Pellet Grills

[Stumpy 256]

...Traeger or similar. Anyone have one? What do you think of it??

Never try to eat more than you can lift

[JohnnyMarko 1]

Almost bought a Traeger...

I was pretty fucking drunk at a festival, and they had a booth with a very enticing sales pitch. Guy was even going to give me a discount and let me pay in installments...

No thanks...my gas and charcoal grills do all that I need. If I had the $ I would definitely get one though.

[JohnMitchell 14]

JohnnyMarko

No thanks...my gas and charcoal grills do all that I need. If I had the $ I would definitely get one though.

They are a bit on the spendy side. I have an economical gas grill and a propane smoker, so for

[yoink 321]

A good friend has one which I use regularly. I'm not a fan.

If you want to do smoking, they work well and easily for that. You just put in the pellets, turn on the auger and forget about it.


For typical BBQ though it just doesn't work that well. It doesn't get hot enough to get that seared, slightly burnt exterior done fast enough. If you leave meat (or particularly fish) in long enough to get that, you overcook the hell out of it.

There's no beating a charcoal / lumpwood BBQ, but for convenience I can make a gas one work. Pellets are far down the roster IMO.

[DougH 270]

Pellets are expensive, and they sell them at state fairs like sleazy used car salesmen.

Better off with a quality stick burner.

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[JohnMitchell 14]

yoink

A good friend has one which I use regularly. I'm not a fan.

If you want to do smoking, they work well and easily for that. You just put in the pellets, turn on the auger and forget about it.


For typical BBQ though it just doesn't work that well. It doesn't get hot enough to get that seared, slightly burnt exterior done fast enough. If you leave meat (or particularly fish) in long enough to get that, you overcook the hell out of it.

Thanks for the education. Pretty spendy for just smoking. I have a $130 box smoker with 4 racks cranking in the back yard right now. Sure, I have to reload the wood box once or twice over the next 8 hours, but that's a small price to pay. Also, I'm using apple and cherry wood that I harvested for free instead of expensive purchased pellets.

More $$ left over for skydiving.

[DougH 270]

You can get temp controllers for the wood burners that will make it rival the pellet burners.

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[zoobrothertom 5]

Personally, I think they're worthless.

However, there is one really good target market them. My friend has a pellet grill and it is essentially smokeless.

If you live in an apartment where outdoor grilling is forbidden by rule or city code, you can fly under the radar with a pellet grill. I suspect they're also pretty handy for high-rise dwellers with a balcony as well.

____________________________________
I'm back in the USA!!

[catfishhunter 1]

Traeger. We have two. One here at work that our Realtor gave us as a house warming gift that is the smaller one. Then we bought the bigger one for home and brought the small one to work.

The naysayers most likely have never used one. When we bought our house we had bought a new Weber grill for the patio. We have yet to even use it because the Traeger smokes (pun intended) grilling.

When we hold training classes that are on the smaller side My wife will smoke tri-tip here at work for lunch. We also smoke steaks and salmon here at work pretty regularly for our employees too.

I can assure you that you wont be unhappy if you decide to buy a traeger, if you like to eat that is :)

MAKE EVERY DAY COUNT
Life is Short and we never know how long we are going to have. We must live life to the fullest EVERY DAY. Everything we do should have a greater purpose.

[xsniper 1]

My good buddy had one, I did not like it at all. I just would not trade my Big Green Egg.

[JohnMitchell 14]

DougH

You can get temp controllers for the wood burners that will make it rival the pellet burners.

I got 3 tandems in before the Seattle Weekend Rain started today, then got home and pulled 12 pounds of ribs and pork roast out of the smoker. Mmmm, on with the sauce and apple vinegar, a few more minutes in the oven. Heaven on a bone. . .

[yoink 321]

xsniper

My good buddy had one, I did not like it at all. I just would not trade my Big Green Egg.

I've seen those but MAN they're expensive - The medium size is over $600!... can it really be worth that?

I've cooked some pretty good food over a homemade brick bbq.

