Pellet Grill Recipes: 15 Best Recipes for Pellet Grills

Have you ever pulled meat off your pellet grill only to find it dry, flavorless, or just plain disappointing? I’ve been there too. After investing in my first pellet grill five years ago, I spent countless weekends experimenting with temperatures, wood pellets, and techniques until I finally mastered the art of pellet grill cooking.

These 15 pellet grill recipes represent the best of what this versatile cooking method can offer. From slow-smoked brisket that falls apart at the touch of a fork to perfectly seared steaks with that distinctive wood-fired flavor, these recipes will transform your backyard cooking game.

As a certified BBQ judge who’s sampled thousands of grilled and smoked dishes across the country, I’ve incorporated competition-worthy techniques into approachable recipes anyone can master. In this guide, you’ll find expert meat selection tips, foolproof cooking methods, and answers to the most common pellet grilling questions.

Why These Pellet Grill Recipes Work

• Uses affordable, easy-to-find cuts of meat that shine with pellet cooking
• Simple marinades and rubs that enhance natural flavors without overpowering
• Precisely calibrated cooking temperatures that guarantee perfect results
• Techniques that work across different pellet grill brands (Traeger, Pit Boss, Camp Chef, etc.)
• Versatile recipes suited for weeknight dinners or weekend cookouts
• Detailed timing guidelines that eliminate guesswork

Choosing the Right Meat

Best Cuts for Pellet Grilling

Pellet grills excel at both low-and-slow smoking and high-heat grilling, making them perfect for virtually any cut of meat. However, certain cuts truly shine with this cooking method:

• Brisket: The steady temperature of pellet grills makes them perfect for the 12+ hour cook time brisket requires
• Pork Shoulder: The consistent heat ensures the collagen breaks down properly for pull-apart tenderness
• Chicken Thighs: More forgiving than breasts, thighs stay juicy even with longer cook times
• Ribeye Steaks: The marbling renders beautifully on a pellet grill, creating a buttery texture
• Beef Short Ribs: The measured heat transforms these tough cuts into melt-in-your-mouth delicacies

Buying Tips

When selecting meat for your pellet grill recipes, look for:

• Beef with good marbling (small white flecks of fat throughout the meat)
• Pork with a good fat cap (1/4 to 1/2 inch thick)
• Chicken with intact skin and uniform sizing for even cooking
• Fresh-looking meat with vibrant color (avoid gray or dull-looking cuts)

Pro tip: Establish a relationship with your local butcher. They can recommend the best cuts for specific pellet grill recipes and may even custom-cut meat for you.

Substitutions

Don’t have the exact cut a recipe calls for? These substitutions work well:

• Swap chuck roast for brisket (shorter cook time, similar texture)
• Use chicken thighs instead of breasts for juicier results
• Replace beef short ribs with chuck short ribs at a lower price point
• Substitute pork loin for tenderloin (adjust cooking time accordingly)

Ingredients & Prep

Meat Prep Essentials

Essential Rubs & Marinades

Pantry Staples for Pellet Grill Success

Every pellet grill enthusiast should keep these ingredients on hand:

• Quality cooking oil with high smoke point (avocado, grapeseed)
• Variety of wood pellets (hickory, apple, mesquite, cherry)
• Spray bottle with apple juice or apple cider vinegar for misting
• Aluminum foil and butcher paper for wrapping
• Calibrated meat thermometer
• Flavor injectors for larger cuts

15 Best Pellet Grill Recipes

1. Classic Smoked Brisket

Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions:

Pre-Cooking Prep:

1. Trim excess fat, leaving 1/4 inch fat cap
2. Apply Texas-style rub (2 parts coarse black pepper, 1 part kosher salt)
3. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour before cooking

Cooking Method:

1. Preheat pellet grill to 225°F using hickory or oak pellets
2. Place brisket fat-side down and smoke until internal temperature reaches 165°F (approximately 6-8 hours)
3. Wrap tightly in butcher paper and continue cooking until internal temperature reaches 203°F (about 4-6 more hours)

Doneness Check:

• Insert probe thermometer into the thickest part; it should slide in with minimal resistance
• Internal temperature should be 203-205°F

Resting:

Allow brisket to rest in an insulated cooler (still wrapped) for at least 1 hour before slicing against the grain

2. Pull-Apart Pork Shoulder

Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions:

Pre-Cooking Prep:

1. Score fat cap in diamond pattern
2. Apply generous coating of sweet BBQ rub
3. Let sit overnight in refrigerator

Cooking Method:

