New owner here

I did three prime briskets using mesquite pellets from cookingpellets.com. They are 100% flavor wood. Tasted just like they were cooked on my stick burner.

Hi, welcome to Planet Pellet. I know coming from big sticks to little tiny sticks is a big jump, been there, done that. I will tell you as a judge I have marked down a whole lot more entries for over smoked taste than under. When you burp smoke flavor afterwords, you know it was too much. One of the things I noticed cooking on an FEC100 is that after I leave the event, get a shower than come back to the meat I cooked, I can really taste the smoke better. Sounds nuts but that's what I find.
Good luck and plan on spending a few evenings reading what others have posted on this site from day one, it sure served me well.

I completely agree with what ZBO said. Its just like I rather be slightly overdone on my ribs than slightly underdone.

I use a 50:50 blend (or close to it) of oak and pecan, and I've had good results. I love my mesquite, but many don't.

When switching from a stick burner to pellets, it takes a while to tell smoke from creosote, and then it gets good.

Two things to think about.

1. Pellet "flavor". The type of wood will impact the amount of smoke flavor. Some, like FF, go with a heavier smoking wood (like Mesquite which I'd never burn in a stick burner) to try to get a stronger "taste".

2. Method. Because you're burning mini-sticks, you just not putting out the amount of flavor that you go with your sticks. What most do is set the temp lower for the initial couple of hours (2,3,4) and then bump the temp up. You'll have to experiment with that.

quote:

Few of my competitors do well on them, so here I am lol I am on another board as a regular, so I cant post my other handle

Well now, what are you going to do at the contest when you cook on them and win? Still keeping a secret.

Just accept the fact that your a Pellet Head and there will always be "those people" who think what they think.

Funny, for years, no one in Oklahoma competed with them, but over the last 5 years, CS has sold a LOT of FE's to teams....

And someone sticking a Guru on a stick burner, complaining about pellet cookers is just as bad.

Welcome to the group!

Whoever you are

quote:

Originally posted by StlDoc:
I am on another board as a regular, so I cant post my other handle, you know the stick burner buddies of mine would razz me to death!

You're just going to have to man up and take the abuse I did when I bought my FEC. I was called everything from a pellet pooper to a cheater. They stopped when we started getting more calls at competitions

Thanks for all the replies! did try on second cook with bbqdelight pellets 2/3 mix 1/3 hickory set at 140 for 1 hour, then 180 and finished at 225, hint of smoke, and dry ribs, go figure, may have to cut a big hole in the back of the fec100 and add a firebox LOL

And yes, Im going to have to bite it and tell the guys I'm testing out a new rig LOL

StlDoc

Hey Doc, I see you found your way here! You won't get any better tips on cooking with your FE than what you'll find on this Forum. I spent plenty of time here when I first got mine. Good luck my friend.

And remember ... if it doesn't work out for ya, your ol' buddy Rick will take it off your hands! But, something tells me you're gonna keep it.

I'm doing a 20 butt cook Friday night over near Westport. If you want to bring your FE over we can throw some butts in her and talk techniques. Just a thought ...

Rick

Dang! Rick found me,,, gonna be all over the cicuit now! lol Well did my 4th cook on it in 2 weeks, tried using 100% flavor pellets at 150 for 1 hour then up to 225 for 4 didnt wrap just let em go. Dang ribs were almost perfect, juicy and good contest texture, good smoke flavor Sigh* may end up being a convert(shhh) lol

Thanks for the invite, but I have to go to Murpysboro contest on Friday, see my ole buddy Mike Mills, but keep me in mind for the next one! would love to learn more about this rig!

Doc

Glad to hear the cooks are going better for you, Doc. As with any smoker, it takes a little time to learn each smoker. Plus it always helps to have this forum here also. What a great resource this forum is!!!

So Doc, I'm guessing you're going to keep it afterall? I kinda figured you would.

Dang it, and here I was hoping you were going to sell it to me! Oh well, maybe next time.

If you haven't found anything cheaper locally pellet wise, I've got a 40 lb bag of cherry blend I can part with.

Rick