Buying BGE on Wednesday - anyone use pellets in one

JustLeft

After much research in the different types of smokers I have settled on the BGE. Over the years I have used a number of different smokers with varied results. My most memorable one was from a company called Southwest Outdoors Cooking (I believe) which I used for about two years. It was propane fueled and worked great until one day the propane leaked out around the burners and blew the doors off the unit. To say the least that got my attention (and my wife's). After that experience, I decided to buy something safer. So I purchased an electric Cookshack, which is the size of a small 2 cubic foot refrigerator. While I really like the Cookshack, it is not something I feel comfortable using in the rain - electricity and water just don't mix, and here in Ohio we have plenty of rain. Besides, after the propane explosion, I don't feel lucky. [p]So the BGE seems to be the best (and safest) choice. My question is that I have about 100 lbs of pellets that I used with the other smokers. I hate to throw this stuff away, and am wondering if anyone has had any luck using pellets in the BGE. I have alder, hickory, and mesquite pellets, all of which are safe for use with food. I am picking up the BGE on Wednesday and intend to start using it immediately. So do I toss the pellets or give them a try? If you have used pellets before, what was the best technique - wrapping them in foil, throwing them in the charcoal, or throwing them at the neighbors?

stike

JustLeft,
you won't want to power it with them, but you can certainly spread them throughout the lump for lo and slo cooks. i'd toss some in during a sear when cooking steaks too, since i'm a smoke-hound.[p]you'll use them up, trust me.

JustLeft

stike,
I was planning on buying a couple bags of the BGE lump charcoal and just using the pellets for smoking. Sounds like that might work. I am hesitant to toss these as I bought them after my wife tossed the 40lbs that I had bought previously - she thought they were food for my son's hamster that died. So she threw them all away. Never got an explanation from her how she thought that something that weighed a couple of ounces could eat 40lbs of food!

Flashback Bob

JustLeft,
Good question! I picked up some pellets on a whim (they were cheap, sample-like packages) and have yet to try them. Wood chips you throw right in, but the pellets sound like you need to foil 'em to do em right.[p]Like you, I'd like to hear if any here have used the pellets and what they think.[p]That said, I think I'll go check TNW's site and see if he covers the topic.

RRP

JustLeft,
LMAO - Thank you!

Sandbagger

JustLeft, I made this smoker tube a couple weeks ago. It's made from 1-1/2"X6", schedule 40, stainless plumbing parts and cost about $10. I drilled a bunch of 3/16" holes in both ends. I've used it once with oak pellets. I'm thinking it would be a nice way to add smoke flavor on the hot cooks, TRexing steaks and such.... It should last a long time, as it weighs about 2 pounds...[p]

[ul][li]http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v233/tvogds/smoke%20tube/?action=view&current=1166240815.pbw[/ul]

thirdeye

Sandbagger,[p]Geez Tom, it looks like a pipe bomb.[p]~thirdeye~

Sandbagger

thirdeye, ya I wanted to call it that, but one never knows when big brother in DC is listening.....LOL T

thirdeye

Sandbagger,[p]They haven't got us for smokin' fatties yet....[p]~thirdeye~

Sandbagger

thirdeye, now that is funny, thanks for the laugh...

Haggis

Sandbagger,[p]This brother in DC is listening and that's exactly what my reaction was. Hell, I hope you're not within a mile of a high school and haven't bought any fertilizer recently because all my friends down here will be after you soon! ;>)

dhuffjr

RRP,
That is pretty funny.[p]I call it the "its not mine it doesn't matter" principle. My stuff is junk. The baby crib, shadow box that hung on a wall in our old house 4 years ago amongst other of "her" items are good. My stacks upon stacks of books are junk as well as my other stuff. I like to play computer wargames. I used to play boardgames when I was in high school. I had bought and not played a bunch of ASL games that she wanted me to throw away since were were married. I sold the ASL stuff to a friend from work for several hundred dollars this year. She didn't complain about that.

JustLeft

Sandbagger,
That is a good idea. I may be able to get a few more tools out of this! Normally, my wife would be warning me not to buy any tools when I start a project. (I have been known to collect tools like Imelda Marcos collects shoes.) However, she is not suspecting that purchasing a smoker would be an opportunity to buy more tools. I should be able to at least get some hot titanium coated drill bits out of this.[p]This does look somewhat like an IED. With my history of blowing up one smoker, my wife may get uneasy if she sees me tossing this device in a new one. But hey, I am up for the challenge.[p]

JustLeft

dhuffjr,
My wife used to feel that way until she discovered one word - EBAY! She has sold what she perceived as some of my 'junk' and gotten a pretty penny from it. This includes cell phones, coffee makers, computer games, tools etc... Now I got to be careful where I leave my stuff or it may end up on a auction somewhere! The advantage of the BGE is that it is over 100 lbs, so she can't lift it up to put it in a box. The weight, in addition to it's size, makes it impossible for her to ship.

Sandbagger

JustLeft, cool never thought about calling it an IED. A word to the wise, you better clear the credit card balance cause this egg thing can be like 'a kid in a candy store' type adventure.....![p]Welcome aboard, Tom

fishlessman

JustLeft,
i use pecan pellets with turkey cooks. works fine. you will want to start buyng chunks though, skip the chips. the nice thing about the pellets is that you can add them thru the grate if you think your not getting enough smoke

thirdeye

<p />fishlessman,[p]You haven't done the fire tending/wood adding grate mod? Break out the grinder...[p]~thirdeye~

GriffinGaDawg

I thought of that exact, almost, same contraption last weekend while cooking and ran into the problem of applying smoke supplies to the fire. I thought a small trap "door" would have been a good idea so you wouldn't have the issue of meat/veggies falling through the hole. just create a little hinge, grate door and swing it up with the grate lifter when adding smoking wood. someone out there, much handier than I, can create and market this to the cult.

JustLeft

Sandbagger,
I have to go off the grid on this one so that my significant other doesn't get concerned. I can see what you mean. I ordered the BGE and I am finding a ton of stuff I should have ordered with it. Calling the store tomorrow.[p]

JustLeft

Flashback Bob,[p]TNW? What site is that? TIA.