1. Preheat pellet grill to 250°F using apple wood pellets
2. Place pork shoulder fat-side up
3. Smoke until internal temperature reaches 165°F (about 6 hours)
4. Spritz with apple juice every hour
5. Wrap in foil with 1/4 cup apple juice and continue cooking until temperature reaches 203°F (about 3-4 more hours)

Doneness Check:

• Bone should wiggle freely
• Meat thermometer should slide in easily

Resting:

Rest wrapped pork for 1 hour before shredding

3. Juicy Pellet-Grilled Chicken

Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions:

Pre-Cooking Prep:

1. Brine whole chicken in saltwater solution (1/4 cup salt per quart of water) for 2-4 hours
2. Pat completely dry and rub with herb butter under and over skin
3. Truss chicken for even cooking

Cooking Method:

1. Preheat pellet grill to 375°F using cherry or apple wood pellets
2. Place chicken breast-side up and cook for approximately 1 hour

Doneness Check:

• Breast should register 165°F
• Thighs should register 175°F
• Juices should run clear

Resting:

Rest for 15 minutes before carving

4. Perfect Pellet-Grilled Ribeye Steaks

Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions:

Pre-Cooking Prep:

1. Dry brine steaks by applying kosher salt 45 minutes before cooking
2. Pat dry and season with cracked pepper
3. Bring to room temperature (30 minutes)

Cooking Method:

1. Preheat pellet grill to 225°F using hickory pellets
2. Smoke steaks until internal temperature reaches 115°F (about 45 minutes)
3. Increase grill temperature to maximum (usually 450-500°F)
4. Sear steaks 2-3 minutes per side

Doneness Check:

• 125°F for rare
• 135°F for medium-rare
• 145°F for medium

Resting:

Rest steaks for 5-10 minutes before slicing

5. Fall-Off-The-Bone Ribs (3-2-1 Method)

Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions:

Pre-Cooking Prep:

1. Remove membrane from bone side of ribs
2. Apply mustard as binder then coat with sweet and savory rib rub
3. Let sit for 30 minutes while preheating grill

Cooking Method:

1. Preheat pellet grill to 225°F using competition blend pellets
2. Smoke ribs bone-side down for 3 hours, spritzing hourly with apple juice
3. Wrap tightly in foil with butter, brown sugar, and honey for 2 hours
4. Unwrap, brush with BBQ sauce, and cook for final 1 hour

Doneness Check:

• Ribs should bend easily but not fall apart when lifted from one end
• Meat should pull back from bones by 1/4 inch

Resting:

Rest for 10 minutes before cutting into individual ribs

6. Cedar Plank Salmon

Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions:

Pre-Cooking Prep:

1. Soak cedar plank in water for at least 1 hour
2. Season salmon with brown sugar, salt, pepper, and dill
3. Let sit in refrigerator for 30 minutes

Cooking Method:

1. Preheat pellet grill to 350°F using alder wood pellets
2. Place cedar plank on grill for 5 minutes to begin charring
3. Place salmon skin-side down on plank and cook for 15-20 minutes

Doneness Check:

• Internal temperature should reach 145°F
• Fish should flake easily with a fork

Resting:

Let rest 5 minutes before serving directly from plank

7. Smoked Beef Short Ribs

Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions:

Pre-Cooking Prep:

1. Trim excess fat from beef short ribs
2. Apply simple salt and pepper rub (2:1 ratio)
3. Let sit at room temperature for 45 minutes

Cooking Method:

1. Preheat pellet grill to 275°F using oak or mesquite pellets
2. Place ribs bone-side down and smoke for 3 hours
3. Spritz with beef broth hourly
4. Wrap in butcher paper and continue cooking for 2-3 more hours

Doneness Check:

• Internal temperature should reach 205°F
• Probe should slide in with no resistance

Resting:

Rest wrapped for 30-45 minutes before serving

8. Smoked Meatloaf

Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions:

Pre-Cooking Prep:

1. Mix 2 lbs ground beef, 1 lb ground pork, eggs, breadcrumbs, and seasonings
2. Form into loaf on aluminum foil tray
3. Brush with ketchup/BBQ sauce mixture

Cooking Method:

1. Preheat pellet grill to 250°F using hickory pellets
2. Place meatloaf in grill and smoke for 2.5-3 hours

Doneness Check:

• Internal temperature should reach 160°F

Resting:

Rest for 15 minutes before slicing

9. Pellet-Grilled Spatchcock Turkey

Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions:

