Category: BBQ

Most people think and assume a pork shoulder is the same as a pork butt because they are found within the shoulder region of a pig’s body. But this is not true because all cuts of a pig’s shoulder are not the same. They look and feel different from each cut of meat.

The shoulder of a pig is divided into two different cuts of pork meat, known as the pork butt and the pork shoulder. Pork meat has different cuts that taste differently. And these various cuts of pork are cooked differently because of their non-uniform texture. Some parts are tender, and others are tough.

Let’s find out the difference between pork butt vs. pork shoulder.

Pork Butt

A pork butt is also known as a Boston butt or Boston shoulder. It is gotten from the shoulder blades of a pig. Pork butt is one of the most expensive cuts of a pig. It is well shaped in the form of a rectangle when cut out from the other parts. The skin of a pork butt is removed. It can either be sold with the bones in or without the bones.

A pork butt is cut from the upper shoulder of a pig and in between the shoulder blades. This part contains a lot of fats, collagen, and tissues. It is well suited for ground meat and shoulder roast.

Pork butt is rich in fat with a definite shape. It is the perfect cut for braises and stews.

Pork Shoulder

A pork shoulder is also known as a picnic shoulder. This is the second part of a pig’s shoulder that extends into the foreleg of a pig. It always comes with its skin, which is great for making cracklins.

A pork shoulder is tougher and thicker because it is a workhorse muscle of a pig and has more muscle. You spend less cooking time when you cook your pork shoulder in an oven than the other cookware. It takes less than 40 minutes to get ready. However, when using a slow cooker, you would need up to 8 hours to get a slice of succulent meat. You would spend more than 15 hours when utilizing a smoker.

Pork shoulder is best for pork roast, hot dog, ground meat, sausage, pulled pork, arm roast, and stew. It is affordable, which makes it the best choice for cooking pulled pork in large quantities. The fat content is not as much as the other cuts of a shoulder. Pork shoulder is traced down to the pig hoof and is shaped in the form of a triangle when cut precisely from the other parts.

Pork Butt Vs. Pork Shoulder

Similarities

One of the major similarities between a pork butt and pork shoulder is that they are both cuts from a pig. Both pork shoulder and pork butt are found at the shoulder region of a pig.

Both cuts of pork contain fats. The intramuscular fat of these meat enhances the flavor of your food as you cook. The cooking method suitable for the shoulder region of pork is roasting, braising, and slow cooking. The cook can utilize any of these methods that suit their preference and taste.

Differences

Although pork shoulder and pork butt are located close to each other, they serve different purposes and have distinct texture. The pork butt is located at the upper area of a pig’s shoulder, and the pork shoulder is located close to the foreleg.

The pork butt is tender than a pork shoulder and provides you with succulent, moist meat when cooked properly. A pork shoulder is tougher in texture and requires more cooking time than a pork butt. You get crispy pork from this cut.

The healthier cuts between pork shoulder and pork butt are the pork shoulder. It has less fat, less cholesterol, less sodium, and more protein than a pork butt. The upper area of the shoulder needs to be trimmed and debone before cooking. The excess fat needs to be taken off when making jerky to avoid smoke. The skin of the lower region needs to be detached when preparing some meals to minimize the time spent on cooking.

Pork Butt is expensive and often sold without trimming the fats. It is well marbled with intramuscular fats. The pork shoulder, on the other hand, is cheaper and has lesser intramuscular fats. It is not as marbled as pork butt and is often sold with the skin intact.

Conclusion

When you can distinguish between a pork shoulder and a pork butt, you will be able to identify and buy the best cut of pork that is perfect for the food you are about to prepare. Although they are from the same parts, they are distinctly different in texture, taste, and shape.

When next you visit a butcher shop, be specific on which cut of a shoulder you want.

If you love to have some tasty yet healthy dishes at any time regardless of season, then owning a good quality grill can be a decent decision. These machines are not only designed to use a lesser amount of oil but infuse your meat with that sought-after smokiness for a yummy bite.

If you’re anything like me, BBQ enthusiast, you must be aware of the best charcoal grills and gas grills. However, there is a vertical pellet grill designed to offer ease of use, huge capacity, wide temperature range as well as longevity.

