Top 3 Best Smoking Pellets

Have you found yourself bored with everyday grilling? Join the club! More people have taken to their smartphones to learn how to smoke their meats, veggies, and fruits than ever before. Popular outdoor living companies have designed easy-to-use smoker grills that can make anyone a smoker pro.

In this article we take a look at the fuel, smoking pellets, for your new adventure. Enjoy!

Thank you Z Grills Australia for the excellent photo.

Table of Contents

Things to Consider When Selecting Wood Pellets

Before we get started, let’s answer some related questions that may help you decide on the best possible smoking pellets for your outdoor oasis, also known as your Man Cave.

You’ll also find some great tips and tricks over at this pellet smoking forum and this smoking meat forum.

Can I use heating pellets to smoke food?

Do not use heating pellets to smoke your food. Here at Every Man’s Cave, we started buying pellets for our stove from Tractor Supply and while they work great in our pellet stove, they are not intended for use in smoker grills. This could diminish the taste of your food versus enhancing it. Above all, we’re here to add some zing to your favorite smoking meats and fish, not the other way around. In addition, and should go without saying, it could be dangerous!

Are wood pellets safe?

As long as you store them properly and follow the manufacture’s instructions on how to use them, the answer is a resounding yes!

What are the differences with pellets and wood chips?

Traditionally, wood pellets are processed much differently than wood chips. For instance, smoking pellets have been ground and compressed whereas wood chips are hardwood pieces that are the result of being run through a chipper.

Smoking pellets burn much hotter and at a snails pace compared to chips. Therefore, they are much better suited for smoking meats and fish when compared to wood chips. If you are looking at wood chips for grilling meats and fish, consider wetting them beforehand to slow the burn rate.

Should wood pellets be soaked before used?

No. Doing this could degrade their quality by breaking down the compressed pieces rendering them useless in your smoker. As we said above, wood chips can be soaked as a way to slow down their burn rate. However, wood chips are intended for grilling which we will talk about in another post at a later date.

How long will a 40 pound bag of pellets last?

This varies by temperature. For example, if you set your smoker to the highest setting, your bag of smoking pellets will burn down in approximately eight hours. However, if you are smoking at a very low temperature your forty pound bag should last 24-hours or so.

What are the Most Popular Smoker Pellet Flavors?

Smoking pellets are made from a variety of hardwoods which make them ideal for smoking at slower rates. Remember, smoking and grilling are two very different cooking methods. Be sure to use the right tools for the job. Smoking pellets belong in smoker grills. Wood chips and charcoal are meant to be used in traditional outdoor grills.

Apple Smoking Pellets

Are you a fan of pork? Do you love bacon? Here at Every Man’s Cave, we smoke and grill a lot of pork. Why do we smoke pork you ask? It’s simple! The mild sweetness of the Applewood enhances various cuts of port, including chops, butts, loins, and of course, bacon! Above all, the Applewood smoking pellets give the meat a very nice, subtle, smoky flavor. 

Here’s one of our favorites.

CookinPellets Apple Mash

Pros

• 100% hardwood
• No oak or alder fillers (no bark or flavor oils)
• Family owned and operated in the USA
• Free shipping

Cons

• Slightly more expensive than larger, commercial brands.
• Packaged in a plastic bag in a tight, cardboard box. Use care when opening to preserve the bag.

Black Cherry Wood Smoking Pellets

Cherry wood is very versatile. It does an excellent job of smoking every type of meat, including poultry, beef, pork, and even venison for those of you who are adventurous. Here at Every Man’s Cave, we haven’t had much success smoking fish with cherry wood. If you have tips and tricks on how to do that well, please drop us a comment below. We’d love to hear from you.

Cherry wood is light and not overwhelming so you end up with a hint of smokiness that is lightweight and sweet.

Here’s one of our favorites. Surprise, it’s from CookinPellets again! We love these guys. They use 100% hardwood and never add any oak or alder fillers as many, large, commercial brands do.

CookinPellets Black Cherry Wood

Pros

• 100% hardwood
• No oak or alder fillers (no bark or flavor oils)
• Family owned and operated in the USA
• Free shipping

Cons

• Slightly more expensive than larger, commercial brands
• Packaged in a plastic bag in a tight, cardboard box. Use care when opening to preserve the bag.

Hickory Wood Smoking Pellets

Here at Every Man’s Cave, we have had huge success burning hickory smoking pellets to smoke roasts, poultry and, believe it or not, fruits and veggies. If you haven’t smoked your apples with hickory before using them in your favorite apple pie recipe, you’re missing out. If you have attemped this with success, please share your tips and tricks in the comments below. We’d love to hear from you.

One hundred percent hickory wood, when burned, produces a very clean-burning smoke. Therefore, it allows you to smoke a variety of meats and meat substitures. Similarly, this produces a low dust or ash content allowing you to cook longer before topping off the auger.

You guessed it, our favorite hickory smoking pellets are, once again, made by CookinPellets. This is a family owned and operated business right here in the USA and they do a fantastic job providing one of the best, 100% hardwood pellets on the market.

CookinPellets Hickory Wood

Pros

• 100% hardwood
• No oak or alder fillers (no bark or flavor oils)
• Family owned and operated in the USA
• Free shipping

Cons

• Slightly more expensive than larger, commercial brands.
• Packaged in a plastic bag in a tight, cardboard box. Use care when opening to preserve the bag.

Conclusion

Humans have been cooking with wood since the dawn of time. As we evolved into a more intelligent species, we learned how to burn wood more efficiently. This has paved the way for the use of wood pellets to heat our homes, smoke our food (smoking pellets only), and delight our senses.

Here at Every Man’s Cave, we believe the key to a winning smoker pellet is in the quality of the hardwood and the absence of fillers like oak, alder, bark, and/or flavor oils. These additives produce more ash and hasten the burn rate which, in turn, forces you to buy more product.

We also believe in buying our smoking pellets right here in the United States of America. We know this isn’t always possible but it sure feels good when we can.

Thanks for tuning in and spending some time with us today. We hope you found value in our post and encourage you to leave comments below. Have a great day and remember to smoke your meats responsibly!