels. Bourbon barrels can only be used once for aging bourbon, but they can sometimes be reused for aging other types of alcohol. If they are not suitable for reuse, they are turned into chips. They certainly would not have any bark, but they produce great smoke flavor.