When pellet grills first appeared on the market, many pitmasters thought they were simply used for smoking meat.
But pellet grills can do more than that.
So, what can you cook on a pellet grill?
You can cook practically anything on pellet grills from braised short ribs to crispy chicken wings and even delectable crème brulée.
This means that besides grilling, you can smoke, roast, braise, and even bake on pellet grills.
So read on to learn how versatile pellet grills can be.
What Can You Cook on a Pellet Grill?
Fun fact: Pellet grills can smoke, grill, BBQ, bake, broil, and even sear food at temperatures below 200°F to slightly over 700°F depending on the make and model of the pellet grill.
Baking Pastries
One of the biggest surprises with pellet grills is that bread and desserts can be baked on a pellet grill.
You must try baking bread on your pellet grill. The bread will absorb the wood smoke and give off a pleasant and savory smell and flavor. It will even come out with that nice, savory crust we all like so much!
You can also bake a pie with pellet grills especially savory pies such as shepherd’s pies.
The steady indirect heat it provides is ideal for baking, caramelizing, and crisping a fruit pie.
However, do be careful when baking a pie on it as some pellet grills may bake the pie faster than a regular oven. So keep an eye on the pie from time to time.
And if baking a pie is possible, so is a cake! You can simply make the cake the same way as if you’re baking it in the oven. However, it’s best to lower the temperature a bit. When the cake puffs up and smells lovely, cover it with foil until fully baked.
Cooking Pizza
You’ll never want to make a pizza in an oven again once you’ve tried a pizza baked on a pellet grill.
Pellet grill pizzas have that wonderful wood-fired taste that you can’t just get enough of. The rich flavor comes from the wood pellets used during baking.
One bite and nothing can suppress the added layer of smokey flavor in the pizza crust. It makes you want to eat more!
Most pizza recipes call for higher temperatures since pizzas tend to bake fairly quickly. Thankfully, a pellet grill at a high temperature acts as a pizza oven which is perfect for baking pizzas!
Smoking Meat
The best-smoked meats give you the flavor, moisture, and tenderness you want in traditional smoked BBQ.
With a pellet grill, you can achieve all that using the fattier types of meat, such as:
- Pork shoulder
- Ribs
- Brisket
After all, these meats are ideal for smoking. The slow cooking process tenderizes the meats until they literally fall apart.
Grilling
Most pellet grill owners cook brisket and ribs on their pellet grills, but pellet grills are great for everyday grillings such as steaks, burgers, and even corn.
Any food can be cooked on a pellet grill if you have the proper knowledge and tools. However, it may take some trial and error when cooking more delicate foods such as fish.
If you’re following a recipe, be sure to follow the suggested cooking time and temperatures.
Keep in mind that pellet grills can be used to smoke steaks or burgers to add a nice smoky flavor before cranking the temperature up and searing the steak or burgers.
The Best Foods to Cook on a Pellet Grill
What are the greatest meals for smokers who use pellet grills?
Far more than you may expect.
Pellet grills may be used to grill meat, fish, vegetables, shellfish, and even desserts. The pellet grill’s temperature control is simple which makes it easy for anyone to get started.
Speaking of food, pellet grills may be used for anything from cold smoking fish to grilling burgers and even baking pies!
Pellet grills are capable of so much, so here are some of the food ideas that you can try to cook new delicious foods on your pellet grill.
Pork
Pork is the number one go-to meat of BBQ fans. It has high-fat content contributing to its superb taste and juiciness.
Pork cuts, when appropriately smoked, will give your barbecue a soft texture and delectable flavor.
Not to mention tough cuts of pork such as pork shoulder will turn into delicious pulled pork when given enough smoke, heat, and time.
Given how pork is generally a less expensive type of meat, pork is a popular choice for many meat lovers when it comes to smoking.
Baby Back Ribs
This is a popular cut among meat lovers. It’s the most often purchased cut of pork for many reasons:
- It has exceptional suppleness and tenderness.
