adequate smoke?

[C. Keeper]

Visible smoke is produced when the combustion is less than the ideal air/fuel ratio (stoichiometric). In our pellet grills, it produces more smoke when the fan is off and the fire in the pot has more fuel burning than oxygen to keep it at the ideal air/fuel ratio. I think this is where the "art" is; keeping the fire slightly rich, but not too rich with fuel and keeping enough hot fire going that fuel can be added without allowing white smoke.

Same thing goes on in a stick burner. Toss in a log and the smoke goes way up. Us backyard stick burner cookers usually just toss in the log and accept the smoke. Many like the bbq from this process. I was invited to work with a competition team where tending the fire required keeping a pit basket running outside the pit and getting it to the optimum point where all the wood was burning well and beginning to coal up before putting that basket in the pit running the meats. There was never a fresh piece of wood or charcoal introduced to the fire box on the pit. That produced the best smoke in their opinion. I have to agree. Never thick, never bitter, very much like the pellet grill. Backyard pitmasters just can't do that level of effort, nor is it economically practical, and neither do many of the best restaurants.

The big restaurant pits can use huge smokers with big fires. Those fires can be run hot enough to get closer to the ideal if they have huge pits or mulitiple pits run from one fire, to use all that heat. And tossing in relatively small amounts of fuel in a roaring fire minimizes the bitter smoke produced (just like our fire pots running with the fan).

If you checkout he consumer Franklin offsets, you'll see they have no draft adjustment. This is because he wants control as many of the pit parameters as he can, and you just build a fire to reach the pit temperature. He wants you to keep enough air flow on the fire and only allow you to control pit temperature with fuel quantity.

Just my view from my little knothole.

Pics of knothole?

 

[Roaniecowpony]

Pics of knothole?

 

[okie]

Visible smoke is produced when the combustion is less than the ideal air/fuel ratio (stoichiometric). In our pellet grills, it produces more smoke when the fan is off and the fire in the pot has more fuel burning than oxygen to keep it at the ideal air/fuel ratio. I think this is where the "art" is; keeping the fire slightly rich, but not too rich with fuel and keeping enough hot fire going that fuel can be added without allowing white smoke.

Same thing goes on in a stick burner. Toss in a log and the smoke goes way up. Us backyard stick burner cookers usually just toss in the log and accept the smoke. Many like the bbq from this process. I was invited to work with a competition team where tending the fire required keeping a pit basket running outside the pit and getting it to the optimum point where all the wood was burning well and beginning to coal up before putting that basket in the pit running the meats. There was never a fresh piece of wood or charcoal introduced to the fire box on the pit. That produced the best smoke in their opinion. I have to agree. Never thick, never bitter, very much like the pellet grill. Backyard pitmasters just can't do that level of effort, nor is it economically practical, and neither do many of the best restaurants.

The big restaurant pits can use huge smokers with big fires. Those fires can be run hot enough to get closer to the ideal if they have huge pits or mulitiple pits run from one fire, to use all that heat. And tossing in relatively small amounts of fuel in a roaring fire minimizes the bitter smoke produced (just like our fire pots running with the fan).

If you checkout he consumer Franklin offsets, you'll see they have no draft adjustment. This is because he wants control as many of the pit parameters as he can, and you just build a fire to reach the pit temperature. He wants you to keep enough air flow on the fire and only allow you to control pit temperature with fuel quantity.

When I used my offset or my komados, I could make smoke at any temperature. I routinely ran at 400F to smoke things. I got a nice blue smoke from it. I had to build a bigger fire to run this hot.

On our pellet grills, they just run the fan continuous at that temp and run more fuel in. But at some point (around 275F on my pit on a 70F day) the fire in the pot has to run higher than is ideal for perfect smoke and closer to stoichiometric, which produces nearly no smoke. If they could majically increase the fire pot size and put in more pellets about that time, we could get more smoke at higher temps.

Just my view from my little knothole.

The RT folks have set their fans to an off and on pattern when the temp is set to 225 or lower, Supposed to allow less draft and O2 and thus promotes more smoke. It helps IMO. Also, I believe that the process of reducing the wood to sawdust for compression into pellets, allows some of the moisture, and volatile natural elements that contribute to the "smoke" flavor to be lost in the process. I'll bet this a major reason for the difference and not a minor one. And don't forget that the hot pot burns hotter and the fuel is completely consumed in one area, while in an offset smoker, there is wood in the chamber, that may not be in the center of the fire mass, and you can often see it smoldering before igniting. Lotsa stuff goin on!
Not sure I know what I am talking about, but sounds right to me.

