Anyone own a Traeger Smoker?

phillihp23

AV Addict
VIP Supporter
Joined
Apr 14, 2017
Messages
1,650
Location
Washington, The West
My natural gas BBQ is on its last leg (lasted 20 years so not complaining) but I will be looking at upgrading next year. My question is is there a Smoker combo available that you can do both BBQ and smoke on the same unit? Plus I want natural gas not propane and electric is too expensive to operate.
The answer is yes, and yes. You just have too look around a bit and find one. My grill is custom built in, I run it on a natural gas line at the house, and it has a chip box with a dedicated flame under it to smoke. There's equipment out there specific to each cooking style, or you can find something that kinda does both.
16FFCA1F-1E68-4F21-A47D-5E98582FE057.jpeg
F26FF479-3DBA-45AB-9D31-F13D6E9877EB.jpeg


I have this one without the cart in a outdoor kitchen of sorts.
7A4EBA89-4055-4CBA-BD71-A97CBA304B57.jpeg
 
Last edited:

GFOviedo

Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2017
Messages
636
Those pics are a veritable feast for the eyes! Wow
Thank you. Everything I've cooked in this little barrel comes out excellent. Pretty much everyone loves to eat my meat! Yet, I can tell you it takes some work. That's the reason why I have been pondering about trying out a pellet smoker. It's easier. You set the temperature, put the meat in, put the temp. thermometer in the meet, set up your phone app, and let it cook. So much easier than my little barrel smoker. However, I have heard that the meat in pellet smoker grills are as smoky compared to a regular smoker. I am not sure if this is true or not since I haven't tried any meats cooked in a pellet smoker. Can anyone else on here who has had experience with both confirm this?
 

Todd Anderson

Editor / Senior Admin
Staff member
Thread Starter
Joined
Jan 20, 2017
Messages
9,141
Location
Balt/Wash Metro
More  
Preamp, Processor or Receiver
StormAudio ISP.24 MK2
Main Amp
Emotiva XPA-5
Additional Amp
Emotiva XPA Gen3 2.8 multichannel amp
Other Amp
Denon X8500H
Computer Audio
AudioEngine A2+
DAC
THX ONYX
Universal / Blu-ray / CD Player
Kaleidescape TERRA, OPPO UDP-203, Panasonic UB9000
Front Speakers
GoldenEar Technology Triton One.R
Center Channel Speaker
GoldenEar Technology SuperCenter Reference
Surround Speakers
SVS Ultra Surround
Surround Back Speakers
SVS Ultra Bookshelf
Front Height Speakers
SVS Prime Elevation x4 (Top Front, Top Mid-Front)
Rear Height Speakers
SVS Prime Elevation x4 (Top Middle, Top Rear)
Subwoofers
dual SVS SB16s + dual PSA XS30s
Other Speakers or Equipment
Behringer 1124p; Aura Bass Shaker Pros; SuperSub X
Video Display Device
JVC NX7
Screen
Seymour Screen Excellence, Enlightor NEO AT Screen
Streaming Equipment
iFi Audio Zen Blue
Streaming Subscriptions
Qobuz, TIDAL, Spotify, ROON
Other Equipment
LG Electronics 65-inch B6 OLED, Sony 65-inch X900F, ZeroSurge 8R15W x 2, ZeroSurge 2R15W x 2
I've smoked three meats in the Traeger that my fam gave me... honestly, the meat doesn't strike me as being under smoked (flavor-wise). I wish we could run an A-B comparison!!!
 

mechman

Senior Admin
Staff member
Joined
Apr 4, 2017
Messages
2,047
Location
Empire, MN
More  
Preamp, Processor or Receiver
Pioneer VSX-832
Front Speakers
Definitive Technology Studio Monitor 55s
Center Channel Speaker
Definitive Technology CS8040
Surround Back Speakers
Definitive Technology DI6.5R
Other Speakers or Equipment
Apple TV 4K
Video Display Device
LG OLED65C7P
Remote Control
Logitech Harmony 650
Streaming Subscriptions
HBO Max, YouTubeTV, Hulu, Netflix, Disney+
I don't worry about smoke towards the end of any of my cooks. The meat stops taking most of the smoke once it reaches a certain temp - which is usually within a few hours depending upon what you're cooking. After that it's pointless to throw smoke at it in my opinion. Although in my Kamado, the chunks I use smoke for several hours - like 7 or more.
 

