President’s advices
Discovering pellet barbecues
By Jean-François Fauteux
| May 23, 2023
For the past few years, pellet barbecues have been a big hit among Americans and Anglo-Canadians. It is like a cult for some persons and a lot are trading their gas or coal appliances for this type of device. This keen interest is now reaching Quebec thanks to their ease of use, their versatility and the smoky taste that they can offer your food.
Technology at gourmet’s service
We can summarize this type of barbecue in a few words: a convection oven fuelled by a wood fire and completely automated. The radiant heat caused by the smoke in the grill ensures even cooking of your food and gives it a unique flavour.
With a pellet appliance, you can control the temperature and cooking time on the control panel, just as you would with your kitchen oven. They come with probes to monitor the exact degrees inside of your meat. It even notifies you when it is ready on your phone with an app. It means that it gives you have access to precision, even heat, personalized smoky flavour and little surveillance with this new technology. Anyone can turn into a chef and barbecue master with a pellet smoker!
The application linked to your grill adds to the pleasure of cooking. It allows you to start your device and track the temperature inside while preparing your food in the kitchen. You don’t have to go back and forth to check on your food. Also, with multiple probes, you can monitor the temperature of many pieces of meat simultaneously and pick them up when they’re ready. Indeed, with your smartphone, everything happening in your smoker is at the tip of your fingers. Thus, failing your recipes becomes impossible!
The product’s versatility
While cooking on a gas barbecue relies mainly on very hot grids, a pellet barbecue works more like a convection oven. At first glance, the cooking techniques may seem different, but you’ll quickly realize that your cooking surface is still very hot. However, you have, in bonuses, a more even heat and more cooking options with the use of smoke as a heat conductor.
This smoke is produced by a real wood fire and embers that give you versatility, such as:
- Smoking foods at less than 200 degrees, such as fish, nuts, cheeses and more;
- Slow cooking at low temperatures, between 200 and 300 degrees, such as pork shoulder or prime rib roast for several hours;
- Use it at 350 degrees, like an oven, to make hams, pâtés or even cakes;
- Use it as a high-end grill that can reach 500 degrees that could seize a steak or even 600 degrees to cook a pizza;
- Cook directly over the fire for better searing and smoky flavour, using Louisiana Grills features.
Did you know…?Wood pellets are a natural and local biomass produced from sawdust. Indeed, it is created from the wastes of wood transformation. It is the ideal fuel to turn off the fossil gas tap and cook in an ecological way.
A delicate smoky taste
For many people, we should choose a pellet barbecue for the taste it gives to the food. In fact, these appliances use radiant cooking, so you don’t have to handle the food often. This cooking technique gives more flavour to your food and the meats become more tender.
Of course, wood smoke cooking remains the secret to the distinct taste of pellet barbecues. Unlike charcoal barbecues, pellets provide a more discreet and subtle taste. Pellets are available in several wood species to vary the taste, such as maple, cherry, apple, etc. Thus, you can opt for a very light or more pronounced smoke taste depending on your preferences and the recipe.
In conclusion, a pellet barbecue can turn you into a great barbecue master, without requiring advanced skills. They are available in several sizes ranging from portable to event size. As it is a mechanical and electronic device, it will provide you with better performance, longevity and ease of maintenance in addition to featuring an enhanced appearance.
The team of Coval recommends the Louisiana Grills pellet appliances, especially the Founder’s Series. It uses, among other things, an insulated lid that reduces pellet consumption by 30% and operates well in winter, even without additional insulating accessories. Discover their complete lineup!
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