Sound like something you need?

Here’s a review of the best vertical pellet smoker on the market and a detailed buying guide on how to make an informed decision.

Top 8 Best Vertical Pellet Smokers

1. Weber 14-inch Smokey Mountain Cooker Charcoal Smoker

When it comes to the best vertical pellet smokers, the Weber 14-inch Smokey Mountain Cooker is a winner. It comes with a plated steel cooking grate to deliver optimal durability.

Thanks to its unique design, this model allows you to grill a wide variety of food items. This smoker has a lid on the thermometer to allow users to keep an eye on the machine’s internal temperature with ease.

The middle section, lid, and bowl are porcelain enameled for additional durability, which ensures that they will not rust or peel. Besides, it provides impressive heat retention. With the dampers, users can easily control the level of smoke for a perfect flavor.

Weber 14-inch Smokey Mountain Cooker comes with two racks to accommodate more meat and cook a large quantity at once. This smoker features a removable fuel door for adding more charcoal as you smoke your meats with the unit.

More importantly, this product is available in three size options: 10-inch, 18-inch, and 22-inch to ensure you get a perfect fit to handle the number of guests or family you intended to feed.

The 14-inch model offers a 143 sq inch primary grilling space and a total grilling area measuring 386 sq inches. It’sIt’s easy to assemble using the 3D interactive assembly instruction.

Pros:

• Impressive heat retention
• Three size options
• Easy to assemble
• Rust-resistant metal legs
• Built-in lid thermometer

Cons:

• Poor quality control

2. Dyna-Glo DGO1176BDC-D Vertical Offset Charcoal Smoker

For both novice and experienced food smokers, the Dyna-Glo DGO1176BDC-D Vertical Offset Charcoal Smoker is a good choice. It comes with six adjustable height cooking grates, which provides users with ample grilling space. These racks are easily adjustable for fitting larger cuts of meat.

The vertical design rises heat naturally to help improve smoke flavor and achieve greater efficiency. Also, the offset design supports slow cooking and keeps direct heat away. This model comes with six height-adjustable cooking grates, ensuring that you can fit in various food sizes.

In addition, it has a whooping total smoking space of 784 sq inches, which should be plenty enough to feed a social gathering, family dinners, and other medium-sized events.

More so, it is equipped with a porcelain-enameled steel charcoal chamber for improved smoke efficiency. This unit’s ash and charcoal management system is impressive and can handle large amounts of ash, offering a maintenance-free smoking experience.

What’s more? Dyna-Glo DGO1176BDC-D is equipped with an adjustable flue for easy temperature control and additional flavor for a mouth-watering meal. Another interesting thing about this model is its built-in, stainless steel thermometer for indicating the ideal temperature to infuse smoke flavor. Plus, it has an easy-to-read gauge for achieving perfectly-smoked foods.

Pros:

• Maintenance-free cooking
• Six height-adjustable cooking grates.
• The adjustable flue for increased precision
• Sturdy construction

Cons:

• Customer service could be better

3. Masterbuilt MB20250218 MWS 340B Pellet Smoker

If you are in the market for the best vertical wood pellet, purchasing the Masterbuilt MWS Pellet Smoker is a decent choice. With four smoking racks, users can easily fit a lot of food into it at once.

These racks feature chrome coating to provide consistent and reliable temperature and durability. With the aid of the included meat probe thermometers, you can check the temperature of the items cooking inside the pellet smoker. Plus, you know the exact smoking temperature for a delicious meal.

More so, this unit comes with a digital control panel for ease of use. This feature lets you determine the smoke temperature and time without any hassle. Also, you can easily power the unit on / off.

The pellet hopper accommodates about 12 lbs, which offer about 8 hours of cooking without refilling. The auger moves these wood pellets to deliver consistent cooking from 180 to 350 degrees F.

Pros:

• Four chrome-coated smoking racks
• Huge hopper capacity
• Digital panel controls
• Meat probe thermometers

Cons:

• Using this unit might seem cumbersome.

4. Camp Chef XXL Vertical Pellet Smoker

For those looking to own a vertical pellet smoker, then this unit from Camp Chef. This product name includes XXL, which gives us an insight into its smoking space. With four meat racks, a sausage rack, and three jerky racks, this model offers an ample cooking space.

