Smoking food is an underrated method of food preparation when you look at its results. Smoked food, especially meat, hardly disappoints in taste, giving off a smoky essence. For the best results when smoking food, you need wood pellets.
The pellets provide heat and smoke, with the smoke having a savor that is transferred to the food. Many people confuse wood pellets and chips. A look at the wood pellets vs. wood chips discussion, you can see the difference.
Wood pellets are smaller and hardwood – some are biomass derivatives.
On the other hand, wood chips are bits of wood that go through the wood chipper. The outcome is tiny wood fragments that resemble sawdust in size. There are also larger pieces of wood.
Going back to wood pellets, their broad use is largely due to the fact that they burn slowly. As a result, they are quite cost-effective because you do not need to regularly restock the smoker’s wood tray.
They may also be used for grilling. They produce enough smoke thanks to their slow burn rate, which is necessary for nicely smoked food.
To achieve the desired results, you should constantly search for the best wood pellets for smoking. You can find the highest-quality pellets on the market thanks to our review.
Traeger Hickory All-Hardwood Pellets
When looking for the top wood pellets, you should refer to a pellet flavor guide to know which flavor to pick. If you want to smoke meat dishes, it is advisable that you go for hickory wood pellets. Hickory will give your food a strong taste, which you can further enhance with the right spice blend.
Traeger hickory all-hardwood pellets pack is a decent pick. Below are some of the standout attributes of this hickory pellet bag.
Pure Smoke
An issue that you may encounter when smoking is dirty smoke which may affect your dishes’ savor. It may also make the smoker messy and hard to clean. This problem is non-existent with Traeger’s package of all-hardwood pellets.
The pellets bring on blue smoke, which is an indicator of clean pellets and will give your food the best smack. You will not have to deal with darkened food.
Excellent Hardwood Taste
Traeger Hickory pellets are all hardwood, as its name implies. When smoking, hardwoods are the best as they give an excellent woody and smoky taste. You will notice this when smoking beef or pork. There won’t be an off-flavor which is quite common when using inferior quality smoking wood.
100% Natural Hardwood
A common downside with wood pellets is that some of them have artificial binders. When heated, the binders may give an unpleasant taste or too much smoke that can cause charring. These pellets are 100% hardwood derivatives. It is the main reason behind the clean smoke and amazing food taste.
Sustainably Sourced
The pellets come from existing green hardwood trees. The company directly harvests sawdust from the trees instead of cutting them down. If you are into environmental conservation measures, this is good news.
Sustainability extends to the manufacturing process. In this case, the entire process ensures you have the top quality.
Highlighted Features
- Product weight: 20-pounds.
- Product dimensions: 20*8.5*14-inches.
- Wood variety: 100% hardwood.
- Wood pellet flavor: Hickory.
- A sustainably sourced product.
Pros
- Clean smoke.
- Suitable for meat dishes, but you can also use it for some veggies.
- Sustainable sourcing and production.
- 100% hardwood with no artificial additives.
- The pellets are durable in burning.
- They can work as a heat source besides smoking.
Con
- The pellets produce a lot of dust, especially if stored for a long time.
The Andersons Midwest Applewood and Corn Cob Smoker Pellets
If you want to smoke baked foods and vegetables, applewood is a suitable pick due to its mildness. The Andersons Midwest applewood and corn cob smoker pellets combine this smoking wood with corn cob for the finest results. The following are some attributes of this pack of smoking pellets.
100% Natural
This pack of pellets is 100% natural. It does not contain any additives like binding agents and flavoring. When you use it to smoke or grill, you will notice that the smoke is clean. Clean smoke guarantees you an effortless smoker maintenance process.
Your smoked food will have the perfect smokiness without compromise from any add-ons. The Andersons Midwest smoker pellets come from renewable material.
Ease of Use
The smoker materials are easy to use, even if you are a beginner. There is only one step when using them, which is pouring it into the tray and lighting it. The pellets light and smoke fast, with the smoke being adequate for cooking your food.