Pre-Cooking Prep:

1. Remove backbone and flatten turkey (spatchcock)
2. Dry brine for 24 hours in refrigerator (1 Tbsp salt per 5 lbs)
3. Apply herb butter under skin and olive oil on exterior

Cooking Method:

1. Preheat pellet grill to 325°F using apple or pecan pellets
2. Place turkey skin-side up and cook until done (about 11-13 minutes per pound)

Doneness Check:

• Breast should reach 165°F
• Thighs should reach 175°F

Resting:

Rest for 30 minutes before carving

10. Smoked Pork Belly Burnt Ends

Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions:

Pre-Cooking Prep:

1. Cut pork belly into 1.5-inch cubes
2. Apply sweet BBQ rub generously
3. Let sit for 30 minutes at room temperature

Cooking Method:

1. Preheat pellet grill to 250°F using apple or cherry pellets
2. Smoke pork belly cubes for 3 hours
3. Transfer to aluminum pan, add butter and brown sugar, cover with foil
4. Cook for additional 90 minutes
5. Uncover, add BBQ sauce, cook uncovered for 30 minutes more

Doneness Check:

• Internal temperature should reach 200-205°F
• Should be jiggly and tender

Resting:

Rest for 15 minutes before serving

11. Pellet-Grilled Prime Rib

Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions:

Pre-Cooking Prep:

1. Apply kosher salt to exterior and refrigerate uncovered overnight
2. Apply herb paste (rosemary, thyme, garlic) 2 hours before cooking
3. Let come to room temperature for 1 hour

Cooking Method:

1. Preheat pellet grill to 250°F using oak pellets
2. Cook until internal temperature reaches 125°F (about 35 minutes per pound)
3. Optional: Rest 30 minutes, then sear at 500°F for 10 minutes

Doneness Check:

• 125°F for rare
• 135°F for medium-rare
• 145°F for medium

Resting:

Rest for 30 minutes before carving

12. Smoked Chicken Wings

Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions:

Pre-Cooking Prep:

1. Pat wings dry and toss with baking powder (1 Tbsp per pound)
2. Season with favorite dry rub
3. Let sit in refrigerator uncovered for 3 hours

Cooking Method:

1. Preheat pellet grill to 180°F using competition blend pellets
2. Smoke wings for 1 hour
3. Increase temperature to 425°F and cook for additional 30-45 minutes

Doneness Check:

• Internal temperature should reach 175°F
• Skin should be crispy

Resting:

Toss in sauce if desired and rest 5 minutes before serving

13. Pellet-Smoked Beef Tenderloin

Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions:

Pre-Cooking Prep:

1. Trim silver skin from tenderloin
2. Tie with butcher’s twine for even cooking
3. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder
4. Let sit at room temperature for 45 minutes

Cooking Method:

1. Preheat pellet grill to 250°F using oak or hickory pellets
2. Insert temperature probe into thickest part
3. Smoke until internal temperature reaches 125°F
4. Increase temperature to 500°F and sear all sides

Doneness Check:

• 125°F for rare
• 135°F for medium-rare (recommended)
• 145°F for medium

Resting:

Tent with foil and rest for 15 minutes before slicing

14. Smoked Stuffed Pork Loin

Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions:

Pre-Cooking Prep:

1. Butterfly pork loin and pound to even thickness
2. Fill with spinach, cheese, and sundried tomatoes
3. Roll and tie with butcher’s twine
4. Coat exterior with herb rub

Cooking Method:

1. Preheat pellet grill to 275°F using apple wood pellets
2. Place pork loin on grill and cook until internal temperature reaches 145°F (about 2-2.5 hours)

Doneness Check:

• Internal temperature should reach 145°F

Resting:

Rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing into medallions

15. Beer Can Chicken

Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions:

Pre-Cooking Prep:

1. Rub chicken with oil and favorite poultry seasoning
2. Open beer can and pour out (or drink) half
3. Add additional seasonings to beer if desired
4. Position chicken onto beer can, legs down

Cooking Method:

1. Preheat pellet grill to 350°F using cherry wood pellets
2. Place chicken (standing on beer can) in center of grill
3. Cook for approximately 75-90 minutes

Doneness Check:

• Breast should reach 165°F
• Thighs should reach 175°F
• Skin should be golden and crispy

Resting:

