How To Smoke On A Gas Grill
For cooking low and slow on a gas grill, you must create a 2-zone fire. The food you are smoking must be placed over an unlit area of the grill so that the surface doesn’t char completely before the interior is cooked.
The burners that aren’t over your food will be the heat source for getting your grill to the desired smoking temperature. You’ll need to monitor the temperature of the grill for the hours-long cook time.
Because propane is odorless and tasteless, you aren’t really “smoking” on a propane grill without the use of wood. The easiest method is to place wood pellets in a smoke tube or box adjacent to the burners. The heat from the burners will cause the wood to smolder, releasing smoke to flavor the food.
However, wood chips only burn for 15 to 30 minutes, and nearly all smoking takes much longer than that. You’ll need to add wood periodically, which means you have to open up the grill, bringing the temperature down.
Gas Grills: They Cook Okay But It’s Not Barbecue
Basic fact about gas grills: Gas doesn’t add any more flavor outside on the grill than it does inside in your oven. If you just want the novelty of cooking outside every once in a while, gas is fine. But if you care about getting true barbecue flavor that only comes from natural wood smoke, a gas grill isn’t for you.
Traeger Portable Pellet Grills
Traeger portable pellet grills are perfect for you if you love genuine smoky flavor but dont have a lot of space, or want to grill on the go. Those of us who love camping, picnicking, or tailgating can achieve a natural smoky flavor with these portable pellet grills. These grills are capable of multiple cooking options such as smoking, baking, grilling, and roasting. Although these portable grills are compact, they can still achieve the same great results as a full sized Traeger pellet grill! All of the Trager portable smokers are packed with exciting features. Made of painted steel, these grills are durable and are sure to last for many years of grilling. They run off a standard 110-volt outlet. They also include a meat probe for fast and easy monitoring, have easy-to-clean porcelain coated steel grill grates, and include a digital thermometer. Each of these grills have their own unique characteristics. Here are a few that stand out for each series:
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Understanding The Traeger Grill Lineup
Shopping for a Traeger grill can be very confusing. With so many years in business, youve got a lot of different models and versions to compare.
These days Traeger produces 4 main lines of pellet grill.
How to understand the Traeger pellet grill lineup
- Traeger Pro series The most popular mid-range option now includes Wi-Fi connectivity to the Traeger app for all 2019 models.
- Traeger Ironwood Series A step up from the Pro series, offering slightly larger sizes plus some funky new tech known as DownDraft Exhaust and TRU convection to help optimize cook times. You also get Super Smoke mode, the option to push a button and ramp up the smoke production.
- Traeger Timberline series The largest and most expensive option, choose between 850 or 1300 square inches of cooking space. You get all the features of the Ironwood plus pellet sensing tech that lets you monitor your pellet levels on the app.
- Traeger Tailgater As the name implies this is a portable model, with 300 sq inches and a lot less tech but some nice features for taking it on the go.
For all 2019 models, the number in Traegers product name refers to the cooking surface, so the Pro 780 has 780 square inches of cooking surface.
You can still pick up the older gen 1 models where the number refers to the size of the main grilling rack. E.g. the Pro Series 34 has a 34 x 19 grilling rack.
Pellet Grills Vs Gas Grills: Consistent Temperature
You’ll also have to work to achieve the proper temperature inside the grill. With a pellet grill, you simply set the temperature you want, and the device does the rest. When smoking on a gas grill, you have to adjust the power of the burners until you achieve the desired temperature reading. If you should happen to run out of propane in the middle of cooking, the temperature will drop significantly while you attach a new tank, extending your cooking time.
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Traeger Tailgater Portable Wood Pellet Grill
The Traeger Tailgater is available in two colors: blue and bronze. It has a larger cooking grid of 20 x 15 inches so you can cook up to 12 burgers at a time. The Tailgater can smoke as low as 180 degrees and as high as 450 degrees Fahrenheit. The hopper capacity on this grill is 8 pounds. The Tailgater also has wheels for easy maneuvering and EZ-Fold legs that fold up to take up less storage space than a typical grill. Unlike the other Traeger portable grills, the Tailgater has its own stand. Simply unfold the EZ-Fold legs when its time to cook and fold them back up when youre done. The E-Z drain allows the excess grease and drippings to drain into the bucket underneath making cleanup quick.
Traeger Pellet Grill Products
Traeger Pellet Grills & Smokers
Take your barbecue game to the next level with a Traeger pellet grill. These BBQ smokers are an alternative to charcoal or gas models that offer low, slow cooking to infuse all kinds of food with rich flavor. Somewhat of a hybrid between a smoker and a traditional grill, Traeger pellet grills are a reliable option when you want consistently smoky flavors. From brisket to roasts and ribs, this is the option if you want incredibly tender and flavorful meals. The brand offers a variety of models with different capacities and features so you can pick the Traeger pellet grill that best fits your budget and cooking preferences. Most of these smokers feature WiFIRE® Technology, which lets you monitor your , adjust the temperature and access recipes via the Traeger app on your smartphone. No matter which model speaks to you, you’ll enjoy the convenient all-terrain wheels that make it easy to move the smoker around the yard to accommodate a party or into a shed for off-season storage.
