Stampede Question before I sell my 590 and get a stick burner

[sel1005]

I have tried chips in Alum, poke a few holes in them to vent. Two questions: what temps / range are you getting the smoke from them at, and you mention 10 packs. How many do you use at a time? Thanks in advance for the ideas

 

[sel1005]

A similar item to the Fireboard that many on this forum use is the Thermoworks Signals. https://www.thermoworks.com/signals/

Having a separate temperature measuring device is essential, in my opinion. The Signals and Fireboard units are solid performers that far surpass the accuracy and reliability of the Recteq system.

thank you sir, will check them out

 

[SmokeZilla]

The smoke quantity is somewhat dependent on the volume/amount of wood you use, temperature, and proximity to the heat source . As an example, if I use approximately 2lbs of chips and I place them over the edge of the drip pan in the center rear where the firepot is located (on a RT700) they catch pretty well. If I put them on the right side near the front edge of the drip pan, I have to light the pack to even get it started. On the gasser, I put it directly on the burner tubes (mine are porcelain on the Lynx) or metal on the Kenmore but I go a little heavier with the chip quantity. If I want a slower burn rate, I just toss the pack on the gill grate and turn the heat below it to low. I then cook on the opposite side of the grill for indirect heat or, directly adjacent to the packet for a more of smoke flavoring. Be cautious if you are using infrared of a sear burner, that is an instant flame on/flame off condition in my experience. I go directly onto the charcoal in the Weber kettle (but it burns very quickly in that application so I use larger pre-soaked wood chunks) and feed the beast often. I can get about 15 minutes of smoke per pack at 300F. If I stack multiple packs on top of each other, I can get them to chain burn together so that each additional pack catches from the one below it for probably 1.5 hours (your mileage may vary). Be very careful with that arrangement though, you can easily get a fire going and damage/scorch the rear of your cooker depending on the type. If I really want a lot of smoke at once, I stack them horizontally across the rear or place them directly above the firepot on the drip pan. I have read on this site and others that a 3rd party sells a cast iron cover for the firepot that allows wood to be placed directly on its cover. I have not tried that solution. Another theory is that you have to wait until you get a translucent light blue smoke or it is “dirty”. That may be true but my history tells me that if you use dry wood, you can have great tasting proteins with lots of smoke and not have any acrid aftertaste. In summary, I understand your concerns. I have a vertical stick burner (New Braunsfel) made of cast iron. It was actually the best for getting an extreme smoke profile but, I had to babysit it every 20 minutes to keep if from flaring up or dropping temperature. I personally think it was the nexus for today’s generation of offset cookers due to the high maintenance needs of the old verticals like mine. It is almost 40 years old and still does what it was designed to do, incinerate meat if not watched, haha.

 

[GHewitt]

I have not had issues with the 590. Just using the RT pellets. No smoke tube or anything. Smoke at 225. It is good for me, but as others have said, it really comes down to what you want/need.

 

[Dr.Floyd]

I have done a couple of cooks with putting cherry wood chunks directly on the heat deflector and a couple without. I can definitely taste a difference in the level of smokiness and the flavor of the smoke. This combined with settings on Low or at 200 degrees in the beginning of the cook will make a difference. Give it a try on your next cook and I think you will be pleasantly surprised at the flavors and the bark on the meat.

 

[WooPigFoodie]

Have a 2 yr old 590, have had a number of mechanical issues with it but support has always come through extremely well.

My question though is regarding performance.

After dozens of cooks, all sorts of meats, mostly RT wood blend pellets, and every recipe and technique I can find on this forum and others, my opinion of the 590 is that its really just a big oven that produces a tiny bit of smoke. I have tried low temps, 225-250, long hours, varying temps and hours, butcher paper wraps, you name it. But never any serious bark unless I leave meat on so long it just dries out. Different pellets, dual smoker tubes, you name it and I have tried it.

Have cooked big box meats, custom meats and cuts, a huge variety of things but at the prices we have to pay these days, I am just not happy and looking for any advice as to what I may not have yet tried or if that's just the way a 590 cooks.

Honestly, I get better bark and flavor cooking on my gas grill with two smoker tubes than the 590. Yes, the wi-fi and set it and leave it is great, but not for what I end up with.

Any suggestions or thoughts before I put this thing up for sale and move on? BTW, live in FL where temp and high humidity are constants.

Thanks in advanceYou’re not going to get stick burner bark on a pellet grill but you can get nice bark. Here’s a recent brisket, turkey and ribs of mine on the 700. I start it out at 180 to roll smoke and sometimes add a smoke tube for the briskets.

