RecTec Stampede and WSM 18" Smoke off!

[Casadetrevino]

Another RecTec owner posted that he was not seeing smoke on his RT-700. He mentioned that he was coming from the WSM world. His post was timely as I was planning on smoking some baby backs on both my Stampede and my WSM 18". I wanted to taste them side by side and see what the difference was because I too have been a bit underwhelmed by the smoke signature from my RT-590. I posted on his thread that would report what my results were. Not wanting to hijack his thread I am reporting my findings here. Just for reference, I have only owned my Stampede for a little over a month and am still learning the pellet grill.

Here is how my cook went.

RecTec RT-590:

- One Rack of BBs

- Smoke tube with Lumberjack Char-Hickory pellets for extra smoke

- RecTec had same Lumberjack Pellets

WSM:

- Two racks of BBs

- Hickory chunks for smoke

- Kingsford Original

- No water in water pan

Cooked for 225º for 3 hours. WSM ran hotter most of the time

Wrapped for another 2 hours

Recipe was from Bill Gillespie's WSM cookbook

Verdict:

Adult son: RecTec ribs

Wife and adult daughter: Couldn't pick a favorite but raved about both

Me: WSM

Neighbor: Only had the RecTec Ribs but loved them

Just goes to show everybody is different.

The way my wife explained it was that the RecTec ribs were what you'd expect at a restaurant and the WSM ribs were more of that homemade backyard rustic taste.

To me, the WSM had that extra smoke flavor that I expect from a smoker. I will concur with others that the pellet grill leaves a completely different smoke signature which is there but nuanced and different from wood on charcoal.

Here is what the ribs looked like:

The RecTec Ribs are on the top and the WSM ribs are on the bottom with the bite taken out.

Notice how the RecTec ribs have the smoke ring but curiously not the stronger smokey flavor. Very interesting to me.

The RecTec ribs were good and I'd be proud to serve them to anyone. However, the cook today convinced me to hold on to my WSM for when I am craving that distinct smokiness and have the time to watch over the cook.

Happy Smoking Everyone!

 

[Roaniecowpony]

I agree with your opinion that the smoke is different.

After about 4 months and probably 30 smokes on the Bull, my conclusion is that the smoke never runs sooty in the pellet smoker and it leaves a much mellower "sweet" smoke flavor. "Perfect smoke" all the time.

Over the years of smoking on komados, I can say komados are most often running choked to hold low temperatures and produce a lot of white/gray smoke for a big part of the wood burning. This smoke is definitely producing a harsher smoke profile.

Many years ago, when I was relatively new to bbq, I remember reading advice that even a little white/gray smoke will taint the meat with a bitter taste. I recall being invited to work a competition team with pitmaster that ran stick burners. He always had a fire basket that was being burned to the perfect point where it would be swapped with the one in the pit. Never was wood or charcoal added to the basket in the pit. He produced meats that were similar to what I'm getting on the Bull. "Sweetly smoked" meats.

That being said, I have been smoking almost everything on LO/180F for the first portion of the cook. I just did ribs today. The first 2 hrs was at LO/180F for the extra smoke. I've been experimenting with stepped smokes at temps in the 180f to 225F range. I'm liking what I'm getting.

 

[mooncusser2k]

Notice how the RecTec ribs have the smoke ring but curiously not the stronger smokey flavor. Very interesting to me.

Thanks for making the comparison and sharing results. It's interesting.

As I understand it, the "smoke ring" isn't actually from smoke but rather a chemical reaction involving the products of combustion. Which is why an electric smoker like an MES can produce great tasting smoked food but with little to no smoke ring, since you aren't burning anything to generate heat.

That doesn't apply to a WSM, though. No idea why your rib from the WSM has a lighter smoke ring.

 

[Buckeye1]

I am brand new to smoking, but have a question on your comparison. I have been doing a lot of reading while waiting for my 340 to arrive. Have you tried to do the first part of the cook under 200 in a heavy smoke mode. A friend does that on his Traeger and swears that gives a better smoke flavor. He does the 321 method.

 

[Uncle Bob]

@Casadetrevino , your poll of preference results show exactly why it's impossible to answer the very frequent questions about too much, too little, too this, too that, regarding flavor. Be it smoke profile, spice level, or any other measure that isn't standardized. As you said, each person has their own "ideal" in mind. Same goes for "what's the best pellets?" and similar questions.

Roanie nailed the driving factors, principally, how "clean" is the fire/smoke. The pellets, particularly with a PID controller, are a controlled feed rate with forced air to add to the fire triangle. Chunks of wood, or even briquettes to a lesser degree, are going to be more variable due to density, spacing, wood type, and rely more on induced draft rather than forced draft (unless you're using a fan assist such as offered by BBQ Guru or others).

 

[Casadetrevino]

I am brand new to smoking, but have a question on your comparison. I have been doing a lot of reading while waiting for my 340 to arrive. Have you tried to do the first part of the cook under 200 in a heavy smoke mode. A friend does that on his Traeger and swears that gives a better smoke flavor. He does the 321 method.

