Broil King Pellet Guide: Griller's Select vs Smoke Master's Blend, Which Should You Use?

If you've just fitted a PelletCore module to a Baron IRX Shadow, or you're weighing one up, the fuel question comes next: which bag of pellets do you actually run through it? We stock two Broil King 9kg pellet blends for PelletCore (and standard pellet grills): Griller's Select (maple, oak and cherry) and Smoke Master's Blend (maple, hickory and cherry).

This guide compares both blends so you can pick by how you cook, weeknight Smoke + Sear versus weekend Low & Slow, not by the bag name alone. It assumes you already know how the PelletCore hybrid system works on a Baron IRX Shadow.

Browse Broil King fuel, browse the Broil King range, or call us on 0434 010 411 if you want to talk it through first.

What pellets does a PelletCore module actually run on

A quick refresher for anyone new to the system: PelletCore is the genuine OEM pellet conversion module that bolts onto a pellet-ready Baron IRX Shadow grill, adding an integrated iQue smart controller for pellet temperature control. Once it's fitted, your grill can run in three modes: Instant Heat (propane only, for weeknight speed), Low & Slow (pellet only, for genuine wood-smoke cooking), and Smoke + Sear (both fuels running together, so you can smoke low and slow on pellets and finish with a hard sear on the infrared burner without moving the food to a second appliance).

The pellet side of that system is fed by wood pellet fuel, the same basic fuel format used by dedicated pellet smokers, sold in 9kg bags. We stock two Broil King-branded blends that work in PelletCore and in standard pellet grills: Griller's Select and Smoke Master's Blend.

One important compatibility note carried over from the hardware side: the pellets themselves aren't grill-size specific the way the modules are (PelletCore 400 for the Baron 490, PelletCore 500 for the Baron 590), but you do need to be running a PelletCore-equipped grill to use the Low & Slow or Smoke + Sear modes at all. If your Baron IRX Shadow is still gas-only, these blends aren't relevant to you yet, but they're worth knowing about before you decide whether to add PelletCore now or later.

Griller's Select Pellet Blend

Griller's Select is Broil King's everyday PelletCore blend: maple, oak and cherry, mixed before pelletizing so every pellet carries the full blend. Broil King describes it as a light, sweet smoke. That makes it the bag we'd point most PelletCore owners to first: reliable for general grilling without a heavy, dominant smoke profile.

Sensible everyday choice for:

• Quick weeknight cooks in Smoke + Sear mode, where you want a bit of wood character alongside a fast sear
• General grilling where smoke sits in the background rather than leading the flavour
• Anyone new to pellet cooking on a Baron IRX Shadow who wants a mild, all-purpose starting point

Smoke Master's Blend

Smoke Master's Blend is the bolder bag: maple, hickory and cherry, again mixed before pelletizing. Broil King positions it as the fuller-bodied option, with hickory leading and maple and cherry rounding it out. Reach for this when the smoke flavour itself is the point of the cook.

Logical pick for:

• Long Low & Slow sessions (brisket, pork shoulder, ribs) where you want more pronounced smoke over several hours
• Weekend cooks built around wood-smoke flavour rather than treating it as a bonus
• Anyone who's already run Griller's Select and wants a more smoke-forward comparison on the next low and slow cook

How to choose between them

Rather than trying to pick a "better" blend, the honest way to choose is to match the bag to what you're actually cooking that week. Here's how we'd frame it:

Plenty of PelletCore owners keep a bag of each: Griller's Select for Tuesday-night Smoke + Sear, Smoke Master's for the Saturday brisket. Both are 9kg bags at the same price point, so there's little downside to stocking both rather than committing to one.

Pellet choice and Smoke + Sear mode

Smoke + Sear mode is where the pellet choice question gets slightly more interesting, because you're running both fuels at once: pellets for smoke, propane and the infrared burner for the actual sear. In this mode, the pellets are doing a supporting job rather than carrying the entire cook the way they would in a dedicated Low & Slow session. That's part of why Griller's Select tends to be the more sensible everyday pick here: an all-purpose blend suits a supporting role well, whereas a more assertive smoking blend is better saved for cooks where pellet smoke is doing all the work over several hours.

