Hacker News Reader

Comment by giardini | Hacker News Reader

Let's have it then: what is great about your "pellet grill"?

The computer-controlled pellet loading mechanism provides great smokey, BBQ flavor without the need to continually monitor temperature in person. This allows for long cooks - say, 14 hours with a brisket - without the need to continually check in or be present at the grill. It also provides wifi notifications when the grill is up to temp and when the meat is up to temp. Delicious results with substantially less work than conventional grills.

Thank you, your report is eye-opening, for I have never cooked anything requiring more than 3 hours (other than yogurt - boiled milk, cooled, yogurt added and then left in the oven overnight).

How about safety? grilling/smoking usually requires someone be nearby in case something goes wrong.

For a hot tasty brisket that was cooked 14 hours I go to a BBQ joint. Perhaps the BBQ joint uses a pellet grill (or will soon)!

They're generally considered to be safe unattended for 3-6 hours for a low-heat (ie, 200-250F) cook if they're clean, well-maintained and away from other flammable things, in the same way that a Crock Pot or low-temp oven cook might also be left alone for extended periods. For a high-heat "grill" (375-550F), I would absolutely remain present to prevent burning or a grease fire. They can be used both ways.

A high quality BBQ joint may have trained staff feeding their BBQs post-oak and checking in throughout the day for top-notch BBQ - and you'll pay for that attention. But can you get an A-/B+ brisket out of a pellet smoker in your back yard? Absolutely.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com