Z grills are taking over the grilling scene, and that’s understandable.
The idea of using wood pellets as fuel for the grill to get more natural smokiness alone is enough to have people swooning, and the available pellet options work like a bonus.
But can you use any pellets in a Z grill? what are the best pellets to use in Z grill.
Yes, but it is best to use 100% hardwood pellets, according to Z Grills.
You can use any Z grill wood pellets in your Z grill for the best results.
You can also use other brands pellets like camp chef wood pellets, Lumber Jack pellets which gives you perfect results.
Also you wont go wrong with Pit Boss, CookingPellets, BBQ’rs Delight for good results.
That’s a yes, but what would be the best pellets for z grills?
Besides Z Grills’ pellets, there are several options available for you. Keep reading to find out!
What Kind of Pellets is Used for the Z grill?
As we’ve mentioned before, you can use any pellets for your z grill, but if you want the best result, you’ll have to use pellets that are 100% hardwood.
Wood pellets are easy to manage and better control the smoke and temperature.
If you use plain wood, tweaking them to get the exact flavor and temperature you want can be like a game of whack-a-mole; you can’t be sure about anything unless you have been practicing this forever.
But why hardwood pellets?
Well, hardwood pellets burn at a slower rate which gives you more time to incorporate the smokiness into what you are grilling and makes it easier to get an even flavor all around.
If you use softwood, it might take you a few tries to get everything perfect.
Softwoods generate less smoke, so you’ll have to burn more, which means you’ll also have to clean or load wood pellets more often.
Sure, you can mix hardwood and softwood, but since they burn at a different rate, you’ll have to plan that mix carefully.
Long story short, can you use any pellets in a z grill?
Yes, but hardwood pellets are the best pellets for z grills.
Which Hardwood Pellet Flavors Z Grill Offers?
Now you know that you should use 100% hardwood pellets in your Z grill.
But you might wonder which flavor pellet goes well with Z grill cooking?
So, Z grill offers a wide variety of flavors of hardwood pellets.
So, we narrowed down some amazing Z grill pellet flavors for you!
Oak Wood Pellet
Z grill offers various wood pellet flavors but Oak wood pellets are one of the most versatile among them.
They are made from 100% all-natural with absolutely no fillers or binders.
You can use their Oak flavored pellets to smoke and grill anything from beef to vegetables.
They also go well with poultry and pork, fish, lamb, sausage, brisket, and bread.
Cherry Wood Pellets
Though many folks are unfamiliar with cherry wood pellets for smoking meats, it pairs very well with all types of food.
It comes with a sweet, mild, and fruity flavor that is similar to apple wood.
It burns at 8500 BTU’s per lb with very little ash. So that you can your grilling experience eco-Friendly to the environment.
Applewood Pellets
Applewood pellets give your food mild, sweet, and fruity flavor.
Applewood pellets go well with pork and poultry.
These pellets are recommended for cooking low and slow for optimal flavor.
Maple Wood Pellets
Another great flavor pellet offered by Z grill is maple. It is a common flavor for wood pellets.
Maple wood pellets have a sweet but mild flavor.
It goes well with small game birds, pork, vegetables, and cheeses.
These pellets burn more efficiently and completely with low ash for easy clean-up.
Hickory Wood Pellets
The Z grill Hickory wood pellets give a rich and pleasant hickory aroma.
They are ideal for grilling and smoking beef, chicken, pork, and vegetables. It is best for smoking red meat like ribs and steaks.
These pure flavor hardwoods are made in American mills with absolutely no fillers or binders.
These pellets have low moisture content for quick ignition and give perfect blue smoke.
The Hickory wood pellets add sweet, nutty, and savory flavor to your food.
Alder Wood Pellets
Though Alder is one of the less common woods for smoking, it still gives you great results.
It is a delicate wood and provides a sweet and subtle flavor.
It pairs best with salmon and tastes great with fish, poultry, and pork.
Mesquite Wood Pellets
If you are a fan of Texas-style barbecue, then you’ll love to grill with mesquite wood pellets.
Mesquite hardwood pellets render a strong flavor to your food.
If you are a pro in grilling, you will achieve the perfect cooking results.
Custom Blends of Wood Pellets
Z grill competition blend is one of our most popular flavors in the market which is made of 100% wood all-natural wood.
It goes well with everything such as meats, fish, or veggies.
It will surely enhance your grilling experience to the next level.
Z grill also offers a custom blend i.e. fruitwood.
This blend is recommended for beef, pork, poultry, and vegetables.
Can You Use Any Other Brand’s Pellets in a z grill?
Sure, as long as they’re food-grade.
Z grills have their packaging of hardwoods that is the most suitable for your grill, but they, unfortunately, don’t ship outside the USA, and sometimes it can be hard to wait for the package to arrive.
This is why many people turn to their next best pellets for z grills option, which is using pellets from a different brand they can find locally.
