BigOlDOg
Member
First let me start like many i885ers I was upset about the lack of smoke I was seeing. Update firmware, which locked up the controller. Three weeks later new controller installed, up to date and traeger Texas beef blend (TTBB) was rolling smoke for several different cooks at different temps like never before! Thought now we are smokin!
Started reading the reviews, researched and even ordered a different brand that I’m awaiting delivery. Knew I was going to cook this past weekend and just had to have a different brand to try and I found Lumber Jack competition blend (LJCB). $15 for 20#s plus tax so cheaper than traeger and everyone talks about them.
Cleaned the i885 cleared the auger and dropped 20#s of LJCB in the hopper. Primed the auger, set fire to what was all the rave from the great pellet debates....
So before we get into seeing smoke debate let me say prior to my update and new controller LJCB visible smoke is about as much as TTBB. After update/controller they don’t hold a cloud to what TTBB does.
Temps, TTBB seem to hold truer to set. LJCB seem to vary up and down, not terrible just not as precise 10-15*, TTBB 0-5*.
Flavor, since I haven’t cooked the exact same thing on both pellets yet it’s hard to say. However LJCB might produce more flavor as my first cook was certainly tasty as seasoning were S&P! My plan is to follow up as I’m reverse searing steak tonight with LJCB like I’ve done in the past with TTBB and throughout the course of this 20#s.
Interesting facts my first cook with LJCB had a well pronounced smoke ring. I’m thinking back to cooks I’ve done with TTBB and can’t honestly say that ring was so pronounced but I don’t have pictures to compare. So even though smoke wasn’t visibly escaping maybe just maybe LJCB burned that much cleaner and had an edge on taste.
That’s all for now
Started reading the reviews, researched and even ordered a different brand that I’m awaiting delivery. Knew I was going to cook this past weekend and just had to have a different brand to try and I found Lumber Jack competition blend (LJCB). $15 for 20#s plus tax so cheaper than traeger and everyone talks about them.
Cleaned the i885 cleared the auger and dropped 20#s of LJCB in the hopper. Primed the auger, set fire to what was all the rave from the great pellet debates....
So before we get into seeing smoke debate let me say prior to my update and new controller LJCB visible smoke is about as much as TTBB. After update/controller they don’t hold a cloud to what TTBB does.
Temps, TTBB seem to hold truer to set. LJCB seem to vary up and down, not terrible just not as precise 10-15*, TTBB 0-5*.
Flavor, since I haven’t cooked the exact same thing on both pellets yet it’s hard to say. However LJCB might produce more flavor as my first cook was certainly tasty as seasoning were S&P! My plan is to follow up as I’m reverse searing steak tonight with LJCB like I’ve done in the past with TTBB and throughout the course of this 20#s.
Interesting facts my first cook with LJCB had a well pronounced smoke ring. I’m thinking back to cooks I’ve done with TTBB and can’t honestly say that ring was so pronounced but I don’t have pictures to compare. So even though smoke wasn’t visibly escaping maybe just maybe LJCB burned that much cleaner and had an edge on taste.
That’s all for now
