The Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association is the industry association for barbecue makers, sellers, and anybody to do with the business of barbecue.
They say that while many people haven’t heard of pellet grills they are increasingly popular because of their energy efficiency and clean burning.
Thinking about getting a wood pellet grill? If so, you’ll want to check out this ultimate guide to wood pellet grills that will give you all the details.
What is a Pellet Grill or Pellet Smoker?
A wood pellet grill uses special pellets made of wood as the fuel for cooking. These pellets are made of sawdust from hardwood. Unlike many wood products, they are safe to use in food preparation.
High-pressure treatment together with heat is used to form the sawdust into small pellets. Each pellet is about 1/4-inch in diameter. There are lots of brands of pellet offering a range of pellet options.
The pellets flavor the food depending on the wood variety used. Hickory, cherry, oak, and mesquite each offer distinctive aromas. The choice of pellet you use is about your personal taste.
A wood pellet grill may also be described as a wood pellet smoker. This is because they are one and the same thing. They can be used as a grill or a smoker.
Why Use Wood Pellet Grills?
There is a range of different wood pellet grills and they each have their features and benefits. As a whole wood pellet grills have some particular advantages over other methods of grilling.
Wood pellet grills are versatile. They can be used for roasting, grilling, baking, and smoking. It will beat a conventional gas barbecue at roast a piece of beef or baking some focaccia bread, hands down.
A challenge with all grilling is to maintain a consistent temperature. You often have big variations of temperature and problems adding the right amount of fuel. Temperature volatility can result in poorly cooked food.
The best wood pellet grills get you consistently good cooking by monitoring the temperature and feeding pellets into the grill as needed. This automatic process frees you to concentrate on the food rather than the fuel.
The option to add flavor to your food through the fuel you choose is a major advantage of using wood pellets. Other barbeque methods can do this to some extent by adding “flavorings” to the charcoal.
Wood pellets do this cleanly, simply and effectively.
The major downside of barbequing is the cleaning up chore afterward. You might have got used to this as the price you have to pay for delicious barbequed food, especially if you use a gas barbeque.
A wood pellet grill uses porcelain coated cast metal grates. These are easy to clean and can even be cleaned in a dishwasher.
Using aluminum foil to cover the deflector means you can replace it after several uses with no cleaning to do.
How to Cook on a Pellet Grill?
Prepare your meat by trimming it of any gristle or connective tissue.
Prepare vegetables by chopping them into easy to handle chunks or slices. If you like to marinate the meat and vegetables or apply a dry rub, do this in advance of cooking.
Load the hopper with wood pellets. Turn on the grill and set the temperature. Set the temperature according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Once the grill reaches the required temperature place the meat and vegetables in the grill and lower the hood.
Some grills will have a built-in food temperature probe so you can precisely cook the food to a safe temperature. If you need to increase or decrease the temperature to brown meat or hold food the grill will allow you to do this.
How to Choose a Wood Pellet Grill?
The best pellet smoker or grill is the one that best meets your needs. When evaluating the products on the market you should consider these factors.
Check the quality of the construction.
A well-made stainless-steel construction will be more robust and longer-lasting than a cheaper inferior construction. It will not rust, be easy to keep clean and perform better.
How big are your parties?
A small wood pellet grill may be great for a small family dinner but large gatherings will turn into cooking nightmares without a large capacity grill. Check that the cooking chamber will handle the quantity of food you will be preparing for a typical party.
The grill temperature is set according to the type of food you are preparing. Grilled food needs high temperatures and the ability to lower the temperature quickly. Smoking is generally done at lower temperatures.
Find out what range of temperatures a wood pellet grill is able to produce and select a grill that meets your needs.
You may need to move your grill around your backyard for different events so wheels are a useful feature. Make sure you are able to lock the wheels for safe operation.
Simplicity and versatility are not always compatible.
Having lots of options can make using a wood pellet grill more difficult to operate. Look for simple controls that give you the range of cooking options you need.
Digital controls are simple and precise. High technology options such as WIFI operation are even available if you would like to control your cooking using a phone app.
Whatever your preference for a grill, make sure you get a decent warranty.
Enjoy Barbequed Food
Take your time identifying your needs and reading reviews of wood pellet grills.
Don’t be seduced by the gadgetry if the fundamentals are not right for you. Better to have fewer features and a good solid performing grill.
Delicious barbequed food is partly about getting the right equipment. It’s also about great ingredients, cooking skills, and one other thing. It’s about enjoying the people that you share your barbeque food with.
More advice for men who like cooking.
