Tough Decision on my next bag

[Dab942]

I'm relatively new to pellet smoking -- I have a PBV4PS2 vertical smoker. I've been using a 50/50 mix of PB Comp Blend and PB Charcoal and have great results.

I tend to over-research almost everything -- which drives my wife nuts. I have read hundreds of pages of reviews and watched YouTube videos of the same. It's pretty difficult to decide which brand and type to try next. Pit Boss is easy to find everywhere. A few minutes down the road at Lowes -- problem is they don't treat the bags with kid gloves, so I have to go through the bags to find ones without holes. Also, I end up with lots of dust and small pieces when I sift.

I've read a lot about Lumberjack, Knotty Wood, and Cookin' Pellets. I've read good and mediocre reviews. Weber and Kingsford has come up a lot - I'm hesitant to go with huge names.

I smoke and bake in it -- I won't grill, if that's in the equation for the pellets.

I was pretty surprised at the results of the Pit Boss pellets after reading so many mediocre reviews.

I've smoked, beef, chicken, pork and fish on the current blend and enjoyed everything and so have guest -- but, always open to change.

Any recommendations?

 

[Mike From R.I.]

Bear Mountain or Lumberjack

 

[Desert_Smokin]

I agree with Mike. I have the Series 4 vertical smoker also and found that Lumber Jack and Bear Mountain are my favorites. Nice smoke flavor, not super expensive and consistent temps.

 

[Dab942]

Thanks. LJ seems almost impossible to find -- the places I find online cost almost as much to ship as the cost of a bag.

However, we have a Tractor Supply close by that carries Bear Mountain. I'll give them a shot.

 

[Mike From R.I.]

Dick's sporting goods carries lumber jack pellets if there's one near you.

 

[Dab942]

Dick's sporting goods carries lumber jack pellets if there's one near you.

I have one 2 miles from my office. They don't carry them here.

 

[1MoreFord]

See if Dick's will order them and then see if they will price match Atwood's Ranch and Home.

 

[GAnewbie]

However, we have a Tractor Supply close by that carries Bear Mountain. I'll give them a shot.

I think Bear Mountain is my favorite. My go to if Tractor Supply is out, is B&B which I find at Academy Sports (great price for the quality).

 

[Dab942]

I think Bear Mountain is my favorite. My go to if Tractor Supply is out, is B&B which I find at Academy Sports (great price for the quality).

I'm going to check it out this weekend.

Thanks

 

[Barefootdog]

Home Depot has become a good source of pellets not locally available.
Shipped to your front door.
10% discount for vets (register on line)
Recently brought in Knotty Wood (Plum and Almond (both 100% species specific)) and Cookin Pellets (100% Wild Cherry).

Lumber Jack still has local jobbers to deal with. Use their web site to find local providers..
Local jobber is bringing in 5 bags of Lumber Jack 100% Cherry when he re-orders.

I am switching to 100% species specific pellets that use the entire tree, core, cambium and bark layers.

Easier to have the stuff shipped in at this point.
I can drive all over looking for what I want but at $5.60/gallon diesel that gets expensive.
Let's go Brandon

Wanted to try B&B 100% Pecan but like many pellets companies they have sold out to larger companies that sell through mass market outlets....around here you want B&B 100% Pecan you have to order through Ace Hardware....and they are always not available.

Maybe that's what Knotty Woods is doing with Home Depot. I've never seen Knotty Wood sitting on a shelf. So far only available on the HD website. I'm in Oregon. Knotty Wood is only a few 100 miles south in Kalifornia. Who knows what's going on.

FWIW, YMMV.....

 

[Dab942]

Home Depot has become a good source of pellets not locally available.
Shipped to your front door.
10% discount for vets (register on line)
Recently brought in Knotty Wood (Plum and Almond (both 100% species specific)) and Cookin Pellets (100% Wild Cherry).

Lumber Jack still has local jobbers to deal with. Use their web site to find local providers..
Local jobber is bringing in 5 bags of Lumber Jack 100% Cherry when he re-orders.

I am switching to 100% species specific pellets that use the entire tree, core, cambium and bark layers.

Easier to have the stuff shipped in at this point.
I can drive all over looking for what I want but at $5.60/gallon diesel that gets expensive.
Let's go Brandon

Wanted to try B&B 100% Pecan but like many pellets companies they have sold out to larger companies that sell through mass market outlets....around here you want B&B 100% Pecan you have to order through Ace Hardware....and they are always not available.

Maybe that's what Knotty Woods is doing with Home Depot. I've never seen Knotty Wood sitting on a shelf. So far only available on the HD website. I'm in Oregon. Knotty Wood is only a few 100 miles south in Kalifornia. Who knows what's going on.

FWIW, YMMV.....

I'm going to give Bear Mtn a try first. I've been leery of shipping pellets as they get beat up enough making it to a store on a pallet. I can't imagine the beating a bag or two would take on its way to my home.

 

[Barefootdog]

By bringing pellets in via Home Depot I have access to all sorts of pellets that aren't available locally.

5 bags arrived in three different shipments.
All pellets were packed in cardboard boxes.
Sometimes 2 20# bags to a box or 1 40# bag in a box.
Nothing was damaged...neither the boxes nor the bags.

Most importantly it gave me access to pellets I couldn't find locally.

The almond pellets are nice.
The plum pellets give a rich smoke.
Will be working with the cherry when I get back from Reno.

I've used and like Bear Mountain Oak and Hickory.
They are available locally.

Best...

 

[Dab942]

By bringing pellets in via Home Depot I have access to all sorts of pellets that aren't available locally.

5 bags arrived in three different shipments.
All pellets were packed in cardboard boxes.
Sometimes 2 20# bags to a box or 1 40# bag in a box.
Nothing was damaged...neither the boxes nor the bags.

Most importantly it gave me access to pellets I couldn't find locally.

The almond pellets are nice.
The plum pellets give a rich smoke.
Will be working with the cherry when I get back from Reno.

I've used and like Bear Mountain Oak and Hickory.
They are available locally.

Best...

Any issues with clinkers?

 

[Barefootdog]

The Knotty Wood Plum....clinkers.
Contacted the company.
No response as yet.

Enjoy the smoke.
Trying to figure how to work with them.
Next effort will be mixing 50/50 w/something else.
Perhaps Knotty Wood almond or the Cooking pellets 100% black cherry.
The black cherry is the only pellet I brought in w/o bark.

I will say despite the problem I did like the quality of the smoke.

How did you hear about the clinker problem?

 

[1MoreFord]

........................
Wanted to try B&B 100% Pecan but like many pellets companies they have sold out to larger companies that sell through mass market outlets....around here you want B&B 100% Pecan you have to order through Ace Hardware....and they are always not available.
.........................
FWIW, YMMV.....

AFAIK B&B has never sold 100% Pecan(or any other except for Oak maybe). I know the bag I tried was a blend. What they sell is 100% hardwood but not 100% flavor wood.
I've always heard B&B pellets are rebranded BBQer's Delight pellets and they only sell blends unless you buy the 1 or 2 lb bags meant for smoke tubes or trays.