# Brisket ONLY !!!!! Reviews on a pellet smoker.



## joe78 (Nov 6, 2019)

Only wanna hear brisket reviews. I can cook good steak chicken an whatever else on anything. Brisket reviews only thanks 

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## Davidsel47 (Apr 10, 2019)

I have made a few good briskets on my Treager. Smoked on the Smoke setting for 2 hours then wrapped in pink butcher paper for the rest of the time @ 225 F. The family gave me 2 thumbs up. lol Normally my brisket gets the fake "its good" from my family when in the bbq pit. lol
Had a good looking smoke line, great flavor and super tender. Only problem is your limited to small to medium sized briskets.


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## pick44 (Mar 20, 2009)

https://amazingribs.com/tested-recipes/beef-and-bison-recipes/smoked-brisket-texas-style

Did this and it was best ever..... Crutch, is the key as well as the smoke and internal temp.


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## 98aggie77566 (Jul 7, 2009)

Be careful!!!


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## Davidsel47 (Apr 10, 2019)

I used to feel the same way about them when I 1st saw them in North dakota 6 years ago. Then I tasted the food and saw how easy and fast it was to get a fire started. lol


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## Muddskipper (Dec 29, 2004)

The cooking team Bull Horn BBQ runs a Rec Tech ... and the Traeger Rep (Diva Q) was there too at a private event 

I was like you and asked a ton of questions 

It came down for them was to control the heat with little fluctuations.... they felt that was key getting through the stall on the briskets

I could not tell a difference in taste from a all wood and pellet ... both were eaten there ....

Itâ€™s the ability to have greater control of heat .... which you get on the pellet

BTW- we cooked 1500 briskets that day


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## Mike.Bellamy (Aug 8, 2009)

I have had the Traeger from the infomercial for a few years and that is really all that I use it for. My wife does not care for smoked BBQ after growing up with a dad that got loose with the liquid smoke back in the day but she loves the brisket this thing produces. IMO you can't go wrong.


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## troutalex33 (Aug 21, 2012)

My experience is its ok ... nothing like a true smoker pit . But it is easier , somewhat less likely to dry out but in my opinion its just not the same .
But then again I enjoy drinking beer and 
" maintaining temp " and I wrap my brisket after 160 with butcher
paper to finish off . 
The Traeger I use at work ( offshore) has not with stood usage every week.I have had to replace different parts . Too me for the price it just dont stand up to a true smoker .
Just my opinion .









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## UnclePoPo (Jun 4, 2013)

Just did one on the RecTec this past weekend. Sorry no pictures but it turned out really good and juicy as usual. 

I do use a smoke tube for extra smoke. Do I get the same smoke ring as on a stick burner? Yes

Do I get as heavy of a smoke flavor as a stick? NO, the fire stays clean during the entire cook so no off tastes.

That to me is not all that bad, as I have gotten older the heavy smoke gives me indigestion. 

I cooked on a stick burner for 30+ years. Bought a pellet 4 or 5 years ago and have not run the stick burner since. I absolutely love the convenience of the consistent fire.

Sometime I wrap my briskets in butcher paper and other times I just let it go without wrapping and get great results every time. One difference in pellet smoker is cook your brisket fat side down for better results. The heat comes from the bottom so cooking fat side down helps protect the meat. I have tried both ways and fat down works best.

Hope this helps!!


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## Toby_Corgi (Mar 11, 2015)

I've been able to do outstanding briskets on my Camp Chef pellet smoker time after time. I don't care what anyone says, that thing works like a charm with a minimum of effort. I do use Aaron Franklin's book as a reference so that probably doesn't hurt.


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## W E H (Aug 2, 2012)

Been BBQing stuff for years but never tried a brisket. Other bbq team members cooked that. My wife bought me a traeger a few years ago. Cooked lots of stuff on it that turned out good. Decided to try a cheap HEBâ€™s brisket in case it was a mistake and I messed it up. Salt pepper and chili powder. Spritzed it a few times with apple juice. I Followed traeger directions and I would have turned it in at the cook offs. It would not have won but it was really good.


