Question for Traeger Users

Wrench_H · Jan 25, 2011

I'm cooking some butts for my daughter's birthday this weekend, and its the first time I've done any long cooks on the traeger. My plan is to put them on around 7 pm Friday, and then go to bed around midnight. I usually get up around 5:30 on the weekends, so I'll start back then. I don't have the digital thermostat yet, and from the little bit of expereminting that I've had time to do, "smoke" seems to run at about 180-195, and "medium" seems to run between 230-260. I'm planning to run it on medium while I'm asleep. My question is about the pellets. I've been cooking a lot of fish on there the last few weeks on high, and have noticed that it burns through some pellets kind of quickly. Will a full pellet box last at least 5-6 hours that I am asleep on medium, or do I need to plan to wake up and refill at some point? I'm thinking I'm fine, but just want to make sure I don't ruin lunch the next day. Thanks for any help.

Hotrodhog · Jan 25, 2011

Ok, there are different size pellet boxes on the various Traegers, mine is on the smaller side, and there is no way mine will go near that long, they do have extension boxes for certain side box models, some come with em, personally, I use to fill the box and get up once during the night and fill it.
Now I just use my UDS for long cooks.

headrush · Jan 25, 2011

i think you could make your own hopper extension with cardboard, at the cost of keeping the lid open.

fttom · Jan 25, 2011

Thats what I did when I had my Traeger. Used cardboard and a little duct tape, and made it so it slid into the original box, at the bottom. Filled it up and put the original lid on top of the cardboard extension. It would cook maybe 15 hours or more that way.

Hot Sauce Hoss · Jan 25, 2011

Wrench H,
I have the 07e elite model and if i fill it to the rim and stay around 225 it will run
forever it seems like. iI also use the traeger pellets which i know some don't care for
but i can get a allnight out of a full bin with no problem. Mine is a newer made in china model also, don't know if this helped ya or not.

Hoss

dmprantz · Jan 25, 2011

Just FYI, I just spoke to Traeger Customer Support today. They told me that Smoke == 1 lb/hour, medium == 2-2.5 lb/hr, and high == 3-3.5 lb/hr. They also told me that all 19" models are designed to hold 20 lb in the hopper and the Junior is designed to hold 10 lb. You do the math. I just posted another question where I asked about building a hopper extension, looks like that question is answered here. Thanks!

dmp

Arlin_MacRae · Jan 25, 2011

I've heard that pound-per-hour figure too, but with the different variables involved and my own lack of experience, I can't say one way or another. Adding some cardboard sounds like great insurance to me.

Roll Tide · Jan 25, 2011

Just fill her up before you go to bed at midnight and you should be okay,even if it happens to runs 2lb an hour due to cold weather.

WineMaster · Jan 25, 2011

Roll Tide said:
Just fill her up before you go to bed at midnight and you should be okay,even if it happens to runs 2lb an hour due to cold weather.

He has the 3 position switch so the outside ambient temp wont effect the amount of pellets use in a given hr.

Wrench_H · Jan 25, 2011

WineMaster said:
He has the 3 position switch so the outside ambient temp wont effect the amount of pellets use in a given hr.

That's correct, its going to burn at a specified rate from what I can tell, thus the range in temp. I'm thinking I'll probably get the thermostat before the summer, just haven't yet.

Thanks to everyone for the answers. I might try to modify some sort of extension assuming we don't get any rain this weekend.

Brewer · Jan 25, 2011

roll tide said:
just fill her up before you go to bed at midnight and you should be okay,even if it happens to runs 2lb an hour due to cold weather.

+11111111

jdoughboy · Jan 26, 2011

i really like the digital thermostat kit. it really does almost make it set it and forget it.

Question for Traeger Users

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