They do not produce too much ash; thus, cleaning your grill won’t be draining. At the back of the package, there are instructions that will guide you on its use.
Flexibility
When it comes to these pellets’ use, you may use them in all types of smokers and grills. Some of them include pellet smokers, gas grills, electric smokers, and egg-style grills.
Still, on flexibility, the applewood essence can enhance the taste of many meals. They include chicken, vegetables, pork, and baked foods. It is mild, and you may use it in blends to neutralize strong smoking woods like hickory.
Highlighted Features
- Item weight: 15-pounds.
- Package Dimensions: 17.2*13*3.9-inches.
- Wood type: hardwood.
- Smoking pellet flavor: applewood and corn cob.
Pros
- It is user-friendly.
- You can use the pellets for meats, vegetables, and baked foods.
- The pellets are compatible with plenty of cookers.
- No ash after use.
- Clean smoke.
- Zero additives.
Cons
- You may experience too much smoke if you do not correctly ignite the wood pellets.
CookinPellets Perfect Mix
Wood pellet blends bring a unique taste to your food. CookinPellets perfect is a blend of different wood pellets. They include apple, hickory, hard maple, and cherry. Let us look at some of the features of these wood pellets.
Versatility
CookinPellets perfect mix is a blend of various pellet flavors like previously hinted. The mash-up of different tastes makes it versatile in many ways. First of all, you will have a diverse and unique taste in your food.
For instance, if you are preparing meat, you have a strong taste of hickory. You get a fruity and mild essence from apple, maple, and cherry. The combination of the wood flavors results in unique tasting dishes.
The versatility also comes to play, where you can use the blend to smoke various meals. Different dishes go well with certain wood smacks and not with some. However, in this case, you have a portion of each of the top wood flavors.
You can use this bag of wood pellets to smoke beef, pork, cheese, veggies, and poultry. While hickory does not go well with some foods, the other wood savors neutralize it.
A Hardwood Blend
The blend comes from 100% hardwoods with no additives. Hardwood pellets are some of the best you can get as they produce clean smoke. The result is perfectly smoked meals with a great taste. The cleanliness of the smoke will not mess up your grill.
The pellets come from the heart of the wood, not the bark. The bark comes with some binding agents that can cause excessive smoking.
Easy To Use
This is a bag of already premixed pellets; hence, you avoid the hassles of mixing them by yourself. It is ready to use material, as there is no prepping before putting it in the tray.
Strong Packaging
The CookinPellets perfect mix comes in a robust package of 40-pounds. The mass is ideal if you want it to serve you for a long time. Additionally, the packaging is very strong and does not tear easily. It means you do not have to worry about accidental spills from tears.
Slow-Burning
The pellets burn slow when on the smoker or grill. Slow-burning translates to economical use. Here, you do not need a large serving of pellets to provide sufficient smoke. It is ideal for slow cooking applications like baking.
Highlighted Features
- Product weight: 40-pounds.
- Item dimensions: 22*12*6-inches.
- Type of wood: hardwood.
- Wood pellet flavor: hickory, cherry, hard maple, and apple.
Pros
- Easy to use.
- Diverse flavor.
- No artificial flavors.
- It is suitable for various foods, such as meat dishes, cheese, and vegetables.
- Slow-burning; this makes it economical.
- A robust package that is less prone to tear.
Cons
- These wood pellets produce a lot of ash.
Bear Mountain All-Natural Oak Smoker Pellets
Many people overlook oak pellets as good smoking material. This is a mistake you will realize when you sample it. You can try it courtesy of Bear Mountain all-natural oak smoker pellets. Highlighted below are some of the great things about this package.
Excellent Taste
As hinted, oak has a great smack, more so when smoking pork and beef. You can describe it as a perfect balance when it comes to taste. It is stronger than fruity smoking wood like cherry and apple. It is milder than hickory and mesquite.