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## choppercop (Aug 27, 2010)

*Pellet Grill*

I've been using a pellet grill for a number of years. Started out with a Green Mountain and upgraded to a Pitts & Spitts a little over a year ago. There is definitely an art to using a stick burner. You have to be able to get clean smoke instead of smothering the fire to produce smoke. With a pellet grill, clean smoke is no problem. I have a buddy that is trying his hand at smoking meats. He brought over some ribs the other day. There was virtually no smoke ring, but the smoke was so strong, it left my mouth tingling. To me that's a sign that he was smothering the fire to produce his smoke.

I normally smoke a brisket for 12 to 14 hours @ 225 with no wrapping. These are 14 pounders. I can fit 10 racks of ribs with using a rib rack.

Sorry I don't know how to rotate the picture.


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## Davidsel47 (Apr 10, 2019)

Those are some good looking cuts right there!


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## saltwaterfisherman (Jan 5, 2014)

I`ve had a Rectec for about 4 years and we love it. The last tropical storm I made lasagna, meat loaf and a pork shoulder while the power was out. All that you need is a small generator.


I think they are all similar with some minor differences. The reason I purchased a Rec Tec is because of the customer support. Mine arrived and the temperature was off and I called the customer support on a weekend and the owner answered the phone. He emailed me a link to a you tube video on how to adjust and within 10 minutes I was good to go. About 20 minutes later he called me back to make sure that I was able to get it adjusted. 


The most important thing to keep in mind is you get what you pay for. I personally think that the quality of pellets make all of the difference. I found that there are many pellets are injected with flavoring instead of made with the actual wood. I have tried multiple brands and flavors and I went back to the Rectec pellets. Ever since we purchased our we don`t go out for BBQ any more. It is nice to be able to through on a brisket or pork shoulder and runt to the store or pick up the kids and you don't need to worry about flare ups or temperature drops.


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## jeffm66 (Sep 14, 2010)

Did my first one on my Pit Boss 1000 last weekend. Family thought it was great.

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## photofishin (Aug 7, 2009)

I smoke on a standard offset smoker. I tend to cheat though...once it hits 170 or so, II cover it and finish it on the oven. I don't drink and sitting around a smoker for 14 hours doesn't thrill me. My briskets always come out delicious and juicy. Starting with a prime brisket is key.


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## Blackgar (Aug 4, 2004)

Rec Tec all the way. Their customer service is unbelievable, as well as their product. My 6yr old cooker with the cold smoke side box had some paint start to peel, in an effort to not have to paint the whole box I contacted them & asked if I could buy some paint to repair it so it would match. They sent paint & primer no charge. I've been cooking briskets for 45 years & these things will cook every bit as good as a stick burner with a whole lot less effort. I'm getting to old to be pulling the all nighters !!!


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## Lat22 (Apr 7, 2005)

Itâ€™s never as good as when I use my stick burner or WSM. Edible for sure, but never as good.


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## Finatic31 (Apr 12, 2017)

It's like anything else in life. If you are a purest, you are gonna dump on a pellet smoker because you didn't invest all the time and energy into being a purest. Kinda like those guys that tell you that fishing with live bait is just cheating, that in order to be proud of what you catch you have to spend countless hours cranking away on a soft plastic for a catch to really count.

Simply put - Pellet smokers are bad arse. SO much so that most competitions ban them. Go with a pellet smoker - unless your name is Franklin or Killen, you cant possibly tell the difference, and you will not regret a second of it.

Treager - they were good back in the day, but like most, they now are made in China and shipped here. Of all of the different options out there, I PERSONALLY think that you get the best and biggest bang for your buck with the RecTec.

About the same price, maybe a little less, but with MUCH better temperature management components and bluetooth capabilities, AND their customer service is unbeatable.

To DIRECTLY answer your question, you wont be able to make a consistently better brisket than you can on a pellet smoker. Its almost idiot proof - this coming from a truly talented idiot.


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## Super Dave 1 (Jan 28, 2019)

Love my pellet cooker, my stickburner hasn't been used in 2 years. I would suggest use a smoke tube on brisket for that lil' extra smoke, I use mesquite pellets on brisket. I can tell no difference with the extra smoke and it is mucho simple & you get to sleep all night long. At 72 that's a real good thing. I will never go back!


