After the pellets are loaded into the hopper, you can grill up your favorite foods with a simple touch of a button or turn of a knob. Many wood pellet smokers and grill models even include advanced pit boss pellets technologies that help you maintain precise, consistent temperatures every time you use it. Beginners and expert grillers alike love the versatility and ease that a wood pellet grill provides.
A few hot spots revealed themselves during our testing, but none that would preclude the grill from our list. It sears well, as most pellet grills do, but it doesn’t produce a hard crust. Bluetooth app connectivity and a feature-rich control panel make this a straightforward unit to operate. The features and performance balance the price, giving it good scores on our value rating. The second-generation EX4 aced our grilling, smoking, and baking tests with consistent and even heating. The EX4 has excellent heat control and (more importantly) retention, thanks to its porcelain enamel finish.
We pulled the best brisket of this test off the Copperhead 5-Series, which accomplishes the rare feat of making smoking simple. The glass door is a nice feature, allowing you to monitor things without opening it and losing heat. It is a double-edged sword, though, because we had to clean it after each use to see what was going on inside. When you read through the negative reviews for the Masterbuilt smokers you will see that both brands get very similar complaints. That really isn’t surprising given how similar the designs are between the brands.
From sweet and smokey to woody and classic BBQ, the type of wood that goes into your pellets can make a huge difference. And don’t forget to browse our BBQ sauces and rubs selection for even more mouthwatering flavor possibilities. The Kamado Joe Classic Joe Series II embodies all of those qualities. It’s a true combination grill-smoker that can handle any temperature from 150 to 700 F, while using less charcoal per cook than most non-Kamado grills. When we first fired it up to season the smoker, we took the opportunity to get familiar with setting the three air vents around the bottom, as well as the top vent, to hold a temperature.
Dry the jerky strips on paper towels to remove any excess marinade and either lay your jerky pieces across the metal racks of the smoker or use toothpicks and hang your strips. After drying the strips on paper towels, I slide one toothpick through one of the ends of each piece of jerky. Place the slices of beef to the side and assemble your jerky marinade. Simply combine all of the ingredients and mix until everything is fully incorporated. Once you have made your marinade, place the beef slices in your marinade and make sure they are covered evenly. Store the (completely cooled) smoked pulled pork in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days or freeze it for up to six months.
The best electric smokers maintain a consistent temperature without constant monitoring, damper adjustments, or additional wood chips. Although electric smokers are often billed as being space-savers, you’ll want to invest in one with plenty of room. Having multiple, roomy racks is crucial for proper airflow, which results in juicy, smoky meat.
On the other hand, electric smokers can be used anywhere you have access to an outdoor outlet, and they’re fantastic at short, quick smoke sessions. When it comes to electric smokers masterbuilt has been King of the Hill for quite a while. So if you are looking at a pit boss pellets then you need to compare them against the Masterbuilt products. Whether you are new to the smoker world or are a smoker master, you’ll love this simple Pit Boss smoked turkey with maple bbq rub. It’s easy, delicious, and great for a small gathering of friends or family. Likewise, the Camp Chef Woodwind WiFi 23 Pellet Grill ($800 at Camp Chef) performed much better in the smoking and searing tests than in the baking.
The Smokey Mountain is a basic smoker that will require a little experience to use effectively but will ultimately be worth the time and produce great results. Combining the 58% 5 Star reviews with the 18% 4 Star reviews indicates that 72% of buyers were happy with pit boss flat top this smoker and 28% were not. I was surprised to see that both the analog and digital versions of these electric smokers each had a 58% 5 Star rating. This Pit Boss smoked turkey with an easy maple bbq rub is moist on the inside with a perfectly crispy skin.