GFOviedo

Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2017
Messages
636
I don't worry about smoke towards the end of any of my cooks. The meat stops taking most of the smoke once it reaches a certain temp - which is usually within a few hours depending upon what you're cooking. After that it's pointless to throw smoke at it in my opinion. Although in my Kamado, the chunks I use smoke for several hours - like 7 or more.
That's the reason why smoking my meat is a low temp slow process that can take up to 16 hours depending on my meat size!
 

Michael Scott

Moderator / Reviewer
Staff member
Joined
Apr 4, 2017
Messages
5,258
Location
Arizona
More  
Preamp, Processor or Receiver
Yamaha TRS-7850 Atmos Receiver
Other Amp
Peavy IPR 3000 for subs
Universal / Blu-ray / CD Player
Panasonic UB820 4K UHD Player
Front Speakers
Cheap Thrills Mains
Center Channel Speaker
Cheap Thrills Center
Surround Speakers
Volt 10 Surrounds
Surround Back Speakers
Volt 10 Rear Surrounds
Rear Height Speakers
Volt 6 Overheads
Subwoofers
2x Marty subs (full size with SI 18's)
Video Display Device
Sony 85 inch X950H FALD TV
I've smoked three meats in the Traeger that my fam gave me... honestly, the meat doesn't strike me as being under smoked (flavor-wise). I wish we could run an A-B comparison!!!
I've smoked three meats in the Traeger that my fam gave me... honestly, the meat doesn't strike me as being under smoked (flavor-wise). I wish we could run an A-B comparison!!!

My buddy and my brother had a Traeger at one point and I wasn't happy with it. way undersmoked compared to what I'm used to with lump coal (I'm a charcoal fanatic). The thing is, I think part of it is growing up in the southwest where when we smoke meats, we SMOKE meats. Heavy mesquite and hickory, so switching to the lighter flavor that pellets give is a bit of a shock.

and Mechman is right, unless you're doing a stupidly low temperature smoke chunks are only necessary the first 3 hours, maybe 4, before the meat stops absorbing the smoke. Even though my chunks can continue to smoke for 5+ hours on the initial addition I'm not too worried about adding my chunks to the mix as past the 4 hour mark there's not much of a benefit.

If you're going pellet though, there are some nifty specialty pellets that have more smoke potential than the Traeger brand pellets. There's a wicked mesquite pellet manufacturer in Tucson itself that we used and it gave a surprising amount of smoke for a pellet smoker. Not as much my drum style smoker with 6 chunks of mesquite, but a solid amount (we use mesquite in everything down here. You've never tried home made bacon until you've tried it with mesquite. Most people go towards hickory or applewood for bacon because it's traditional, but mesquite bacon has a really nice flavor that's unprecedented. Especially since pork absorbs smoke like no other)
 

mechman

Senior Admin
Staff member
Joined
Apr 4, 2017
Messages
2,047
Location
Empire, MN
More  
Preamp, Processor or Receiver
Pioneer VSX-832
Front Speakers
Definitive Technology Studio Monitor 55s
Center Channel Speaker
Definitive Technology CS8040
Surround Back Speakers
Definitive Technology DI6.5R
Other Speakers or Equipment
Apple TV 4K
Video Display Device
LG OLED65C7P
Remote Control
Logitech Harmony 650
Streaming Subscriptions
HBO Max, YouTubeTV, Hulu, Netflix, Disney+
Mesquite bacon... I’m going to have to ty that!
 

Michael Scott

Moderator / Reviewer
Staff member
Joined
Apr 4, 2017
Messages
5,258
Location
Arizona
More  
Preamp, Processor or Receiver
Yamaha TRS-7850 Atmos Receiver
Other Amp
Peavy IPR 3000 for subs
Universal / Blu-ray / CD Player
Panasonic UB820 4K UHD Player
Front Speakers
Cheap Thrills Mains
Center Channel Speaker
Cheap Thrills Center
Surround Speakers
Volt 10 Surrounds
Surround Back Speakers
Volt 10 Rear Surrounds
Rear Height Speakers
Volt 6 Overheads
Subwoofers
2x Marty subs (full size with SI 18's)
Video Display Device
Sony 85 inch X950H FALD TV
it's amazing. I use 2/3 mesquite with 1/3 hickory for my bacon these days. it makes it a spicy bacon, especially if you crust it in pepper before the smoke
 
Top Bottom