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## BretE (Jan 24, 2008)

From a stick burner/no live bait purist, I gotta admit pellet cookers do not suck. I cook on one for six to 10 or 12 hungry dudes at the ranch during hunting season and theyâ€™re perfect for that. Iâ€™ve cooked brisket, pork butts and ribs numerous times. Set it and forget it and it turns out good every time. I donâ€™t see me ever buying one for home use but if you wanna throw some meat on, hunt all day, come in and eat, you canâ€™t beatâ€™em.....


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## Chase4556 (Aug 26, 2008)

I love my pellet smoker. I have a Pitt Boss copperhead 5 vertical setup. Not your traditional horizontal type. I also have a Lyfe tyme stick burner that has not seen use since I got the pellet smoker. 

Main thing for me is the ease of temperature control. There are no spikes, no low temps, I don't have to feed it fuel and then monitor if it climbs too high. I go through my startup procedure, which I do the exact same way every time, set it to my desired temp(275* on the controller gets me to 250* grate temps) and I let it roll. Every now and then I stir the pellets. The copper head will hold 60 pounds of pellets... so there is no running out of pellets during a long cook. Some of the smaller grills might only hold 20 or 30 pounds. Plenty, but might get a little low if you are cooking all day. I can set my thermoworks smoke to alert me if temperatures DO get out of hand, and I can sleep peacefully all night knowing whatever I'm cooking is doing its thing and the thermoworks will wake me up if something does mess up. Hasn't happened yet though, knock on wood. 

The end product is no different than with the stick burner. I get a good smoke ring for that visual effect, and the smoke flavor is there. I have done brisket, ribs, pork butt, chicken, home made sausages, jerky... all turned out just like it would off the stick burner. 

Mentioning chicken reminds me... want slow cooked BBQ chicken for dinner 
and throw a brisket on right after to go all night? No problem.. crank the temp up to 400* and not even 5 minutes later its at 400 and the skin crisps up. Its hard to get my stick burner to get up that hot QUICKLY, then turn around and drop right back to 250* and throw something else on to continue cooking through the night. 

As far as brands go, someone else said it. But Traeger used to be the bees knees. Nowadays, they are not a bad product but you pay top dollar for something that isn't top of the line. RecTec is probably the best big name out there. My buddy upgraded from the same pitboss I have to a RecTec, and their customer service is great but the best thing is the dang thing holds its temp SOLID through the whole cook. His has WIFI and has all the bells and whistles, cool but I don't need to pay for that. I bought my pit boss for $109 on sale at walmart, the thing can not be beat for the price I paid.


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## dontbscared (Nov 29, 2005)

*Rectec*

I have been seriously considering moving away from my Big Green Egg and going to pellet. I do enjoy the results from the BGE but it can be a lot of work at times to get & keep the temp you want and I too really donâ€™t want ultra long cook times anymore. Question is, it would be located on the coast so how well do they hold up in a salty environment? I would purchase a cover and would at times store it inside but even then nothing is safe from salt air.


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## JFolm (Apr 22, 2012)

dontbscared said:


> I have been seriously considering moving away from my Big Green Egg and going to pellet. I do enjoy the results from the BGE but it can be a lot of work at times to get & keep the temp you want and I too really donâ€™t want ultra long cook times anymore. Question is, it would be located on the coast so how well do they hold up in a salty environment? I would purchase a cover and would at times store it inside but even then nothing is safe from salt air.


Right now I have an egg, pellet grill, and black stone griddle. The griddle is 2 years old and still in the box and the egg hasnâ€™t been used since I bought the pellet grill.

Trying to decide how to build my outdoor kitchen because I canâ€™t incorporate the pellet grill into the countertop.


