Why I ditched my pellet smoker for a stick burner after one bad brisket

My Traeger gave me a brisket that tasted like nothing after 14 hours of babysitting, so I bought a used Oklahoma Joe offset off Facebook for $300. First cook with real hickory and oak gave me the best bark I've ever had - anyone else make the switch and never look back?

2 comments

2 Comments

taylor.sean7d ago

Haha, 'hot air with a side of smoke ring' - I'm stealing that line, man. That's exactly what I got from my Traeger. I spent like six hundred bucks on that thing and ended up with brisket that tasted like a vague memory of smoke. My neighbor still swears by his pellet grill but I swear he's just trying to justify the money he dropped on it. With my offset I actually have to pay attention, which is a pain sometimes, but the payoff is real. The bark comes out looking like a hockey puck in the best way possible and the flavor sticks to your teeth. Never going back either, even if I have to wake up at 4am to feed the firebox.

blair_webb7d ago

Wait, you're telling me you actually got flavor out of a Traeger? I've had three different pellet grills and every brisket came out tasting like hot air with a side of smoke ring. The bark was basically non-existent. I made the same switch about two years ago, got a beat up stick burner for cheap, and now I can't imagine going back. There's just something about managing real fire and getting that deep, smoky taste that pellets can't touch.