While most modern pellet grills have digital temperature readouts and do a pretty good job at maintaining temps, that isn’t always the case.
To determine the best pellet grill and figure out just how these products perform under a variety of cooking scenarios, we conduct three tests. Based on different meats, methods and heat settings, these tests show us how efficiently and evenly a grill does (or doesn’t) cook.
Enlarge Image
Smoking pork ribs low and slow is a perfect test for pellet grills.
We wired each grill with a sensitive thermocouple thermometer at grate level. This sensor is also attached to a laptop running data logging software.
Enlarge Image
Nicely smoked ribs should be juicy, tender and deliciously smokey.
Next we ignite the grill and set the temperature to 225 degrees F and start recording. Then we remove the outer membrane on a rack of pork back ribs and season it with an all-purpose rub we use for ribs and chicken. Once the grill’s thermometer reports that it has hit our desired temp, we place it on the grates for at least three hours with the lid closed the entire time.
Buying a whole pork loin and cutting your own chops is a great way to not only save money but also get even pork chops for cooking.
For the chops, I bought a whole pork loin and cut approximately 1-inch thick chops from it. By doing this, not only is it more economical, but it also ensures that the chops are equal in thickness for a more even cook. After some seasoning, the center cut pork chops went onto the grills.
Temperatures were monitored throughout the cook over a 350-degree grill using the same methods as with the hamburgers. The chops cooked evenly and relatively quickly as there are no bones to contend with.
Beef brisket can be tricky to cook as it requires a long time at low temperatures to properly break down the fat and meat fibers.
The final test was an even longer cook with beef brisket over a 13-hour period. The meat got trimmed, a treatment of coarse kosher salt, yellow mustard, and a smokey beef rub, then three meat probes to keep track of the temps across the large piece of meat. With all of that done, the brisket was placed in the middle of the grill at 225 degrees.
After about six hours and an internal temp of 165 degrees, I wrapped the brisket in butcher paper and placed it back into the grill. Once it hit 195 degrees, I wrapped aluminum foil around it to help maintain moisture and finish the cook at 225 degrees.
The grills produced juicy meat with a beautiful smoke ring that sliced up nicely. Being able to keep even, consistent heat for something like brisket that requires a long time to cook is vital for properly breaking down the fat and protein fibers for delicious food.