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## ibtbone (Oct 7, 2013)

Chase4556 said:


> I love my pellet smoker. I have a Pitt Boss copperhead 5 vertical setup. Not your traditional horizontal type. I also have a Lyfe tyme stick burner that has not seen use since I got the pellet smoker.
> 
> Main thing for me is the ease of temperature control. There are no spikes, no low temps, I don't have to feed it fuel and then monitor if it climbs too high. I go through my startup procedure, which I do the exact same way every time, set it to my desired temp(275* on the controller gets me to 250* grate temps) and I let it roll. Every now and then I stir the pellets. The copper head will hold 60 pounds of pellets... so there is no running out of pellets during a long cook. Some of the smaller grills might only hold 20 or 30 pounds. Plenty, but might get a little low if you are cooking all day. I can set my thermoworks smoke to alert me if temperatures DO get out of hand, and I can sleep peacefully all night knowing whatever I'm cooking is doing its thing and the thermoworks will wake me up if something does mess up. Hasn't happened yet though, knock on wood.
> 
> ...


Pretty much my experience also.

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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

I have a RecTec Bull and after cooking a brisket on it I learned that I never really made a good brisket on my big pit lol.

No one would ever know that the meat I cook on that pellet grill was done on one...it's that good.

TH


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## fishcatchr (Apr 8, 2009)

Rec tec for sure. Hereâ€™s the one I did two weeks ago. Bought the rectec at the beginning of quarantine and this was my first brisket on it. Better then any of the 15ish briskets Iâ€™ve done before.

Trick is not wrapping in foil... butcher paper is key.


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## Muddskipper (Dec 29, 2004)

Since there is so many Rec Tech fans here ... 

Here is Rob with Bull Horn BBQ team .... his son won the Jr Championship at the Houston Rodeo this year 

He was the nicest guy and sponsored by Rec Tech .... made me want to buy one


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## hoosierplugger (May 24, 2004)

Man, I do a lot on my BGE, but briskets is its weak point. Quantity sometimes is a problem too. Yâ€™all have got me thinking about a Rec Tec in the garage and wheel it out when I need it - no real room on my covered patio.

Probly only do brisket or big quantities on it.


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## Blue Fin Charters (Mar 2, 2010)

Finatic31 said:


> It's like anything else in life. If you are a purest, you are gonna dump on a pellet smoker because you didn't invest all the time and energy into being a purest. Kinda like those guys that tell you that fishing with live bait is just cheating, that in order to be proud of what you catch you have to spend countless hours cranking away on a soft plastic for a catch to really count.
> 
> Simply put - Pellet smokers are bad arse. SO much so that most competitions ban them. Go with a pellet smoker - unless your name is Franklin or Killen, you cant possibly tell the difference, and you will not regret a second of it.
> 
> ...


They are allowed at pretty much every cook off. They probably shouldnâ€™t be. They donâ€™t get referred to as Easy Bake Oven for nothing. I donâ€™t own one. Just not my thing. The Pitts n Spitts is pretty well built compared to most Iâ€™ve seen. I guess if you want easy they might be worth it. Everyone I talk to say you donâ€™t get as good of a smoke ring without a some help.


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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

> Everyone I talk to say you donâ€™t get as good of a smoke ring without a some help.


I don't know why anyone would say that. The smoke rings on the meat I cook on my Rec Tec are just as prominent as those on my old stick burner. Easy is good by the way. I'm in my 60's now and to be able to control the cooking of briskets via my cell phone and not have to get up all the time at night to tend a fire is truly a wonderful thing.

And trust me, if you haven't cooked on one and tasted the results then you do not know that it isn't your thing. I resisted for a long time before I was treated to pork butts and brisket cooked on a friend's Rec Tec and I couldn't wait to order one.

In any case you get the same smoky good meat that you would get (if you don't screw up) on a stick burner, but it's easier and simpler. What could be wrong with that? 

TH


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## BretE (Jan 24, 2008)

It took me a long time and a lot of chopped beef to figure out a stick burner. I ainâ€™t giving that up now.....:biggrin:


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## hoosierplugger (May 24, 2004)

Couple of questions for you Rec Tec guys:

How many briskets could you do on the Rec Tec-700 at once? Looks like itâ€™s got like a 16x32 cooking area?

How many lbs of pellets do you use on a 10-12 hour cook? Just trying to guage if 200lbs of pellets is a lot.

Thanks.


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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

> How many briskets could you do on the Rec Tec-700 at once?


Depends on the size of the briskets. It has 702 square inches of cooking space. In any case I have had 4 briskets on mine and on a 10-12 hour cook you'll use about 20 pounds or less of the 40 pounds of pellets the hopper holds. It's stingy on pellets.

