Pellet Fan
Accessories & Essentials => Pellets -- comments & questions => Topic started by: Bar-B-Lew on August 06, 2018, 09:50:37 PM
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two blends announced...one with cherry and another with hickory
may be interesting blends for those looking for that charcoal smoke flavor/taste
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I hope someone tries these and does a review. It would be interesting and helpful to the members.
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I’ve used the Lumberjack char-hickory a few times. There is a hint of charcoal flavor but nothing like you’d get from a charcoal grill.
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I picked up a bag of Camp Chef Charwood Hickory yesterday and I'll post up a review (of sorts) once I've had a chance to do some cooks with it - give me a week or two...
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Here's my review, such as it is, of Camp Chef Charwood Hickory pellets...
The Camp Chef Charwood pellets are available in both hickory and cherry blends. I have not tried the cherry.
I've done about 7 cooks with these pellets, but only the first few were 100% charwood, as you will read below. I can't remember everything I cooked, but it's included chicken breasts (skinless), chicken drumsticks, pork sirloin, beef steaks (smoke prior to reverse sear), chicken and vegetable kabobs, turkey polish sausage, and beef hot dogs.
As you can see in the picture, the pellets have the appearance of charcoal, and they will make your hands all black, but there is no charcoal aroma when they burn, and as Ross77 mentioned, only a hint of charcoal flavor, which I created a new term for - "charcoalesque".
The flavor was OK, but I found I really missed the traditional pellet grill smokiness and flavor, as I found there was much less of that versus normal wood pellets. So, I had the bright idea of mixing the charwood pellets about half and half with normal pellets (I used Camp Chef Competition Blend). That brought back the traditional pellet flavor, but the charcoalesque flavor became undetectable by my palate, so it wasn't really worth it.
My final verdict: Pass. They burn fine, there is the charcoalesque flavor hints, but at the cost of other flavors. Plus, they are messy, making your hands black on contact. I've been very happy with Camp Chef pellets in general (which I can get at a local ranch supply store), but I likely won't be buying the charwood pellets again.
The picture shows the charwood pellets alongside Camp Chef Comp Blend. I didn't take pictures of any of the food results because the meat looks exactly like it would when cooking with regular pellets.
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I tried the B&B Jack Daniels charcoal pellets, and found exactly the same thing. Not much smoke flavor, I didn't even notice a charcoal taste. I will work them off in long brisket cooks, after I wrap....
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This is pretty much what I expected. I don't believe that charcoal was ever meant to be used in a forced air environment. It simply burns too fast to impart any charcoal flavoring.
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ScottE, thanks for sharing. I don’t foresee even trying these myself based upon your, Ross77 and bten’s feedback. Plus, I’ve pretty much convinced myself that I’m only using CookinPellets from here on unless there’s a pinch. I have had so much dust in every other brand bought from all kinds of sources and the few bags of CookinPellets Ive used have zero dust let alone no bark, oak or adler, that I’m convinced they’re worth the price. I swear there was over a pound of dust in the bottom of my last traeger bag, let alone what made it into the hopper.
If I want charcoal flavor, I’ll light the Weber. I don’t see it going anywhere.
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This was pretty much my opinion of the Lumberjack Charblend, really Little, if any charcoal flavor, never ordered them again.
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love this place...thanks for sharing your insight
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I too tried the LJ pellets with nothing to write home about. I didn't offer any additional flavor and it does get the fingers dirty. I'll stick with the other LJ 100% flavors.
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Question: I sometimes struggle with high temps on my Traeger Pro--It doesn't like to go much over 400. Would these allow hotter temps? Thanks!
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Question: I sometimes struggle with high temps on my Traeger Pro--It doesn't like to go much over 400. Would these allow hotter temps? Thanks!
What brand and wood type of pellets have you been using?
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Question: I sometimes struggle with high temps on my Traeger Pro--It doesn't like to go much over 400. Would these allow hotter temps? Thanks!
What brand and wood type of pellets have you been using?
Variety of things, but I'm lucky if I can get over 410-415 with anything. All fresh pellets, cleaned out firepot, closed lid without peeking.
- CookinPellets 100% Hickory
- Lumberjack 100% Pecan
- Traeger Cherry
- Traeger Hickory
- Traeger MHC
Had an air leak a few years ago when I first got the pit, and couldn't get over ~375, but that's long fixed.
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I can understand the Traeger pellets being an issue, but not the 100% hickory. Is everything working properly with the fan blowing air into the fire pot?
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Pretty sure it is working properly.
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For what it's worth, I had a Traeger Lil Tex for 5 years and found the only time I could obtain 400º or if lucky, 415º, was when the pit was empty, no to little wind and above ~ 60º ambient..For the most part,
anything 325º and under was easily attained...At 375º and up, I felt the pit was struggling..I wouldn't use it in the Winter for that reason...Didn't seem to matter what pellets were used.
There is a restrictor in the auger, that if removed will allow for more pellet flow (Pro22). The 34 doesn't have it..If removed, more pellets will be delivered to the pot = faster warm-up and higher
temps..However there is a price to pay. That is smoke and low temps won't be as controllable. The 34's burn-pot has two more holes to maximize combustion.. If your Pro is a 34, you are not alone with
heating issues that to my knowledge, there is no fix for. :2cents:
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It is indeed a 34. Thanks, Canadian John :clap: for confirming, and Thanks, Bar-B-Lew :clap: for trying to help me.
So back to original question--in my problematic Pro34, will these burn any hotter than just wood pellets?
Thanks!
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Unless you have 100% hickory or oak I don't think anything will burn hotter than that.