Table of Contents
11 of the Best Wood Pellets for a Smoker
If you are an avid barbecuer, you know that the quality of your smoked meats greatly depends on the type of wood pellets you use. Different types of wood pellets have different flavor profiles. Choosing the right one for your smoker is crucial for achieving that delicious smoky taste that makes your mouth water. In this comprehensive guide, we will dive into the world of wood pellets and help you choose the best wood pellets for a smoker.
Understanding Wood Pellets
Wood pellets are small, compact cylinders made from sawdust and other wood shavings. They are compressed together under high pressure to form pellets. They come in a variety of different types. Each type of wood has its own unique flavor profile that it imparts to your smoked meats. The most common types of wood pellets used for smoking are mesquite, hickory, apple, cherry, maple, and oak.
When it comes to smoking, the type of wood you use can greatly affect the taste of your meats. Mesquite, for example, has a strong, robust flavor that is perfect for beef and game meats. Hickory, on the other hand, has a sweet, smoky flavor that works well with pork and poultry. Apple, cherry, and maple are milder in flavor and are ideal for fish, chicken, and vegetables.
You can also mix and match different types of wood pellets to create your own flavor profile. Some brands even sell their own wood pellet combinations to save you the hassle of experimenting yourself.
Choosing the Best Wood Pellets for Pellet Grill
When choosing wood pellets for your smoker, there are a few key factors to consider:
- Flavor: Choose a wood pellet that complements the flavor of the meat you are smoking. As mentioned earlier, each wood type pairs well with certain meat types.
- Burn Time: Consider the burn time of the wood pellets. Some types of wood pellets, such as mesquite, have a much shorter burn time than others, like oak.
- Price: Wood pellets vary in price, depending on the type and brand. Consider your budget when choosing the best wood pellets for your smoker.
- Availability: Make sure the wood pellets you choose are readily available in your area. Some types of wood pellets, such as mesquite, are not always easy to find.
Wood Pellet Pairings When Smoking Meat
Here are our top picks for the best wood pellet pairings:
- Mesquite: This wood pellet has a strong, robust flavor that works well with beef and game meats. It has a short burn time, so it is best used in combination with other wood pellets.
- Hickory: This wood pellet has a sweet, smoky flavor that pairs well with pork and poultry. It has a medium burn time, so it is perfect for longer smokes.
- Apple: This wood pellet has a mild, sweet flavor that is ideal for fish, chicken, and vegetables. It has a medium burn time and is a great all-around choice for any type of smoke.
- Cherry: This wood pellet has a mild, fruity flavor that complements poultry, fish, and vegetables. It has a medium burn time and is a popular choice among smokers.
- Maple: This wood pellet has a mild, sweet flavor that works well with poultry, fish, and vegetables. It has a medium burn time and is a great all-around choice for any type of smoke.
- Pecan: Pecan wood pellets have a sweet and nutty flavor that suits poultry exceptionally well. Also can be blended with other wood types when smoking poultry.
- Oak: This wood pellet has a mild, neutral flavor that works well with any type of meat. It has a long burn time, making it perfect for longer smokes.
Our 11 favorite wood pellets for pellet grills
These are our top picks. We chose wood pellets that burn hot, clean, and have great smoke flavor. Every wood pellet brand and wood type produces different levels of smoke and heat. So you will need to experiment a little to find what suits you the best.
1. Traeger Grills Signature Blend 100% All-Natural Wood Pellets
Transform your BBQ game with the rich and flavorful taste of Traeger Grills Signature Blend 100% All-Natural Wood Pellets. These wood pellets are made from a blend of 100% natural hardwoods. Included in the blend are hickory, cherry, and maple. This blend provides a delicious smoky taste that can only be found in premium BBQ pellets.
These pellets are perfect for creating mouthwatering meals that will impress your friends and family. So why settle for bland, generic pellets when you can elevate your BBQ to a whole new level with Traeger Grills Signature Blend pellets?
2. BEAR MOUNTAIN Premium BBQ WOODS 100% All-Natural Hardwood Pellets – Gourmet Blend
Bear Mountain Premium BBQ Woods’ gourmet blend brings authentic wood-fired flavor to your food. This blend has a carefully selected blend of hardwoods that will infuse your food with the natural taste of smoke. Bear Mountain’s gourmet blend includes a mix of hickory, mesquite, cherry, and apple woods.
Bear Mountain pellets are made from 100% pure, all-natural hardwoods, without any added chemicals or fillers. So why settle for flavorless gas grill cooking when you can have the authentic taste of wood-fired grilling?
3. Recteq Ultimate Blend Premium Hardwood Pellets
Recteq Ultimate Blend is specially crafted for a perfect smoking experience. This top-quality blend delivers a combination of flavors and smoke that delivers an unforgettable experience.
The Ultimate Blend uses hardwoods such as hickory, mesquite, and cherry that create an unbeatable flavor profile. These premium hardwoods work together to create a rich, bold taste that elevates your grilling to the next level.
