Pellets…my observations…

It would be great to get another perspective on this blend. Please share your results.

Thanks
@BigDog - 1st cook with 50/50 mix of RecTeq ultimate blend and Royal Oak charcoal pellets completed. (yes, it is time for a drip tray foil change 🙂)

Can't say we noticed much difference in the smoky flavor of marinated flank steak.

I'll try a longer cook or reverse sear next.

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2nd cook with 50/50 pellet mix. Fresh swordfish this time @425 (til it hit 110 F, then lowered to 345 and flipped then pulled at 130 F). Definitely more smoke visibly but not so much additional in terms of flavor.

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I’ve only eaten swordfish…never cooked it. But I would’ve thought it too dense of a meat/fish to really take in any smoke. That said, it looks nicely cooked. Do you serve it with any mango salsa or some kind of sauce?
 
I’ve only eaten swordfish…never cooked it. But I would’ve thought it too dense of a meat/fish to really take in any smoke. That said, it looks nicely cooked. Do you serve it with any mango salsa or some kind of sauce?
Thanks.

No sauce; typically serve it with a salad (+ a light citrus or vinaigrette dressing) and rice or seared potatoes.
 
My review of pellets so far.

I like the Bear Mountain and Lumberjack Mesquite and Hickory. I can't tell the difference when I get into the milder smokes like cherry and apply, I need the strong flavors and even then I seem to always want more. I also use a smoke tube with 50/50 of Mesquite chunks and pellets.

Recteq, cookin pellets and other blends burn OK but not enough smoke. I also put Kingsford and Webber in here as well. Not bad, they burn good, but not strong enough smoke flavor for me.

Knotty wood has such long pellets, lots of 3 inch plus, they caused a jam. I liked the smoke but don't want to worry about the pellets failing on me in the middle of the night.

Jealous Devil Jax BBQ pellets. I liked the smoke but because they are in a cardboard box I think they can pick up humidity. I had a failure to feed because the dust built an arch over the auger and allowed it to flame out. Once I figured out what was wrong I sifted the remaining pellets and it burned out good but I took a quart jar of dust out of the remaining pellets. Seemed like way too much dust for my taste.

I guess I don't have the taste buds for the more subtle differences in the mixes. Pretty much I have been getting Lumberjack Mesquite full time now. I will also grab Hickory if the Mesquite is out.
 
@BigDog- Fired up a spatchcocked chicken for 3rd cook with 50/50 mix of RecTeq premium and Royal Oak charcoal pellets.

Wifey gave it the thumbs up though still thinks not using the charcoal pellets tastes quite good too.

Both she and I did not like Bear Mountain for most things (other than pork, maybe...). The smoke flavor was excessive and masked the flavor of what was cooked. Same was true with Costco pellets though, to a lesser extent. I sure like the price of those and can "live with it" haha
 
I bought 200 lbs of RecTeq pellets when I bought my 1250 and they preformed well
Since then I’ve used Bear Mountain and really like them…we’ll enough I just bought 8 more bags
 

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