TH


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## wfishtx (Apr 10, 2006)

Put me on the side of traditional smokers. The joy and challenge of cooking BBQ is having to "babysit" the pit and the meat all day and maybe part of the night.

If I was interested in putting meat on the pit and walking away, then I'd just throw it in the oven and be done with it. And if that's the case, then I'd just let my wife do it.


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## Hayniedude24 (Jun 15, 2016)

JFolm said:


> Right now I have an egg, pellet grill, and black stone griddle. The griddle is 2 years old and still in the box and the egg hasnâ€™t been used since I bought the pellet grill.
> 
> Trying to decide how to build my outdoor kitchen because I canâ€™t incorporate the pellet grill into the countertop.


Iâ€™m having an outdoor kitchen being designed right now with a built in pellet grill. The design dude said he incorporates them into a good few nowadays. I have no clue what heâ€™s thinking but I can pm you what he comes up with if youâ€™d like. Heâ€™s suppose to send over his first design mid next week.


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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

wfishtx said:


> Put me on the side of traditional smokers. The joy and challenge of cooking BBQ is having to "babysit" the pit and the meat all day and maybe part of the night.
> 
> If I was interested in putting meat on the pit and walking away, then I'd just throw it in the oven and be done with it. And if that's the case, then I'd just let my wife do it.


Well if you really just have to and want to really really bad you can open the lid of the pellet smoker and poke the meat now and then, but you don't have to.

That's the beauty of the pellet grill. I don't know how much your time is worth but mine is worth a lot and that's what a good pellet smoker does...it saves you time.

TH


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## texastkikker (Dec 24, 2008)

I have a Yoder YS-640. I have only done 2 briskets on it. The first one was terrible.....literally ate 1 bite and threw it away. The second one was better but still not as good as I can do on my stick burner. Oh and did I mention that on the second one I put it on at 11 PM and went to bed.....that was nice. I am planning on doing another in the next month or so and I will cook this one fat side down. I have always cooked fat side up on all my briskets. For the first year I always ran a "smoke tube" along with the smoker. I don't use it anymore as I don't think it does anything.

I have done a lot of ribs and chicken halves and they are great.....mostly what my family wants.

I have done 2 pork buts and they were great.

I have done 1 rack of "Dino ribs" and they were the best thing ever.

I like mine for the ease of use and that I don't have to babysit it. I can go to the store for a couple hours or go coach kids softball/baseball games and don't have to worry about the pit.


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## Mike.Bellamy (Aug 8, 2009)

texastkikker said:


> I have a Yoder YS-640. I have only done 2 briskets on it. The first one was terrible.....literally ate 1 bite and threw it away. The second one was better but still not as good as I can do on my stick burner. Oh and did I mention that on the second one I put it on at 11 PM and went to bed.....that was nice. I am planning on doing another in the next month or so and I will cook this one fat side down. I have always cooked fat side up on all my briskets. For the first year I always ran a "smoke tube" along with the smoker. I don't use it anymore as I don't think it does anything.
> 
> I have done a lot of ribs and chicken halves and they are great.....mostly what my family wants.
> 
> ...


Try mesquite pellets on your next one if you haven't, and definitely go fat side down so the fat can act as a buffer between the meat and the heat.


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## texastkikker (Dec 24, 2008)

CHARLOTTE'S DAD said:


> Try mesquite pellets on your next one if you haven't, and definitely go fat side down so the fat can act as a buffer between the meat and the heat.


yup....that's what I have been hearing.....never had a problem with fat side up on the stick burners and I've done dozens that way......live and learn.

I have also learned that I need to run mine at 275Â°F when smoking to get to 225-245 up there......I only cook on the top rack


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## Muddskipper (Dec 29, 2004)

*Spotted this on Brads Deals*

Just passing this along- saw the deal on Brads Deals

This Traeger Ridgeland Wood-Fired Grill and Smoker usually sells for $699.98, but you can get it for $549.95 with free shipping at HSN. That's the best price we've ever seen for a Traeger grill with 572 square inches of cooking surface. It comes with an interior rack, two temperature probes, a 20-pound bag of mesquite pellets, a 20-pound bag of hickory pellets, and a grill cover. Note that new customers can get an extra $5 off with the code HSNFIVE at checkout. Sales tax is charged in most states.


