Can I really smoke on a 500 or 1000 grill?

Of course you can. Since they have other smokers, they just mainly list them as grills.

With the layout, the zones as you'll see referred to here, they work great as smokers. Because of the layout (smoke comes out of the left, up/over the meat, down and then out the vent) they do a great job.

Only issue is capacity. If you're doing a LOT of meat, you'll be limited. But I can do three racks of ribs or two butts (some do more but I like more free space around my pork) and brisket as well.

Any specific questions?

Not that it is a problem with my smoked meat...but you have stated that you can't get enough smoke flavor on the 025 to make you happy?

Pellet grills/smokers have a lighter, different flavor profile, so if your buying the grill for just a smoker you may want to taste some meat off of a pellet smoker, just a thought!

quote:

Originally posted by cal:
Not that it is a problem with my smoked meat...but you have stated that you can't get enough smoke flavor on the 025 to make you happy?

Pellet grills/smokers have a lighter, different flavor profile, so if your buying the grill for just a smoker you may want to taste some meat off of a pellet smoker, just a thought!

I have gotten a decent smoke flavor from the 025, but not consistently. I know that a lot of CS users like to make a detailed art out of smoking, but I have been happy in the past with the more automated way of smoking and I feel that I have had very good results. My neighbor has an FEC100 and I have had some brisket that he cooked in it, but I have not eaten enough smoked meats from the FEC100 to have an opinion one way or the other. He has eaten ribs that I cooked in my 025 that he said was good, but I thought they were just so so. Everyone has different taste and I am sure if he thought they were terrible he would not have said so.

I have both the FEC100 and PG500. I feel that the smoke profile may be a little heavier with the grill, but with the controllable pellet feed, you can add or subtract from the smoke profile.

I use the grill a lot more then I thought I would, like Smokin' said, 3 racks of ribs fit real well. It is my understanding that CS has a rib rack that can be used on it.

Any other questions on the grill?

My next door neighbor just called me to come over and sample his pulled pork that he smoked on the FEC100. I have to say he deserved an A. He had it seasoned very close to they way I like it and the smoke flavor was just right for me.

I can't justify the expense of a FEC100 but I think I can bring myself to spring for the 500 grill. I would rather have the 1000 just because the top is insulated (at least that is what I was told), but that is probably getting outside of the price range I would be comfortable spending. Maybe they will come out with an insulating blanket for the 500 some day. I have seen other brands that had insulating blankets.

i've got both an electric cookshack and a pg500.
there's definitely a learning curve to get YOUR desired result.

i can get a pretty tasty pork butt out of either. i also can't accurately judge level of smoke at the end of a cook because i've become desensitized by that time. on the other hand, i can definitely taste it the next day on the leftovers. my SO ends up being the arbiter on cook day because she hasn't been standing in smoke all day.

i'm guessing that your next door neighbor has had his FEC100 long enough to dial in his technique for his desired flavor profile.

given a choice between the PG500 and my SM066 for a big overnight cook, the SM066 wins hands down since there's simply less handholding involved.

if you do get a 500, definitely consider the local price of good pellets. the lower consumption of the 1000 at higher temps definitely has a $$ impact.

i would definitely spend some more time practicing w/ your 025 since there's no instant gratification if you order a PG500 today.

I have an SM150 which I use for my commercial work, an FE100 which I use for my contest work, and FEPG500 which I use for home/contest/commercial work. In addition I have a large Green Egg, and a Weber kettle. I very seldom, if ever use the Weber and wonder why I keep it. My wife gave me the egg for my birthday and I have used it 3 times in 7 months since I got it, as the FEPG500 arrived a week later.

I did give away a Traeger “Lil Tex” once the pellet grill arrived and have not missed it in the least. I also know why I keep the green egg!

All that being said, I can get enough smoke on the SM150 that will leaving you burping for days and, with proper control, I can come close to this on the FEPG. The FE100 is virtually automated and the smoke is what you get and it is a good blend and very acceptable to guests as well as judges.

If circumstances were such that I had to make a choice among all of the smoker/cookers I own, then you would have to pry the FEPG500 out of my cold dead hands. I absolutely cannot say enough about the capabilities and functionality of this unit.

Pellet consumption is a big deal and can be very costly but the FEPG is very efficient with the consumption and as you learn how to control it, this goes down as well. I have been using the FEPG as a warming oven for most of the summer and maintaining the temp at 170-200 for a 6 hour period each day. I do this twice every weekend and have used less than a 20 pound bag of pellets in the last month and a half. Now there are those that will say that since the ambient temp in Dallas has been in the mid 90’s, this is not saying much but it did this in the early part of the year when the temps were in the 40-50 range.

If you live in the frozen north, then by all means consider the insulated FEPG1000, but you have to ask, “Is the amount of snow I have to shovel worth the cook?”

I have a Charbroil infrared grill that runs off of natural gas.... in the winter the cold weather really affects it....and by cold I mean 30's to 40's.... much colder than that, I probably wont be cooking outside.

Cooking on a FEC100 and PG1000 here in Oklahoma year round.

I bought my PG1000 about 18 months ago, and have only used my SM020 twice since then, only for bigger volume cooks when I needed the space before I got my FEC100. So yes... it's a great smoker and grill!

Jump on over to my blog for a sampling of what can be done on the PG1000.

Dr. Nordy's BBQ

Don't quit smoking when temps fall below 30-40's! I've cooked on my PG1000, FEC100, and SM020 in 0 degree temps with snow and ice on the ground!

Nordy

quote:

Don't quit smoking when temps fall below 30-40's! I've cooked on my PG1000, FEC100, and SM020 in 0 degree temps with snow and ice on the ground!

HaHa.... there is two things I don't do below 30F.... ride motorcycles and cook outside.

Does the 500 have a meat probe that comes with it?

What does temp have to do with when you cook BBQ? Hey, this isn't Minnesota or the great white North.

If you don't plan on it, then the 500 is fine, if you WANT to do winter cooking (yeah, right 30 degrees is not winter, even with 30 MPH winds).

I don't play golf below 60 is about all I don't do.

You should come to Canada, I cook all year long even if its -20 !!

quote:

Originally posted by DeanOK:
Does the 500 have a meat probe that comes with it?

No, I buy a few Taylor probes at Target for around $15 a unit.

It does have a side opening to run the probe wires through.

I cook all year long even if it gets to the high 30's.

Why would anyone live where it freezes? Just curious!

quote:

Why would anyone live where it freezes? Just curious!

Why would anyone live where there's no food? .. when your born there,it's normal.

Actually, I was born in NC but got to Texas as fast as I could :-P

In winter, its cold all over Canada .. no where to run to get away from it, even if I wear my running boots