Kirkland Signature Pellets

I'd like to know as well. I have an unhealthy addiction to Costco! :ROFLMAO:
Hi 👋🏻 20 year Costco employee here and bbq addict. I wanted to address the question who makes what, well simply put none of those companies do. What we do is find a smaller company that we can work with develop a recipe this is the “Kirkland signature” part of the business so in short yes there’s a tremendous amount of work trial and error in every Kirkland product we do our absolute best to put out a top notch product.
 
Interesting... i didn't realize there were a lot of "small companies" in this business. I did research when i bought my 700 years ago and found out that in some (arguably many) cases the difference in the pellets was labeling. Specifically there were 3-4 operations out there making a dozen different brands. This is actually quite normal in retail... called "white labeling" where a manufacturer makes them and puts a bag/brand on them and calls them different.

One other point...on the Pit Boss. I will have to weigh in and say i also had a bad experience. With my three bags they were a consistency one might describe as wet. It wasn't as much dust as it was small fractional pieces. They were essentially mushy. Gummed things up. I stored them like any other pellet i have used. But they just would turn to mush or break in to really small pieces. They burned... but i had to work it a bit (I don't sift). I now stick with Bear, RecTeq and LJ pellets. I have not yet experimented with the new brands but anxious to hear more reports from this group on Costco.

Interesting some RecTeq stuff for sale at Costco....is there a chance that small company is the same who makes the RecTeq pellets (which btw is also a white label) - they make and bag them for RecTeq.
 
Interesting some RecTeq stuff for sale at Costco....is there a chance that small company is the same who makes the RecTeq pellets (which btw is also a white label) - they make and bag them for RecTeq.
The popular theory years ago was that Cookin’ Pellets made the recteq pellets. recteq even sold the CP brand (it was a different blend) alongside the recteq brand up until the deal was made between recteq and Kingsford.
 
Was walking around Costco and saw they now sell Kirkland Signature Pellets. $12.99 for 40 pounds. Has anyone tried them? It says its an Oak Hickory Maple and Cherry blend.View attachment 16088
I saw them here in Charleston SC as well. I picked up two bags. I plan to use them cooking chicken (wings, thighs, and breasts) tomorrow. Doing a butt on Monday. I’ll let you know what I think afterwards.
 
Hi 👋🏻 20 year Costco employee here and bbq addict. I wanted to address the question who makes what, well simply put none of those companies do. What we do is find a smaller company that we can work with develop a recipe this is the “Kirkland signature” part of the business so in short yes there’s a tremendous amount of work trial and error in every Kirkland product we do our absolute best to put out a top notch product.
Much appreciated information. I’ve had great experience with Kirkland signature products. They seem well made and well priced.
 
The problem is that no one really wants to cook with four different wood flavors at once. At least I know I prefer one specific flavor to choose for a cook. It is troubling to see all of these mixed blends as a trend. When I want to smoke pork with hickory, hickory is all I want for wood smoke, etc. Lumber jack is still offering 100% wood flavors and I find their pellets to be the very best. They have recently gone to a blended mesquite wood which has really upset me and my brisket cooks.
 
The problem is that no one really wants to cook with four different wood flavors at once.
Actually, with pellet blends, you are still cooking with a single flavor; it is just a blended flavor. Do you only use a single seasoning for a given cook? I'm guessing not. And, why not? Because a "blend" of salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder (the traditional SPOG "blend"), for example, creates a nicer flavor profile than just one of those ingredients.

That said, I understand that on certain occasions, a single wood might produce a preferred flavor profile. If that's the case, then by all means just buy those pellets. Because there are blended wood pellets out there doesn't mean anyone is forced to buy them. YMMV
 
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Only had my 700 for about a month, so new to the pellet world. I’ve gone thru 40 lbs Recteq, 20 lbs Traeger, and now about half way thru 40 lbs of Kirkland pellets. I have no complaints. Also noticed that the Bear Mountain I have seen mentioned here are now $18.99/30 lbs on Costco.com. I got a bag of those a couple weeks ago at $24.99. Have not gotten into those yet.
 
I used the Kirkland(Costco) pellet blend for a pork butt this past weekend. No complaints. Nice smoke for us and developed a nice bark on the butt. Not a lot of ash. I will pick up some more next costco trip.
 
I used the Kirkland(Costco) pellet blend for a pork butt this past weekend. No complaints. Nice smoke for us and developed a nice bark on the butt. Not a lot of ash. I will pick up some more next costco trip.
Thanks for the update. Passed by those pellets the other day and put my brakes on since it was the first time I’ve seen them. I’ll pick up some next trip (or tomorrow since I like Costco).
 
Can someone who has purchased Costco pellets test how they snap compared to a competitors pellet? I’ve used Traeger, Recteq, and Bear Mountain. All adequate.
 
Actually, with pellet blends, you are still cooking with a single flavor; it is just a blended flavor. Do you only use a single seasoning for a given cook? I'm guessing not. And, why not? Because a "blend" of salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder (the traditional SPOG "blend"), for example, creates a nicer flavor profile than just one of those ingredients.

That said, I understand that on certain occasions, a single wood might produce a preferred flavor profile. If that's the case, then by all means just buy those pellets. Because there are blended wood pellets out there doesn't mean anyone is forced to buy them. YMMV
I do. I prefer mesquite ogs when I smoke meat. If I can't find mesquite then I use pecan. Those are the only 2 I really want to use. I've tried several blended pellets including several different brands and they were meh at best for me.
 

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