• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • FAQ
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

Raymond-nh

Make Your Ideally Home

  • Home
  • Electric Smoker
    • Comprehensive Buying Guide
    • Top 5 Masterbuilt 40 Smoker Reviews
    • Best Portable Smokers
    • Gas vs Electric Smoker
    • Best Meats to Smoke in Electric Smoker
  • Gas Grill
    • 10 Best High End Gas Grills
    • Best Gas Grills Under $500
    • P3 SXN Broilmaster Grill Reviews in 2019
    • 4 Best Gas Grill with Rotisserie in 2019
    • Gas vs Electric Smoker – Which One Should You Choose?
    • Weber Spirit vs Genesis : Ultimate Battle 2019 [Updated]
    • 5 Best Built in Grills That Will Make Your Paradise
  • Charcoal Grill
    • 10 Best Charcoal Smoker 2019
    • 5 Best Portable Charcoal Grill That Make Grill ‘n Go 2019
    • How to Use Wood Pellets in Charcoal Grill
    • Weber 731001 Smokey Mountain Cooker 22-inch
    • Dyna-Glo Signature Series DGSS1382VCS-D
    • The Magic of Ceramic Briquettes in Charcoal Grill
  • Pellet Grill
    • Best Pellet Smoker 2019
    • Pit Boss vs Traeger Pellet Grill
    • Traeger Renegade Elite vs Pro Series
    • Traeger Renegade Pro Pellet Grill Review
    • Camp Chef PG24 Pellet Grill Review
    • Pit Boss 700s Reviews
    • Z Grills Master 700D Review
    • Traeger Renegade Elite Review
    • Traeger Renegade Pro Review
    • Camp Chef Woodwind SG Review
  • Accessories
    • 10 Best Wood Chips for Masterbuilt
    • 5 Best Meat Thermometer for Smoker in 2019
    • Weber Igrill 3 Thermometer
  • Blog
    • How to Smoke Cheese on a Pellet Grill
    • How to Smoke Ribs on a Pellet Grill
    • How to Cook Steak on Pellet Grill
    • How To Smoke a Turkey On a Pellet Grill
    • How To Smoke a Brisket On a Pellet Grill
    • How to Cook Burgers on Pellet Grill
    • How to Cook Bacon on a Pellet Grill
    • How to Clean Your Electric Smoker
    • How to use an Electric Smoker [Pro Tips]
    • How to Use Wood Pellets in Charcoal Grill Made Simple
    • The Magic of Ceramic Briquettes in Charcoal Grill
    • Who Makes Cabelas Pellet Grill
  • Appliance
    • Cooktop
    • Rice Cooker
    • Pressure Cookers
You are here: Home / Why You Should Buy a Grill / Charcoal Grill / How to Use Wood Pellets in Charcoal Grill Made Simple

How to Use Wood Pellets in Charcoal Grill Made Simple

Last updated on June 28, 2020 by Raymond

Raymond-nh is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more

People all over the world have a type of BBQ tradition that brings them together. Whether you call it grilling meat, BBQ-ing or braaing (a South African colloquial term), it all boils down to taking out your grill and firing up some meat. Charcoal grills are the preferred equipment to use when grilling because they use an accessible type of fuel. However, most people don’t know that you can also use wood pellets as fuel for your charcoal grill. Read our guide how to use wood pellets in charcoal grill to know furthermore.

When humans first started grilling meat we burned logs to create the fire but this proved to be a very challenging process. That’s why grills were later invented to get around this problem and use alternative types of fuel like charcoal, electricity, and gas.

how to use wood pellets in charcoal grill

However, in recent years, there has been a resurgence of cooking with wood pellets. Whether this trend is caused by a sense of nostalgia or because of the smoky flavor that wood imparts on meat, we’re not quite sure. But, we did some research to find out.

In this article, we’ll explore the possibility of there being a correlation between wood pellets and the improved meat flavor. We’re going to check out the touted benefits of cooking with wood pellets and find out if it’s okay to use them in a charcoal grill. First, we’ll start by giving you a definition of wood pellets so you understand what exactly they are and how they work.