- It’s very juicy and moist when cooked properly.
- It has a unique flavor profile you won’t find in other cuts of meat.
Spare Ribs
These ribs aren’t as tender as baby back ribs. It’s not as easy to smoke either.
Despite that, these cuts possess rich flavors that barbecue fans like.
Not to mention spare ribs and generally less expensive than baby back ribs.
Smoked Chicken Thighs
Chicken thighs are one of the finest meats to cook on a pellet grill. The reason lies in the amount of fat it has.
This fat allows the meat to be moist and juicy, as well as pack a lot of flavors. And who doesn’t want that in their dinner?
Make sure to use a higher cooking temperature when cooking chicken thighs so that the fat in the chicken renders. Otherwise the skin and fat will leave a rubbery texture to the smoked chicken.
Smoked Chicken Wings
We often fry chicken wings, but smoking them can also bring another level of deliciousness.
And when you add some sauces and seasonings to it, you’ll get a combination of rich, exotic flavors. Experiment with various ingredients to find what you like best.
Brisket
Beef brisket has an unparalleled flavor when smoked over a long period of time.
However, brisket can be a challenging cut of meat to cook your first time.
Brisket is a tougher cut of meat which makes it perfect for smoking since the smoke, heat, and time will break down the meat’s toughness.
However, make sure to follow instructions when it comes to trimming and smoking the brisket.
Generally, brisket takes about 1.5 hours to smoke at 225°F per pound so a 10-pound brisket can take up to 15 hours to smoke.
So make sure you are prepared to smoke for a long period of time when planning on smoking a brisket.
Beef Ribs
This is a challenging cut to smoke but great for barbeque.
The amazing popularity of Texas-style beef short ribs can be attributed to the exquisite distinctive flavor and soft texture. That’s probably why they’re so famous and preferred by many.
Classic Steak
Few foods can compare to the flavor of an old-fashioned steak. But when you smoke them on your pellet grill, it tastes even better.
A cross-section of black crust and pink center is nothing short of a piece of beauty.
It may take some time to master smoking and cooking a steak on the pellet grill. But once you do, you’ll be able to prepare smoked steaks that taste as good as they look.
Try reverse searing a steak on a pellet grill in order to create a smoky flavor on the steak but still create the delicious sear marks on the outside.
Benefits Of Cooking On A Pellet Grill
Pellet grills have a lot of advantages compared to gas, charcoal, and electric grills.
Smoking food on a pellet grill will create a unique smoky flavor and texture that is hard to replicate without using a wood smoker. Not to mention flavored wood pellets will also create a distinct wood flavor on the food.
Here are some of the main benefits of cooking on pellet grills:
Pellet Grill Gives the Best Flavor
The quality and flavor of the food you can cook on a pellet grill are the real deal.
Unlike gas or charcoal, you can control the flavor of your wood pellets by mixing and matching them to produce the exact flavor for whatever you’re grilling. This is exactly why seasoned barbecue chefs prefer wood pellets because of the great flavor it makes.
What’s more, meat cooked on a pellet smoker has a rich, strong taste that is impossible to achieve on a gas grill.
Gas grills may be convenient and simple to operate, but they lack the char flavor associated with barbecue.
Final Thoughts
There is no better way to have fun than exploring new foods during a BBQ day with family and friends.
And with a pellet grill on hand, you will be able to cook any food your family wants—maybe even create a brand new dish while you’re at it!
So go ahead and try baking, braising, smoking, and roasting on a pellet grill.
The finest meats will come out enriched with the flavor, moisture, and softness you want. Even vegetables will stand out when a pellet grill is used for cooking them.
We hope you’re now more equipped with enough information on what foods to cook to begin your pellet grill smoking adventure.
Now when you think “what can you cook on a pellet grill?” that you have a bunch of good new ideas to try out.
Happy grilling!
