Traeger vs Smoker

[jmez]

All of the electric cabinet smokers have the elements in the bottom. Place a 12x12 porcelain tile over the element and they will heat even and you don't have to move anything.

For sausages i'd get a dedicated smoker. You don't have to mess with them. You can get them with a Bluetooth connection and control them with your phone.

Master built Bluetooth 40 with an added smoke box is great for sausage. The smoke box will run for about 6 hours before you have to refill.

Sent from my moto g power using Tapatalk

 

[Troubleshooter406]

Never used either to make jerky, Id check out the pitboss smoker though, its roughly half the price of a Traeger...

 

[ToolMann]

I have had my Green Mountain Grill pellet "grill/smoker" for about 6 years now. Still runs great and I use it all the time. While I do like it for snack sticks I still prefer jerky in a dehydrator. Everyone should have a pellet grill/smoker!

 

[xajoles]

I'm sick of the house smelling like it's on fire after cleaning the oven from making jerky and summer sausage. Time to invest in a smoker.

I mainly make jerky and summer sausage. Typical batch size is 10-20 pounds. Would I be better off with a Traeger or a traditional smoker?

It seems like the Traeger is more geared towards every day cooking (chicken, etc) and a dedicated smoker might be better for higher volumes of meat. That is just my uneducated observation. Does one have advantages over the other, or are they essentially interchangeable?

The biggest reason I want it is for jerky etc, but I'm sure I wouldn't mind messing around with some other recipes for every day cooking with it. But couldn't you do the same thing with a traditional smoker?

I have a standard gas grill. also Built-in Grills are expensive

Thanks!

I was all set to jump in on an Ironwood 800 series Traeger. The number one item that I want to cook is brisket. I came to the realization that I’m keeping my direct heat grill for quick cooks and searing. A buddy said to hold up on the Traeger and really check out the Pit Boss vertical smokers. He said that’s where you’ll get a real smoke taste.

I’m shook. But then you read threads here and it seems true that Traegers lack in really smoking meat. Would a vertical smoker be any different? Both use pellets. I’m lost. Thanks

 

[Logestagg]

From my experience the advertised high temp cooking/searing on the traeger is not realistic at all. Anything over 425 degrees and it's a real flare up risk. Have had several bad flare ups where I had to push the door down tight to starve it of oxygen after shutting down. If the drip pan isn't spotless(impossible if you actually use it often) then it's just going to catch on fire and that thin gauge metal will be wrecked. If you're searing anything with fat on it then the drip pan will surely catch on fire. I ended up getting a blackstone griddle for searing so I don't have to deep clean the kitchen every time I want a steak.

I use my traeger all the time. Lowest temp 165 with super smoke on to do a reverse sear on about everything. We raise heritage breed pigs outdoors and 1.5" reverse seared 135 degree 2 day dry brined coppa(shoulder) steak will change your life.

 

[JeffRaines]

I was all set to jump in on an Ironwood 800 series Traeger. The number one item that I want to cook is brisket. I came to the realization that I’m keeping my direct heat grill for quick cooks and searing. A buddy said to hold up on the Traeger and really check out the Pit Boss vertical smokers. He said that’s where you’ll get a real smoke taste.

I’m shook. But then you read threads here and it seems true that Traegers lack in really smoking meat. Would a vertical smoker be any different? Both use pellets. I’m lost. Thanks

Anything pellet, while absolutely convenient, IMO and experience don’t impart as strong a smoke flavor as a charcoal smoker or stick burner… and in fact, they’re lacking in flavor in general when compared to stick burners. There’s something about the convection and all wood fire of a stick burner. You’re gonna get far better bark off a stick burner. Some of the best barbecue I’ve ever made has come off my stick burner.

With all that said, stick burners require you to be present in some form as you have to keep the fire going. With the cheaper ones it’s not as bad as some make it out to be(you can go up to 45 mins/1 hour before needing to add a split) but it’s still something to keep in mind. There’s also a learning curve as well.

If you go this route, I wouldn’t buy anything cheaper than an OK Joe. I wanted something nicer, but living where I live it wasn’t in the budget as the “nicer” smokers with shipping factored in all came to over 2k to get it to me. If you live in the Midwest or east coast you shouldn’t have an issue finding a nice one for far less.