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## wfishtx (Apr 10, 2006)

Trouthunter said:


> Well if you really just have to and want to really really bad you can open the lid of the pellet smoker and poke the meat now and then, but you don't have to.
> 
> That's the beauty of the pellet grill. I don't know how much your time is worth but mine is worth a lot and that's what a good pellet smoker does...it saves you time.
> 
> TH


Fair enough. If I'm smoking meat, its usually because I just want to, which usually means I've got nothing else going on.

If I'm busy, then cooking is usually the last thing on my mind. That's when I'll let the wife "figure it out".....LOL


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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

> If I'm busy, then cooking is usually the last thing on my mind. That's when I'll let the wife "figure it out".....LOL


 

That's the thing though. With a quality pellet smoker you can be busy as all get out and still smoke meat. 

TH


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## ccoker (Mar 26, 2018)

my boss got a Rec-Tec 700, I had one of the absolute best brisketts ever off of it..
we had a company party at his house about 6 weeks ago and I had eaten lunch at the best place in the Austin area.. 

I will get one, a KILLER briskett was the thing I had to know it could do

He doesn't do much, buys a primed pre trimmed from HEB and seasons it with Salt Lick dry rub, cooks at 225 until it hits like 203, pulls and wraps in butcher paper and puts it in a cooler until time to eat several hours later.

There was actually two done, both were equally good.

On my list to buy


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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

> seasons it with Salt Lick dry rub, cooks at 225 until it hits like 203, pulls and wraps in butcher paper and puts it in a cooler until time to eat several hours later.


I do the same on my Rec Tec 700 as he, rub included, but I wrap at 163-165 and leave it on the pit until the internal temperature is 203. Then rest it for an hour.

TH


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## 98aggie77566 (Jul 7, 2009)

Some of you guys almost (ALMOST) have me convinced into looking into this pellet smoker thing.

Would be nice on weekdays to "set it and forget it" and have a tasty meal without smelling like smoke all day (I work from home).

The worst part about a stick burner for me is....many times I don't even want to eat the meal after being in the smoke all day.

Missing out on the beer drinking and tending the pit is a problem on weekends...not weekdays.


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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

> Missing out on the beer drinking and tending the pit is a problem on weekends...not weekdays.


You can still drink beer and you can check the pellet levels, touch the pit now and then and check the app on your cell phone to make sure everything is 100% go 

TH


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## ccoker (Mar 26, 2018)

Trouthunter said:


> I do the same on my Rec Tec 700 as he, rub included, but I wrap at 163-165 and leave it on the pit until the internal temperature is 203. Then rest it for an hour.
> 
> TH


I need to double check his process
he might wrap sooner

another guy I work with bought one too


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## tigerbait1970 (Jun 12, 2014)

Anyone have an Oklahoma Joe's Rider DLX Pellet Grill? Looks nice and I'm thinking that may be my next one, but will love to hear some reviews.


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## atcNick (Apr 7, 2005)

Muddskipper said:


> Since there is so many Rec Tech fans here ...
> 
> Here is Rob with Bull Horn BBQ team .... his son won the Jr Championship at the Houston Rodeo this year
> 
> He was the nicest guy and sponsored by Rec Tech .... made me want to buy one


I may be mistaken but I think I met him down there. We were cooking hog for Texas social club

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## Jerry713 (Nov 6, 2019)

fishcatchr said:


> Trick is not wrapping in foil... butcher paper is key.


Lol you can wrap in foil. Guys do it all the time and turn out championship level barbecue. You just have to know how to set the bark when the brisket is done. Not saying bp is the wrong way but foil is another way that does work.


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## Jerry713 (Nov 6, 2019)

Pellet poopers are awesome for times when you don't really have time to barbecue and can be doing other things. Make no mistake they do not compare to the flavor you get in a brisket from burning natural wood whether it be in an offset smoker or any other cooker where you're burning sticks or chunks or natural wood. You don't see cooks consistantly winning brisket at competitions on the barbecue circuit with them for a reason. But they are great for what they do.


