As we begin to see an end in sight to the cold blistery weather, if you didn’t continue grilling all winter, you probably have a craving to get back to it as soon as possible. Finding the right grill can make all the difference to your barbecuing experience and to the food you eat and serve. To help you find a grill that will up your game, we are going to review what a pellet grill is and why you will want to add one to your Northeast Ohio or Erie, PA home this spring.
What is a Pellet Grill?
Let’s get to the basics. Pellet grills utilize ignited wood pellets and a system of fans to heat food to a specific temperature, much like a convection oven. Pellet grills can be used to smoke, grill, bake, and braise food. Nearly anything you make in a standard oven, or grill on another type of grill, can be made on a pellet grill.
These grills work by generating heat from wood pellets that are placed in a chamber or “hopper”. Those pellets move through an auger to a fire pot, which heats the entire cooking chamber of the grill. The fan system then disperses the heat and smoke throughout the grill, creating a distinct rich and smoky flavor. Unlike gas or charcoal, with a pellet grill, you can vary the flavor by the type of wood pellets you choose, or you can mix and match to create the perfect flavor for whatever food you put on your grill.
Pellet grills are also different from standard gas and charcoal grills because of how user friendly they are. Pellet grills typically have controls that you can simply set and forget or monitor via your cellphone. These controls allow you and your grill to maintain precise temperature for consistent results every time.
If the cold weather lingers longer than we would like, have no fear, you don’t have to wait to get to grilling. Pellet grills are the most reliable types of grills for getting the job done in chilly weather. Regardless of the temperature or weather outside, pellet grills can keep the temperature inside the grill very close to the temperature you have set. They are traditionally built with heavy side-wall insulation that improves the temperature consistency and pellet efficiency in cold weather.
How can a Pellet Grill Help you up your Grilling Game?
Now that you have a general idea of what a pellet grill is and some of its benefits, we are going to dig in a little deeper as to why you will want to add a pellet grill to your home this spring. Let’s review if a pellet grill is right for you by further reviewing some of their benefits.
- Low Maintenance: As we mentioned above, pellet grills usually include technology where you don’t have to watch them the entire time they are in use. When it comes to a pellet grill, basically all you have to do is plug it in, put the pellets in, start it up, and begin cooking. There is no propane or charcoal to monitor, and the grill should alert you if attention is needed.
- Unique Flavor: One of the main reasons people invest in a pellet grill is the flavor that it creates for your food through the wood pellet smoke. The right pellet grill will bring an unrivaled wood-fired flavor to your table, unlocking your food’s true potential. You can change up flavors and add whatever type of pellets you fancy that day or for that particular food item. You can really tell the difference between something that was cooked on a normal grill and those items from a pellet grill.
- All Season Use: Grilling should not just be something that you enjoy in the warmer months in Northeast Ohio and Erie, PA, you should be able to enjoy it all year round. Like we reviewed above, pellet grills are the best types of grills to use in the cold. The pellets help to keep the inside temperature at the proper levels and they are built with heavier insulation than most other grills, helping them to hold in the heat.
- Variety of Cooking Methods: Pellet grills are not like your traditional grill where you can basically use them for just one function. These grills can be used to smoke, grill, bake, and even braise food, giving you a variety of cooking methods to choose from. With a pellet grill you can decide to cook something low and slow, or opt for hotter and faster. You can also control the temperature much more than other types of grilling, ensuring consistent cooking every time.
Pellet grills are a great option for anyone who loves to cook, especially outdoors. With a pellet grill, grilling season never needs to end.
At Litehouse Pools & Spas we have a variety of grill options to keep you grilling all year, even in colder weather. Before we know it, spring will be here, and there is really nothing that will make your Northeast Ohio or Erie, PA outdoor cooking taste better, than a pellet grill. Shop online, in one of our stores, or contact us to find your next favorite cooking device.