Traeger owners: likes, dislikes

Professor Salt

Professor Salt

is one Smokin' Farker
Joined
Jan 23, 2007
Location
Orange...
Haven't ever cooked on a pellet pooper before, but I'm getting the chance to play with a borrowed Traeger for a short while.

I'm thinking of messing around with the low end of the temp scale (jerky) and pizza (as hot as the cooker can go). What's the lowest and hottest temps you've personally cooked on your Traeger, and what did you make?

Also, if you have any particular things you love or hate about your Traeger, what are they?
 
What model Traeger are you using?

Now, I am going to state this upfront, I am a Traeger Dealer.

With that said, they do most of what they say. If you want to cook low and slow without having to add coals every few hours, a pellet cooker is great. The highest temp you can get (on a Traeger) is around 400* (which is plenty hot for me to cook a steak, pizza, etc)

I have not used other pellet cookers, but I do cook on my Traeger 3-4 times a week.

If you have any specific questions, please ask.

Pete
 
swamprb said:
I dislike Traeger owners, glad others feel the same!
Click to expand...

Was it something a traeger owner did??

Anyway,

Here is some constructive feedback:

I use my egg 80% of the time and my traeger 20%. I can get much more flavor and smoke if desired from the egg. I use the traeger if I am doing a pork butt and want to sleep well overnight. I also use the traeger combined wit the egg for steaks. I do a high heat sear on the egg and then onto a pre-heated traeger to finish the job. Much better than having to wait for the egg to cool down, plus adds some additional smoke flavor during the finish.

Traeger is also great for anything where you are looking for a more gentle smoke flavor.
 
One observation I have is that it seems to me that the Traeger cooks a little faster than a traditional stick burner. Like any smoker, you have to get to know it before you get real comfortable with it. It also does generate a lighter smoke flavor like other posters have said which is one of the qualities I like about it. Lot less creosote with a pellet grill as well.
 
I am a new owner of a Traeger "lil" Tex. I have had about four different cooks on it, and all I can say is, I really enjoy this smoker. I used to have a Bandera stick burner, and liked it, but with my wild schedule, and the constant fire tending the Bandera took, it did not work, in fact until I got the Traeger, I let the stick burner sit, and it set for a very long time. Does the Traeger have the deep smoke flavor that my stick burner had, probably not, but the new convenience of the Traeger made it an easy trade off. Don't get me wrong, the flavor on my Traeger is excellent. Now that I have used and seen how the Traeger works, and cooks, I personally probably will not use anything else other than a pellet popper, it will be a Traeger, or some similar brand.
 
I was given a chance to cook on a Lil' Tex upgraded with a digital thermostat. Tomorrow, I think I'll start with something simple - chicken and steak, perhaps. Once I get a handle of how it cooks at an middle temp range, I wanna try making jerky and the pizza and see how it handles the low and high ends of the temp range.

fireman_pete said:
What model Traeger are you using?

Now, I am going to state this upfront, I am a Traeger Dealer.

With that said, they do most of what they say. If you want to cook low and slow without having to add coals every few hours, a pellet cooker is great. The highest temp you can get (on a Traeger) is around 400* (which is plenty hot for me to cook a steak, pizza, etc)

I have not used other pellet cookers, but I do cook on my Traeger 3-4 times a week.

If you have any specific questions, please ask.

Pete
Click to expand...
 
I'm curious to hear so many of you think the Traeger gives a lighter smoke flavor to the meat.

What flavor of pellets are you guys using that you're getting a light smoke flavor? Does it make a difference if I use hickory pellets or mesquite?
 
I have had a Traeger little tex for about two years.
The best smoked turkey breast ever came off of it!
We placed 2nd in chicken last month at an FBA comp.
If I put it on the back porch I use it most of the time...if it gets put in the barn...the weber 26.5 gets used. I really like my traeger. It has been a very reliable cooker and almost set it and forget it.
I almost always use the weber for steaks and pork steaks. My Stumps for brisket, butts and ribs.
The traeger rocks my world with chicken and turkey. BTW I smoked a prime rib on it that was awesome!
I have also cooked pizza and pig sticks.
You will be happy.
Best of luck!
 
Let me preface this by saying - I am not qualified to answer this question as I do not own a pellet pooper.

With that being said - I am one of those old fashioned purists.

I own a stick burner and a 22.5 kettle.

i have resisted the temptations for all these new fangled devices IE: Traegers, BGEs, etc..

If I can't cook, grill or smoke it on a kettle or a stick burner then it doesn't need to be cooked, grilled or smoked - but that is my very narrow opinion.

