Pellet grill recommendations?

[ZZ13]

It's not as direct as it looks in my pictures. First I put a foil pan of water or apple cider then I load up 1/4 of the grill with charcoal and light it. Before I put the meat on, I use the lid and vents to lower the temp to around 250. Then I put the meat on and add soaked wood chips (usually cherry or apple wood for pork and poultry) and put the lid back on. I control the temp with the vents and add wood chips every 15 minutes for the first 2 hours of the cook. The meat stops taking smoke at that point. Then I keep the temp low until it is at the desired temp/doneness. It kills my pellet friend (especially the one with the $2,500 rig) that my ribs always blow theirs out of the water. I learned from my Dad and have passed it along to my sons.

To compare notes, I lay out a half circle of lump charcoal on one side against the edge of the grate. I put two wood blocks near the start of the burn about an inch or two apart. I don’t soak the wood anymore. I light up the starter coals separately then dump them onto the starting end of the charcoal half circle. I let that go for a few minutes with the lid off to make sure the coal burning train starts up. Then water pan goes in next to the coals. Top grate and meat go on and close up the lid. That goes 4 hours. I don’t touch it at all for the four hours. Then lid comes off and I add more coals if needed. Usually I do. I don’t add anymore wood.

 

[Skybolt]

It's not as direct as it looks in my pictures. First I put a foil pan of water or apple cider then I load up 1/4 of the grill with charcoal and light it. Before I put the meat on, I use the lid and vents to lower the temp to around 250. Then I put the meat on and add soaked wood chips (usually cherry or apple wood for pork and poultry) and put the lid back on. I control the temp with the vents and add wood chips every 15 minutes for the first 2 hours of the cook. The meat stops taking smoke at that point. Then I keep the temp low until it is at the desired temp/doneness. It kills my pellet friend (especially the one with the $2,500 rig) that my ribs always blow theirs out of the water. I learned from my Dad and have passed it along to my sons.

That sounds amazing. I have done that exact same thing with gas grills. But can't beat charcoal.

 

[highslice]

That sounds amazing. I have done that exact same thing with gas grills. But can't beat charcoal.

I have a smoke box I use in my gas grill for when I don't have 4-6 hours to devote to smoking. It works fine, but it just isn't the same...

 

[Nater Potater]

Let me know how it goes and if you come up with any improvements

Well, it was a roaring success! That was even with missing the paprika. Next time...
After brining, the thighs went on the Traeger set at 275ºF, using apple pellets as fuel. An hour later, after remembering to utilize my spiffy wireless thermometer, they were already at 180ºF!

'Backing the Traeger down to the "Smoke" setting, I left them to simmer for another hour while preparing the rest of the meal. They dropped back down to 170º during that time. Not to worry, as they never looked as if they might be overdone.

We started with 10 between the four of us, and were left with 4. 'Good thing, too; they'll make some killer chicken sandwiches later.

 

[OllieC]

Found the pick of the slow smoked Weber Lakers. I did an overnight brown sugar and salt dry brine.

 

[highslice]

Found the pick of the slow smoked Weber Lakers. I did an overnight brown sugar and salt dry brine.

View attachment 152563

That looks awesome.