I have not tried that but it will be next on my list I’ll post what the results are.

 

[cutplug]

I agree with Roanie who is agreeing with Mr C. I have been a pellet head for almost 20 years
and If I could cook a brisket at 180 for the entire smoke I would. I rarely go over 225 except for cheesecake and chicken.
I too would of picked the top rib as the WSM becuase of the smoke ring but pellet smokers do produce a good ring. Amazing ribs has the science behind the ring.
Maybe the WSM rib has cooking hotter and therefor less to no ring.

 

[Roaniecowpony]

There's a guy that has won many big national bbq events with a WSM. Harry Soo. He's local to me and I've been wanting to take one of his classes. I almost signed up for a class this spring. In watching his videos, he runs WSMs hot and fast. That keeps his fires burning clean, without bitter smoke.

 

[cutplug]

I have seen Harry on some shows. It seems like it wasn't that long ago he was just learning.
Unless I had a restaurant and needed the street cred I wouldn't get 100 miles from entering a competition. BBQing for me is about relaxing and making some good food, sharing with friends and all without stress.
I felt compelled to enter some small ones in my area and then the health dept. gets in the way
and has a competition of their own hoops to jump through. All so I can spend some serious cash to make someone else's event a success. No thanks!!

 

[Roaniecowpony]

I have seen Harry on some shows. It seems like it wasn't that long ago he was just learning.
Unless I had a restaurant and needed the street cred I wouldn't get 100 miles from entering a competition. BBQing for me is about relaxing and making some good food, sharing with friends and all without stress.
I felt compelled to enter some small ones in my area and then the health dept. gets in the way
and has a competition of their own hoops to jump through. All so I can spend some serious cash to make someone else's event a success. No thanks!!

This happens when we get old, everything seems like just the other day. LOL. I'm setting here and looked across the desk at a hat I had made for our team that toured airlines testing solutions to address an accident. That was 20 years ago January. I don't have a precise year, but it seems like I first explored a class with Harry at least 7-8 years ago, maybe longer. I'm with you on competitions, competitions of any kind. I've dabbled in aerobatic airplane competitions, shooting competitions, and I can't recall what others. I've never lasted long before I felt like I was just fodder for someone's event success. Probably my undiagnosed adult ADD/ADHD.

 

[Maroon87]

The way my wife explained it was that the RecTec ribs were what you'd expect at a restaurant and the WSM ribs were more of that homemade backyard rustic taste.

Enjoyed reading through this thread. I have a PBC, but some of the WSM apply regarding charcoal and wood compared to my RT-340. PBC runs hotter so I appreciated the heat to smoke discussion too. I do think I get different results from my cookers and I like the variety.

But the greatest takeaway for me, especially that a spouse said it, is my rationalization for having multiple cookers! ?

 

[hawsdog]

I used to have the WSM and loved it until I had kids, then who has time to tend to that thing? It does make amazingly great smoked meats, which is why I bought it in the first place. I would consider the WSM a good choice if you are wanting to tend to it, like at a competition, or if you don't have too much going on in your life (like if you don't have kids...) and just enjoy the process. I am no longer in that place, which is why I have an rt-590 on the way!

 

[Casadetrevino]

I used to have the WSM and loved it until I had kids, then who has time to tend to that thing? It does make amazingly great smoked meats, which is why I bought it in the first place. I would consider the WSM a good choice if you are wanting to tend to it, like at a competition, or if you don't have too much going on in your life (like if you don't have kids...) and just enjoy the process. I am no longer in that place, which is why I have an rt-590 on the way!

The set and forget certainly is nice.
Since my original post I have sold my WSM. Not because I didn’t like it but because I had too many grills on my deck. My wife was hoping I’d make more room. So being the good husband I am, I bought a Weber Summit Kamado. It smokes and grills so I was able to get rid of my Weber Performer and my WSM. Win win!
The other day I really wanted to smoke some pork butts I had thawed but just ran out of time to set and tend the Summit so I tossed them in the 590 and went to run my errands for the day. So I definitely see where you are coming from on the time constraint issue. Enjoy your 590!

 

[C. Keeper]

The set and forget certainly is nice.
Since my original post I have sold my WSM. Not because I didn’t like it but because I had too many grills on my deck. My wife was hoping I’d make more room. So being the good husband I am, I bought a Weber Summit Kamado. It smokes and grills so I was able to get rid of my Weber Performer and my WSM. Win win!
The other day I really wanted to smoke some pork butts I had thawed but just ran out of time to set and tend the Summit so I tossed them in the 590 and went to run my errands for the day. So I definitely see where you are coming from on the time constraint issue. Enjoy your 590!

How can you have too many grill?

 

[Gonefishin]

I sold my WSM when I got the RT. After having the RT for 18 months I wish I had kept the WSM, not that I'd get rid of the RT. Prefer the convenience of the RT and the flavor of the WSM.

Went from 7 to 5 so I have room for more.