OT BBQ and Grilling - Traeger - *First Cook Update* | The Boneyard

OT BBQ and Grilling - Traeger - *First Cook Update*

jleves

jleves

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I'm just about to pull the trigger on a Traeger pellet grill but wanted to get any feedback from here. I'm looking at the Ironwood 885 pellet grill.

I know some folks will tell me I need to go with a hardwood smoker to get the best, but if I can get 95% of competition like BBQ from the pellet grill, I'm good with that. I have neither the time or expertise to run hardwood for 3 to 12 hours at a time for a specific cook.

Any feedback on this would be appreciated.
 
Make sure you buy summa deez:

jerk-pellets.jpg
 
Buy a Traeger and build yourself a hardwood smoker. Google directions to build yourself an Ugly Drum Smoker. Cheap and turns out top quality bbq. Best of both worlds.
 
jleves said:
I'm just about to pull the trigger on a Traeger pellet grill but wanted to get any feedback from here. I'm looking at the Ironwood 885 pellet grill.

I know some folks will tell me I need to go with a hardwood smoker to get the best, but if I can get 95% of competition like BBQ from the pellet grill, I'm good with that. I have neither the time or expertise to run hardwood for 3 to 12 hours at a time for a specific cook.

Any feedback on this would be appreciated.
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As long as the tofu's extra firm, you should be OK.
 
.-.
jleves said:
I'm just about to pull the trigger on a Traeger pellet grill but wanted to get any feedback from here. I'm looking at the Ironwood 885 pellet grill.

I know some folks will tell me I need to go with a hardwood smoker to get the best, but if I can get 95% of competition like BBQ from the pellet grill, I'm good with that. I have neither the time or expertise to run hardwood for 3 to 12 hours at a time for a specific cook.

Any feedback on this would be appreciated.
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Pull the trigger it’s a great unit.
 
I own a Green Mountain Grill, a traeger competitor. A better machine at a better price. They just came out with a new "prime" series with good upgrades, too.

UConn bonus - the dealer in Brookfield is the Lutrus family.
 
CAHUSKY said:
Buy a Traeger and build yourself a hardwood smoker. Google directions to build yourself an Ugly Drum Smoker. Cheap and turns out top quality bbq. Best of both worlds.
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A friend of mine who is what I'd call a very good non competition BBQ guy built something like an Ugly Drum Smoker and absolutely loves it. Holds temps amazingly well.

I've heard Traeger is pretty solid. My KC based friends who do competitions use the oil drum smokers you tow behind your pickup.
 
We love our Traeger. Have had it for 3 years.

Even though we use it all year it's especially useful in the summer when the AZ temps keep us from turning our oven on.

Still use the gas grill for things like steak & chicken breast but, for cooking prime rib, brisket and even whole chickens & turkey the Traeger is amazing.
 
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My in laws live with us part of the year and in short we have an abundance of grills... two Weber Genesis, a Weber Q, and a Weber kettle that I use for smoking various meats. Wondering if we’d be better off selling one of the Genesis and the kettle to get the Traeger...
 
CTMike said:
My in laws live with us part of the year and in short we have an abundance of grills... two Weber Genesis, a Weber Q, and a Weber kettle that I use for smoking various meats. Wondering if we’d be better off selling one of the Genesis and the kettle to get the Traeger...
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What kind of monster sells a Weber kettle?
 
pepband99 said:
What kind of monster sells a Weber kettle?
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I end up using it 2-3 times a year when I feel up for smoking pork/ribs/chicken/etc. I have a Smokenator insert for it and it’s made some delicious meats. But it’s fiddly and messy and I’m kind of drawn to the “set it and forget it” the Traeger can provide. If I’m grilling I just fire up the Genesis for convenience.
 
CTMike said:
I end up using it 2-3 times a year when I feel up for smoking pork/ribs/chicken/etc. I have a Smokenator insert for it and it’s made some delicious meats. But it’s fiddly and messy and I’m kind of drawn to the “set it and forget it” the Traeger can provide. If I’m grilling I just fire up the Genesis for convenience.
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I'm a charcoal die-hard, admittedly, so selling a kettle (probably for peanuts) is blasphemy to me.

If i need something quick - my kettle with a chimney starter is fast enough. Sure, a genesis would be faster and a little less time-consuming, but it's also much more expensive and finnicky.

Ever since i got my pellet grill, the kettle has only seen quick things. Anything low-and-slow goes to the pellet, as it does a great job.
 
CTMike said:
I end up using it 2-3 times a year when I feel up for smoking pork/ribs/chicken/etc. I have a Smokenator insert for it and it’s made some delicious meats. But it’s fiddly and messy and I’m kind of drawn to the “set it and forget it” the Traeger can provide. If I’m grilling I just fire up the Genesis for convenience.
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I bought a Masterbuilt electric smoker and recently replaced my Genesis with a new one. I'm not sure a giant monster like a Traeger is something you buy just to smoke, when you already have a Genesis (or two). Especially if you like set it and forget it.
 
