Video by Cooking with Jack
Lumberjack vs Pit Boss: Which Pellet Reigns Supreme for Flavor?
After a bit of recovery time from recent foot surgery, I wasn’t about to let that keep me out of the kitchen. Thanks to a handy little scooter, I’m back on my feet—sort of—and ready to keep cooking and sharing culinary discoveries with all of you. Today’s experiment? A head-to-head flavor battle between two popular wood pellet brands: Lumberjack and Pit Boss.
Many grilling enthusiasts online can’t stop raving about Lumberjack pellets. They’ve developed something of a cult following, with fans swearing by the brand’s superior smoky flavor. But are they really worth the hype, or is it all in our heads? I set out to find the answer myself with a blind taste test that would put both brands through a fair, flavorful showdown.
To start, I picked up a bag of Pit Boss pellets at Walmart—affordable and easy to find. Then I headed to Dick’s Sporting Goods to grab a bag of the Lumberjack pellets everyone keeps talking about. Same dish, same seasoning, same cooking method. The only variable: the pellets.
The Setup: Pork Perfection
For the main dish, I used boneless pork loin chops from ButcherBox. If you haven’t tried them, they offer some of the cleanest, highest-quality meats you can order online. The chops were generously seasoned with salt, pepper, and a healthy dose of Italian seasoning. I even brought out a special sauce I’d been saving from a visit to Patti’s 1886 Settlement in Kentucky—a pork-specific sauce I hadn’t found a chance to use yet.
After seasoning both sides of each chop, it was time to fire up the grills—one with Pit Boss pellets and one with Lumberjack. I cooked the chops to a perfect internal temperature of 145°F, ensuring both batches were evenly prepared.
Blind Taste Test: The Moment of Truth
To make this test truly fair, I had my wife hand me samples while I kept my eyes closed. This way, there’d be no visual cues or subconscious bias influencing the results. The first chop I tasted delivered a bold, smoky flavor right off the bat. It was good—really good.
Then came the second sample. It was still delicious, but noticeably milder. The smokiness just wasn’t as intense. That’s when I realized the first sample had to be the one cooked with Lumberjack pellets.
And the Winner Is…
Lumberjack came out on top, hands down. The flavor was richer and more pronounced, standing out clearly in a blind comparison. Pit Boss pellets cooked the meat just fine, but the smoky essence that makes pellet grilling so special was more subtle.
For now, Lumberjack is the pellet to beat. Next up on my list: Bear Mountain pellets. I’ve already ordered a bag and will put them through the same test soon. But if you want a strong, smoky flavor that leaves an impression, Lumberjack has my recommendation.
Bonus Review: Patti’s 1886 Pork Sauce
Before wrapping things up, I finally opened the pork sauce from Patti’s 1886 Settlement. This sauce is marketed specifically for pork—a rarity in a world dominated by barbecue sauces meant for everything from ribs to chicken.
The verdict? Fantastic. The moment it hit my tongue, it lit up with flavor. It complemented the pork beautifully and added another layer of depth to the meal. If you ever visit Kentucky or can order it online, this sauce is definitely worth trying.
Final Thoughts
Cooking with wood pellets opens up a world of flavors, but not all pellets are created equal. Based on this firsthand test, Lumberjack pellets live up to their reputation, offering a noticeably deeper smoky flavor than Pit Boss. If flavor is your top priority, give them a try. And don’t sleep on specialty sauces like Patti’s pork sauce—they can elevate your next meal even further.
Have you tried different pellet brands yourself? Which one is your go-to? Let me know in the comments or suggest the next pellet brand I should put to the test.
Purchase the Lumberjack 7 -1pound variety pack to try many different Lumberjack pellets this season. Find your new favorite flavor of smoke.