Have a 2 yr old 590, have had a number of mechanical issues with it but support has always come through extremely well.

My question though is regarding performance.

After dozens of cooks, all sorts of meats, mostly RT wood blend pellets, and every recipe and technique I can find on this forum and others, my opinion of the 590 is that its really just a big oven that produces a tiny bit of smoke. I have tried low temps, 225-250, long hours, varying temps and hours, butcher paper wraps, you name it. But never any serious bark unless I leave meat on so long it just dries out. Different pellets, dual smoker tubes, you name it and I have tried it.

Have cooked big box meats, custom meats and cuts, a huge variety of things but at the prices we have to pay these days, I am just not happy and looking for any advice as to what I may not have yet tried or if that's just the way a 590 cooks.

Honestly, I get better bark and flavor cooking on my gas grill with two smoker tubes than the 590. Yes, the wi-fi and set it and leave it is great, but not for what I end up with.

Any suggestions or thoughts before I put this thing up for sale and move on? BTW, live in FL where temp and high humidity are constants.

Thanks in advance

You’re not going to get stick burner bark on a pellet grill but you can get nice bark. Here’s a recent brisket, turkey and ribs of mine on the 700. I start it out at 180 to roll smoke and sometimes add a smoke tube for the briskets.

 

[Grilltreats]

I use 100% Lumberjack wood flavors (no blended pellets). I also place dry wood chunks of the same flavor on top of the deflector plate sliced up to fit before hitting the on switch. I get lots of smoke flavor and deep smoke rings on long cooks like briskets and butts and even five-hour rib cooks. I couldn't imagine needing more smoke flavor than this. Maybe you just can't live without the bitter white smoke flavor of a stick burner. I still keep my KJ around but rarely ever use it. It does produce that bitter white smoke flavor I grew up with. I throw larger wood chunks in my Bullseye for more smoke flavor on the higher temp cooks. It's about the same as the KJ with charcoal and wood chunks but not as bitter tasting and is cleaner tasting.

 

[Motodad1776]

A proper running stick burner produces hardly any visible smoke, what you will see is blue smoke.......exactly what I see on my 590 during an entire cook. I too can't imagine wanting any more smoke flavor than I get now, in many cases folks are getting creosote which is bitter and not a good thing anyways. Have a very good and very popular BBQ joint by my house "Ray Ray's BBQ", and their multiple stick burners are hardly putting any visible smoke out at all, except for when a fresh bit of wood is added.

 

[IMAWriter]

You’re not going to get stick burner bark on a pellet grill but you can get nice bark. Here’s a recent brisket, turkey and ribs of mine on the 700. I start it out at 180 to roll smoke and sometimes add a smoke tube for the briskets.

View attachment 16687

View attachment 16688

View attachment 16689

That’s a beautiful turkey.

 

[IMAWriter]

Two thoughts come to mind. First, I have been very unimpressed with the results from RT pellets, as well as other blends. My strong preference is unblended Hickory pellets and, surprisingly, the best I’ve found so far are Kingsford Hickory. I just purchased a bag of Bear Mountain Hickory and will try them next.

Second, the level of “smoke” in food is definitely a personal preference. What is good for one person is too much or too little for another. If you are in the “heavy smoke” category, you probably won’t ever be satisfied with what comes out of a pellet smoker.

Here’s a photo of a brisket I recently did on the RT-340 with Kingsford Hickory pellets. In my opinion, it had good bark, a nice smoke ring and a great, smoky flavor. YMMV

View attachment 16605

I have a WSM 18. 3 small chunks of wood give me too much smoke for my taste!! 2 cherry one Pecan or hickory. Yes, our tastes are different. To Sel, used Weber Smokey mountains can be had for $250 or less, and using the “Minion” fire build, can be basically intended for 6 or more hours at a time. I want a RT for less smoke, even less work. Using lump charcoal will have a cleaner taste, but fire management is more involving as lump burns hotter and more unpredictably. You sound like a candidate for a Big Green Egg or similar?

 

[Lilbullowner]

Have a 2 yr old 590, have had a number of mechanical issues with it but support has always come through extremely well.

My question though is regarding performance.

After dozens of cooks, all sorts of meats, mostly RT wood blend pellets, and every recipe and technique I can find on this forum and others, my opinion of the 590 is that its really just a big oven that produces a tiny bit of smoke. I have tried low temps, 225-250, long hours, varying temps and hours, butcher paper wraps, you name it. But never any serious bark unless I leave meat on so long it just dries out. Different pellets, dual smoker tubes, you name it and I have tried it.