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## Country Boy (Aug 15, 2008)

Jerry713 said:


> Pellet poopers are awesome for times when you don't really have time to barbecue and can be doing other things. Make no mistake they do not compare to the flavor you get in a brisket from burning natural wood whether it be in an offset smoker or any other cooker where you're burning sticks or chunks or natural wood. You don't see cooks consistantly winning brisket at competitions on the barbecue circuit with them for a reason. But they are great for what they do.


Exactly. The taste of a brisket from a pellet cooker and a stick cooker is not even close. They may both be tender but the smoky flavor from the pellets won't be the same as real wood. The pellets are made with a little saw dust and glue. They cannot compete with real wood.


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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

> They cannot compete with real wood.


Neither you or Jerry713 have a clue as to what you are talking about. A brisket cooked correctly on a good pellet grill is as good or better than one cooked in an off set wood fired pit. In fact if you didn't know that it was cooked on a pellet grill you wouldn't be able to tell that it was.

TH


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## poppadawg (Aug 10, 2007)

Cook Off!


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## 98aggie77566 (Jul 7, 2009)

I'll bring beer!!


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## Jerry713 (Nov 6, 2019)

Trouthunter said:


> Neither you or Jerry713 have a clue as to what you are talking about. A brisket cooked correctly on a good pellet grill is as good or better than one cooked in an off set wood fired pit. In fact if you didn't know that it was cooked on a pellet grill you wouldn't be able to tell that it was.
> 
> TH


You and I will just have to agree to disagree. I have been cooking barbecue competitions for almost 20 years and cooking briskets a lot longer than that. Guys do use pellet poopers for ribs and chicken and do well cooking on them. Rarely do you see guys winning with brisket. I've tasted brisket numerous times from a pellet smoker cooked by guys that are great cooks and it's just not the same. This is backed by how well they don't do in comps.

I reference barbecue comps because they are the best way to determine how good your barbecue really is. What your friends and family think after you've invited them over and fed them is honestly not a true way to measure how good your brisket really is.


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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

Jerry713 said:


> You and I will just have to agree to disagree.


I guess so.

TH


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## Austex58 (Jan 22, 2020)

Very uninformative give me the answer I work in the oilfield very little time off how do you make a great briskit with a Treager how much time do you folks have on your hands!


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## Austex58 (Jan 22, 2020)

*Briskit*

I'll just boil it really thought I could get some very direct informative information here.


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## bowmansdad (Nov 29, 2011)

Austex58 said:


> I'll just boil it really thought I could get some very direct informative information here.


Posts 44 and 45 answers your question. Everyone has their own tweaks, so you could have a 100 recipes that are all good!:biggrin:


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## JFolm (Apr 22, 2012)

Austex58 said:


> I'll just boil it really thought I could get some very direct informative information here.


Make sure you add a little liquid smoke to the water.


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## raw10628 (May 23, 2004)

The biggest thing keeping most people from using a pellet smoker is their ego about how they love to stay up all night drinking beer and managing a fire. Let's be honest nobody really enjoys that part of it and all the beer you had made you think that your brisket was Franklin quality when in reality is was more on par with Dickeys sitting under the heat lamp for 6 hours.

I had a very nice offset smoker for a long time and used to be a big advocate for traditionalist bbq then I randomly bought a Traeger Tailgater for $75 at a grill shop 5 years ago just to tinker with and became hooked. I still have the Traeger and use it when we travel because its small and easy to throw in the back of the truck and produces fantastic food under the right guidance.

At home I have a Pitts and Spitts 2000 and it is second to none in the pellet world. It retains heat well and has an excellent PID controller that keeps temps steady throughout the chamber. It's built more like a stick burner than the mass produced pellet grills like Pitt Boss, Traeger, Green Mountain and Rec Tec. Every unit is made in the USA in Houston. They have amazing customer service and a local shop if you need a part or have questions. 

Like anything, there is a learning curve to cooking with pellets you won't cook your best brisket your first try. The heat comes from directly underneath the grates so you typically have to cook fat side down or cook at lower temps to get the same results you got on your offset. In the end, you still have to be a good cook to turn out really good food.