 

[Roaniecowpony]

...

I use Bear Mountain and when I can find it LumberJack 100% mesquite. The 100% mesquite must be popular around my area because every time I go to buy it the pallet is was on is empty. They normally still have 100% apple but I'm not a fan of apple wood.

LumberJack stopped producing 100% Mesquite over a year ago due to low demand. They just make a "Mesquite Blend" now.

Thank you for using Lumber Jack brand grilling pellets! We discontinued
the 100% Mesquite pellet due to low demand for it. I'm sorry for the
inconvenience, but you might find a similar smoke from our Mesquite Blend.

Thank you,

Caryn Gorney
Great Lakes Renewable Energy, Inc. | Lumber Jack Brand Grilling Pellets
715-934-4573 <tel715)%20934-7500> | [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]> | 16592 W US Hwy 63 S., Hayward WI 54843
| www.bbqlumberjack.com <http://www.bbqlumberjack.com/> | Facebook
<https://www.facebook.com/bbqlumberjack/>



If you can find another label you trust that is 100% mesquite, I'd appreciate the tip.

 

[Roaniecowpony]

The RT folks have set their fans to an off and on pattern when the temp is set to 225 or lower, Supposed to allow less draft and O2 and thus promotes more smoke. It helps IMO. Also, I believe that the process of reducing the wood to sawdust for compression into pellets, allows some of the moisture, and volatile natural elements that contribute to the "smoke" flavor to be lost in the process. I'll bet this a major reason for the difference and not a minor one. And don't forget that the hot pot burns hotter and the fuel is completely consumed in one area, while in an offset smoker, there is wood in the chamber, that may not be in the center of the fire mass, and you can often see it smoldering before igniting. Lotsa stuff goin on!
Not sure I know what I am talking about, but sounds right to me.

LumberJack seems to agree with you.
https://bbqlumberjack.com/our-pellets/

“The best quality BBQ Pellets in the industry”​

Why is Lumber Jack so popular?
Simple! The flavor of any tree is in the Metabolites or cambium layer of the growing tree. This means that all BBQ pellets made from residual sawdust as a by-product are generally comprised of the core kiln dried wood. For example, the sawdust from a hickory furniture or hammer handle factory is void of flavor or has only a very weak carryover from the growth in the cambium layer. When the old timers smoked meat and fish they did not take the bark off the wood they gathered for this very same reason. We are a round log plant which means we harvest actual trees and chip them up as green chips, with full flavor to make our BBQ pellets.

 

[okie]

LumberJack seems to agree with you.
https://bbqlumberjack.com/our-pellets/

“The best quality BBQ Pellets in the industry”​

Why is Lumber Jack so popular?
Simple! The flavor of any tree is in the Metabolites or cambium layer of the growing tree. This means that all BBQ pellets made from residual sawdust as a by-product are generally comprised of the core kiln dried wood. For example, the sawdust from a hickory furniture or hammer handle factory is void of flavor or has only a very weak carryover from the growth in the cambium layer. When the old timers smoked meat and fish they did not take the bark off the wood they gathered for this very same reason. We are a round log plant which means we harvest actual trees and chip them up as green chips, with full flavor to make our BBQ pellets.

Something LJ does not mention is that their pellets have much less dust than many of their competitors. Since I switched to LJ, I have not had to vacuum the bottom of the hopper. I think it might be because of the freshness. Their product turns over quickly. I can recall one bag of Applewood appearing very dry and dusty in the bag, and they were pale and crumbled easily. Thats the only time I recall much dust. Great product IMO.

 

[opus]

LumberJack stopped producing 100% Mesquite over a year ago due to low demand. They just make a "Mesquite Blend" now.

Thank you for using Lumber Jack brand grilling pellets! We discontinued
the 100% Mesquite pellet due to low demand for it. I'm sorry for the
inconvenience, but you might find a similar smoke from our Mesquite Blend.

Thank you,

Caryn Gorney
Great Lakes Renewable Energy, Inc. | Lumber Jack Brand Grilling Pellets
715-934-4573 <tel715)%20934-7500> | [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]> | 16592 W US Hwy 63 S., Hayward WI 54843
| www.bbqlumberjack.com <http://www.bbqlumberjack.com/> | Facebook
<https://www.facebook.com/bbqlumberjack/>



If you can find another label you trust that is 100% mesquite, I'd appreciate the tip.

