Bull Pellet Dust Everywhere!

[Eleuthros1]

During several of my last few cooks, the inside of my Bull has been coated in pellet dust. What the heck is causing this? Anyone else have this issue?

 

[Fhughes]

Hello, usually if the inside is cleaned often you won’t see that, however, it also would depend on the pellets being used. I clean mine after every 2 or 3 short cooks or 1 long cook. I recently added some pit boss pellets in with my lumberjack pellets and my ash has doubled

 

[Eleuthros1]

Hmmm...I was using RecTec pellets and then bought some CookinPellets on Amazon and that's when this started. It hadn't occured to me that I had changed fuel. I was cleaning it every 2 long cooks before but now it's got to be cleaned every cook.

 

[Mastertech59]

I have found this flying ash happening early on in recteq grill ownership, letting the ash build up on the bottom of the barrel it has stopped for me.

 

[Eleuthros1]

I have found this flying ash happening early on in recteq grill ownership, letting the ash build up on the bottom of the barrel it has stopped for me.

So basically clean it out after every cook?

 

[Mastertech59]

So basically clean it out after every cook?

No let it build up

 

[Eleuthros1]

Really? I thought I wasn't cleaning it enough. So it has nothing to do with the fuel I'm using?

 

[Mastertech59]

Really? I thought I wasn't cleaning it enough. So it has nothing to do with the fuel I'm using?

Fuel/pellets may have something to do with it but I have found leaving and allowing the ash in the bottom of the barrel to build up greatly eliminates this fly ash issue.

 

[Gonefishin]

Do you clean out the fire box? I get a good build up in it after a single long cook.

 

[Mike]

Everyone has their own opinions on how often to clean your grills. I personally have a small shop vac I take out there and clean before each cook (maybe every other cook) and give it a quick clean. Nothing deep clean crazy, just take out the grates, drip pain and heat shield and shop vac all the dust out of the grill and firebox.

Also certain brands of pellets product a lot more junk or dust compared to other brands. Best bet is to experiment with different brands until you find the one you like best.

I personally like recteq and lumberjack brands.

 

[Jeffhoppy]

I have used pretty much only LJ pellets and always had a bit of ash on the edges where grates rest, the PID, and the drip pan ledge it rests on. Heard same things about leaving the ash in the barrel to reduce the flying around so that’s what I have done. I haven’t ever given much worry to the ash I was seeing until this weekend. I did a cook in Dutch oven with lid on it for the last 2-3hrs. What I noticed was a thin layer of pellet ash on the lid of the pot. This has me thinking any food cooked is prone to having this ash on it. Maybe that helps with the bark, but hopefully no ill health effects long term. So I am considering switching out to different pellet to see if less ash and will have to do the “lid test” again.

 

[Gonefishin]

Imagine a 14 hour brisket cook. Ash on the food is just the nature of pellet smokers, we'll find out if it was bad for us in 20 years.

 

[Mac2bdr]

Hmmm...I was using RecTec pellets and then bought some CookinPellets on Amazon and that's when this started. It hadn't occured to me that I had changed fuel. I was cleaning it every 2 long cooks before but now it's got to be cleaned every cook.

The pellet ash/dust issue would be my only real knock on the RT-700. I love it overall, but there is always a film of ash or pellet dust on all surfaces of the grill after a cook. When I wrap in butcher paper, the paper is always covered when I take it out so there is no doubt it’s getting on the food. I have tried countless different pellets, vacuuming vs not vacuuming and honestly the results are always the same...it bothered me quite a bit for a while, but it is the nature of cooking with wood. It’s like Padlin00 said, we will find out it’s bad for us eventually...

Prior to getting The Bull I had a GMG which was a horrible smoker, but it didn’t produce the ash that the RT does so I was taken back when it first started. I also have a Yoder YS640 Bc well I was board during COVID and I wanted to have both...If it makes you feel better that also kicks up pellet ash, albeit much less so than the Rec Tec. I think the shape of the RT and size of the drip pan lend themselves to ash blowing. Long story short, I’ve finally accepted that it’s not something to get too worked up about it, I think it’s likely to happen with any of these higher end smokers. It’s a risk, but so is eating wonderful tasty cuts of fatty meat. I guess I’ll worry about that in 20 years....hopefully!

 

[Greg Jones]

As long as the pellets are made with100% wood, the wood ash is harmless. It’s used as a fertilizer still today, and before the development of commercial vitamins, it was added to food intentionally to supply minerals. I mix the pellet ash I vacuum out of my grill into my compost bin.

 

[asamon]

During several of my last few cooks, the inside of my Bull has been coated in pellet dust. What the heck is causing this? Anyone else have this issue?

https://cookinpellets.com/

I've been through 80 Lbs of pellets, and have hardly any ashes. Cleaning soon. This company has distributors all over the country. I got mine for $25 per 40Lb. bag. $23/bag if you buy 15 bags.

 

[Greg Jones]

https://cookinpellets.com/

I've been through 80 Lbs of pellets, and have hardly any ashes. Cleaning soon. This company has distributors all over the country. I got mine for $25 per 40Lb. bag. $23/bag if you buy 15 bags.

I like them also, and many people that should know say that they make/made the pellets for recteq.

 

[FastEddie]

I clean the firebox when I clean the drip pan. Have yet to clean the ash from the bottom of the barrel. I read somewhere, to let it act as an insulation for better temp control. Who knows.

 

[Jcorbin121]

I clean the barrel/firebox every 5 cooks or so, using lumberjack pellets, various flavor and do not have this flying ash problem in my Bull. I also use a pizza oven in my bull and never seen any ash flying around with that (which sits direct on top of the firebox)

 

[Grilltreats]

This is normal as pellets are sawdust. Don't worry about it. The dust will burn as well as it gets drawn in. Older pellets can break down and collect more dust at the bottom of the container or bag. The flying ash is also a normal part of pellet grilling. A couple of specs won't kill you if it happens on your cook. A well seasoned pit usually capture the small amounts, but cleaning out the fire pot well can keep this to a minimum as the fan blows out what is in its way.

 

[Eleuthros1]

I appreciate everyone's input. Good to know about the cookinpellets. I like the smoke they produce.