That's a general guide, not a rule. If you like a stronger smoke presence even on a quicker Smoke + Sear cook, there's nothing stopping you from running Smoke Master's Blend instead. Part of the benefit of owning a PelletCore-equipped grill is that you get to experiment with both blends across both pellet-capable modes and work out your own preference, rather than being locked into one blend because it's the only one available.

One more practical point worth flagging: because Smoke + Sear only needs the pellet side of the system for the smoke component, not for reaching high searing temperatures (the infrared burner handles that), you don't need to worry about a blend "not burning hot enough" for a sear. That's not what the pellets are doing in that mode. Choosing a pellet blend for Smoke + Sear is purely a flavour decision, not a performance one.

It's also worth thinking about what's actually going on the grill, independent of brand or blend name. As a general rule of thumb that applies across pellet cooking broadly, more delicate proteins like chicken, fish and pork tend to suit a lighter, less assertive smoke presence, while heartier cuts like beef brisket, lamb and pork shoulder can generally handle, and often benefit from, a more pronounced smoke character over a longer cook. That's a useful lens to apply when deciding which of the two Broil King blends to reach for on a given weekend, using the wood mix and the cook style together: lighter maple/oak/cherry for everyday cooks, fuller maple/hickory/cherry when smoke is the point.

What's actually in each blend

Broil King publishes the wood species for both bags. Exact percentages are not published by the manufacturer, so we don't invent ratios.

• Griller's Select: maple, oak and cherry - a lighter, sweeter everyday smoke that won't overpower the food.
• Smoke Master's Blend: maple, hickory and cherry - fuller-bodied hickory smoke with a touch of sweetness, aimed at cooks who want more smoke presence on longer sessions.

Both are 100% natural wood with no fillers, binders or additives, and the woods are mixed before pelletizing so each pellet carries the full blend. If you want to read the bag yourself before buying, check current stock in our Wetherill Park showroom or call 0434 010 411.

For a broader primer on how different woods affect flavour, our Traeger wood pellet flavour guide is a useful reference. The wood-smoke principles carry across brands even though it was written for the Traeger range.

Buying, storing and switching blends

A few practical notes for PelletCore owners getting started with either blend:

• Both blends come in 9kg bags at the same price point, so price isn't the decider: it comes down to what you're cooking. Check the Broil King fuel collection for current pricing.
• Keep pellets dry. Wood pellets are compressed sawdust and will swell and break down if they get wet, so store bags somewhere dry, sealed, and off a damp floor or slab.
• It's fine to switch blends between cooks. There's no need to run a hopper completely empty before changing to the other blend; most PelletCore owners simply pick whichever blend suits the cook they're doing that day.
• Buy both together if you're stocking up. Since the module can run either blend without any hardware changes, there's no reason to commit to only one if you cook a mix of quick grilling and long smoking sessions.

See it in our showroom

FAQs

What's the difference between Griller's Select and Smoke Master's Blend?

Griller's Select is maple, oak and cherry for a light, sweet everyday smoke. Smoke Master's Blend is maple, hickory and cherry for a fuller, hickory-led smoke on longer cooks. Both are 9kg Broil King blends, 100% natural with no fillers or binders.

Do I need PelletCore to use these pellets?

These blends are what we stock for PelletCore-equipped Baron IRX Shadow grills in Low & Slow or Smoke + Sear mode. Broil King also notes they work in standard pellet grills. A gas-only Baron IRX Shadow needs a PelletCore module fitted before it can run pellet fuel.

What wood species are in each blend?

Griller's Select is maple, oak and cherry. Smoke Master's Blend is maple, hickory and cherry. Broil King mixes the woods before pelletizing so every pellet carries the full blend. Exact percentages are not published by the manufacturer.

Can I use both blends in the same grill?

Yes. You can switch blends between cooks with no hardware changes. Many owners keep Griller's Select for weeknight Smoke + Sear and Smoke Master's for weekend Low & Slow.

Where can I buy Broil King pellets in Sydney?

Both 9kg bags are in stock at BBQ Republic in Wetherill Park, and online via our Broil King fuel collection. Call 0434 010 411 if you want to check stock before you visit.

Will these pellets work for Smoke + Sear mode?

Yes. Either blend works in Smoke + Sear. Griller's Select is usually the better everyday match for shorter Smoke + Sear cooks; Smoke Master's suits cooks where you want stronger smoke alongside the sear.

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