New to pellet smokers

[LanShark]

Hello

I've grilled for all of my adult life. Until 2004, it was strictly propane. At that point, I bought a Weber Performer kettle and seldom touched another gas grill. In 2014 I bought a Masterbuilt 30" electric smoker. I enjoyed using it and had a lot of luck with it - butts and turkey breasts, mostly. But I always envied those pics of smoke rings! Over the years I got too busy and the smoker sat in the backyard and rusted away. The Weber, on the other hand, seems to be built like a tank. Even though I don't use it much anymore, it's still in great shape.

Recently retired. My BIL just bought a Pro850 from Lowes and I was intrigued by it. So I've been watching for deals and I just found tabletops at Walmart on clearance. It's just me and the pup so I figured it would be big enough, at least to start. I bought one for myself and one for my son. Now I have something that should make those beautiful smoke rings I've seen pics of and read so much about. Cant wait to get some pork steaks or a butt on there!

 

[Mike From R.I.]

Welcome

 

[Dab_Smoke_810]

Welcome smoke on!!!

 

[Sparky]

Welcome to the group

 

[ANT0407]

Welcome from NH

 

[Steve In Pa]

Hello

I've grilled for all of my adult life. Until 2004, it was strictly propane. At that point, I bought a Weber Performer kettle and never touched another gas grill. In 2014 I bought a Masterbuilt 30" electric smoker. I enjoyed using it and had a lot of luck with it - butts and turkey breasts, mostly. But I always envied those pics of smoke rings! Over the years I got too busy and the smoker sat in the backyard and rusted away. The Weber, on the other hand, seems to be built like a tank. Even though I don't use it much anymore, it's still in great shape.

Recently retired. My BIL just bought a Pro850 from Lowes and I was intrigued by it. So I've been watching for deals and I just found tabletops at Walmart on clearance. It's just me and the pup so I figured it would be big enough, at least to start. I bought one for myself and one for my son. Now I have something that should make those beautiful smoke rings I've seen pics of and read so much about. Cant wait to get some pork steaks or a butt on there!

Happy retirement

 

[Redoctapus]

Happy retirement

Welcome to the forum. Enjoy the Smoke, it's addictive.... lol!

 

[LanShark]

Happy retirement

Thanks!

 

[Cowboy1955]

Hello

I've grilled for all of my adult life. Until 2004, it was strictly propane. At that point, I bought a Weber Performer kettle and never touched another gas grill. In 2014 I bought a Masterbuilt 30" electric smoker. I enjoyed using it and had a lot of luck with it - butts and turkey breasts, mostly. But I always envied those pics of smoke rings! Over the years I got too busy and the smoker sat in the backyard and rusted away. The Weber, on the other hand, seems to be built like a tank. Even though I don't use it much anymore, it's still in great shape.

Recently retired. My BIL just bought a Pro850 from Lowes and I was intrigued by it. So I've been watching for deals and I just found tabletops at Walmart on clearance. It's just me and the pup so I figured it would be big enough, at least to start. I bought one for myself and one for my son. Now I have something that should make those beautiful smoke rings I've seen pics of and read so much about. Cant wait to get some pork steaks or a butt on there!

Welcome to the group from Texas!!
Roll that smoke !

 

[primeone]

Welcome to the Pitboss Club @LanShark

 

[NewbieForLife]

Welcome. I'm new to pellet grilling. Im retired and moved to England. So far me and pellet grills are not having a great relationship and I don't like learning curves. But I'll trying again tomorrow with a 5.5 lb ham and hope it doesn't become a cinder again.

 

[Cowboy1955]

Welcome. I'm new to pellet grilling. Im retired and moved to England. So far me and pellet grills are not having a great relationship and I don't like learning curves. But I'll trying again tomorrow with a 5.5 lb ham and hope it doesn't become a cinder again.

Welcome to the group!!
Low and slow. Keep an eye on your internal temperature
Hopefully this helps you

 

[NewbieForLife]

Welcome to the group!!
Low and slow. Keep an eye on your internal temperature
Hopefully this helps you

Thanks Cowboy,

 

[LanShark]

Welcome. I'm new to pellet grilling. Im retired and moved to England. So far me and pellet grills are not having a great relationship and I don't like learning curves. But I'll trying again tomorrow with a 5.5 lb ham and hope it doesn't become a cinder again.

I agree that the learning curve can be kinda steep when you're used to charcoal or propane. But the rewards of pushing through it are definitely worth it, IMO.

Do you have something to monitor the internal temps? A decent "instant" read is pretty reasonable. A ThermoPro TP19H is about 14 bucks on Amazon right now. I have one and I like it. Even better is a thermometer that uses Wifi/Bluetooth that lets you monitor the items from your couch (or bed for an overnight smoke!) I have the Meater+ which I love, It was pricey, but you can certainly find cheaper.

Good luck! I'm certain you'll get the hang of it soon!!

 

[NewbieForLife]

I agree that the learning curve can be kinda steep when you're used to charcoal or propane. But the rewards of pushing through it are definitely worth it, IMO.

Do you have something to monitor the internal temps? A decent "instant" read is pretty reasonable. A ThermoPro TP19H is about 14 bucks on Amazon right now. I have one and I like it. Even better is a thermometer that uses Wifi/Bluetooth that lets you monitor the items from your couch (or bed for an overnight smoke!) I have the Meater+ which I love, It was pricey, but you can certainly find cheaper.

Good luck! I'm certain you'll get the hang of it soon!!

Thanks LanShark.
I always cooked on hardwood I cut up or scraps, and charcoal. But in England all the charcoal I've been able to find either burns too fast and is gone before it gets hot, or doesn't burn enough to get hot. Me thinks they have a problem gettoing the moisture content right in their charcoal and it was costing me a ton of money, so I jumped to a small pellet grill. (PB550). I wanted a RecTec 700, but had to get it shipped here myself, and didn't want to get stuck up without a gun, so I ordered a Pit Boss 550 grill that was available here in England and could be shipped right to me.
I have a thermometers you put the prong in the meat and can read the receiver from 300 feet away, I have the probe that came with the grill, and I have two analog meat thermometers. Tomorrow at daylight, I'll fire up the grill and bring it up to 350F, put one thermometer on the right and one in the center, and use the built in one on the left to find the grills uneven temp spots. That should help create less cinders.
I also found small (1-3kg) pieces of meat do not do well in the heat swirl of a pellet grill with over 8 inches square of grill space, and burn really fast. I also found one shelf has to be at least almost half full or the meat or it will burn to a cinder really quick. (In a boler that would say there is even heat distribution.) I have the PB550 and it has no stack. It has vents on the back and if you open them too far it will cool down due to heat loss and not cook in the time you set aside for, and if you don't open them enough it will get hot and make slag out of the meat, so I am working on several learning curves at once. I'll probably find a new learning curve tomorrow.