Go to top

Looking for

  • What Are Wood Pellets?
  • Wood Pellet Benefits
  • How to Use Wood Pellets in Charcoal Grill
  • How to Smoke Meat with Wood Pellets
  • Conclusion

What Are Wood Pellets?

Wood pellets are basically a compressed form of wood and sawdust and they’re created through a process of exposing certain binding agents to heat. The most common use of wood pellets is to fuel cooking grills and they’re known for bringing a unique smoked wood flavor to meat that you cannot get any other way.

There are generally two types of wood pellets available to choose from:

  • Barbecue Pellets: As the name implies, these wood pellets are specifically created as fuel for BBQ grills and smokers. Using them gives you a real wood-fired meat flavor, similar to the flavor that charcoal imparts on meat.
  • Heating Pellets: On the other hand, heating pellets are designed to fuel up home heaters. As such, they have certain ingredients like paint residue and other chemicals that may be harmful to health. That’s why you should never use them to fuel a cooking grill or smoker.
Go to top

Wood Pellet Benefits

Most people are familiar with using charcoal as a source of fuel for their BBQ grills and they know what they’re going to get from it. However, using wood pellets comes with its own benefits that most people haven’t explored yet.

The following are just a few of the benefits that you can derive from using wood pellets as a source of fuel for your charcoal grill:

  • Wood pellets are eco-friendly because they’re made from renewable materials. Their production encourages the repurposing of materials that would otherwise be thrown away.
  • Wood pellets are far more efficient when compared to other fuels like fossil oil and gas. That’s because wood pellets are able to use 90% of their contained energy and turn it into heat.
  • Wood pellets are available in different types and each offers a different wood-fired flavor. This includes alder, cherry, apple, oak, maple, hickory and mesquite wood pellets.
  • Wood pellets impart an undeniable smoky flavor to meat that you’ll enjoy. It’s similar to charcoal but the difference is that wood pellets won’t get your hands dirty.
  • Wood pellets produce a nice, even burn and they don’t leave a lot of ash residue. That’s why they make it easier to clean your grill after you’re done cooking.
CookinPellets 40PM Perfect Mix Smoking Pellets
CookinPellets 40PM Perfect Mix Smoking Pellets
    Check on Amazon
    Go to top

    How to Use Wood Pellets in Charcoal Grill

    can i use wood pellet in charcoal grill
    @USDA

    Yes, it’s absolutely fine to use wood pellets in your best charcoal grill but on one condition – you must use premium grade pellets. This means making sure that your wood pellets are barbeque pellets that are designed for human use and not heating pellets which could be dangerous to your health.

    Once you find your preferred type of wood pellet, you can then mix it with charcoal and use it to power your charcoal grill.

    Can I Use Wood Pellets in a Charcoal Grill?

    Yes, Why not and here’s a step-by-step guide on how to use wood pellets in charcoal grill:

    • Switch on your charcoal grill by firing up some charcoal.
    • Wait for the charcoal to heat up before you sprinkle a generous amount of wood pellets underneath the rock grate.
    • Within a short amount of time, the wood pellets should ignite. This is a signal for you to start cooking because they’ll start giving off that nice smoked wood flavor.
    • Close the lid to keep the smoke in.

    While it’s okay to use wood pellets on their own, you’ll find that they burn too quickly without the charcoal. Some people add foil or use a smoker box to slow down the burning. Generally, a 1/3 cup of wood pellets will get you half an hour of smoke.

    Alternatively, you can use a pellet tube smoker to keep the wood pellets in as you combine them with the charcoal. This increases the smokiness of the flavor because it amps up the smoke that’s produced. Pellet tube smokers are affordable as well so it might be worth your while to check them out.

    Go to top

    How to Smoke Meat with Wood Pellets

    If this is your first time cooking with wood pellets then you’re doing yourself a favor by reading up on how to use them. As with anything, you need to understand the basics first before you can move onto the tricks used by professionals.

    Wood-Fired Taste

    Pellet grills are made from hardwood sawdust which is a by-product of furniture and other industries. They’re also a clean source of fuel which means you’re helping to save the environment when using them.