Further, it incorporates a 2020 smoking style featuring digital temperature controls, dual-meat temperature probe, and Smart Smoke Technology for convenience. Also, it’s a true ”set and forget” model. It’sIt’s built to allow you to enjoy a lot of free time for taking a sip, chatting with lids, and keeping an eye on the kids.

After enjoying every juicy mouthful, Camp Chef XXL Vertical Pellet Smoker has a Grease Management system, and the Ash Cleanout system helps make cleaning up afterward a snap. It offers 33,000 BTUs/Hr cooking power and a wide temperature range between 150 and 350 degrees F, allowing baking and slow smoke.

Pros:

• Sturdy castor legs
• Clear pellet hopper window
• Internal fans for even cooking
• Set and forget baking and smoking

Cons:

• Tend to leak smoke slightly.

5. Traeger Grills TFB88PZBO Pro Series 34 Pellet Grill and Smoker

You don’t like using charcoal or gas, then Traeger Grills TFB88PZBO Pro Series 34 is a nice choice. This unit runs on the brand’s proprietary wood-pellet grill to help users achieve that sought-after wood-fire taste.

This versatile BBQ device allows you to cook low and slow or hot and fast. This pellet smoker from Traeger Grills permits six cooking methods BBQ, braise, roast, bake, smoke, and grill your food to juicy perfection.

Here’s more: Traeger Grills TFB88PZBO Pro Series 34 is equipped with a Digital Pro Controller which ensures this unit maintains +/-  15 degree F for high precision grilling. Coupled with a durable powder coat finish, its steel construction makes this pellet smoker sturdy and durable. And, the porcelain grill grates make cleaning a breeze.

What’s its cooking capacity? This unit has a large 884 sq inch grilling space, which is plenty enough to accommodate 40 burgers, 7 racks of ribs, or 8 chickens.

Pros:

• Large cooking space
• Durable and sturdy construction
• Precision temperature control
• Easy to clean
• Six cooking modes

Cons:

• Issues with the igniter

6. Louisiana Grills Vertical Pellet Smoker

For vertical smokers, Louisiana Grills Vertical Pellet Smoker can be the way to go. With its ingenious design, this product offers brilliant performance and delivers the best results. This unit is built to amaze your guests at barbecue and picnics sessions. It’sIt’s beautifully crafted and would easily leave your guest thunderstruck.

With the front glass-door feature, you can easily monitor your food and see how it changes color. Louisiana Grills Vertical Pellet Smoker comes with double-walled insulation to eliminate heat loss and deliver consistent temperature for juicy perfection. This unit maintains the internal cooking temperature even in cold or rainy weather.

Here’sHere’s more: Louisiana Grills Vertical Pellet Smoker comes with 6 racks and ample cooking space to allow users to cook many batches of sausages or meat at the same time. Sadly, finding these device spare parts can be challenging and take about three or more weeks.

Pros:

• Double-wall insulation for consistent heat
• Beautiful design
• Large 2,059 square inches cooking space
• Built-in meat probe

Cons:

• Reassembling can be challenging.

7. Camp Chef SmokePro SG Wood Pellet Grill Smoker

Another spot, another vertical pellet smoker from Camp Chef. This unit provides a spacious 4850 cubic inches to cook a lot of quantities at once. It also features an electric auto-igniter, Simple Temp Select System, and Automatic Auger for convenience.

Like any top product, this model is equipped with Dual LED Temp Readout and Dual Meat Probes to let users know the internal cooking and food temperature. On top of that, it comes with a pellet hopper capacity capable of holding 22 lbs, which is plenty enough to let you cook your meals without refilling.

More importantly, the product’s pellet hopper clean-out and patented ash clean-out are geared toward making cleaning a breeze.

Pros:

• Easy to clean
• Electric Auto-Igniter
• Spacious grilling surface
• Simple to use

Cons:

• The paint doesn’t hold up.

