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I'll wait for the expert from West Texas to weigh in.....

Can you spend more than $300 dollars?

Traeger is worth every penny. I'm on my second one (upsized) and couldn't be happier with it.

Biker wrote: ↑Fri Jul 19, 2019 6:51 pm My last two kids are heading off to college next month and the wife and I cannot wait to downsize into something smaller. This will give me an opportunity to try out a new smoker. I currently use the Big Green Egg but would now like something more consistent, easier to use, and give different wood profile flavors.

Ive been looking at these Traeger grills. Anyone use one?

It's basically set it and forget it. You can mix up the pellets too. I have one at work that I'm planning on taking with me when I move on. I also have an Oklahoma Joe offset barrel smoker for days when I really have nothing planned.

Biker wrote: ↑Fri Jul 19, 2019 6:51 pm My last two kids are heading off to college next month and the wife and I cannot wait to downsize into something smaller. This will give me an opportunity to try out a new smoker. I currently use the Big Green Egg but would now like something more consistent, easier to use, and give different wood profile flavors.

Ive been looking at these Traeger grills. Anyone use one?

I have a Green Mountain pellet grill. Daniel Boone model to be specific. Pretty easy to use.

On my wife's side of the family about 5 people have the Traeger and they love them.

My brother in law who is a chemist and a friend who is a chemist said they'd be worried about using them unless you are very careful in researching the company delivering the pellets.

megman wrote: ↑Fri Jul 19, 2019 6:56 pm I'll wait for the expert from West Texas to weigh in.....

Who said I was the expert. I did this exact thread last Spring because I needed suggestions.

Biker wrote: ↑Fri Jul 19, 2019 9:12 pm

beagleboy wrote: ↑Fri Jul 19, 2019 8:49 pm

My brother in law who is a chemist and a friend who is a chemist said they'd be worried about using them unless you are very careful in researching the company delivering the pellets.

So they dont use them?

I think what they are referring to is some people go cheap and use heating pellets in their pellets grills. You want to use good food-grade pellets when cooking. Some heating pellets are made from recycled wood scraps that may have finishes on them.

"Pole."

-Slap

Love my Treager! Here's some of the meat that I did for the 4th.

peterosehaircut wrote: ↑Fri Jul 19, 2019 10:11 pm Love my Treager! Here's some of the meat that I did for the 4th.

Damn now I'm hungry

Biker wrote: ↑Fri Jul 19, 2019 6:51 pm My last two kids are heading off to college next month and the wife and I cannot wait to downsize into something smaller. This will give me an opportunity to try out a new smoker. I currently use the Big Green Egg but would now like something more consistent, easier to use, and give different wood profile flavors.

Ive been looking at these Traeger grills. Anyone use one?

Lots of good info at pelletfan.com

My friend who is a "smokeaholic" recommended this one.



Just remember the reviews are by people that some cant operate a pair of scissors.

DandyDon wrote: ↑Sat Jul 20, 2019 1:49 am My friend who is a "smokeaholic" recommended this one.



Just remember the reviews are by people that some cant operate a pair of scissors.

I have a similar model, but made by CharBroil. I also have a vertical propane smoker. The electric is great if you don't want to babysit the smoker. The gas smoker needs a little more attention. I use an A-Maz-En smoke tray in both, normally with sawdust, and can use pellets if desired. If you live in the upper part of the US, an insulated cabinet, or a wrap is highly recommended for wintertime smoking.

I do a lot of smoking, but i have a huge trailer mounted smoker.

For the backyard stuff, I have heard good things about the Oklahoma Joe stuff.

Personally, it only matters how well the smoker is built. You want a thick body on the smoker barrel, so that it retains heat and holds temps longer. Something that feels solid to the touch, more like pipe than sheet metal. My personal preference is to have the smoke stack on the same end of the barrel as the smoke box, although that's not easy to find. In that type you need some kind of false bottom so the smoke has to travel through the lower half of the barrel and then up and back across to the stack. It will cook faster and much more evenly. The trick in a smoker is to control the heat. Cheap smokers get hot as fuck on one end and nothing much on the other end. You might have a large cooking surface, but you can only use a small portion of it because anything more and you either char the meat or it takes too long to cook.

You also want something that is easy to drain the juice out of the bottom from time to time. that juice, or fat will flame and if it builds up and you get the fire just right, you can have a problem. anyone that has cooked a lot of briskets will understand.

nerd_alert wrote: ↑Fri Jul 19, 2019 9:55 pm
I think what they are referring to is some people go cheap and use heating pellets in their pellets grills. You want to use good food-grade pellets when cooking. Some heating pellets are made from recycled wood scraps that may have finishes on them.

The heating pellets can also have chemical binders / glue added to keep them from falling apart. Their concern was that what are essentially heating pellets could be rebranded as food grade by Chinese suppliers.

My comes in a pill box.

I use the kind of smoker where you walk into your favorite BBQ restaurant and say "I want some brisket, please."
This is also how I make Mexican, Chinese and Indian food.