Fact remains though: I challenge anyone to show me something they can do on a traeger or a BGE i can't do (as good or better) with my modest , albeit, old fashioned equipment.

condensed composite pellets replacing wood? not in my book
ceramic faux grill/smokers replacing my trusty weber kettle? :eek: - not gonna happen

with that being said, i am very interested in other people's opinions on this subject, so i thank you for asking :mrgreen:
 
jshepwnc said:
Let me preface this by saying - I am not qualified to answer this question as I do not own a pellet pooper.

With that being said - I am one of those old fashioned purists.

I own a stick burner and a 22.5 kettle.

i have resisted the temptations for all these new fangled devices IE: Traegers, BGEs, etc..

If I can't cook, grill or smoke it on a kettle or a stick burner then it doesn't need to be cooked, grilled or smoked - but that is my very narrow opinion.

Fact remains though: I challenge anyone to show me something they can do on a traeger or a BGE i can't do (as good or better) with my modest , albeit, old fashioned equipment.

condensed composite pellets replacing wood? not in my book
ceramic faux grill/smokers replacing my trusty weber kettle? :eek: - not gonna happen

with that being said, i am very interested in other people's opinions on this subject, so i thank you for asking :mrgreen:
Click to expand...

I love weber grills but I have done pastries on my egg that don't have any smoke flavor..do that on a weber and do it better than me. Oh..I used to be a pastry chef!! :icon_devil
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I like my Traeger, but the pellets are very expensive compared to my Stick Burners. I get my wood for FREE!!!
 
Professor Salt said:
I was given a chance to cook on a Lil' Tex upgraded with a digital thermostat. Tomorrow, I think I'll start with something simple - chicken and steak, perhaps. Once I get a handle of how it cooks at an middle temp range, I wanna try making jerky and the pizza and see how it handles the low and high ends of the temp range.
Click to expand...

which traeger are you cooking on? I have a 124 (it's the older model very heavy thick steel one). the reason I ask, is that I couldn't get steaks to sear, and just didn't like them off the traeger, but remove the heat sheild, it will sear :icon_clown. I know you will love burgers/chicken off a treager, some of the best I ever had.
 
I recently bought, but haven't acquired yet :sad: a gently used Traeger Lil' Tex. I even went ahead and bought a digital thermostat for it off Ebay as advised by some of the Brethren. I have cooked on my brother's Traeger Elite several times (wings mostly)and I really like the convenience of it, plus the crispy skin that you can get from the Traeger. Don't get me wrong, I love my Stump's and will always own one (or three :lol:) but I do a lot of indirect grilling at the house on the gasser and instead of using the gasser so much, I plan to utilize the Traeger. I cook a lot of sausage,wings,etc. and I figured it would be perfect for that. I should have it by next weekend so I can give a better report then.
 
Professor Salt said:
I'm curious to hear so many of you think the Traeger gives a lighter smoke flavor to the meat.

What flavor of pellets are you guys using that you're getting a light smoke flavor? Does it make a difference if I use hickory pellets or mesquite?
Click to expand...

I am pretty sure that the Traeger pellets on the west coast is alder filler, that is light smoke. try to get some BBQ'ers Delight pellets, which the filler will be oak instead. I have no opinion on the mesquite. but I do switch from hickory to pecan all the time.
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by swamprb
I dislike Traeger owners, glad others feel the same!






WOW!! I can't believe all the negativity against Traegers and there owners, whats that all about?

All I can say is, Traeger is a very fine piece of engineering, and doing what I thought all of us love to do, which is cooking, on no matter what, you will NOT be disappointed on any food group you decide to prepare, that is the bottom line, you will love it.

On edit, I can buy BBQ Delight pellets by the 40 lb bag for $20.00.
 
Last edited:
jshepwnc said:
Let me preface this by saying - I am not qualified to answer this question as I do not own a pellet pooper.

With that being said - I am one of those old fashioned purists.

I own a stick burner and a 22.5 kettle.

i have resisted the temptations for all these new fangled devices IE: Traegers, BGEs, etc..

If I can't cook, grill or smoke it on a kettle or a stick burner then it doesn't need to be cooked, grilled or smoked - but that is my very narrow opinion.

Fact remains though: I challenge anyone to show me something they can do on a traeger or a BGE i can't do (as good or better) with my modest , albeit, old fashioned equipment.

condensed composite pellets replacing wood? not in my book
ceramic faux grill/smokers replacing my trusty weber kettle? :eek: - not gonna happen

with that being said, i am very interested in other people's opinions on this subject, so i thank you for asking :mrgreen:
Click to expand...

I don't think anyone is saying there is anything they can do better on a pellet grill. In my experience however, you can do it with less effort on a pellet grill. That is very important to me at this stage in my life as I'm constantly chasing my little ones around.
 
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