8. Pit Boss Grills 77550 5.5 Pellet Smoker

For BBA enthusiasts looking for a unit that offers longer smoking time and more cooking space, then you can’t really go wrong splurging on Pit Boss Grills 77550 5.5 Pellet Smoker. Like other products from the manufacturer, this model features porcelain-coated cooking racks, ensuring even heat distribution.

This wood pellet smoker offers a wide range of outdoor cooking options. Additionally, it has a 40lbs hopper capacity for longer cooking time without having to worry about refilling. For ease of use, Pit Boss Grills 77550 5.5 Pellet Smoker features auto-start 300watt igniter for easy start-ups and auto-shutoff for extra protection.

Pros:

• Five porcelain coated cooking grids.
• Large 1548 sq. in. cooking space
• Fully programmable 150 – 450 temperature range
• Auto shutoff and auto start igniter

Cons:

• The display gets dim after a while

Things to Consider Before Purchasing a Vertical Pellet Smoker

Before splurging on any model, there are several factors you need to consider before making a choice, such as the material, steel quality, coat of paint, and many more.

Space

While vertical pellet smokers are designed to help you maximize your space, it’s important to consider the space you intend to place the smoker.

Capacity

A pellet smoker’s capacity is another factor to keep in mind when trying to pin down the right model for your cooking needs. If you want a unit to meet just your family needs, then a small-sized smoker is enough.

However, for those who tend to host parties such as family picnics, social gatherings, etc, then you can splurge on a large unit offering ample cooking space.

Material

Before purchasing a model, the most important factor is the material. The steel quality and coat of pain help determine what the device has in store for you. Some products are designed to withstand high temperatures, and the coat of paint won’t flake with time. Even better, the best vertical pellet smoker should not rust.

Customer’s Reviews

Before purchasing a model, you should take your time to check out other customers’ opinions on the products. It gives you an insight into the manufacturer’s services, warranty policies, the strength and weakness of the pellet smoker.

Budget

You want to purchase a vertical pellet smoker that serves your purpose without having to break the bank. There are different types of pellet smokers on the market at varying price ranges.

Unfortunately, we often think cheaper models are bad products, and the high priced models are the best option – this doesn’t guarantee that you would end up with the right smoker. It would be best if you opted for a model capable of catering to cooking needs within your price range.

Most times, the more extra features (which might be some time you don’t really need) a device has, the higher the price tag.

FAQs

1. Reasons for buying pellet smokers?

• Comes with innovative solutions for better juicy results. Now, they feature digital thermometers to allow you to monitor and control the heat within the smoker-vault.
• Also, vertical pellet smokers provide you with enough time to chat with your guest, sip your ice-cold beer, and attend to other things with its set and forget design. They are engineered to adjust the level of smoke and temperature automatically.
• For safety, this unit comes with an auto-shutdown feature at the desired cooking time, which gets rid of worrying about your food burning.
• Its elegance, ease of control, and efficiency are few things modern pellet smokers bring to the table.

2. What are the drawbacks of vertical pellet smokers?

• Pellet smokers do not provide you with that grill marks or dark sear.
• They are relatively expensive.
• Pellet smokers produce less smoke when the cooking temperature is higher.

Conclusion

Vertical pellet smokers offer a much better way of grilling than traditional options. Today, tons of these devices have different sizes and super-friendly features to make grilling a fun experience.

Nonetheless, you can splurge on the wrong unit – a product that doesn’t serve your purpose. Therefore, it’s important to consider our buying guide before choosing a model from our list of the best vertical pellet smokers.

For grill lovers, who appreciate and have unconditional love for a lightly perfumed BBQ meal with a sweet smoke scent, you might want to consider owning a pellet tube smoker.

Why? Pellet tube is a smart alternative in cases when you don’t want to go through the hassle of taking out and lighting your smoker for a short smoking session. These machines will come in handy for people looking to add a subtle smoke flavor to their cut of meat without having to start a whole treatment.

Purchasing this inexpensive, smoker attachment will serve your purpose and help extend your beast’s life. Besides, it gets the job done swiftly and quickly.

Unfortunately, the market is flooded with hundreds of options, which makes pinning down the right unit challenging and overwhelming. In this post, we’ll consider the top 8 best pellet tube smokers and how to make an informed decision.