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## poppadawg (Aug 10, 2007)

JFolm said:


> Make sure you add a little liquid smoke to the water.


Yep, thatâ€™s the key right there.

Iâ€™d like to have a pellet smoker, but not 500 bucks worth.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Jerry713 (Nov 6, 2019)

raw10628 said:


> In the end, you still have to be a good cook to turn out really good food.


True and too often overlooked.


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## stxhunter23 (May 22, 2009)

I have not had any real time cooking on a pellet smoker but I am doing a demo on a pitts & spitts and hoping to have time to pick it up today and give it a shot. I have always cooked my briskets and all other meat that you would smoke on a traditional trailer pit. We will see how it goes and will report back.


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## bigfishtx (Jul 17, 2007)

I cook competitions and also do backyard. I like my Yoder Pellet grill for home because it is so easy. But in a competition when there is money on the line, it stays home.


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## Haute Pursuit (Jun 26, 2006)

Trouthunter said:


> I don't know why anyone would say that. The smoke rings on the meat I cook on my Rec Tec are just as prominent as those on my old stick burner. Easy is good by the way. I'm in my 60's now and to be able to control the cooking of briskets via my cell phone and not have to get up all the time at night to tend a fire is truly a wonderful thing.
> 
> And trust me, if you haven't cooked on one and tasted the results then you do not know that it isn't your thing. I resisted for a long time before I was treated to pork butts and brisket cooked on a friend's Rec Tec and I couldn't wait to order one.
> 
> ...


That friend that cooked that butt and brisket for you on his RecTec Bull is one of the coolest dude's I know! :biggrin:


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## stxhunter23 (May 22, 2009)

stxhunter23 said:


> I have not had any real time cooking on a pellet smoker but I am doing a demo on a pitts & spitts and hoping to have time to pick it up today and give it a shot. I have always cooked my briskets and all other meat that you would smoke on a traditional trailer pit. We will see how it goes and will report back.


Well I have given the Pitts and Spitts 850 a good trial run and can say that I was impressed with the way that it cooked. I tried everything that I would normally cook steaks, burgers, chicken fajitas, 2" pork chops, brisket, pork butt, ribs and chicken. Everything came out great and I have ordered the 2000 and should be here by the end of the month or sooner. The brisket that I picked up was a wagyu, if yall cook one be aware that they cook alot faster than a normal brisket for some reason. After cooking it I asked around to a couple of folks and they have said the same thing, has anyone else experienced this. The briskets was done in 12hrs and is was a fairly large one at 16lbs.


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## Jerry713 (Nov 6, 2019)

stxhunter23 said:


> The brisket that I picked up was a wagyu, if yall cook one be aware that they cook alot faster than a normal brisket for some reason.


Yep I found this out the hard way too lol. The fat in a Wagyu has a lower melting point than traditional beef. Because the fat renders faster it cooks faster and if you don't watch it dries out faster lol.


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## cman (Apr 17, 2009)

My first brisket was Prime Grass Fed because that was all that was available in a few stores. That cooks much faster. 12 hrs down the drain.


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## stxhunter23 (May 22, 2009)

Jerry713 said:


> Yep I found this out the hard way too lol. The fat in a Wagyu has a lower melting point than traditional beef. Because the fat renders faster it cooks faster and if you don't watch it dries out faster lol.


I had just bought the Thermo Works Signals and it has wifi and blue tooth and you can set temp alarms to go to you phone and the alarm went off at 4:30am and that is the only thing keeping me from making me learning the hard way.


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## hoosierplugger (May 24, 2004)

Reviving an old thread, but we ended up buying a Rectec 590 and have done a couple brisket smokes. This machine is fantastic so far. Using B&B post oak pellets.

This one was 11 hours, no wrap, no injection, pulled at 200 degrees internal temp and let rest in a cooler for 2 hours.

WOW, it was as good as any Iâ€™ve eaten at Smittyâ€™s, Blacks, Killenâ€™s, City Market...

Granted, my favorite brisket was the last one I ate, but this thing was really, really good. I like them where the fat cap renders down pretty thin and skins up a nice fatty bark.


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