    However, the proof is in the pudding, right? Well, wood pellets have definitely passed the taste test as they impart a robust flavor of smoked wood onto meat that you cannot get any other way, except maybe through charcoal. The smoke you get from wood pellets has a better flavor than the smoke that comes from burning natural gas or propane. Not to mention that propane gas tends to dry out food because it heats up too much too fast. On the other hand, a wood pellet grill allows you to cook the meat at your preferred temperature.

    Grilling with Wood Pellets

    Can wood pellets be used in a smoker? Yes, and nothing beats the taste of wood-fired pizza or meat that’s been smoked over burning wood. You can achieve that same taste using a wood pellet grill and smoker. For the best results, use hardwood pellets as they burn slower and are easier to work with, plus they burn clean.

    It’s now possible to burn hardwood in the compressed form of pellets which is much more convenient than using logs but offers the exact same flavor. A wood pellet flame is easier to control and it really opens up your options in terms of the diversity of meals that you can cook on it. Instead of leaving your food with a propane odor, wood pellets give it a nice smoky flavor that tastes like home.

    Different Pellet for Different Flavor

    Whether you’re making a smoked brisket or grilling burgers, the charcoal grill can do it all, thanks to its built-in pellet door which is conveniently located underneath the pellet hopper. This makes it easy for you to change pellets without slowing down the cooking process.

    Go to top

    Conclusion

    The million dollar question that you must be asking yourself is, “Can I grill with wood instead of charcoal?” Yes, but to get the most out of your charcoal grill, it’s important to combine it with charcoal in order to extract the most flavor from both fuel sources. Keep in mind that charcoal grills are designed to work with charcoal as the main fuel source, and wood pellets aren’t exactly designed for charcoal grills either.

    So there needs to be some common ground between the two which means mixing them together. To simplify the process, some people choose to invest in a pellet tube smoker which gives the same result without the use of charcoal. It’s great at smoking meat and it hybridizes the grill so that it’s able to grill and smoke meat.

    Although wood pellets offer several benefits when it comes to grilling meat, they’re not the most popular source of fuel for charcoal grills. A lot of people still use other types of fuel like gas, charcoal and fossil fuels. The biggest challenge that people face with wood pellets is that they’re hard to find. But, if you’re lucky enough to have a place that sells them then you should definitely try them out.

    In conclusion, it’s safe to say that wood pellets are a great addition to your charcoal grill as they offer a wood-fired flavor to food that you can’t get anywhere else. They’re ideal to use when grilling different types of meat or grilling meat and vegetables at the same time. You’ll get the same smoked flavor throughout with evenly-cooked results.

    Bestseller
    Traeger Grills PEL331 Signature Blend Grill, Smoke, Bake, Roast, Braise, and BBQ, 20 lb
    Bestseller
    PIT BOSS 55436 BBQ Wood Pellets, 40 lb, Hickory
    Bestseller
    CookinPellets 40PM Perfect Mix, 1 Pack
    0/5 (0 Reviews)

    Last update on 2021-02-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

    Related Posts:

    • How to Light Charcoal Without Lighter Fluid Made SimpleHow to Light Charcoal Without Lighter Fluid Made Simple
    • How to Grill Catfish Made SimpleHow to Grill Catfish Made Simple
    • How to Use Wood Chips for SmokingHow to Use Wood Chips for Smoking
    • How to Grill Ribs Fast Easy & SimpleHow to Grill Ribs Fast Easy & Simple

    I am a passionate food and grill lover, and I like to eat juicy beef ribs. My first grill brand was Traeger cause when I was a noob my Traegie can help me a lot. Anyway, Napoleon is the one I would love and someday I will take it. I hope you enjoy my articles and the advice I give you.

    Primary Sidebar

    Footer

    Contact Us

    raymond-nh

    Contact us: [email protected]

    ABOUT US

    We understand that for many, barbecuing is a tradition. Furthermore, it’s a cooking style that requires both science and art to perfect. In other words, it’s not as simple as it may sound and you need all the help you….read more

    Follow

    GoogleTwitterPinterest

    © 2021 · Raymond-nh.com | Privacy Policy · Disclaimer · About Us