Top 8 Best Pellet Tube Smoker

1. Lanney Pellet Smoker Tube, 12″ Stainless Steel

Taking the first spot on our list is Lanney Pellet Smoker Tube with massive diffusion hole density to ensure efficient and even smoke diffusion. This product comes in a hexagon shape and perforated design to ensure the pellet smoker remains lit for delivering constant smoke.

Coupled with its 12-inch large capacity, this pellet tube smoker holds a generous amount of pellets to produce a sufficient amount of smoke for an extended period. It’s also compatible with a wide range of wood pellets such as pecan, apple, mesquite, hickory, cherry, and many more to infuse your cut of meat with different tastes.

Even better, Lanney Pellet Smoker Tube works well with wood chips and allows users to mix and stack them with ease. This unit is ideal for cold and hot smoking and adds mouth-watering smoking flavor to various foods such as pork, bacon, nuts, veggies, cheese, pork, corn, fruit, and more.

What’s more? This model is compatible with pellet, charcoal, gas, electric, and any grill types, regardless of the shape and size. This attachment helps turn your BBQ grill into a smart smoker for sweet smoke flavor.

Pros:

• Excellent craft
• High -grade stainless steel construction
• Produce sufficient amount of smoke
• Easy to use and clean
• Great smoke taste
• Long smoke session

Cons:

• Troubles using with electric grill

2. A-MAZE-N AMNPS Maze Pellet Smoker

Next, A-MAZE-N AMNPS Maze Pellet Smoker offers a full-bodied smoke touted to last more than 10 hours using its pellets. However, it’s important to know that the smoke time varies depending on what you fill the tube with.

That’s not the only thing under this product’s sleeve. This product is perfect for anything from cheese to steak, fish, pork, and many more. This pellet attachment adds a delicious smoky flavor to your meal with ease.

Furthermore, it features stainless steel construction, ensuring this unit does not rust and extend your pellet smoker’s longevity. Not weighing more than 12.6 Oz, A-MAZE-N AMNPS Maze Pellet Smoker is a lightweight model that makes it hassle-free to transport from the grill to tailgate events, BBQ parties, and campsites.

Yes, it has a dimension of 5-inch by 8-inch to allow ease of use with just about a grill. It’s portable, light, and small, which not only makes the product easy to use but also snappy to clean.

Pros:

• Ideal for cold and hot smoking
• Rust-free construction
• Lightweight and portable design
• Long-lasting smoking duration

Cons:

• Lighting this product can be challenging

3. LIZZQ Premium Pellet Smoker Tube

LIZZQ Premium Pellet Smoker Tube is another brilliant pellet accessory crafted to be compatible with any smoker, and gas, electric, or charcoal grill. It’s a decent choice for people looking to infuse sweet smokey flavor into their cut of meat or fish.

Plus, it offers that sufficient smoldering wood smoke to help you make tasty, wood-flavored meals for your family and friends. It also offers an incredible smoke time of up to 5 hours, which should be enough to smoke bacon, hot dogs, pork, ribs, lamb, fish, nuts, fruit, corn, chicken, sausages, cured meat, and more.

What’s more? LIZZQ Premium Pellet Smoker Tube works well with various wood pellets, including Hickory, Pecan, Apple, and more. Equally, this tube sports the hexagonal shape to ensure superior smoke diffusion.

It also makes this unit different from typical circular smokers that can be a hassle, since users have trouble keeping them on the spot on the grill grate. This product hexagon shape gets rid of rolling around and delivers balanced smoking.

Even better, this unit features high-quality stainless steel for impressive durable and snappy cleaning experience.

Pros:

• Up to 5 hours of smoking time
• Excellent for cold and hot smoking
• Infuse great smoky flavor
• High compatibility with most grills and smokers

Cons:

• An ideal choice for light smoking

4. Carpathen Smoke Tube

To begin with, this product comes with a complete smoker tube kit: Canvas Bag for Easy Storage, Rubs and BBQ Sauces Guide digital format, Meat Temperature Chart digital format, Smoking Guide with Amazing Delicious Recipes and Smoking Tips digital format, Smoke tube, Marinade, Pellet tube smoker User Guide Hard Copy and much more.

