Both wood smokers and pellet smokers are good choices for cooking seafood, beef, chicken and pork. Both use wood to smoke the food, but are you wondering which one is better for your smoking needs? Just like anything else, there are pros and cons to each so learning more about them is a good way to make the right decision for your smoking needs. Almond wood for smoking or almond pellets for smoking? Read on to find out. 

Pellet Smoker

This type of smoker burns wood pellets instead of charcoal so you get the smoky flavor you crave, but without having to make sure the charcoal stays lit. Switching up the type of wood you use lends itself to various additional flavor profiles when you cook. And you’re not restricted to just meat. You can use a pellet smoker to make pizza, vegetables, even desserts. However, if you plan to cook low and slow, a more traditional smoker may be necessary.

Pellet smokers are easy to use and offer versatile methods for preparing foods. Creating the smoke and maintaining it is also fairly easy to do. If you want to experiment with smoking, a pellet grill is the way to go. Keep in mind that temperature control is a bit more difficult with wood pellets and it can be hard to maintain a consistent temperature inside the grill. 

Wood Smoker

Like a pellet smoker, you can use different kinds of wood to smoke and cook meat and other food. The difference is that instead of pellets, you’ll use lumps or chunks of the wood. This means the smoke may last longer because the wood is larger and covers more surface area. It also allows for getting higher temperatures than you might be able to achieve with a pellet smoker. 

Lump wood smokers are often cheaper than their pellet counterparts, but still offer the versatility you’re looking for. This is also the way to go if you want to infuse more of that smoky flavor into your meat. However, it will take a bit of time and effort to add more wood to keep the temperature even and the smoke flowing. 

How to Choose

Still undecided as to which is best for you? If convenience is your top goal, a wood pellet smoker is your best choice. However, if you want more control over the temperature, lump wood might be your better option. Remember that pellet smokers use electricity, which lump wood relies on fire. While you can create delicious meals with both, the amount of effort you want to put in influences your decision, as does the quality of the food you want to cook. If possible, try both options to see which best suits your needs.

There’s something about a grilled plate of ribs, salmon or chicken that just makes the world go around. For all of your almond wood for smoking or grilling pellets visit Knotty Wood Barbecue Company. We also have loads of recipes to choose from so maybe you’d like to try something new today. We’re here for you.