Bear Mountain all-natural oak pellets deliver when it comes to your meal’s relish. It gives a hint of fruitiness and some decent intensity of earthiness and woodiness.
Adaptability
This pellet’s adaptability comes to play when you focus on its compatibility with various foods. You may use it to smoke pork, beef, poultry, seafood, and vegetables. It is hard to get suitable pellets to smoke seafood. The mildness of the Bear Mountain pellets is ideal for handling seafood.
You will also see its versatility on the cookers you can use it with. Be it charcoal, electric, wood, or gas grills and smokers; these pellets are a great fit.
All-Natural Hardwood
This wood pellet package is 100% hardwood. When you use it, you will have clean smoke and get the best out of its smack. It has no additives, which can compromise your food’s taste and appearance. The natural savor will blend well with that of your food and even help in their preservation.
Low Moisture Content
The Bear Mountain oak pellets have low moisture content. This attribute makes them easy to ignite and smoke. The smoke will be bearable and won’t choke you if you are near the smoker or grill.
The Packaging
The wood pellets for smoking come in a 20-pound package. The package is hardy enough to sustain the weight of the smoking material. It also has tips and instructions printed on it that can guide you on its use.
Highlighted Features
- Weight of package: 20-pounds.
- Low moisture.
- Wood type: hardwood.
- Smoking wood variety: oak.
Pros
- Great smoke scent and excellent taste.
- Easy to ignite and smoke.
- The pellets have low moisture content.
- A robust package that is less prone to tearing.
- All-natural hardwood without any additives.
- The pellets are compatible with different cookers.
Cons
- If not lit properly, it can lead to excess heat and smoke.
Related: Best Pellet Smokers in 2022
Myron Mixon Hickory Premium Wood Pellets
Myron Mixon is a brand to consider when looking for smoking pellets. The Myron Mixon hickory premium wood pellets are befitting smoke-producing material. You can consider them when looking for a top-quality product. A look at its features will show us how magnificent it is.
Exceptional Taste
Myron Mixon hickory premium wood pellets’ selling point is their excellent taste. Food smoked with these pellets is savory. Hickory is perfect for various dishes. Among the dishes are beef, pork, and poultry, and will ensure that they have an exceptional tang.
Hickory has a strong essence that makes it suitable for meat dishes. The woodiness is perfect, especially if you want to preserve your food.
All-Natural
Many people are opting to go all-natural due to the associated health benefits. If you fall in this group, then the Myron Mixon hickory pellets are good for you.
They are hardwood pellets, featuring no artificial additives. The exclusion of additives brings on clean blue smoke, which is suitable for your food and the smoker.
Versatility
The pellets’ versatility is evident where you can use them to smoke different foods. You may use it for both meats and veggies. Additionally, the pellets can grill, bake, roast, braise, and barbecue.
Slow Burn
The versatility of the pellets, especially in performing several cooking functions, comes from its slow burn. The low rate of burning contributes to its economic use.
Sustainably Sourced
The pellets come from sawdust and shavings. No trees get harmed in the processing of the smoker material. It helps conserve the environment, considering hardwoods take a long time to mature.
Highlighted features
- Package Weight: 20-pounds.
- Wood type: hardwood.
- Wood pellet: Hickory.
- Sustainably-sourced.
Pros
- Great taste and aroma.
- Sustainably-sourced products.
- Economical on use.
- You can use the pellets in different applications.
- No additives.
- Strong packaging.
Cons
- You may notice some slight dusting, especially if stored for a long time.
Cameron’s Four-Pack All-Natural Smoking Pellets
Cameron’s four-pack all-natural smoking pellets are easily a fine pick when looking at value. It comes in a pack of four, containing different wood flavors.
Here are some attributes of this pack of smoking wood pellets.
Versatility
A standout feature of Cameron’s four-pack smoking pellet is versatility. This attribute is easily noticeable, as the four packs have different wood savors. You have an apple, cherry, mesquite, and hickory.
