Are Heating Pellets the Same as Cooking Pellets?

Energex August 19, 2022 Pellets

Using pellets to grill and smoke food is becoming increasingly popular. Many different types of wood pellets are available, including heating pellets, cooking pellets and food-grade pellets. This post covers the differences between cooking and heating pellets, reviews the different varieties of pellets, and details some common misconceptions.

What Are Pellets?

Before you can understand the difference between heating and cooking pellets, you need to know what pellets are. Pellet fuel, or wood pellets, are a clean-burning and renewable heating source. Pellets are generally made from recycled materials, usually wood. More than 1 million homes in the United States use wood pellets for heat. Pellets are also used to heat larger buildings like schools, in some cases.

A few of the many appliances that pellets can heat include furnaces, fireplaces, boilers and stoves. Cooking appliances like smokers and grills can also use wood pellets, but you can’t use regular pellets in a pellet grill.

Wood Pellet Misconceptions

As wood pellets have become more popular, there have been many misconceptions about the heating source. In this section, we will detail some of the common myths about wood pellets.

Myth: Wood pellets cannot be stored outside: This is not true. Wood pellets can be stored outside, but they should never have direct contact with water. To protect pellets from the rain, it is best to store them under a covering or in a water-resistant container.
Myth: Heating stoves do not need regular care: This is another misconception. You must maintain your pellet stoves. Without proper maintenance, the pellets cannot burn at their full capacity. As cleaning pellet stoves can be difficult, it may be best to have your stove professionally cleaned.
Myth: Wood pellets work just as well in conventional stoves: Again, this is untrue. While pellets can burn in traditional boilers and stoves, they will burn more steadily and consistently in appliances made specifically for their use.

Heating Pellets vs. Cooking Pellets

Accidentally cooking with heating pellets could lead to unintended health consequences.

If you are interested in cooking with pellets, you need to be aware that heating and cooking pellets are not the same. If you are not careful reading product labels, you may accidentally cook with heating pellets, which could lead to unintended health consequences. We will explore the differences between heating and cooking pellets further in this section.

Heating Pellets

Heating pellets are made specifically to use as a heating source, not to cook with. You cannot use heating pellets for cooking.

Heating pellets are made from a combination of softwoods, charcoal and other fillers that can give your food a chemical taste. Even high-quality heating pellets can include leaves and bark, which taste bad and can lead to health risks if ingested. Many shoppers are tempted to purchase heating pellets for cooking because they are often cheaper than food-grade pellets. Resist that urge and buy cooking pellets so you have a safer product and better-tasting food.

Cooking Pellets

As the name implies, cooking pellets are made for cooking. You cannot use heating pellets in a smoker or grill. If you want to cook using pellets, make sure you read the label to check if the pellets can be used for cooking. Cooking pellets are also called “food-grade BBQ pellets” and “barbecue pellets.” These pellets do not contain any fillers or additives and give your food a much better taste.

How Are BBQ Pellets Made?

Unlike heating pellets, BBQ pellets are often made from compacted sawdust. The wood is first processed in a hammer mill, where it is smashed into a state that makes it easier to mold.

After the pellets are formed, they are heated. This allows the pellets to bind and maintain their shape while they are cooling. After this process, the pellets are cleaned to remove any remaining sawdust. Finally, the BBQ pellets are packaged and distributed.

Food-Grade Pellets

Cooking pellets and BBQ pellets are commonly labeled as “food-grade pellets.” If a package of pellets is labeled “food-grade,” you know that these pellets were not made with wood like spruce or pine that are known to ruin the flavor of your food.

Types Of BBQ Pellets

There are many different types of wood pellets, and each has a unique flavor profile. Here are a few of the common types of BBQ pellets:

Hickory: Hickory is known to give meat a savory flavor and is fairly strong.
Mesquite: Mesquite has the strongest flavor and is popular with Texas-style barbeque enthusiasts. Mesquite pairs particularly well with beef.
Maple: Maple has a smooth flavor and is commonly used when cooking pork.
Oak: Oak pellets are medium flavored. These pellets are more stable than other pellets and are one of the most popular types.
Apple: Apple pellets are typically paired with pork and chicken. These pellets are known for their sweet flavor.
Cherry: Cherry pellets also have a sweet flavor, but not as sweet as apple pellets.
Pecan: Pecan pellets have a smooth flavor that is not as strong as mesquite or hickory.

Cooking With Wood Pellets

Now that we have outlined the differences between heating pellets and wood pellets, we can move on to cooking with wood pellets!

Here is a brief overview of how to cook using wood pellets in a charcoal grill.

Before starting, make sure you are using food-grade pellets and not heating pellets.
First, light the charcoal grill using your preferred method. Then wait until the charcoal has heated to the point where it is glowing.
Once the charcoal is heated, cover the top of the coal with your BBQ pellets. You do not need a ton, but make sure there are enough pellets to emit smoke.
When the pellets ignite, you can begin cooking your food. It is important to wait to put your food on the grill until the pellets ignite because the flavor of the pellets comes from the smoke.
Close the lid of the grill and properly ventilate it depending on what you are cooking.
Generally, pellets burn for about 45 minutes. If you are cooking something large, you may need to add more pellets throughout the cooking process.

Get Your Wood Pellets From Energex

If you need heating or cooking pellets, check out these products from Energex! Energex was founded in 1993 and currently operates one of the oldest wood pellet factories in North America.

Energex sells a variety of wood pellets and even sells products in bulk. If you are looking for heating wood pellets, we offer hardwood and softwood pellets and several cooking pellets, including:

Ol’ Hick Hickory BBQ Pellets
Ol’ Hick Hickory Apple Pellets
Jim Beam BBQ Products

Find out where you can buy our products, or reach out to us if you have any questions about our wood pellets.

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