Carefully remove from beer can and rest for 10 minutes before carving

Pro Tips for Perfect Pellet Grill Recipes

Avoiding Tough/Dry Meat

• Always use a reliable meat thermometer rather than cooking by time
• For large cuts, use the “Texas crutch” (wrapping in foil or butcher paper) to push through the stall
• Spritz or mop meat hourly during long cooks to maintain moisture
• Cook fatty side up for self-basting (except brisket, which experts prefer fat-side down)
• Never rush the process—low and slow cooking methods need time to work their magic

Tool Recommendations

• Must-Have: Wireless meat thermometer with multiple probes (ThermoPro or MEATER)
• Best Value: Heat-resistant gloves for handling hot meat
• Splurge-Worthy: Good quality butcher paper for wrapping (unwaxed)
• Budget Saver: Spray bottle for spritzing (under $5 at any store)
• Game Changer: Cast iron griddle insert for your pellet grill

Storage & Reheating

• Vacuum seal leftovers for maximum freshness (up to 3 months in freezer)
• For brisket and pulled pork, freeze with some cooking juices to maintain moisture
• Reheat smoked meats at low temperature (250°F) for best texture
• For steaks, reheat using sous vide method if available, then quick sear
• Store unused wood pellets in airtight containers to prevent moisture absorption

Nutrition Information

Flavor Variations

Spicy Twists

• Add chipotle powder to brisket rub for smokier heat
• Include cayenne or red pepper flakes in pork rubs for kick
• Try Nashville hot seasoning on chicken for southern heat
• Mix jalapeños into meatloaf for internal heat surprise
• Brush wings with Buffalo sauce for classic spicy flavor

Keto/Paleo Options

• Use sugar-free BBQ sauce on ribs and pulled pork
• Substitute allulose for brown sugar in rubs
• Try coconut aminos instead of soy sauce in marinades
• Stuff pork loin with low-carb vegetables instead of traditional stuffing
• Use crushed pork rinds instead of breadcrumbs in meatloaf

Global Flavors

• Korean: Add gochujang to chicken marinade for sweet-spicy kick
• Mexican: Use achiote paste and citrus for cochinita pibil-style pork
• Mediterranean: Try za’atar and lemon on chicken or fish
• Indian: Tandoori spices work beautifully on pellet-grilled chicken
• Caribbean: Jerk seasoning creates complex flavors on any protein

Serving Suggestions

Perfect Pairings

• Brisket: Serve with coleslaw, pickles, and white bread
• Pulled Pork: Offer brioche buns, slaw, and vinegar sauce
• Steak: Pair with smoked garlic butter and grilled asparagus
• Salmon: Serve with grilled lemon and dill sauce
• Prime Rib: Accompany with horseradish cream and Yorkshire pudding

Beverage Recommendations

• Beef Dishes: Bold red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon or Malbec
• Pork Recipes: Pinot Noir, amber ales, or bourbon cocktails
• Poultry: Chardonnay, wheat beers, or hard cider
• Fish: Sauvignon Blanc or light pilsners
• Spicy Dishes: Off-dry Riesling or IPA beers

FAQs

Common Pellet Grill Recipe Questions

Q: Can I use frozen meat on my pellet grill? A: For best results, always thaw meat completely before cooking. Frozen meat cooks unevenly and affects smoke absorption.

Q: How do I fix overcooked meat? A: For dry overcooked meat, chop or shred it and mix with BBQ sauce or broth. Serve in sandwiches or tacos where added moisture helps.

Q: What’s the best way to monitor meat temperature? A: Invest in a quality wireless thermometer with multiple probes. Place the probe in the thickest part, avoiding bone and fat.

Q: How often should I add pellets during long cooks? A: Most modern pellet grills automatically feed pellets as needed. Check your hopper every 2-3 hours during long cooks.

Q: Are these recipes safe for pregnant women? A: Yes, as long as the meat reaches proper internal temperatures (165°F for poultry, 145°F for whole cuts of beef/pork, 160°F for ground meat).

Conclusion

Mastering pellet grill recipes is about understanding how smoke, heat, and time transform ordinary cuts of meat into extraordinary meals. The 15 recipes we’ve shared cover everything from quick weeknight dinners to weekend feasts that will have your neighbors following the aromatic smoke to your backyard.

Remember that pellet grilling is both a science and an art. Use the temperature guidelines as your foundation, but don’t be afraid to trust your senses. When that brisket jiggles just right or that chicken skin turns golden and crisp, you’ll know you’re on the right track.

Fire up your pellet grill today and try one of these tested recipes! Join thousands of outdoor cooking enthusiasts who’ve discovered how pellet grills combine the flavor of traditional smoking with set-it-and-forget-it convenience.