Humans have been cooking over fire since ancient times. For centuries, smoking meat has been a popular method of food preparation. But, in recent decades, technological advancements have made it easier than ever for more people to enjoy the art of smoking food at home.
As I’m sure you can guess, I’m referring to the invention of the pellet grill.
There are hundreds of options on the market today when it comes to finding the right grill or smoker to fit your needs. If you’re stuck between a traditional smoker and a pellet grill, then keep reading because I’m going to break down the key differences to help you decide which one is the best fit for you.
What is a smoker?
A smoker is a broad term for a cooking device that uses wood and smoke to cook food. There are many different styles of smokers, but these are some of the most popular ones.
Offset smoker: When you think of a traditional smoker, it’s likely an offset smoker comes to mind. An offset smoker has a firebox attached to a main cooking chamber. The firebox is offset from the chamber (hence the name) and burns the wood, then funnels the heat and smoke up through the cooking chamber and out the exhaust stack on the opposite side. Offset smokers are ideal for low and slow cooking styles.
Barrel smoker (or drum): Another popular style of traditional smoker is a barrel smoker, also sometimes called a drum smoker. They are fashioned from metal barrels, and the fire is started in the bottom of the barrel. The heat and smoke move up through the barrel and out an exhaust stack on the top. Barrels can be used for low and slow cooking but are also great when it comes to cooking hot and fast.
Charcoal grill/smoker: Most charcoal grills can also be used as a smoker as long as they have intake dampers that can be adjusted to keep the temperature low. From kettle-style charcoal grills to kamados, there are many options, and most can be used as a smoker with the right set up. Charcoal smokers are best suited for low and slow cooking, but they can also handle hot and fast cooking for certain dishes like chicken wings, sausages, burgers, or thinner cuts like pork chops and steaks.
What is a pellet grill?
A pellet grill is a grill that utilizes wood pellets as its fuel source but also requires electricity to regulate temperature and time during the cooking process.
A pellet grill works by feeding the wood pellets from the hopper to the fire pot through a rotating auger. As the pellets pass through the auger and into the fire pot, they are ignited, which generates both heat and smoke that is used to cook food in the cooking chamber.
Pellet smokers have built in thermometers that monitor and regulate the temperature in the smoker so you can keep a consistent temperature throughout the entire cook.
The biggest benefit of choosing a pellet grill over a traditional smoker is ease-of-use. Pellet grills are known for their “set it and forget it” abilities so that you can smoke food with a more hands-off approach.
Is a pellet grill a smoker?
You will find pitmasters on both sides of this argument, but at the end of the day the answer is yes. A pellet grill is a type of smoker.
Pellet grills can be used in the same way a traditional wood-burning smoker, but they can be used in other ways as well. Most pellet grill models can reach much higher temperatures than a traditional offset smoker, which will give you more flexibility in the types of food you can cook/grill on them.
Which is the right choice for you?
There are pros and cons to both styles of cookers, but the primary thing to think about when you are deciding between a traditional smoker and a pellet grill is how much effort you want to put into cooking and what style of cooking you plan to do.
It’s no secret that a pellet grill is easier to use than a traditional smoker. They regulate temperature electronically so you can enjoy a more hands-off cook. Additionally, you don’t need to continuously add wood splits to the fire to keep the temperature stable. A standard 20 lb bag of pellets in most pellet grills will last even through the longest cooks.
If you are someone who wants to enjoy the true craft of barbecue, then a traditional smoker is probably the right choice. You will have to put a lot more work into every cook, but you will be rewarded with the most prominent smoke flavor and bark quality.
If you want to smoke meat but don’t want to dedicate hours to babysitting a firebox, then a pellet grill is a great choice. You will be able to get a good smoke flavor without any of the hassle, plus pellet grills offer a lot of versatility and can be used as a smoker, a grill, and an oven all rolled into one. To check out some of our top choices for pellet grills, click here.
At the end of the day, it’s up to you! No matter what you choose, Bear Mountain has the pellets, chips and chunks to add top quality flavor to whatever you’re cooking and what you’re cooking on.