OOPS! You are right. I was thinking of the 100% hickory. It is the one I've been buying when they have it in stock at Atwoods. They have all the LJ bags at $8.99. The only other place I've seen LJ locally is at a specialty bbq store and they want over $20 a bag. I would love to find a 100% pecan.

 

[Chevys10zr2003]

I agree with @opus that it depends on what you are used to. If you are getting a pellet grill from having nothing, you will think it's perfect and wonderful but if you are going to a pellet grill from another type of smoker it will most likely be lacking in the smoke flavor department and will be an adjustment to get used to it.

Personally I am not too impressed with the smoke from my 1250 and went back to my propane and offset smoker for the most part and use the 1250 primarily for grilling now. I will do long smokes on one of the other smokers for 4-8 hours and finish on the 1250 though. It's not just Rectec though, its the same on my two friends Traegers, three friends Pitboss and one friends Camp Chef. It's just the nature of the pellet grills in my opinion.

 

[Trickewon]

I have not yet purchased a grill yet- still shopping. I have heard good things about Rec Teq, Traeger Ironwood. One thing I am reading on this forum is that for some the Rec Teq does not produce enough smoke for them and they have to use smoke tubes? Just curious- is this "normal" for these grills? I don't want to drop 1k or more on a grill that doesn't produce enough smoke? Also- any concerns with the 590 and the vents in the back? Thanks for any feedback!

 

[rjay]

I also wanted more smoke flavor.
I got one of these.
https://smokedaddyinc.com/product/the-heavy-d-stick-burning-heat-diffuser/
Love it.
Pack with chunks or full splits, I pack in some lava rock to keep wood from flaring up.
Built like a tank, won't warp.
Makes a recteq literally a hybrid pellet/stick burner.
Solves the problem, and ends the discussion as far as I'm concerned.

 

[MOSmoke]

Favorite wood pellet brand?

I have tried a couple of brands, but Lumberjack pellets are my go-to. I did some research after buying my 700 last year, and LJ was the brand that seemed to have a loyal following. Their Competition Blend is very popular, but I also like buying bags of 100% Apple, Cherry, Hickory, etc. and experimenting with my own combinations based on the meat that I’m working with on a given day. Rural King usually has them for $8.88/20lb bag, but I’ve also found them at Dick’s and other retailers. Yesterday I stopped into a local farm and home chain that was recently bought out by Tractor Supply Co. and found them on a 2 for $15 sale (single bags were priced $11.99 so it was a no-brainer).

 

[geneseohawk]

I have tried a couple of brands, but Lumberjack pellets are my go-to. I did some research after buying my 700 last year, and LJ was the brand that seemed to have a loyal following. Their Competition Blend is very popular, but I also like buying bags of 100% Apple, Cherry, Hickory, etc. and experimenting with my own combinations based on the meat that I’m working with on a given day. Rural King usually has them for $8.88/20lb bag, but I’ve also found them at Dick’s and other retailers. Yesterday I stopped into a local farm and home chain that was recently bought out by Tractor Supply Co. and found them on a 2 for $15 sale (single bags were priced $11.99 so it was a no-brainer).

Go chiefs!

 

[geneseohawk]

Go chiefs!

I can get that brand at farm n fleet for around 9 dollars. Was questioning if they were any good though

 

[Casadetrevino]

I have not yet purchased a grill yet- still shopping. I have heard good things about Rec Teq, Traeger Ironwood. One thing I am reading on this forum is that for some the Rec Teq does not produce enough smoke for them and they have to use smoke tubes? Just curious- is this "normal" for these grills? I don't want to drop 1k or more on a grill that doesn't produce enough smoke? Also- any concerns with the 590 and the vents in the back? Thanks for any feedback!

