H got a new Traeger grill as a Father’s Day present. We are used to our Weber propane grill and are feeling a bit trepidatious about learning how to use it. I know it’s supposed to be super easy, but the older I get, the more daunting it is to try to figure out new things and H is no help at all, so it will be on me to figure it out. Any helpful tips or advice from any experienced users out there? What is your favorite thing to cook on your Traeger? What do you wish someone had told you that you didn’t know? CC has been such a source of information for me that I figured I’d ask the good folks here first.
CLEAN the smoker after every use. It’s easy to do, just empty the grease trap and replace the spill tray (maybe every other time or just dump the bits). We learned the hard way that if you don’t do this, the smoker will catch fire (happened after just a couple of months of use). Happened to our son, too. It’s not as forgiving as a traditional grill in that regard. The directions tell you this, but men… We now keep a fire extinguisher nearby but hope to never need it again. What a mess. I thought we were going to lose our cabin. Our son is dealing with a melted window but, of course, he never should have had it so close to the house. He’s learning.
Also, it’s the greatest for smoking, but not as flexible/controllable for grilling although it’s sold for both. DH is a master griller and has learned to get good results, but he misses his DHS at home and is annoyed that he is thinking about buying a grill for the cabin, too. I do NOT want to have two devices, so I’m forcing him to soldier on with the Traeger for both smoking and grilling and suck it up.
Personally, I’d rather have just a top notch grill. We don’t need to smoke as much grill. Not everything needs to be smoked but when you only have a hammer…
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Good points above to empty the trap after every use and my grill says to clean it after every 50 hours of use to reduce build-up inside. Cleaning doesn’t seem that bad though - some parts can be tossed in the dishwasher. You may want to buy a bottle of the Traeger cleaner.
I got a Camp Chef (not a Traeger, but they’re quite similar ) about 2 months ago and really like it. It’s a nice alternative to a propane grill. The pellet grills are better for flavor, but will not generally get as hot as a propane grill. You won’t get the high-heat sear you can with propane, although my Camp Chef does have a sear function that I haven’t tried yet.
I think these grills are exceptional for cooking fish. Salmon and steelhead trout are great on a pellet grill. We do it right on parchment paper - no mess and excellent flavor. For burgers, I’ve done both the slow, low-heat cook and the high-heat cook. I prefer the latter cooking method. I’ll be trying a pork butt this weekend with apple wood.
You’ll find lots of recipes on the internet - many on the Traeger and Camp Chef websites. You’ll have to experiment with the types of wood you like and the amount of smoke. Have fun!
I clean out every few times. I learned the hard way that if you don’t, then it won’t maintain the fire due to too much ash buildup. Cleaning it is mostly just running a shop vac for a few minutes.
Fire is much more of a concern with high fat foods, but I don’t do much of that.
Keep your gasser for hot and fast stuff and reverse searing or get a RecTeq Bullseyes to add to your arsenal.
H cleans the Traeger after every use. Insists you need to start each smoking event with a clean slate! Also—experiment with the different pellets (hickory, mesquite, etc.). It does make a difference in the smoking. MY H only uses his Traeger. He’s got a Lynx gas grill for regular grilling–says the Traeger isn’t that great for grilling. He smoked a pork butt (Boston Butt) on the 4th–it was delicious.
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Don’t get crappy pellets!
Well, that probably took several hours. I would definitely clean each time if I was cooking that long.
He’s a clean freak–doesn’t matter what he smokes, he cleans afterward.
Today, he caught a bunch of bluefish. Right now, he has the fish in brine and will smoke them for bluefish pate tomorrow.
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Wow, thanks for all the feedback. We will definitely make sure the Traeger is not too close to the house, and that it is cleaned every time. That is totally such a good thing to know!
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You absolutely need to make sure it and the hopper stay dry! You do not want to have to deal with an auger that jammed with pellets that are like concrete.
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