Traeger wood pellet grill.Do i need a Traeger or is there a better choice, money wise

[Burque]

Thanksgiving, anyone besides me using their Traeger or smoker to cook the bird?

I'm going with the Maple Bourbon Brine on the Traeger app (great reviews) for 24-36 hrs. Then, I'll be hitting it with a light rub and rubbing butter/sage mixture under the skin.

I'm thinking of smoking it for about an hour at 180, then cranking up the temp to 350-375 until it hits IT, probably around 5-6 hrs total cook time. My first time cooking a turkey on the Traeger, so I have my fingers crossed.

I did ours last year and it was awesome. Watch it once you crank the temp up. I know mine got to IT pretty quick.


This year I'm doing a duck for Thanksgiving in my Traeger. Gonna brine and do similar to a turkey cook, but going to stuff with fruit and nuts as well as use a sweet glaze when I have the temp up.

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[Hawkeye OG]

I did ours last year and it was awesome. Watch it once you crank the temp up. I know mine got to IT pretty quick.


This year I'm doing a duck for Thanksgiving in my Traeger. Gonna brine and do similar to a turkey cook, but going to stuff with fruit and nuts as well as use a sweet glaze when I have the temp up.

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Can I get a plate bruh?

 

[Burque]

Can I get a plate bruh?

Sure thing! I don't think the wife and I could finish an entire duck.

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[PaytonHighstep]

I did ours last year and it was awesome. Watch it once you crank the temp up. I know mine got to IT pretty quick.


This year I'm doing a duck for Thanksgiving in my Traeger. Gonna brine and do similar to a turkey cook, but going to stuff with fruit and nuts as well as use a sweet glaze when I have the temp up.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

Now I'm reconsidering my start time for Thursday. I was thinking, allowing 6hrs for the bird (~20lbs) in case it goes long. I guess I could always carve it up early.

 

[Burque]

Now I'm reconsidering my start time for Thursday. I was thinking, allowing 6hrs for the bird (~20lbs) in case it goes long. I guess I could always carve it up early.

I want to say it was three hours after the smoke.

But I always try to err on the side of more time with the smoker.

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Edit: I'd base my timing on how long it takes in the oven. Prolly plan five hours to be safe. Are you eating at home or transferring after cooking.

 

[Burque]

Now I'm reconsidering my start time for Thursday. I was thinking, allowing 6hrs for the bird (~20lbs) in case it goes long. I guess I could always carve it up early.

Wifey said it took longer than three hours. I asked her about it tonight and she seemed to think that it was somewhere between my estimate and your planned time. Just an FYI.

She also said dry rubbing it and leaving it in the fridge rather than wet brining would do a better job of getting the skin crispy. Something we haven't tried, but is apparently a thing for those that love the crispy smoked skin. Something to do with the brine making the skin too moist to get it crispy in the cook versus salt rubbing it taking moisture out of the skin.

 

[PaytonHighstep]

Wifey said it took longer than three hours. I asked her about it tonight and she seemed to think that it was somewhere between my estimate and your planned time. Just an FYI.

She also said dry rubbing it and leaving it in the fridge rather than wet brining would do a better job of getting the skin crispy. Something we haven't tried, but is apparently a thing for those that love the crispy smoked skin. Something to do with the brine making the skin too moist to get it crispy in the cook versus salt rubbing it taking moisture out of the skin.

I'll only smoke it for about an hour, then crank up to roasting temp. I read that basting it with a butter mixture every hour will help crisp up the skin, but it'll impact my cook time too opening the lid to slather it up with melted butter. I'm sure it'll be fine, I just worry too much about it.

 

[number51]

Another technique for ribs.

https://www.facebook.com/100000124590651/posts/2370803842933746/

 

[Burque]

Another technique for ribs.

https://www.facebook.com/100000124590651/posts/2370803842933746/

I think you could sell those as "Cajun" style ribs....

 

[number51]

I think you could sell those as "Cajun" style ribs....

mmmmmmm, blackened. Good BBQ should have a bark.

 

[PaytonHighstep]

Another technique for ribs.

https://www.facebook.com/100000124590651/posts/2370803842933746/

LMAO. What a cluster ****. Love the commentary though

 

[hebs]

I can validate this 100% as far as the traditional smoker goes.

I can't hold a consistent temp longer than maybe 1-2 hours until I need to go adjust my vents or add more coal.

Simple fact is you need to keep burning fuel and at least for me, in a firebox, there is no minion method.... once it goes in it is going to light and start burning, so you get a set burning and try to get the airflow down so it burns at 225-235 for as long as it can, then when temps start to drop you go back outside and open the vents up to recover temp and add in coal/wood to reset.... wait for it to get too hot and then cut the airflow down again, rinse and repeat until the cook is done.

Eventually I may get to where I know it well enough to just keep adding coal on a scheduled basis, but for now I play temperature see saw through the whole cook trying to keep the lows above 205 and the highs below 250.

What is a traditional smoker to you? I can set my Green Egg to 225 and it'll hold that temp for 20 hours easy. One fill up of the fire basket, and I can cook at 225-250 for 26 hours straight without having to add more charcoal.

I'll start a smoke and leave the house for ours at a time, or go to bed and sleep all through the night. I attach a CyberQ wifi to it to monitor the temp of the meat and grill grid, but that's more for historical reference than anything else.


(Side question, do you use a water pan in your smoker? I've been told that helps a lot with regulating temp in the metal smokers... )

 

[Fatman LOU]

What is a traditional smoker to you? I can set my Green Egg to 225 and it'll hold that temp for 20 hours easy. One fill up of the fire basket, and I can cook at 225-250 for 26 hours straight without having to add more charcoal.

I'll start a smoke and leave the house for ours at a time, or go to bed and sleep all through the night. I attach a CyberQ wifi to it to monitor the temp of the meat and grill grid, but that's more for historical reference than anything else.


(Side question, do you use a water pan in your smoker? I've been told that helps a lot with regulating temp in the metal smokers... )

I never added water to my smoker and everything i have smoked turns out pretty moist.
Just recently smoked a Salmon Fillet

 

[hebs]

I never added water to my smoker and everything i have smoked turns out pretty moist.
Just recently smoked a Salmon Fillet

yeah, it's not really for the moisture of the meat but to help regulate the temp of the smoker. Given that you have an electric smoker, it shouldn't be an issue for you.

If you want to keep the meat moist, (which will allow it to take more smoke) then misting the meat directly with a little sprayer of apple cider, or other liquids will be your best bet.