The Reqteq Ultimate Blend delivers a consistent smoke output. This ensures your food is infused with the perfect amount of smoke every time. This blend provides a long and steady burn, giving you the ideal conditions to cook your food to perfection.
4. Lumber Jack Competition Blend BBQ Pellets
Take your grilling game to the next level with the Lumber Jack Competition Blend BBQ Pellets. This blend has a unique combination of premium hardwoods that will infuse your food with unbeatable flavor and aroma. These Lumber Jack Pellets are a blend of hardwoods chosen for their specific characteristics.
This blend contains a mixture of Maple, Hickory, and Cherry woods. The results of this blend produce an unbeatable flavor profile that will elevate your smoking experience.
With these Lumber Jack Competition Blend pellets, you can smoke with confidence. The pellets are designed to produce consistent smoke so your meat is cooked perfectly every time. Plus, these pellets are made from all-natural hardwoods so you don’t have to worry about ingesting any harmful chemicals.
5. Pit Boss Whiskey Barrel Blend Hardwood Pellets
Add a bold, smoky flavor to your food with Pit Boss Whiskey Barrel Blend Hardwood Pellets. These pellets are made from reclaimed whiskey barrel staves and are 100% oak.
With the Pit Boss Whiskey Barrel Blend Hardwood Pellets, you get an intense smoky flavor that will elevate any dish. Designed for low and slow cooking these pellets will add depth and complexity to your meals.
Not only do these pellets taste amazing, they are also environmentally conscious. Made from reclaimed whiskey barrel staves, they reduce waste and make use of materials that would otherwise go to landfills. Plus, with no binding agents or fillers, they are a natural, chemical-free choice for your grill.
6. CookinPellets Perfect Mix Pellets
CookinPellets Perfect Mix Pellets are a premium blend of 100% hardwood pellets. Contains a perfect mix of premium hardwoods that give the ideal balance of taste, aroma, and smoke for any type of grilling or smoking. The Perfect Mix blend has a Hickory base with Cherry, Hard Maple, and Apple mixed in.
These pellets are designed to bring a rich, bold flavor to your grilled meats, poultry, and fish. This versatile blend of premium hardwoods allows you to smoke and grill a variety of foods with consistent results every time.
Whether you are a seasoned pit master or just starting out, you’ll love the consistent, top-quality performance of CookinPellets Perfect Mix Pellets. These pellets will take your smoking game to the next level.
7. Louisiana Grills Competition Blend Pellets
Transform your outdoor cooking game with the Louisiana Grills Competition Blend Pellets. This special blend of premium wood pellets is made from the finest hardwoods, including cherry, hickory, and maple. This blend creates a rich and smoky flavor that will make your BBQ taste like it was made by a pro.
Louisiana Grills BBQ Pellets burn hotter and cleaner than other types of wood pellets. The pellets are made of 100% natural hardwoods with no artificial flavors, spray scents, glues, or chemicals added.
The pellets are held together with complex polymers of aromatic alcohol which is found in the wood. Louisiana Grills sources their raw wood in North America to make a superior product. Is safe for use in all brands of pellet grills.
8. Jim Beam Bourbon Barrel Barbecue Smoker Oak Cooking Pellets
Jim Beam Bourbon Barrel Barbecue Smoker Oak Cooking Pellets bring the rich and smoky flavor of Jim Beam Bourbon straight to your grill. These high-quality oak pellets are designed to work with any wood pellet smoker. They add that classic bourbon flavor to your favorite meats. The smoky and smooth flavors of bourbon fuse well with beef, chicken, pork, and seafood.
These pellets are made out of 100 percent all-natural oak, including the Jim Beam Barrels. No need for soaking or worrying about the mess, these oak pellets are 100% natural and produce a consistent smoky flavor every time.
Rest assured that there are no artificial flavors added to get that true flavor of bourbon. These bourbon barrel pellets are made directly from bourbon barrels from Kentucky. You can grill, smoke, barbecue, bake, roast, or braise your food to perfection.
9. Oklahoma Joe’s Competition Blend Wood Pellets
Oklahoma Joe’s Competition Blend Wood Pellets are perfectly blended with natural hardwoods and fruit woods. This blend is made from Hickory, cherry, maple, and oak wood. The pellets deliver a bold and savory flavor that will make your meats taste as if they came straight from a competition pit.
These premium wood pellets are made from 100% natural hardwoods. This means these pellets are durable, efficient, and sustainable. No matter the use these pellets will always produce consistent and delicious results.
Oklahoma Joe’s Competition Blend Wood Pellets are compatible with most grills and smokers. So no matter what type of grill you have, you can enjoy the bold and savory flavor that these pellets bring to your meats. These food-grade pellets enhance the flavor of beef, chicken, pork, fruit, and vegetables.
