Hottest burning pellets for traeger
Fuel pellets for Traeger pellet grills are made by compressing sawdust left over from sawmill operations. Not all pellets are identical in composition.
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You can purchase pellets made from a variety of woods, or made from a single wood type.
The temperature at which the pellet burns is mainly dictated by the kind of wood used in the pellet.
The temperature of the grill itself is determined by the sensors and controller in the grill, and, often, the kind of pellet used does not matter unless extremely hot temperatures are wanted for some reason.
Do traeger pellets burn hotter?
The temperature of the burning pellet is determined by the type of wood used in the pellet.
Oak and other hard woods burn the hottest.
Traeger and many other companies make similarly sized pellets and as long as the pellet is of a size similar to the Traeger pellet, it should work and burn at the same temperature as the equivalent Traeger pellet.
The important point in finding a good pellet that burns correctly is to ensure that it is of good quality, does not crumble in your hand or leave a lot of sawdust residue in the bottom of the bag.
To burn hot, pellets should also be kept dry before use. A wet pellet will not burn any better than a wet piece of wood or charcoal.
What are the hottest burning pellets for traeger?
The temperature of the pellet depends on the type of wood. Oak produces a great deal of heat, as does apple.
Sugar maple can produce a high heat, but other sorts of maple produce somewhat less.
Cherry produces a lower heat than oak, but can give a good flavor to the meat being cooked. Softwoods produce less heat than hard woods.
In looking for a pellet, if you are concerned about the heat given off, you should select a pellet made from one type of wood. A blended pellet can be made of a variety of different woods, and its heat output can vary accordingly
Why would you need hot burning pellets for traegers?
Traeger grills are designed to reach a maximum temperature of 450 degrees F.
The temperature the grill can reach, as a practical matter, depends on the rate at which pellets are fed into the firebox, the airflow across the firebox, and the composition of the pellet itself, with hardwoods burning hotter than other sorts of pellet.
Basic cooking temperatures are far below the maximum possible temperature on the grill.
Some specialized cooking methods, like searing, require higher temperatures, and in that case, you may want a hot burning pellet.
There are other factors which can affect temperature, and so good results can be obtained with a variety of pellets.
Which pellets give off the most smoke?
Pellets are designed to burn cleanly and with less smoke than charcoal or wood. Still, if your goal is to get smoked meat from a Traeger pellet grill, you can have good results by carefully choosing your pellet type.
Hardwood pellets, like oak, burn hotter and more thoroughly, but give off even less smoke than the average.
Hickory and mesquite pellets are better choices for producing smoke.
Mesquite may be the better choice if you want to smoke chicken or beef. Hickory works well with beef as well, and pork.
If your goal is to smoke meat, or get a good smoked flavor on your meat, then you have to ensure that your meat has a longer exposure to whatever smoke the pellets do produce.
This means a longer cooking time, and so you should set the temperature on the grill to a low setting, and be prepared to take your time in the grilling process.
Final thoughts
The kind of wood used determines only the maximum possible temperature of the grill.
The grill’s temperature sensors and controller setting determine the actual cooking temperature of the grill.
You can affect the grill’s temperature by making sure that the firebox and grill surfaces are kept clean, by ensuring that the airflow isn’t blocked, and that the smokestack or vent is also kept clean.
Keeping the lid closed will also work to keep the temperature steady.
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