When grilling meats and other foods, the materials and timing transform the food from good to delicious. Grill pellets are made from food-grade hardwoods for grilling and flavoring. Adding pellets to your grilling routine adds a deeper, smoky flavor to your meat. This article will discuss how to correctly use wood pellet grills and the benefits of grilling with them.
Fuel and Flavoring
Wooden grilling pellets are compressed sawdust used for heating and smoking. By milling the wood into a uniform thickness, the wood burns and smokes evenly, keeping your cooking times reliable and giving your food flavor. Be sure to get grill pellets for your pellet grills so your food can be flavorful without any bitterness.
Quality grilling pellets, with little to no softwood filling or bark, are what give your meats a smoky flavor. Food-grade pellets burn steadily for consistent flavoring and cook times. Some common hardwoods used for flavoring are apple, hickory, maple, cherry, pecan, oak, and alder wood.
Many pellet bags will have one type of wood, but there are pre-made blends, too. Once you get familiar with the different pallets of wood smoke, you can even make your own combinations of pellets to experiment with different flavors. While meats are the main focus for smoky flavors, even baked goods and vegetables can benefit from being cooked with these pellets.
Using Pellet Grills
Pellet grills add concentrated, complex smokiness to your foods. They are a grill, oven, and smoker combined into one. This makes searing, baking, and grilling all with the same device possible. These grills also allow you to adjust the temperature. They are versatile enough to handle a range of tasks, from grilling steaks to roasting large cuts of meat.
Setting Up and Getting Started
Pellet grills require specific care and need to be seasoned properly before first use. As you set it up, clean the components of your grill and place it outdoors near an outlet. To season the pellet grill, turn it on and allow the smoker to get hot. This will burn off any remaining oil from manufacturing and clean your grill. Then, reduce the heat and add a neutral oil with a higher smoke point, such as rapeseed oil. An even coating of oil goes on the inside, and after a few hours of running, your grill is ready.
Make sure you have enough pellets in your grill, and keep them dry. Then, heat up the grill and begin smoking. When the smoke becomes thicker, then it is ready for use.
Once you’ve finished cooking and your pellet grill has cooled, clean it to reduce ash and grease build-up. If you place aluminum foil on the drip pan before you start grilling, it can aid in the clean-up. Cover the grill when not in use to keep your machine clean and running smoothly.
Get Grilling Today
Use a pellet grill to elevate your meals and broaden your grilling experience. Seasoning foods with smoke adds depth of flavor and can range from subtle to rich. Find a local pellet grill dealer near you to peruse your options.