Pellet grills are incredibly versatile cooking appliances. Whether you’re considering getting one or you already have one on your back porch, you may have more to learn about pellet grill cooking. We’re going to look at eight different cooking methods that lend themselves well to a pellet grill, along with a recipe for each. We hope you learn something new about how to cook on a pellet grill and get inspired to try something different if you’ve only been using your pellet grill for one or two of these cooking methods.
1. Smoking
Smoking is one of the oldest techniques for preserving and cooking food. Smoking is a low-and-slow process that typically involves temperatures ranging from 65 to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. At the lower end, you get cold smoke that only imparts a smoky flavor. At the higher end, you cook the food while it smokes.
Many home cooks or grillers have never tried smoking, since it can be a more involved process. However, with our pellet smokers, you can enjoy more convenient cooking. The smoker does all the work, feeding in pellets as needed and keeping the temperature within the ideal range.
If you want to know more about what you can cook in a smoker or how to cook on a smoker grill, check out our recipes page, where you’ll find all sorts of recipes for cooking on a pellet smoker. For example, try this recipe for smoked turkey breast, which will make you and your family say goodbye forever to bland, oven-baked turkey.
2. Grilling
Grilling is a broad term that generally refers to dry heat cooking over an open flame. We tend to think about any cooking that uses a grill as grilling, so this umbrella term can include other methods we’ll talk about, like searing or blackening. The most commonly cited reason Americans like to grill is the flavor. The second — something over half of grillers agree on — is that grilling is a lifestyle.
You can find various grilling recipes on our recipes page. If you want some inspiration for a delicious grilled dinner to make this week, try out our recipe for juicy, tender grilled London broil flank steak. Grilling on a pellet grill can be convenient and create the tastiest food that’s ever come out of your backyard.
3. Barbecuing
You might think of barbecuing as a synonym for grilling, but it’s technically a different cooking method. The term “barbecue” can mean different things, depending on who you ask and where they’re from. People love arguing over what constitutes barbecue and which state or region has the best.
Generally, as a cooking method, barbecuing involves using a live fire to cook food. The primary difference between grilling and barbecuing is that grilling requires direct heat, whereas barbecuing uses indirect heat for a slower cook. Barbecuing can also include smoking. Pitmasters create the flavor profile they want through the cooking method, the wood pellets they use and — of course — the barbecue sauce.
When you think barbecue, is there anything better than a slow-cooked rack of baby back ribs? Check out our baby back throwdown tutorial to make delicious ribs on your pellet grill.
4. Baking
Baking is a dry-heat cooking process that has been around for millennia. You probably use your oven to bake all sorts of things, but did you know you can also bake in your pellet grill? These grills can essentially work just like a convection oven. You set the temperature, and the grill does all the work to maintain it. Baking is a perfect example of how versatile pellet grills can be.
You can bake savory and sweet dishes with your grill. For example, try this recipe for blackberry peach rum pie. Your family or dinner guests will be amazed that dessert came off the grill!
5. Roasting
Roasting is a lot like baking. It’s also a dry-heat cooking method. Here’s the main technical difference between the two methods. Baking causes foods that lack structure — for example, cake batter or raw dough — to come together as they cook, while roasting starts with solid food like meat and vegetables.
Just like baking, you can also roast in your pellet grill. As you discover all you can do in your grill, you may find yourself using your oven less and less. Try our easy recipe for soft, juicy roasted peppers on the grill.
6. Searing
Searing isn’t typically a stand-alone cooking method. It’s a technique you can use with various other approaches to give food a delicious caramelized crust. To do that, you have to use brief, intense heat so you don’t burn the food. The best pellet grill for searing can achieve high temperatures. The Grilla, Kong and Chimp from Grilla Grills all get up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit, which can help you get a perfect sear on your food.
When most people think of searing, they probably picture their favorite cut of steak sizzling on the grill grates. If you want to make some mouthwatering ribeyes with grill marks that are nothing short of artistry, give our recipe for ribeye steaks on the pellet grill a try. You can even watch an instructional video for foolproof results.
7. Braising
Braising is a two-step cooking technique. First, you sear the outside of the meat. After that brief, intense heat, you move to the second step, which involves doing just the opposite — cooking low and slow in a liquid. Typically, this means putting meat in a covered pot or dish with wine or stock. The result is slow-cooked, fork-tender meat with a crisped crust on the outside.
You can add all sorts of seasonings and herbs to the braising liquid to achieve a delicious flavor. For instance, our braised beef ribs recipe includes 11 ingredients to make the braising liquid, but trust us, it’s worth it when you take a bite of that juicy beef that wants to fall off the bone.
8. Blackening
Blackening is a technique mostly associated with fish and Cajun food. Blackened food has a thin layer of char on the outside, which gives it that blackened look and taste. On a pellet grill, you can let the open flame help you achieve that beautiful char on the outside of your food. Of course, you have to be careful not to burn anything.
If you love the taste of blackened fish, try our recipe for blackened catfish tacos. They’re the perfect summertime food. Serve them when you’re tailgating or at your backyard cookout, and get ready to hear plenty of “wows” from your hungry friends.
Get Cooking With Grilla Grills
There are almost no limits to what you can cook when you own a smoker — especially when that smoker is a wood pellet grill from Grilla Grills. Our grills simplify the process of creating any of your favorite dishes and trying some new ones, too. If you aren’t a Grilla Grills owner yet, check out our lineup of grills to get started. In no time, you’ll be baking, braising and barbecuing your way to some memorable meals.
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