If you’re using a different brand of wood pellets, it is important to choose a brand or supplier you trust completely.
Some manufacturers add “filler” pellets (pellets that contribute very little to the flavor but help them burn) to cut down their cost, but the drop in cost can also result in a drop in quality.
Your choice of best pellets for z grills should prioritize your convenience.
Find a brand that supplies to your closest super-shop, or go to the nearest super-shop, look through the pellets they’re offering and see can you use any pellets in a z grill from there or not.
If you want to narrow down your list, check out our picks of best pellets for z grills below.
Best Pellets for Z Grills
Since the answer to “can you use any pellets for z grills?” is out of the way, we can move on to our next part, which is guiding you to some of the best available options of wood pellets.
The list isn’t in any particular order, so you have plenty of space to do your own research and see what works the best for you.
Let’s jump in!
Our Picks for the Top 5 Z Grills Wood Pellets Brand
Camp Chef Pellets
Available package size: 20lbs
You might as well have titled it “can you use Camp Chef wood pellets” instead of “can you use any pellets for z grills” because that’s how popular camp chef hardwood pellets are.
Camp chef has been around for quite some time, and their hardwood pellets are pretty much the standard.
This can be your go-to if you don’t want to look around much.
Pros:
- Available in most physical shops
- It offers a good range of blends
- Cheaper
- Produces less dust
Cons:
- Blends contain filler pellets
Lumber Jack Wood Pellets
Available package size: 1lb, 10lbs, 20lbs and 40lbs
Ah, good old Lumber Jack.
Usually, they leave the bark of wood on their pellets (except for the cherry pellets) which creates more smoke for a better flavor.
Lumber Jack is mostly known for giving its consumers a clear breakdown of its blends.
What you read is what you’ll get.
If you want to know exactly what pellets you are going for, Lumber Jack can be your thing.
Pros:
- Available practically everywhere
- Multiple package size
- Good for smoking
- Transparent about their blends
Cons:
- Pricey
Pit Boss Wood Pellets
Available package size: 20lbs, 30lbs, and 40lbs
Pit boss is a well-rounded brand, to say the least.
You can find them anywhere, and they’re very easy to tweak around with.
If you prefer less smokiness in your grills, you’ll like Pit Boss for sure.
If you’re a beginner or want to save some money, Pit Boss is for you.
Pros:
- Wide range of blends
- Cheap
- Available in most places
- Easy to tweak around
Cons:
- It doesn’t come in smaller sizes
- Blends can contain filler pellets
- Less intense smoke
CookingPellets
Available package size: 40lbs
CookingPellets has been around since 2006, and they’re known for producing single-species pellets.
Even though they currently offer two blends (Longhorn and Perfect Mix), their star of the catalog is their single species fruity pellets.
If you are looking for single blend pellets or prefer your smoke to be slightly sweet flavored, CookingPellets is here to help you.
Pros:
- No filler pellets
- Single species with blend options
Cons:
- It doesn’t have a smaller bag size
- Less intense smoke
- Only four single species blend to choose from
- Contains filler pellets
BBQ’rs Delight Pellets
Available package size: 1lb, 10lbs and 20lbs
Look, we get it.
As a beginner, choosing a blend can be tough, considering your money goes down the drain if you don’t like your pellets’ outcome.
BBQ’rs Delight will save you from going through that.
They have smaller packaging of an array of blends to choose from.
You can easily pick one, try it out and stock up later only if it works with you.
If you want to try things out without spending too much, BBQ’rs Delight is your ally.
Pros:
- Smaller packages to try out
- Plenty of blends to choose from
- Offers single species and blends
- Cheap
Cons:
- Not available everywhere
- Bigger size is comparatively pricey
- Blends contain filler pellets
Related Questions
How Long Do Pellets Last in Z Grill?
The wood pellets used in Z Grill burn at about 2.2 pounds per hour at high temperatures at more than 356 degrees.
When you are cooking at low and slow i.e. Smoke setting or 225 degrees, the pellets burn 0.66 to 0.88 pounds per hour.
A 22-pound bag of pellets can last from 10 to 25 hours depending on the temperatures of the grill and other conditions.
Will the Z Grill wood pellets expire, or do they have a shelf life?
Z grill wood pellets do not expire.
No, but you have to take care of a few things so that they don’t degrade.
You need to always store your pellets in a dry and cool place. Keep them clean and sealed. You can store them pellet storage container.
By storing in the storage container, you can avoid moisture, dirt, and outside hot temperatures.
Final Thoughts
And here you have it, your answer to can you use any pellets in a z grill and best pellets for z grills.
We recommend using hardwood pellets only, and our personal favorite would be the camp chef wood pellets.
Still, it is all about your personal preference, so feel free to play around.
Remember to keep your pellets moisture-free when you store them, and feel free to ask us any questions you still have!
Source:
https://zgrills.com/pages/faq#:~:text=The%20wood%20grill%20pellets%20used,d
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