7 Facts About Pellet Smokers

They there fellow lovers of all things smoked food and welcome to my post where we will discuss my 7 facts about pellet smokers to ponder on this year. Now, to be honest, this post really is just a bit of fun and something that has popped up in my research on other important smoking matters.

So, rather than let it all go to waste, I have decided to put it all down here. Afterall, you never know what questions may arise at your next trivia night as well – you can thank me later…

Facts About Pellet Smokers

Buckle up – these are going to blow your mind – well not really, but some of it may be interesting I guess.

1. They used to be just for heating

So, it turns out that pellet smokers were not always used for cooking the delicious meaty outcomes that we enjoy today. They actually in fact trace their roots back to the 1970s when pellet stoves were originally designed for heating homes.

In the early 1980’s, a man by the name of Joe Traeger (whom I understand owned one of the heating companies as per above) started experimenting with using the same technologies for cooking. A few iterations – such as the addition of an auger – later, and here we are with what we have today

2. Pellets are made from leftovers

When I first started with this whole smoking caper, I was told by the guy in a BBQ shop that pellets were made by machines that punched holes in hard wood resulting in them falling out of said holes. They are in fact like the meat in a hotdog – that is a combination of all sorts of offshoots such as chunks of wood, lumber scrap, sawdust and wood chips, making them an eco-friendly byproduct of the timber industry.

These offshoots are then separated into wood types (in better quality brands anyway) dried, ground and compressed in to the pellets that you use in your smoker. The better the quality, the better the heat they hold and the less dust that is left over in the bag.

3. Pellets smokers are extremely energy efficient

And whilst we are talking about eco friendliness, did you know that pellet smokers are one of the most energy-efficient cooking options available? This is due to the fact that as technology has improved, greater control of temperature via augers and internal temperature gauges means that no pellets are wasted in the cooking process.

Additionally, depending on the cooking temperatures, many models are more a cost-effective choice compared to gas or charcoal grills when compared to the cost of pellets. You do however, obviously have the use of electricity to consider here as well though.

Check out my: Beginner’s Guide To BBQ Smokers

4. Pellets Smokers can control temperature like an oven

Ok, this may just be an extension of the previous in terms of efficiently, but Pellet smokers are essentially outdoor convection ovens. As we already know, they use an auger and temperature measurement to ensure that only the needed amount of pellets are used. However there are other additions that make them so much more than just a BBQ.

For example, many use a fan system to circulate heat as well, much like a fan forced oven, which allows for precise temperature control, often within a 5-degree range – something that cannot be done in most other types of smokers.

It is these inclusions that allow them to be used for numerous functions such as baking, roasting and braising and I have also seen recipes for other capabilities such as cooking pizzas, bread, or desserts in a pellet smoker too.

5. They are pretty easy to clean

Based on the types of meat that is often used in BBQ, cooking in this manner is usually a pretty greasy operation at the best of times. It is generally agreed however that pellet smokers are one of the simpler cooking apparatus to keep clean.

For starters, since wood pellets produce very little ash when burned, pellet smokers require less frequent clean-up compared to charcoal or wood-burning smokers. Most good models are made of easy to clean materials such as ceramic grates and powder coated metals too.

6. They smoke pretty consistently

Unlike traditional smokers, which often require constant monitoring to maintain smoke levels, pellet smokers tend to produce consistent smoke throughout the cooking process. In my experience, they do definitely release a larger ‘plume’ of smoke as new pellets are released into the fire pot however there is no need to add more wood whenever the smoke drops.

There is of course the argument that they do not produce as much smoke flavor as traditional smokers however the flavor is definitely there in most cooks. You can always add a smoking tube if you wanted more smoke as well.

7. They are made to be ‘smart’

We touched on this above with the temperature control capabilities of pellets smokers in terms of heat efficiency. This is enhanced by the fact that many modern pellet smokers are equipped with WiFi or Bluetooth connectivity as well which allows users to monitor and control their smoker remotely via smartphone apps.

Furthermore, in higher end models, the apps can allow for the automatic or manual control of other influences such as auger speed and air flow systems for greater temperature accuracy as well. This means that the temperature of both the smoker and it contents can be monitored constantly meaning that nothing is in the smoker longer than it has to be.

Conclusion

So there you have it, my 7 facts about pellet smokers. I hope it has been of assistance but as usual, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out by commenting below. I would also love to hear abut your pellet smoker trivia tidbits below as well.

Are there any other products you have been looking at but want to know more about? If so, please comment below and I will do my best to get some details for you.

Until next time

Have fun and get smoking!

Paul