Rec Tec Rec

[mcdawg22]

Boys, I took the plunge and it looks like I’ll be getting my Rec Tec early next week. What should i christen it with? Recommendations would be appreciated.

 

[PBRME]

I started with bacon. Then a couple whole chickens. Wanted it good and greased up. Working on a brisket today.

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[Seinfeld]

Welcome to the team. Which one did you go with? I'd been setting some cash aside for the better part of the last year, and I finally grabbed an RT-700 before Memorial Day weekend. There are a couple things here and there that I still use by Weber for, but overall, I love the Rec Tec.

Like PBRME, I christened mine with some pic candy and burgers, and I'm actually planning on doing that tonight as well. It's a good way to season the thing with some good grease without getting too complicated on the first run. Only advice I have is that when it comes to burgers, my technique on the Rec Tec is to cook them on the grill til they get to ~ 80% of how you like them. Then, finish them off with a quick sear on both sides in a cast iron skillet to get a good crust on both sides. Absolutely delicious with the bacon on top

Other than that, I'd highly recommend St Louis style ribs with rib tips, pork belly, and brisket with burnt ends. I've yet to try fish, chicken, or even a pork shoulder, but I can safely say that it's dang near impossible to mess anything up. Good luck and let us know what you decide!

 

[msudawg12]

I plan on getting the 700 later this summer.

did you guys get the grill grate sear kit option?
what about the front shelf? I cant decide if i really need it or it would be more in the way

any options you wouldnt live without now that you have them?

 

[PBRME]

Yes on both the grill grates and front shelf. That’s the 2 best add ins in my opinion.

I’d also recommend a mat to sit your grill on. It will leak early on. I’ve also knocked my grease bucket off a couple times.

 

[mcdawg22]

I got the 590. I figured that was all I need. I think that will be plenty big for me. Thanks so far for all of the recs. I don’t know what I’m going to do not having to fill smoker boxes, tilting the lid, to keep the Weber right at 275. I just got the basic pellets to start off. Do I need to go ahead and invest in big bags of Apple and Hickory? Will any reputable brand do? Thanks for all this info everyone!

 

[Seinfeld]

Ditto on that damn grease bucket, especially when trying to pull the cover off. I guess the expectation is that you’re cleaning it out after every cook, so knocking it off shouldn’t matter, but well.... I’ve slacked there a few times

 

[Seinfeld]

I’ve yet to try too many different types of pellets, but the rule of thumb is roughly 1 hr of heat per lb of pellets, so i guess it comes down to how much cooking you’ll be doing.

One tip I do have is that Walmart has several solid Pit Boss blends for $15 on a 40 lb bag. By far the best value I’ve found so far

 

[PBRME]

So far I’ve used rec tec, cookinpellets, all flavors of pit boss, and smoke house from Sam’s.

RT was my favorites but cost is an issue.
Cookinpellets are close but again cost. Caught them on sale during thanksgiving and just about to burn through what I have. Thought about becoming a dealer since there’s none in my area, but not sure if there’s enough demand to make it worth it.
Pit boss seems to make more ash but they’ve burned fine. Their charcoal pellets make my auger scream so I only use them in a smoke tube.
Sam’s smokehouse. I see a lot of people raving about how good they are. It’s also the only pellet that’s jammed my auger. Did a cook in the rain. Thought a little moisture might’ve gotten in. So I completely cleaned my hopper and auger. Put some fresh pellets in. Jammed again.
Lumberjack gets a lot of positive reviews. No dealer near me so haven’t tried them. Thought about becoming a dealer for them as well.
Probably going to try B&B next. If academy ever gets them back in stock. If not then back to pit boss.

 

[RiverCityDawg]

Same here. My 590 is being delivered on Monday. Going to do something like bacon or chicken thighs just to season it a bit and then my "real" first cook is going to be a pork shoulder.

 

[RiverCityDawg]

I got the 590. I figured that was all I need. I think that will be plenty big for me. Thanks so far for all of the recs. I don’t know what I’m going to do not having to fill smoker boxes, tilting the lid, to keep the Weber right at 275. I just got the basic pellets to start off. Do I need to go ahead and invest in big bags of Apple and Hickory? Will any reputable brand do? Thanks for all this info everyone!

I got the Lumberjack pellets "perfect mix", which a lot of people say work well. I'm not a big Facebook guy but there's a couple of good Rec Tec groups with folks that have good tips and tricks.

 

[PBRME]

The REC TEC pig candy recipe is really good.