Have cooked big box meats, custom meats and cuts, a huge variety of things but at the prices we have to pay these days, I am just not happy and looking for any advice as to what I may not have yet tried or if that's just the way a 590 cooks.

Honestly, I get better bark and flavor cooking on my gas grill with two smoker tubes than the 590. Yes, the wi-fi and set it and leave it is great, but not for what I end up with.

Any suggestions or thoughts before I put this thing up for sale and move on? BTW, live in FL where temp and high humidity are constants.

Thanks in advance

Have a 2 yr old 590, have had a number of mechanical issues with it but support has always come through extremely well.

My question though is regarding performance.

After dozens of cooks, all sorts of meats, mostly RT wood blend pellets, and every recipe and technique I can find on this forum and others, my opinion of the 590 is that its really just a big oven that produces a tiny bit of smoke. I have tried low temps, 225-250, long hours, varying temps and hours, butcher paper wraps, you name it. But never any serious bark unless I leave meat on so long it just dries out. Different pellets, dual smoker tubes, you name it and I have tried it.

Have cooked big box meats, custom meats and cuts, a huge variety of things but at the prices we have to pay these days, I am just not happy and looking for any advice as to what I may not have yet tried or if that's just the way a 590 cooks.

Honestly, I get better bark and flavor cooking on my gas grill with two smoker tubes than the 590. Yes, the wi-fi and set it and leave it is great, but not for what I end up with.

Any suggestions or thoughts before I put this thing up for sale and move on? BTW, live in FL where temp and high humidity are constants.

Thanks in advance

Sell it.
I've had a barrel wood smoker for years and really enjoyed the smoke flavor. I still have it and got an rt-700 and kinda disappointed. Compared to the other wood smoker, the pellet doesn't even come close to that BBQ smoke flavor I was used to with wood smoker.
I see posts of folks buying the Big Kahuna (or something like that) for $200-$300 saying what great smoke flavor it creates, instead of stating "the pellet grills suck so I bought this very expensive smoke tube to get the smoke flavor needed". Instead they say "WOW! I just bought a premium smoke tube for my rt-700 & it provides the most excellent smoke flavor I've ever had, IT'S AWESOME!" and It sounds, almost, like an infomercial. Rec Teq product is very expensive & with that should come that "really awesome smoke flavor" without other crappy expensive add-ons.
My barrel smoker?? Only paid $250 brand new with heavy guage steel and 700 sf cooking space WHILE option of simultaneously grilling in the wood box, if desired. RT-700?? Over $1k with same space but no simultaneous smoke & grill capacity BUT it is a "set it & forget it" which is nice. Wood smokers take some baby sitting but it's well worth it, IMO.
In conclusion, would you want the "set it & get it mentality with MEDIOCRE smoke flavor" or a wood smoker that "requires some maintenance throughout smoking BUT with AWESOME smoke flavor"? It's up to the user.
Bottom line - SELL SELL SELL!

 

[Cal1319]

You’re not going to get stick burner bark on a pellet grill but you can get nice bark. Here’s a recent brisket, turkey and ribs of mine on the 700. I start it out at 180 to roll smoke and sometimes add a smoke tube for the briskets.

View attachment 16687

View attachment 16688

View attachment 16689

How long do you start at 180 for? Thank you!

 

[WooPigFoodie]

How long do you start at 180 for? Thank you!

Here’s my recipe:

This is geared for a full packer brisket of 15-18 pounds. I like to buy a floppy one with a thick flat. Trim the hard fat out of it and trim the rest of the fat to 1/4” or so.

I render the trim for beef lard and store that in my fridge, strained through a coffee filter.
I put a 15 pounder on at midnight and put an 18 pounder on at 10 pm.

I put a small water pot on the left corner of my Bull, and fill a smoke tube with lit pellets for the overnight run.

After trim and SPG & Coffee rub (homemade: 1/2 cup salt, 1/2 cup pepper, 2T garlic, 2T fresh ground coffee), I run it from the time I put it on the smoker to seven am at 180, then put in a temperature probe and raise it to 225 for the next four hours, to really make sure I am laying down good smoke on it. At 11 am, I figure I have enough smoke on it and I raise the temp to 265 until the brisket is done at an internal temperature in the point of 203.

