Pellets of choice

FYI,

Traeger actually has two plants from what I remember. Don't quote me I haven't looked into this in over a year or so.

The Pacific NW plant uses alder as a base, and they have a 2nd (in Alabama?) that uses Oak or Hickory as a base.

Just don't go for the alder based stuff.

As for pellet flavor, I know some that just about love and hate every brand out there. it's SUCH a personal opinion. Let's see what people jump in and say.

Most folks burn a blended pellet for BTU,ash,etc.

As stickburners may burn 70% oak for heat and 30% flavorwood.

Traegar,out in the NW where alder is a predominate wood,will use it as the base.

Traegar,east of the Mississippi,uses the 70% oak and 30% flavor.

There are companies that sell several 100% flavor woods pellets,to use in bbq grills or add to your regular pellet blends.

I could be wrong,but I don't believe CS has any 100% flavor pellets.

Our understanding is they are oak/hickory.

As Smokin' says,the alder flavor/aroma is a little strange to many of us in the south and west.

The folks that smoke a lot of fish in the NW,seem to live for it.

BBQer's Delight.... the BEST for sure in my opinion. It was night and day difference when I began using these. Meat absorbs lots more smoke flavor, very efficient, etc.

Just my 2 cents...

Stu
Stu's Q BBQ

While I am not a fan of the Traeger pellets, I have used both Fast Eddy's and BBQer's Delight. And not to muddy the water, but I have not seen a great deal of difference in between the two on their blended hickory pellets. BD does have more flavors available than FE if that is what you are looking for. I can't have too many flavors around. It makes my head hurt trying to decide what goes with what!

Well i have used Traeger NW pellets for 15 + years and my Traegers never had a choice, nothing else around and they worked great, especially on Salmon as noted, Since moving to florida and getting a FEC-100, 20 bags BD and 4 bags Traeger SW, Flavor seems the same between same kind, different brand, regardless of filler content, but the amazing thing to me was the 60% less pellet usage on the FEC over my old COM 200 or even my current 075's, man the FEC is cost effective. I am getting on the frequent order program CS has and will order a pallet of their pellets to see how they work,$, usage, flavor and ash. They are the Cheapest price i have found and thats great. I use Apple 50%, Hickory 20%, and Oak 30%, mixed up inlayers and shaken in a 30 trash can.

Thansk for this info, BBQer's Delight looks like something i want to use. I should mention that i live up in Canada, in Saskatchewan and i'm about to open a restaurant using a FEC500. I have a good deal worked out on traeger pellets(being that the warehouse is located in my city) but i have never been really happy with the smoke flavor i get from these pellets. I was thinking is was due to a higher amount of alder and not enough hickory. I have found a cheaper pellet distributor but their blend is 60% Alder, 40% hickory. I wanted to try a 100% hickory pellet and see if i taste a difference. Does anyone know of any distributors in canada that offers a 100% hickory pellet? looking to order many pallets at a time.

Just a guess,but there are probably a number of mills making pellets for heat systems.

It would usually benefit them,to make from the cheapest most available wood source.

I'd email Fast Eddy,at Cookshack,since he developed the cookers,and sets them for volume restaurants and chains.

His new pellet grill is also being made in Canada,I believe.

He could advise,steer,and answer the questions about your particular cooker.

Schryers.. I see you here! Wow.. a FEC-500! I can't wait to see that one.

I talked to these guys out west about an FEC and 2000 lbs of hickory pellets. If you notice, the american side is much, much cheaper with free shipping no less, while we pay $1/lb for pellets. Call them and talk to them. They were willing to deal pretty good when I called them and got a bunch of info from them. If you are ordering pallets, i can't see them not being able to give you a discount on that volume.

http://www.thewestcoaststore.com/cookshack_ca.html

The only place in Canada that I have found that sells the FEC cookers.. besides BBQ Galore in Ontario.

Thanks for the info sksmoker, we've actually ordered our smoker through the west coast store, Hans is a great guy to work with. We should have the smoker in by the end of April, hoping to open up in May sometime. Looking into some other pellets, just most companies are either unwilling or unable to tell me the actual wood to binder percentages in their pellets.

