Swapped my old offset smoker for a pellet grill and the difference in bark texture is wild

Used to run a cheap chargriller offset for about 2 years. Had to babysit it every 20 mins to keep temps steady. Switched to a Camp Chef pellet grill last October just for convenience on weeknights. First brisket came out with almost no bark compared to my offset. Realized pellet grills run way cleaner smoke so I had to tweak my rub and spritz method. Now I use a heavier binder and less sugar in the rub. Got bark back after 3 tries. Anyone else notice pellet grills need a totally different approach for good bark?

2 comments

2 Comments

anna_hill1mo ago

Did you see that Mad Scientist BBQ video about pellet grill airflow?

wren8061mo ago

Oh man, that video totally changed how I look at my pellet grill. @anna_hill I used to be one of those people who thought airflow didn't matter much as long as the smoke was rolling. But when he showed that side-by-side test with the restricted vents versus wide open, the difference in fire quality was wild. I always figured more smoke meant more flavor, but he proved it just makes the fire dirty and gives you that bitter taste. Now I clean my firepot more often and keep the air flow fully open during cooks, especially for low temp stuff like brisket. Really made me rethink everything I thought I knew about pellet cooking.