This collection is perfect for meat dishes as you have something for the different types. For example, hickory goes well with beef and pork; cherry is good for poultry and cheese. Apple will do well with baked food and vegetables.
Mesquite has a strong and earthy flavor that goes well with beef and pork. This pack of smoking pellets’ adaptability is also evident where you can use them with different cookers. Wood grills and indoor smokers are some appliances compatible with these pellets.
You can mix the pellets for a diversified seasoning of your food.
Easy To Use
Cameron’s four-pack pellets are easy to use, and you do not need any prepping before using them. However, you may need some prepping if you want to mix them. With the right skills, combining the pellets is a walk in the park.
The pellets ignite quickly, the same as producing smoke. The ease in ignition and smoking is because they are kiln-dried. In short, you do not have to spend a lot of time getting your smoker ready.
100% Natural Hardwood
The pellets are 100% hardwood derivatives. The result is that they produce clean smoke and a fantastic aroma. 100% hardwood pellets are safe to use as they do not have additives, some that can be harmful. The pellets will not stain your cookers, making their maintenance stress-free.
Sturdy Packaging
You do not have to fear your smoking material spilling, which can be a loss. The Cameron’s pellets package is solid, coming with a tight-fitting lid. The lid prevents spills and moisture entry.
Highlighted Features
- Item weight: 3.12-pounds.
- Dimensions: 8.19*7.6*5.51-inches.
- Type of wood: hardwood.
- Wood pellet variety: package of four including apple, cherry, mesquite, and hickory.
Pros
- Using the pellets is hassle-free.
- Offers you four different wood savors.
- You can use the smoking material for various dishes.
- Allows you to come up with a blend.
- Sturdy packaging.
- No artificial additives.
Cons
- The pellets have a short smoking time.
Best Wood Pellets Buying Guide
A look at the review, you will notice that there are attributes that feature prominently. To give you a buying guide for the wood pellets for smoking, we will look at some of the attributes.
Price
As you look for the best pick, check on their prices to ensure you are working within your budget. While most people may go for cheaper pellets, it is not the way to go. Pay attention to value. Your preferred package should provide the best bargain for its cost.
Wood Variety
When talking about smoking wood varieties, we look at their flavors. There are many, the common ones being hickory, cherry, applewood, and mesquite. Each of them is distinct, with some being strong, some mild, and others fruity.
The woods are appropriate for smoking a variety of foods. Strongly flavorful woods go particularly well with meats like beef and pig. Cheese, fish, and poultry pair well with the milder varieties. Fruity forests increase the flavor of baked goods, meats, and veggies.
You are ready to choose the smoking wood kind that best meets your needs once you have a complete grasp of the available options. You might even choose pellets that are a combination of several types of wood. They are adaptable and have a large food smoking capacity.
Hardwoods are the most diverse and offer the best tastes and cleanest smoke. Make sure the pellets originate from the wood’s core and not the bark. Binding agents in the bark have the potential to produce too much smoke.
Burning Rate
Slow-burning pellets are great because they are economical. They will provide ample heat and smoke for hours without the need for refilling.
Compatibility to Smoker or Grill
There are pellets designed for use in certain cookers and won’t work in others. Be keen on their usability to see if they are compatible with your smoker. A good option is to go for versatile pellets that can work in various cooking appliances.
Should You Soak Pellets Before Use?
A question many people have is if you should soak wood pellets before smoking. Wood pellets are ready for use, and soaking them can affect their effectiveness. You should understand that they are biomass derivatives. As such, soaking them may lead to their disintegration. However, you may soak wood chips and chunks.
Verdict
Smoking is a cooking method that you should explore. If done correctly, you will appreciate the results. Besides having a smoker, you need wood pellets for smoking. In this article, we show you some of the top-quality wood pellets for smoking.
It helps in narrowing down your search for the best. Moreover, you should look at the buying guide to aid you in looking up other options. Always establish that you have clean wood pellets with no additives. Pick your favorite flavor and have a satisfying experience in food smoking.