I have posted about this in the past but will jump in here.
My smoking adventure started with Weber grills and smokers. So, going to a pellet grill I was a bit underwhelmed with the smoke profile. I do love my RECTEC though but for other reasons.
I learned a lesson that I have seen others mention before but never tried it. This lesson is smoke at the lowest temp setting for a awhile before you crank up the temps. This is because the grill produces much more smoke at its lowest temps. For me the temp has to be under 225° To get enough smoke rolling.
I tried it this last week on some salmon. Smoked it on low for about 30 mins and then put it on my gas grill to bring up to temp in less than ten minutes. Flavor was great with actual smoke flavor, I was very pleased.
I also roasted chicken skinless and smoked it on low for 90 mins and then cranked up the heat to 350°. It had a decent smoke flavor.
So I think the key for is that if I am going to smoke on the RECTEC, I need to plan for extra cook time because I’ll need to smoke on low for a little while until I can crank up the temps. For me personally, cooking at temps above 220ish don’t provide a good smoke profile.
All in all I was really glad to discover this.

Have fun!

RT-590
Colorado
Mix of pellet Brands but usually Lumberjack

 

[Roaniecowpony]

I can get that brand at farm n fleet for around 9 dollars. Was questioning if they were any good though

LumberJack is consistently the best I've tried. Cookin Pellets are also equally great.

 

[Smoker Bill]

I have tried a couple of brands, but Lumberjack pellets are my go-to. I did some research after buying my 700 last year, and LJ was the brand that seemed to have a loyal following. Their Competition Blend is very popular, but I also like buying bags of 100% Apple, Cherry, Hickory, etc. and experimenting with my own combinations based on the meat that I’m working with on a given day. Rural King usually has them for $8.88/20lb bag, but I’ve also found them at Dick’s and other retailers. Yesterday I stopped into a local farm and home chain that was recently bought out by Tractor Supply Co. and found them on a 2 for $15 sale (single bags were priced $11.99 so it was a no-brainer).

Rural King has stopped carrying LJ. The claim their new RK branded pellets are made by LJ, but the consensus is they aren’t the same. Can’t beat the quality and price point with LumberJack.

 

[MOSmoke]

Rural King has stopped carrying LJ. The claim their new RK branded pellets are made by LJ, but the consensus is they aren’t the same. Can’t beat the quality and price point with LumberJack.

That would explain the sale they had last fall when it was $5/bag. I stocked up then and haven’t needed to go back yet. Just happened upon the other sale yesterday when I wasn’t looking for it. May have to go back again knowing that RK is no longer an option. Thanks for the heads up

 

[Zonian Pyg]

I have not yet purchased a grill yet- still shopping. I have heard good things about Rec Teq, Traeger Ironwood. One thing I am reading on this forum is that for some the Rec Teq does not produce enough smoke for them and they have to use smoke tubes? Just curious- is this "normal" for these grills? I don't want to drop 1k or more on a grill that doesn't produce enough smoke? Also- any concerns with the 590 and the vents in the back? Thanks for any feedback!

I have not yet purchased a grill yet- still shopping. I have heard good things about Rec Teq, Traeger Ironwood. One thing I am reading on this forum is that for some the Rec Teq does not produce enough smoke for them and they have to use smoke tubes? Just curious- is this "normal" for these grills? I don't want to drop 1k or more on a grill that doesn't produce enough smoke? Also- any concerns with the 590 and the vents in the back? Thanks for any feedback!

New to pellet grills also but been grilling for about 50 years. That said I find the smoke light on my 590 but have gone to just adding an hour or two cook time at 180 to 200 to get the smoke I like. Pit Boss and bear mountain have been working well for me. No problems with the vents at all.

 

[cookingjnj]

I am in the school of the RT puts out all the smoke I need and enjoy. Of course with any pellet pooper, the higher the set temperature, the less smoke is produced. Anything below 250 usually provides great smoke flavor we enjoy. I have the 680 so can't give any feedback on the 590 but several here have already done so. Cookingpellets.com or Lumberjack are my favorite pellets. Right now I have Pit Boss because I was running out and could get them quickly at Lowes.

 

[Pops]

I have a 590 and have never had an issue with the back vents. It is rock solid, put it on 225 and it does not move, unless I open the lid, then it easily moves back in.
As mentioned at lower temps more smoke. I use the RT Ultimate Blend pellets exclusively. While my wife does not like a lot of smoke, I have not noticed an absence of smoke. The flavor of everything I have cooked has exceeded my expectations.
If you get the grill and not enough smoke, get a tube, no biggy!
I cant speak to the size, I have a 590 and it is plenty for me as it is just my wife and I. IMHO, I would get the grill size you will cook with 90% of the time. Another thought you could get a 340 and 590, which gives a lot of versatility, probably close to same cost.