This accessory is engineered to turn your grill into an excellent smoker. It features a unique design to allow efficient burning of wood pellets to offer real wood flavor without purchasing a high price smoker. Carpathen Smoke Tube offers up to 5 hours of thin blue smoke to add unique flavor into fish, cheese, chicken, sausages, hot dogs, etc.

More so, it’s compatible with any brand of grills or smoker you have, and turns your beast into a cold smoke generator with no modification. Plus, its small-sized design allows you to take it and use it anywhere.

Pros:

• Compact design for on-the-go
• Durable design
• Long-lasting smoking session
• Compatible with any smoker and grill

Cons:

• The blue smoke doesn’t last long

5. DIMESHY Pellet Smoker Tube

Another pellet smoker tube design works with your pellet, charcoal, gas, electric grill, and any type and size of the grill. This BBQ smoker tube produces enough smoke for cold and hot smoking your bacon, hot dogs, cheese, etc.

DIMESHY Pellet Smoker Tube allows users to include their favorite wood ball like cherry, oak, mesquite, hickory, pecan, etc. Lightening this product is relatively easy using a torch and letting it burn about 5 minutes then blow out the flame for an incredible smoldering experience. For billowing smoke, fill one tube smoker with your preferred pellets.

Also, it features stainless steel construction to ensure this unit does not rust with use. Even more, it has a hexagonal shape design to offer a balanced smoking experience.

Pros:

• Food grade material construction
• Hexagonal shape for a balanced smoking experience
• Ideal for cold and hot smoking
• Offers a variety of billowing smoke

Cons:

• Compatibility issues with pellet smokers

6. MVZAWINO Premium Pellet Smoker Tube

The MVZAWINO Premium Pellet Smoker Tube is designed to bring more smoke to any smoker or grill: portable, electric, charcoal, electric, and gas grills. This unit is suitable for cold smoke nuts and cheese or hot smoke fish, ham, lamb, chicken, steaks, etc.

Here’s more? This product delivers about 5 hours of billowing smoke depending on the added wood ball: cherry, oak, mesquite, hickory, etc. it features high-grade 304 stainless steel construction, making this tube sturdy, durable, heat-resistant, and anti-rust. Plus, it makes it incredibly durable and sturdy.

This unit sport improved hexagon design to prevent the tube from falling off or rolling up on the grill to offer a safer and better smoke absorption effect for a mouth-watering taste.

Pros:

• Improved hexagon design
• Up to 5hrs billowing smoke
• Easy to use
• Hassle-free cleaning

Cons:

• Requires pellet start for easy lighting

7. BBQFAM 6″ EZ Smoker Tube

The BBQFAM 6″ EZ Smoker Tube comes with a small cooking space and a bunch of free E-Books to make cooking easier as well. This highly-compact smoker tube fits your mini grilling and BBQ machines.

This attachment offers up to 2 hrs of smoke with a full tube to infuse your cut of meat with a delicious smoky flavor. It also holds different types of wood pellets, and permits the use of mix wood chips. Crafted with stainless steel material, BBQFAM 6″ EZ Smoker Tube won’t break or bend with use.

Pros:

• Small, compact design
• 2hrs smoking time
• Stainless steel construction
• Hold any types of wood pellets and mix

Cons:

• Does not come with the hook
• Short smoking time

8. All Durable Pellet Smoker Tube

When it comes to unique style and design, you want to opt for All Durable Pellet Smoker Tube. It’s crafted with high-grade stainless steel for impressive durability. With its perforated design and large 12-inch capacity, this tube delivers better results.

Equally, it offers up to 5 hrs of constant smoke. This durable tube is compatible with most grills – charcoal, electric, gas grill, or smoker. All Durable Pellet Smoker Tube is easy to fill and easy to handle, thanks to its portable and lightweight design.

Pros:

• Large 12 hrs capacity
• Works on any grill or smoker
• Lightweight and portable design
• Easy to handle and use

Cons:

• Needs a pellet start

Conclusion

While pellet tubes can help add that delicious smoky flavor to your meal, splurging on the wrong attachment can be a daunting experience. Therefore, we compiled a list of the best pellet tube smokers to increase your odds of ending up with the right unit.