Newbie Questions - 600XL

[NJSmoke]

Hello all,

I finally received the 600XL from my son-in-law and have tried a couple of basic cooks (salmon and chicken thighs) that turned out very well. Here are some initial impressions and questions that I hope you can help with:

• Love the Weber app and ability to control/monitor everything
• Not enough experience with the food temperature probes to know if they are accurate or not
• Smoke boost is very effective, but if I want to quickly sear after a low/slow cook, it takes a fair amount of time (and pellets) to get the temperature up to 500+ F (This comment is based on grilling in an ambient air temperature of around 60-65F)
• Very effective at searing
• You definitely have to allow more time when cooking (adjusting temperatures up or down) with this grill, versus using a gas grill, but it is worth the wait, as the results seem much better based on my limited experience
• I definitely plan to get the front fold-down shelf, as the small surface over the display holds very little - if any of you have purchased this, I'd love to hear your feedback

Just a few questions:

• What is a good/economical all-round pellet to use for everyday cooks? (My son-in-law gave me a bag of Traeger maple/cherry premium signature blend, and they seem to work well, but they seem a bit pricey)
• What pellet do you use for low/slow cooks to maximize smoke flavor?
• When doing a deep clean of the grates and the internal and external surfaces, is there any type of liquid cleaner that works well to remove grease and residue without damaging anything?
• Is there a definitive guide on pellet grill smoking/cooking that I should pick up? (Is there a recognized "guru" out there for this kind of thing?)

Thanks!

 

[UofLCardfan]

Sam’s Smokehouse is $15 for a 40 lb. bag. Some people are fans of the Pit Boss pellets but I’ve never tried them. I like the Lumberjack Mesquite too.

 

[NJSmoke]

Thanks!

 

[Dougr]

Welcome to the Club! Here are a few answers to your questions:

• What is a good/economical all-round pellet to use for everyday cooks? - I have written here before that I am a huge fan of the Knottywood pellets. They are a very good pellet with little dust. I found that I use less pellets than I did when I tried Trager's. The company's main business is orchard removal. Their pellets are from Almond and Plum orchards they remove. Look at their web site, I have tried all of their pellets and now I use their Plummond exclusively. Sign up on their web site. They have specials several times a year through Home Depot, which doesn't charge shipping.
• What pellet do you use for low/slow cooks to maximize smoke flavor? - I use the Knottywood for all of my cooks. To maximize flavor, some use a pellet tube while they first start the cook.
• When doing a deep clean of the grates and the internal and external surfaces, is there any type of liquid cleaner that works well to remove grease and residue without damaging anything? - Maybe I am just lazy but, I don't do deep clean. I just use the plastic scraper to knock off the excess and an old paint brush to know off the ash inside. I make sure the grates have all of the big things knocked off. The "grease" helps to season the grates and the hot temps kill any bad things that may be there.
• Is there a definitive guide on pellet grill smoking/cooking that I should pick up? (Is there a recognized "guru" out there for this kind of thing?) - One could literally waste their life away following all of the videos on YouTube. A couple that I like are, Pellets and Pits and The Basement Hangout.

Enjoy!