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How To Clean A Gas Grill
The grates of a gas grill will get dirty from food particles that stick to them. The best way to clean the grates is at the start of cooking. Turn the gas grill to high and close the lid for 5 to 15 minutes. The heat will burn away some of the food particles you can scrape off pesky ones with a grill brush.
The inside of a gas grill will get dirty from fat and oil rendered out during cooking. If you never clean your grill, the grease will start causing âoffâ flavors in your food, and eventually clog the burners making the grill unusable. Clean the inside of the grill only when it is completely cool.
Never use cleaning spray or water inside your gas grill. The liquid can cause rust. Paper towels can be used to wipe down the surfaces of the grill like the inside of the lid. Plastic scrapers are a good tool for cleaning grease buildup. Stainless steel brushes can help loosen food particles that build near the burners. All gas grills are different, so consult your manual before starting a deep clean.
Choose The Best Traeger Grill For You
All the grills I listed are high-quality pellet grills. However, my top pick is the Traeger pro 575 wood pellet grill. This grill has precise temperature control, which goes up to 500 degrees. This is is enough for searing food.
It has plenty of high-tech features, so you can connect the grill to your home technology and control it via voice control. Theres no more need to stand above the grill, use a meat probe thermometer, and constantly monitor the cooking. The grill does all the work for you.
Finally, theres versatile cooking. You can grill smoke, bake, braise, roast, or BBQ, all on the same grill.
, and get your grill today.
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How Long Do Gas Grills Last
A quality gas grill can last 10 years with regular cleaning and maintenance. But in reality, most people replace their gas grill every 3 to 5 years, because of maintenance needs, or because they want a bigger or more versatile grill. Many people look to swap out their gas grill for a wood pellet grill once they get interested in smoking.
Where Are Traeger Grills Made
According to Traeger, all residential grills have been manufactured in China since 2008.
Their larger commercial grills are still manufactured in the United States.
Some people have complained about Traeger moving to manufacture their grills in China but the simple fact is the vast majority of consumer grills are manufactured there.
If buying American-made is important to you, then you might want to consider a Yoder pellet grill, although youll end up paying at least double the price.
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How To Start/light A Gas Grill
To start or light most gas grills:
The ignition switches on gas grills are notorious for failing as the grills get older. In these cases, you can light the grill by placing a lit match or lighter flame near the burner. Use the longest match or lighter you have to avoid burning your fingers.
These are general instructions. If you are lighting a grill for the first time, consult the manual for that grill to get the correct steps.
Pellet Vs Traditional Grills
As the originator of the pellet grill, has had plenty of time to perfect their technology. Of course, if you own a gas or charcoal grill, you might be wondering why a Traeger is a necessary addition to your outdoor kitchen. The difference is that these cookers infuse way more smoky flavor than traditional models. The low, slow method creates way more smoke that can produce impactful results that people are seeking when they make barbecue food. They also offer greater consistency when cooking and are extremely easy to use, often requiring less monitoring than a gas or charcoal BBQ. If you have any questions about the features on these smokers or aren’t sure which model is right for you, please contact our grilling experts at . You can do additional research on your own with our .
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Benefits Of Woodfire Grilling With A Traeger Grill
Traeger crafted theoriginal wood-pellet grill with attention to detail, versatility and grillingperfection in mind. While gas and charcoal grills definitely have theirbenefits, many barbecue enthusiasts prefer wood-fire grilling for a number ofreasons. A perfect grilling option for at-home cooks and professionalpitmasters alike, Traeger pellet grills offer a wide array of impressivefeatures to help you master your grilling endeavors. Here are just a few of thetop benefits associated with a Traeger grill:
SignatureWood-Fired Flavor
Unlike charcoal grillsthat are fueled with briquettes or propane grills that are fueled by liquidpropane, a Traeger wood pellet grill achieves a signature wood-fired flavorwith the use of pure hardwood. Wood pellets like pecan, cherry, oak and alderimpart real wood-fired flavor into delicious meats, veggies and other grillingfood favorites. Cooking with Traeger’s 100 percent natural hardwood pelletsallows you to complement the different grilled foods you love the most. Get asweeter flavor with a fruit wood like apple, or use a bolder wood like hickoryto achieve a savory, smoky flavor.
Multipurpose BBQGrilling
Wood PelletGrilling Made Simple
Green Mountain Grills Vs Treager
Green Mountain Grills have been gaining a lot of popularity since they launched in 2008.