Good to hear guys. Let me know how you make out with that purchase. I am looking into a FEC-100 in the next 6 months, so whatever the turnout is, please keep us updated. West Coast was really good to deal with, I agree.

I will be calling Hans monday, but in the meantime:
Does anyone know if his bulk pellets are 100% flavorwood?
Specifically, is hickory 100% hickory, cherry 100% cherry, etc.

Thanks,

TIM

Yep,one of the downsides ,sometimes,of dealing with an internet seller,is you are speaking to the minimum wage kid that is reading off the computer screen.

They may not know a cooker from a pool pump,or chlorine tablets.

One of the other reasons it is handy to deal with the manufacturer/plant is you get direct answers from someone that works with that product as their life.

Also,is there a reason to want to buy bulk 100% flavor pellets.

Just had a good phone discussion with Hans.

Their bulk pellets are Traeger with a Oak base wood.

Seems to be a good price for blended pellets for those who do not have local access.

I burn pure flavor pellets for the intensity of smoke flavor.
Just one more element of control over the flavor and finish of the product.

TIM

Well Tom, considering dealing with an American company isn't an option for most of us up here, it is the next best thing.

Cookshack is poorly represented up here and pellet access is almost as hard as finding cooking hardwood.

There are only two places within 4000 kilometers that even know what a FEC smoker is, so while you guys have the option, we typically don't. You guys don't know how good you have it

Bulk pellets are murder for shipping, and while a resident in the USA get's FREE shipping on 160 lbs of pellets from west coast and free shipping on the FEC 100, for example. Us Canadians don't get those perks even remotely, and we pay twice as much for the same pellets.

Yessir,that's why these discussions are helpful,as well as going into the archives,for folks that might be using the search function.

The questions about "why 100% flavor pellets" allow folks to consider the possible much lower BTU s,heavy ash,high cost,heavier pellet use,etc.

That way,we all learn some.

Call Dansons in Alberta and see what they have to say 877-303-3134. I know they have all flavors but I don't know if they sell direct or through dealers. They should be able to tell you though.

Talked to Danson, the carry Backwoods pellets, and like the
Traeger they are a mix of Alder 60-70%, and 30-40% flavorwood. ALOT CHEAPER!!! If your in Canada call them, they'll give you a great wholesale deal on pellets, $10.95CDN per 20lb bag. I think we'll be ordering in alot of these, any one in the saskatoon SK area, stop by our restaurant in May, we should be all set up by then and likely will be selling bags of these pellets, cheaper then any local traeger distributer!

Well this should make for a good archived thread in the future

Schryers.. You guys are going with Backwoods then? Are you guys going to have any pellets before may? My fec comes in the middle of April.

Sometimes it doesn't hurt to get the guy that designs the cookers,and the company that builds,and stands behind them into the conversation.

Great to have some of our international fellow cooks to help us get even more info.

The Cookshack Nation is something hard to find elsewhere.

there should be some type of FEC gathering somewhere, where we could all meet up and see each others setups. Pellet exchange's could be worked in as well

CS has FEC classes a couple times a year,to work with the plant,interact with many owners,be taught by great cooks,etc.

They also credit the cost of the class towards your purchase of an FEC.

Takes a couple days,and you have folks you can work with for years.

Or come to a major cookoff, stateside, and you'll find lots of us,willing to share.

Take a vacation to Florida and plan in a weekend cookoff.

We'll have more FEC s than the CS plant.

If I could find a way to drive 7000 miles round trip, with my FEC in tow, I have good friends that live in Tampa.

Perhaps I will just leave the smoker at home and bring my friend. Flying is much quicker for me.. The wives can stay back in Tampa :0

Yep,lots of folks make a winter vacation/cookoff combo trip.

Plenty of FEC s in the Tampa area.

quote:

Originally posted by sksmoker:
If I could find a way to drive 7000 miles round trip, with my FEC in tow, I have good friends that live in Tampa.

Perhaps I will just leave the smoker at home and bring my friend. Flying is much quicker for me.. The wives can stay back in Tampa :0

I'm a lot closer being in NC and you'd find me to be very friendly too if you showed up towing an FEC. I'm sure with pig pickin' season picking up here we could put it to good use.