What Is A Pellet Smoker?
Owning a pellet smoker can change the way you barbeque. Before we explain all the good stuff, let’s answer your most pressing question, first. What is it?
Pellet smokers (aka pellet grills, wood pellet smokers, or pellet smoker grills) are on the newer side of meat-smoking technology. Pellet smokers use, you guessed it, wood pellets as fuel in an otherwise electric setup. An electric auger and self-regulating temperature gauge work in tandem to feed more pellets into the firepot to maintain a steady temperature and put out tons of flavorful smoke.
Because this new equipment is hitting the market in the heart of the digital age, some of the best pellet smokers are already equipped with smart technology. That’s right, you can adjust high-end pellet smokers with your smartphone, barely lifting a finger to produce some incredible meals.
Five Reasons To Add A Pellet Smoker
Now that you’ve got a vision of pellet smokers in your head, let’s keep the ball rolling. While pellet smokers have a few limitations, like lower temperature ranges and a limited ability to sear meat, they come with tons of benefits that a standard grill just can’t compete with. Take a look at the five major reasons that you’re going to want a pellet smoker in your backyard.
1. No Real Learning Curve
Once you’ve got your pellet smoker set up at home (a task that can vary in difficulty, depending on the model you purchase), the hard work is essentially done.
Pellet smokers self-monitor the ambient temperature inside and add more pellets as needed. Older smokers gave newbies a lot of trouble because trying to produce and maintain the desired heat was, well, difficult. With a pellet smoker, all you need to do is load up the hopper with pellets and set your desired temperature and you’re good to go.
2. Even Heat and Consistency
If you’re used to, say, a charcoal grill, you know that even heat and temperature consistency are a must when it comes to grilling. How do pellet smokers fare on this front? Better than just about any other option.
Pellet grills work like a smoke chamber or an oven. As a result, you’re going to get pretty even temperatures no matter where on the grill you set things down. This is important when you’re smoking, say, multiple steaks or a combination of different foods.
As far as consistency goes, the pellet smoker is king. You don’t have to worry about a draft throwing off your grill temp. You don’t even have to worry about adjusting a dial.
3. Great Smoky Flavors
This one is a given, but it’s so major that we have to mention it, anyway. When you use a pellet smoker, you have a ton of incredible smoky flavors to choose from.
Although the pellet smoker is on the newer side, grilling companies are already filling the shelves with a wide variety of smoker pellets to choose from. Just imagine the range you can get with cherry, pecan, hickory, and beyond. Plus, pellets make it easy to mix things up to create unique and exciting flavor combinations.
4. Versatile Usage
Some grilling aficionados are reluctant to buy a smoker because it can pigeonhole your grilling options. After all, when we think about smokers, we tend to think about meat and meat, alone. Is this the case with pellet smokers?
Absolutely not. Sure, you can make the best pellet grill smoked turkey you’ve ever had in your life. You can also use your pellet smoker to make pizzas, breads, and even baked sweets.
(Not sure how you feel about smoked brownies? Don’t worry. Once the smoker is set to higher baking temperatures, the smokiness tends to dissipate so that your food doesn’t have that wood-fired taste.)
5. Hands-Off Food Preparation
No, a pellet smoker won’t marinate your ribs for you or cut up all that garden zucchini. You’ll still have to do all of the kitchen prep, yourself.
However, once you throw something into a pellet smoker, there’s not much left to do. You don’t have to nurse the flames or test and retest the temperature. You don’t have to do a ton of shifting and turning to achieve an even cook.
Pellet smokers can handle fast cook times and low and slow grilling with the same level of ease.
There are several versions of pellet smokers to choose from. Visit The Woodstove Fireplace & Patio Shop in Littleton, MA.
Source: thumbwind.com
