Treager Anyone?

[SteveB]

On the lowest setting, 16 hrs or a little more. This is for 20 lb bags.

[Trad-Man]

Originally posted by doctari:
Ok Brian, I have had mine more than a year now and do enjoy cooking on it. Best prime rib and Pizza's too. Everything Taste better on a Treager.    

LOL...Mark, there has not been one time that I have talked to you that you have not at least mentioned the word "Treager".  Even yesterday...I'ma gonna make stuffed halpinos, have a cigar and some cognac...LOL...and all this time I thought you were married to the Treager and Anna was your GF!    

[doctari]

I made 24 stuffed poppers and 20 crab stuffed mushrooms for a dinner party yesterday. It was all gone in less than 30 minutes. Very funny Brian.  :p

[Trad-Man]

I know...it's all good!  Remember...you had made some for me and Debby last New Years!  I'm just say'in...you love your Treager like I love my KME gear!

[Mint]

If you go to some of the BBQ forums they have some good comparisons of the Traeger and the Big Green Egg showing the pros and cons for both.

[Dave Bulla]

I've never seen a Treager in person but I've had food off them made by two or three different people and honestly wasn't impressed.  In all cases, it didn't have much smoked flavor.  The brisket in particular tasted like it was baked in a kitchen oven rather than on a grill.

What I don't know is the skill of the cook.  They all talked about how amazing their grills were and how they could set it and walk away.  They also, to a man, were big on monitoring internal temps of the meat and taking it off as soon as it hit the target temp.  Maybe that doesn't give it enough time to get smokey?

When I do a brisket it takes me about 18 to 20 hours.  I put it in the smoker before bedtime with charcoal and firewood coals and a good bit of mesquite chunks.  In the morning the fire is weak, the meat looks awsomely smoked but it's still not done all the way.  I could continue in the smoker but since it's got all the smoke flavor it needs, I wrap in foil with about 2 or 3 Tbsp of water and put it in the oven at 250-275 for another 8 or 9 hours.  Never check temps of the meat.  It'll be so tender you have to be careful when cutting it or it will fall apart.

I'd like to play around with a Treager myself but don't know anyone who has one close by.

[JockC]

My local Costco has them on promotion right now.

[JockC]

Terry, Treager should give you a commission.  I bought one of the Costco promo units, though I kind of wish I had looked at Green Mountain Grills.  The food produced is supposed to be identical in quality, but the GMG has some nice additional features.  On the other hand, Treager will likely always be around for parts, and GMG is a newer, smaller upstart.

I did a little research on the smoke intensity issue, Dave.  First, the BBQ nut crowd (and they make TradGang look a little casual and non-committal) have a low opinion of Treager pellets.  Second, they recommend a period of low initial heat (more smoke produced, and it sets into moist meat).  Third, and this may be most important, is the role of moisture in making the smoke adhere.  The Treager guy told me to keep a spray bottle filled with apple juice and a little real maple syrup by the grill and spray when you can.

Heading off today to buy an insulating blanket that GMG sells that fits the Lil Tex Elite I bought; supposed to cut pellet use down by up to 50%.  Eight degrees here this AM; I don't want my pellets heating the outdoors!

[sinawalli]

Was going to buy one until I saw it was made in china!! Not spending that kind of cash on a chinese product. Am going to go with a Country Smoker, which is made just down the road from here!!

[sticbow]

treager was made in usa moved all to china..there are alot of usa made pellet grills look at louisana smokers..just do your work an read about them all on the internet..
   Dave..the pellet smokers do not give the smoke that a wood smoker will give but using low heat for first half of the cooking will do alot better..
   one of my best friends makes his living doing this everything he cooks is with hickory but he did tell me if it was for his own use he would buy a pellet grill..an the apple juice in a spray bottle a couple times while cooking makes a BIG difference

[Bear Heart]

I use a Green Mountain Grill which is similar to a Trager.  One benefit of the GMG is you can set it from 150-500 degrees in 5 degree increments.  Check it out.
If you want an American product try a MAK or a Fast Eddy.  Be prepared to shell out about twice as much.  Remember these grills have computers in them.
I cook at least 3 times a week, more in summer, and have done so for the last year and a half.

[Bear Heart]

By the way, pelletheads.com has great pellet grill recipes.

[Terry Green]

1st off....no, I don't need a commission.....I'm just a fan of pellet grills...and Traeger was the originator that kinda got it all started.  Lots of options out there now.

Green Mountain pellets are better than Traegers IMO....they burn hotter and have less ash.

And to Dave Bulla, ....I really don't even know how you could make those statements.  Its like you are on another planet or something.  Everyone that has eaten off my grill has RAVED about the flavor....not only I, but a friend of mine sold his green egg to buy one also.  Not to mention the other's that have purchased them after eating off mine.
 
Did you know that folks are trying to BAN pellet grill from cooking contests????  The reason is because they claim its too easy to get the flavor with them.  

Like I said earlier, I ate off of one on a hunt, and just had to own one because of the flavor of everything.  I'm now looking at compact models from different manufacturers....I want one I can take with me to hunt camp.

[Al Dente]

I don't think they are trying to ban pellet grills from contests because of the flavor part, but because of the automation of it.  Just fill the hopper and you are good for hours.  I don't favor the BBQ Guru either, that to me also takes out the human factor for watching your fire and regulating your temp.  For personal use, whatever floats your boat, but for a contest, it should be lump, hardwood, or briquetts.  No propane, pellets, or electronics that control your pit.

I strictly use lump, hardwood, or briquetts when I smoke or grill.  But, I know several people who have pellets cookers, and they love them, and I have tasted the food that came off of them and it was good.  No complaints from me.

[Terry Green]

Exactly Al...too easy.

Being that I'm not a cooking guru...or into contests....I want my flavor to come easy...my girls want a steak, burger, chicken, fish or even pizza, broccoli, asparagus, bread etc. etc. now, off the grill....I can have it pretty stress free with the flavor of someone that had to 'work it'.  Yaknowwhatimean?

[Al Dente]

100% Terry.  Whatever works for you.  Sometimes when I don't want to smoke a brisket for 18 hours or so, I'll smoke it for a good 3 with hickory and when the temp drops, I'll stick it in the oven to for 4-5 hours until tender. But don't tell anyone, wink, wink.  Kinda hybrid bbq, but it works in a pinch.  Backyard is one thing, and comps are another.

[German Dog]

I too jumped on the wood pellet grill. Went with the Treager Lil tex elite.

Boy oh boy is that thing awesome!!!  I got so tired of messing with charcoal and couldn't bring myself to go with a propane grill. It is so easy to use and perfect for families that always have stuff going on during the week.

[sticbow]

I bought a Yoder built like a tank weigh's 260 pounds 10 gauge steel..best damn food i have ever ate..i love this thing..

[Elkchaser]

I picked up a Traeger early this summer and my wife loves it as much or more than I do. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE IT. But she REALLY LOVES me doing ALL the cooking!!
I can't get enough of it. I experiment with every recipe that sounds good and so far I've had no complaints from anyone.


I'm with you Terry, a smaller unit for hunting camp would be the ticket!! Let us know if you find "THE" one.

TRAEGER on!!    

[TaterHill Archer]

Traeger for me.  I love it.  Had to experiment a little to get the temps and cooking times right, but I love the food from it.