Starting at 7 am in the morning, I spritz it each hour or so with a 50/50 apple cider vinegar and water spray if it looks dry, until the bark looks set. Set means it is firm everywhere, where it isn’t mushy or won’t just flake off by touching. From morning till the wrap the focus is on getting a nice bark. (I stop spritzing when the bark starts getting nice and firm all over which is usually past the stall. Just touch it with your fingers. If it’s mushy in parts it needs more time to set up. The spritz doesn’t make it mushy.)

I keep checking the bark. Once the bark is set/nicely firm all over, I wrap the brisket in paper to protect the bark while it goes to 203. When I wrap it’s normally after the stall since my bark isn’t yet set nice and evenly before.

Once it temps in the point at 203, I drop the still wrapped brisket in a towel lined cooler for at least 1.5 hours, towels on top the brisket too.

Then slice and serve.

 

[WooPigFoodie]

That’s a beautiful turkey.

Thank you! I should have spread the legs out more when I smoked it so it didn’t get a tan line!!!!!

 

[C. Keeper]

Thank you! I should have spread the legs out more when I smoked it so it didn’t get a tan line!!!!!

I like where this is going

 

[WooPigFoodie]

I like where this is going

Haaaaaaa!

 

[Casadetrevino]

To the OP.

I have had my 590 for about three years. No issues at all. I have posted about this before but I too am underwhelmed with the smoke profile from the 590. I came from a Weber Smokey Mountain to the pellet world and the 590 just can’t come close to the smoke profile of the WSM.

I know the big thing here is that smoke profile is preference. Many people are completely satisfied with the Recteq smoke flavor. I am guessing that these people started in the pellet world and haven‘t had the benefit of meat coming off of a true smoke or offset?

I do understand they are two different animals but I was still hoping that the 590 would do better. I’ve tried smoke tubes and even put some coals with wood on it in my 590.
I love the convenience and still get good cooks from the 590 but I too came to conclusion that it is an outdoor oven.
If I were to do it again I would probably shop around and try and find a pellet grill that offers more smoke profile. I have had brisket off of a Traeger (hate to admit it) that had a great smoke profile.

I really like the 590 none-the-less but have also considered selling mine.

Keep us posted on how your adventure goes!

 

[Confused]

I have stick burner, a Lang 36 Patio, that I bought to replace a XL BGE, that i bought to replace a Lang 60.
I was tired of feeling obligated to fill the 60 with meat as it seemed a shame to not use that much space. The BGE was a huge mistake - couldn't stand it - so I gave it to my son-in-law. Stick burners are still the gold standard, IMO and the Lang 36 is the perfect size for my use. Stick burners still require near constant attendance adjusting the vents to maintain temps though. I found myself not wanting to hover over it in the summer heat. Friends with pellet grills assured me that they had evolved to perfect smoking machines. Only after I bought the 590 did people admit they are still aren't quite there yet. I still love the 590 for it's set-it-and-leave-it convenience. I installed the Smoke Daddy Big Kahuna on it and found that a great improvement. Since meats are only supposed to accept smoke for a limited time into cooking, I only bother to keep the Big Kahuna smoking for the first two hours or so. I still use the Lang 36 for big cooks in the fall and winter.

 

[SmokeZilla]

This thread is interesting. It reminds me of the discussions about Ford versus Chevy, Boeing versus Airbus, or even which hotel chain is the best. At the end of the day, most of this is governed by personal taste and preference. As the owner of many cookers, each has its strengths and weaknesses. I don’t typically expect the same smoke profile from any two devices and it doesn‘t matter if I am camping and cooking directly on the coals or using a high tech PID controlled pellet grill or on my $9,000 Lynx 36”. They do what they do. The pic I included is a 40 year old vertical smoker that can generate enough smoke to disguise the protein that is being cooked. Some would say wow, that’s perfect while others would say it is not. At the end of the day, if something is not meeting your expectations, you have 2 choices. Re-calibrate your expectations or get a device that meets your expectations. Both solutions represent an opportunity for happiness.

 

[DenStinett]

We went from a very nice Stick Burner to our Bull, because I got tired of setting out in the Weather watching the Temp Gauge, open this, close that, add more Wood .... rinse and repeat for ever !
Yes, an Offset will give you more Smoke, and you know that what Wood you're using, is just that
With some brands of Pellets, you can't be sure of just what has been added to their product

We've gone to using Knotty Wood Almond Pellets, and find them quite good

We'll add a Smoke Tube with "Flavored" Pellets for some extra Smoke a a given "Flavor" to a given Cook
i.e. Cheery Pellet in the Tube for our Salmon Cooks:

Maybe a "Comp Blend" to a Brisket or Pork Butt:

Good luck in whatever you decide