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I have heard nothing but great things about the Traeger. I wanted the one that you could start remotely but with a kid heading to college and another one right behind, I have to wait until schools are paid for!
 
8893 said:
When can you try the Traeger Pulled Pork?
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Hopefully it arrives next Friday. I'll do a couple of simple things first like Ribeyes and then ramp up to ribs and then a brisket and pork butt.
 
I see Ace HArdware is selling Traeger stuff. Dumb question...are these certified Traeger items? Or, like Lowes and Home Depot, Traeger grills with non-Traeger parts?
 
CTMike said:
I end up using it 2-3 times a year when I feel up for smoking pork/ribs/chicken/etc. I have a Smokenator insert for it and it’s made some delicious meats. But it’s fiddly and messy and I’m kind of drawn to the “set it and forget it” the Traeger can provide. If I’m grilling I just fire up the Genesis for convenience.
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I also have a Masterbuilt smoker (propane fired) to go with my Genesis. Got the smoker for Christmas and have already used it 6+ times. Ribs and beef tenderloin smoked is delicious!
 
HuskyHawk said:
I bought a Masterbuilt electric smoker and recently replaced my Genesis with a new one. I'm not sure a giant monster like a Traeger is something you buy just to smoke, when you already have a Genesis (or two). Especially if you like set it and forget it.
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I have a Masterbuilt also. Does a good job for my purposes. Set it and walk away...easy.
 
.-.
Has anyone gotten in to the flat iron diner type griddle grills?

I know one or two people who have gotten them and they're happy with what they can do with it.

Definitely some limits but for an amateur it can work.

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Got it built, seasoned and did my first cook today. Started simple with some bone-in rib-eyes and a whole chicken. Cooked the rib-eyes at 225 until 110 degrees and then seared at 500 4 minutes per side for a perfect 130 degree medium rare before resting (actually, I'll probably do 3 minutes per side to about 127 next time). Simply fantastic flavor and juicy. Cooked the chicken at 375 to 160 degrees, but haven't tasted that yet. Used hickory pellets for both. Super easy - super fun.

If you are thinking about investing in one of these, I will highly recommend it at this point. Rather easy to put together, though you will need two people for certain parts. Took about an hour. The biggest issue is the amount of cardboard you have to deal with. Really easy to use. Just be prepared that cooking time is much longer than you would do on a regular grill. But considering you just put the meat on and walk away to watch the PGA, the extra time really shouldn't be an issue if you plan well. The phone app is a little wonky and has some glitches, but does give you control/monitoring over the grill without walking out to it.

Finally, they obviously put time into packaging and know their target market. The packing material converts into a beer holder while you are building it and the outer box converts into a fort for the little ones (or in Boneyard parlance For tfor hte ittle owns).

Traeger.jpg


Gonna do a prime rib for Memorial Day. Ribs and pork stuff following that.
 
jleves said:
Got it built, seasoned and did my first cook today. Started simple with some bone-in rib-eyes and a whole chicken. Cooked the rib-eyes at 225 until 110 degrees and then seared at 500 4 minutes per side for a perfect 130 degree medium rare before resting (actually, I'll probably do 3 minutes per side to about 127 next time). Simply fantastic flavor and juicy. Cooked the chicken at 375 to 160 degrees, but haven't tasted that yet. Used hickory pellets for both. Super easy - super fun.

If you are thinking about investing in one of these, I will highly recommend it at this point. Rather easy to put together, though you will need two people for certain parts. Took about an hour. The biggest issue is the amount of cardboard you have to deal with. Really easy to use. Just be prepared that cooking time is much longer than you would do on a regular grill. But considering you just put the meat on and walk away to watch the PGA, the extra time really shouldn't be an issue if you plan well. The phone app is a little wonky and has some glitches, but does give you control/monitoring over the grill without walking out to it.

Finally, they obviously put time into packaging and know their target market. The packing material converts into a beer holder while you are building it and the outer box converts into a fort for the little ones (or in Boneyard parlance For tfor hte ittle owns).

View attachment 43361

Gonna do a prime rib for Memorial Day. Ribs and pork stuff following that.
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If you like lamb, try a whole lamb leg on it. I cook it at 275 on the BGE for 3-4 hours, with an aluminum drip pan on the plate setter below filled with about a quarter inch of water. The drippings make an amazing smoky gravy.
 
Excalibur said:
If you like lamb, try a whole lamb leg on it. I cook it at 275 on the BGE for 3-4 hours, with an aluminum drip pan on the plate setter below filled with about a quarter inch of water. The drippings make an amazing smoky gravy.
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I tend to like lamb chops and lamb sirloin more than the leg - it gets a little gamey for me. But thanks for the heads up. In never even thought about lamb on this thing.
 
Just got turned onto Camp Chef. Watch this:

 
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