They were ahead of the game when it comes to including WiFi as standard option with their wood pellet grills. No other brand offers WiFi at this low price point.
Well built and competitively priced, they are a strong alternative to Traeger.
A lot of their fame comes from the excellent Davy Crockett grill, which we named our best portable pellet smoker. This grill competes with the Traeger Tailgater, but with the GMG you get WiFi which is really handy when you are camping.
If you arent interested in a portable grill, they also sell the popular Daniel Boone model which has 468 square inches of cooking space.
For the price, Green Mountain Grills make an excellent Traeger alternative. You just dont have the full range of features and sizes available.
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Other Factors To Consider When Buying A Pellet Grill
With so many models and brands available, deciding which model to buy can be intimidating.
But finding the best grill is all about weighing up your needs. I find it helpful to think about a few different factors when buying a new grill.
Size
The Pellet grills weve looked at in this guide range from 300 1300 square ft. An easy way to narrow your search down is to work out how big you want to go.
Generally the larger you go, the more expensive the grill will get. Although a large grill from a budget brand like Z Grills will still cost less than a more premium brand like Traeger.
If you go too small you wont be able to cook enough food to feed all your guests. But if you go too big your grill will cost more to run and youll waste some wood pellets.
You also need to think about size of the pellet hopper. The larger the hopper the more cooking time you get without re-filing it.
My recommendation is to choose a grill slightly larger than you think youll need.
Features
Some people like to have all the latest tech on their grills, while others prefer to invest all their budget in a grill that focuses on superior build quality.
Have a think about which features are nice to have, and which are non-negotiable.
Some common features on pellet grills include:
Price
Every factor weve talked about contributes to the price. Pellet grills have more tech in them, and generally cost more than other types of smoker.
Buying Guide For Best Traeger Grills
Among manufacturers of wood pellet grills, Traeger is one of the best of the best. Theyre known for both the quality of their products and the delicious flavor of the food their grills produce.
Traeger makes grills small enough to sit on your tailgate and large enough to feed a crowd. There are also models with luxury features like stainless steel grills and controllers with WiFi connectivity. These heavy-duty grilling machines can represent quite a financial investment.
At BestReviews, were here to give you the facts you need to make informed purchasing decisions. Weve provided a shopping guide to help you wade through the list of features you might find on a Traeger grill. Our top five picks are in the product list at the top of the page.
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Traeger Wood Pellet Grills
Cook the way natureintended with a top-quality Traeger grill. Using pure hardwood as fuel, thesegrills help you prepare delicious steaks, burgers, hot dogs and other barbecuefavorites with the smoky flavor you expect. As a leading name in pellet grills,Traeger offers incredible versatility, amazing flavor and convenient ease ofuse. Discover the Traeger difference by shopping Ace Hardwares impressivecollection of Traeger grills online.
Best Traeger Grill Reviews: Are Traeger Still King In 2022
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When it comes to pellet grills, Traeger are king.
Joe Traeger invented this new type of grill back in 1986, and they remain the top selling brand of pellet grill to this day.
In this detailed guide, we review the best Traeger pellet grills, explore the differences between each option and see how they stack up against the competition.
A new Traeger pellet grill is a major investment, so its important for you to do your research before you decide to pull the trigger.
Especially when there are lots of brands making excellent quality wood pellet grills.
In a rush? The Traeger Pro 575 was redesigned in 2019 and represents the best value for most people.
- Accurate PID controller for stable temperatures
- Excellent App and WiFi connectivity
Cons:
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Things To Know Before Buying Traeger Industries Barbecues Grills And Smokers
When youre serious about grilling and smoking, the right grill can take your skills to the next level. Thats where Traeger grills for sale come in. This brand sells grills and smokers that use wood pellets and a unique hopper system to provide efficient heating this makes it so you can cook or smoke meats and veggies to perfection.
Available features of Traeger grills and smokers
When youre considering a grill or a used Traeger smoker for sale, look out for the following features:
- Hopper and auger system: This is the mechanism that sets Traeger grills apart. You load wood pellets into the hopper. Then, the system automatically dispenses pellets into the auger.
- Hot rod: As its name suggests, this piece heats up until it sets the wood pellets on fire.
- Fan: The fan stokes the flames from the wood pellets and distributes heat around the interior of the grill. This creates a convection-heating effect that ensures more efficient, even cooking.
- Controller: This is the control panel that enables you to customize the temperature and operation of the grill. Use the dial to choose the temperature you want and push a button to ignite the grill. From there, the grill manages pellet distribution and the internal temperature.
- WiFIRE technology: This feature connects your used Traeger for sale to an app on your smartphone. This allows you to keep an eye on the interior temperature of the grill from your phone. You can also make adjustments to help your food cook more efficiently.