10. Jack Daniel’s Smoking BBQ Pellets
Experience the true taste of Tennessee whiskey in every bite with Jack Daniel’s Smoking BBQ Pellets. Made from real whiskey barrel oak and infused with the iconic flavor of Jack Daniel’s, these pellets will take your grilling game to the next level. The flavor comes from the blend of Pecan, Hickory, Sugar Maple, and Oakwood.
These pellets are flavor wood blended with oak. This gives you a consistent, clean fire for your pellet-burning cooker and plenty of great smoke flavor for your food. Plus, this particular flavor is made with Jack Daniel’s premium mellowing charcoal for enhanced Old No.7 Brand Tennessee Whiskey flavor!
This blend produces high BTU, clean-burning, low-ash, and moisture fuel for your pellet grill. Some have found that they like to use this product in the same way as wood chips for BBQ smoking flavor.
11. Knotty Wood Almond Cabernet Cooking BBQ Grilling Pellets
Knotty Wood Almond Cabernet Cooking Pellets are the ideal choice for your next BBQ. Infused with the rich, nutty flavor of almonds and the robust taste of Cabernet wine, these pellets add a delicious touch to your food.
Knotty Wood Barbecue Company crafts the first and only 100% Pure Plum Wood and Almond BBQ pellets for your pellet grill. The wood and wine are sourced from California’s Central Valley vineyards and almond groves. The company is family-owned and operates out of Woodland, CA. All wood is locally sourced and grown by real farmers.
These pellets contain No oils, additives, or substitutes. This blend creates a distinctly mild, nutty, sweet flavor that is perfect for all meats, seafood, poultry, veggies, and more. Due to its high density, almond wood pellets burn hotter and 20% longer than other types of wood.
Wood Pellet FAQ
What is the difference between heating pellets and smoking pellets?
Heating pellets are wood pellets made for a pellet stove and used to produce heat. These types of pellets are typically a lot cheaper than smoking pellets. So if you see a really good price on wood pellets just make sure to check they are for smoking.
Since the intention is just as a heat source the wood used to make heating pellets can contain chemicals and insecticides. So any type of wood can be used and is not necessarily food-safe wood.
Smoking pellets are made from food-safe hardwoods. As mentioned earlier they are a bit more expensive than heating pellets.
Do You Have to Use the Same Brand of Pellet as Your Grill?
Most companies that sell pellet grills also sell their own brand of wood pellets. Many believe that they can only use wood pellets that are made by their pellet grill manufacturer. They believe this because some brands state that other pellets can harm the grill and it will void the warranty. But there are actually laws that prevent these companies from enforcing this.
It’s up to you if you want to keep buying the same brand of pellets as the grill. We have used other brands’ pellets with no issues for years. As long as you use good-quality pellets and store them properly there should be no reason why you can’t experiment with other brands.
How Long Do Wood Pellets Last in a Smoker?
There are many factors that could affect how many pellets your grill uses. But in normal and average conditions your pellet grill will use anywhere from one to three pounds of pellets per hour.
However, as we stated there are many factors involved, and here are some of the most popular ones:
- Cold temperatures and wind can make you burn more pellets as the weather is cooling off your grill.
- Type of wood. Different types of wood have different burn rates. So you may go through more pellets of a certain type of wood than another.
- The size of the meat you are smoking can also be a factor. Large cuts of meat can use more pellets than smaller cuts. This is due to the meat bringing down the internal temperature of the grill.
Do Wood Pellets Need to be Soaked Before Use?
The answer to this question is a resounding NO. Wood pellets do not need moisture and as mentioned earlier can ruin your pellets and your pellet grill. Smoking pellets are made from sawdust and soaking them breaks down their composition. This causes the wood pellets to expand and start to disintegrate. If you use pellets that have been exposed to water then you run a risk of clogging your grills auger. So please don’t soak your wood pellets in water.
How to Safely Store Your Wood Pellets?
It may seem unimportant, but proper storage is essential for maximizing your wood pellet’s performance. You want to prevent moisture and keep it in an airtight container to maintain freshness. If moisture gets into your pellets it will cause them to expand and potentially ruin them and your pellet grill if used.
The simplest and cheapest way is to store your pellets in a 5-gallon bucket like they sell at Lowe’s and Home Depot. Just make sure to buy a lid as well to keep your pellets covered. If you want something a little fancier and easier to use check out our guide on wood pellet storage ideas.
Final Thoughts on the Best Wood Pellets for a Smoker
There is a lot more to smoking meat than just firing up a grill and setting the temperature to low. You have to know what types of pellets go well with certain types of food. You also need to consider how hot the pellets burn so you can adjust cook times.
Buying universal blends like those featured above makes smoking meat much easier. They have already done the experimenting for you so all you have to do is choose what you feel matches your preferences the most. Keep any of the pellet blends above on hand and you will have delicious tender smoked meat anytime you want.
If you like this best wood pellets for a smoker article and would like to refer back to it just save THIS PIN to your Wood Pellets or Pellet Grill Pinterest board to refer back to this guide.
Check out these related posts:
There is perceptibly a bundle to realize about this. I think you made certain nice points in features also.