[xsniper 1]

yoink

***My good buddy had one, I did not like it at all. I just would not trade my Big Green Egg.

I've seen those but MAN they're expensive - The medium size is over $600!... can it really be worth that?

I've cooked some pretty good food over a homemade brick bbq.

It really is worth it. That is what I have, the medium. I talked myself out of it for two years and then finally decided to go for it. I have not regretted it at all. I put lump charcoal in and a pork shoulder when I go to bed...get up the next morning and wrap it in foil. a few more hours and it is really, really good. It just sits at the same temp all night. Then you get the heat up to around 700 and sear incredible steaks.

[akarunway 1]

zoobrothertom

Personally, I think they're worthless.

However, there is one really good target market them. My friend has a pellet grill and it is essentially smokeless.

If you live in an apartment where outdoor grilling is forbidden by rule or city code, you can fly under the radar with a pellet grill. I suspect they're also pretty handy for high-rise dwellers with a balcony as well.

The grilling police coming to see you soon. http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/local/progress/2015/03/28/holy-smoke-epa-wants-regulate-bbq-grills/70497210/

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

[Stumpy 256]

Thanks all.
I'm moving back to the UK from NZ where I have BBQ'd breakfast and dinner just about every day this year on my gas burner. I saw a traeger at a agri show recently and thought it looked like a nice option to give a bit more of that wood taste without the time spent getting a weber or similar up to temp.
I'll maybe try and see if I can get a go on a pellet grill - it needs to be able to get hot for bbqing as well as just smoking.

Never try to eat more than you can lift

[gowlerk 1,905]

Great. Now they'll start an "underground Mexican charcoal cartel" to smuggle in supplies. It will replace the weed market.

Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

[dhr18 0]

I have had one for couple years now and love it. I can put on a boston butt go to bed or to work and not have to worry about it. Its great if you like to bbq or smoke but not really into the hole checking on it every couple hours. While there may be better options out there the pellet grills are definitely easiest. I will say this for the Traeger it doesn't hold a steady temp as well as some other options weather it is a traditional smoker or one of the other pellet style grills. It fluctuates probably 20 degrees or so from target temp.

[yoink 321]

Stumpy

Thanks all.
I'm moving back to the UK from NZ where I have BBQ'd breakfast and dinner just about every day this year on my gas burner. I saw a traeger at a agri show recently and thought it looked like a nice option to give a bit more of that wood taste without the time spent getting a weber or similar up to temp.
I'll maybe try and see if I can get a go on a pellet grill - it needs to be able to get hot for bbqing as well as just smoking.

Well now...

If you're bbqing in the UK and you want to do it more frequently than the 2 sunny days a year we usually get you're going to need to learn a new set of grilling skills. Brits are world champions at bbqing in heavy rain and driving wind...

Get an oversize golf umbrella and pick your spot to grill to minimize the wind!


I grill all year round in San Diego - the locals look at me like I'm crazy. They don't go outside unless it's over 70 degrees... it's too cold for them!

[Stumpy 256]

yoink

***Thanks all.
I'm moving back to the UK from NZ where I have BBQ'd breakfast and dinner just about every day this year on my gas burner. I saw a traeger at a agri show recently and thought it looked like a nice option to give a bit more of that wood taste without the time spent getting a weber or similar up to temp.
I'll maybe try and see if I can get a go on a pellet grill - it needs to be able to get hot for bbqing as well as just smoking.

Well now...

If you're bbqing in the UK and you want to do it more frequently than the 2 sunny days a year we usually get you're going to need to learn a new set of grilling skills. Brits are world champions at bbqing in heavy rain and driving wind...

Get an oversize golf umbrella and pick your spot to grill to minimize the wind!


I grill all year round in San Diego - the locals look at me like I'm crazy. They don't go outside unless it's over 70 degrees... it's too cold for them!

Hehe - I'm british born and bred so know exactly what I am getting into! The intention is actually when we buy our next house to build in an outdoor cooking and seating area with some cover so we can spend more time in the fresh air.

It won't be a traeger - they don't import to the UK but there are some good alternatives I believe.

Never try to eat more than you can lift