I enjoy smoking meat, so I don’t mind needing to tend the fire and whatnot… especially when I taste what comes off it. If you want to show your buddy what “real smoke flavor” tastes like, get a stick burner.

 

[TxLite]

I enjoy smoking meat, so I don’t mind needing to tend the fire and whatnot… especially when I taste what comes off it. If you want to show your buddy what “real smoke flavor” tastes like, get a stick burner.

This. Imo if it’s going to be used for pork butts, briskets, etc in addition to the jerky, you can’t beat a stick smoker with aged oak. It will be more difficult to get it right, but the finished product is much better imo

 

[JeffRaines]

It will be more difficult to get it right, but the finished product is much better imo

Agreed. I will say I understand a pellet grill for a busy person who wants some "smoked" meats and doesn't have a lot of free time... just know going into it that the price you're paying for the convenience of turning a dial and being able to walk away is going to be paid for in flavor.

I kid you not, the barbecue I've made using the stick burner has not only blown me away, but anyone I've let try it. I'm not a "pit master", I wouldn't consider myself "good", I don't have Aaron Franklin or Jeremy Yoder as personal friends or mentors or anything. As long as you run the fire right, this thing just makes good barbecue.

I used a pellet grill for a couple years, ended up selling that for a WSM and while it made good barbecue, the stick burner is, IMO and IME, head and shoulders above it. So much so that while I've kept the WSM, I haven't thought about it a bit. If I'm smoking something, I'm using the stick burner. If I don't feel like it, I guess I'm not smoking anything.

 

[dk88]

I have found the bradley smokers are really easy to use and produce alot more of a smokey flavor. I have a bradley smoker and a pellet grill and the bradley is far superior for the traditional smokey flavor on sausages and longer cooks like brisket or turkey.

 

[M3at Hunt3er]

Personal preferences vary widely. I have had electric, propane and wood smokers. I like smoked meats and jerky but must not be picky enough or good enough with the other smokers because I really like my treager. Not only is it simple, I prefer the end result I get in my treager. I also use it for a lot of other uses and it does smoked fish very nicely as well.

 

[treillw]

From my experience the advertised high temp cooking/searing on the traeger is not realistic at all. Anything over 425 degrees and it's a real flare up risk. Have had several bad flare ups where I had to push the door down tight to starve it of oxygen after shutting down. If the drip pan isn't spotless(impossible if you actually use it often) then it's just going to catch on fire and that thin gauge metal will be wrecked. If you're searing anything with fat on it then the drip pan will surely catch on fire. I ended up getting a blackstone griddle for searing so I don't have to deep clean the kitchen every time I want a steak.

I use my traeger all the time. Lowest temp 165 with super smoke on to do a reverse sear on about everything. We raise heritage breed pigs outdoors and 1.5" reverse seared 135 degree 2 day dry brined coppa(shoulder) steak will change your life.

What do you use for the dry brine?

 

[NorthIDHunter]

After getting a Traeger and a blackstone my old grill now just sits and rusts .
Traegers are nice but there are other pellet smokers that are probably a bit better . I’m completely happy with my purchase . Just don’t use Traeger pellets .

What pellets do you use? I have just always used the blend they have at Costco.

 

[treillw]

I ended up with the Camp Chef Woodwind 36". Adding the jerky racks into it gives it nearly the same capacity as a vertical smoker.

I'm happy with it, although I'm sure real wood is better flavor.

 

[BigE]

This is kind of like asking what is the best rifle manufacturer. Lots of variation on what people think and what their needs are and their experiences. Lots of factors - budget, use case, nice to have's, frequency of use, cleanup, remote use, time investment, mastery of skills, etc.

All the advice earlier is good, but only you know what your specific needs are.

Remote temperature probes take a lot of the guesswork out of smoking. Highly suggested.

Electric smokers are easier to use than stick or propane or pellet if that appeals to you. A buddy of mine calls them easy-bake ovens which is funny and kind of accurate. Cost range is from 100 bucks to thousands. Cookshack is a higher end brand that I'd suggest.

Anything you get will work once you are comfortable using it. Let us know what you end up with and the results!

 

[SuspiciousFish]

I have a Costco Louisiana Grill and I already had to replace the temp sensor on it. Other than that it works well for cooking chicken and salmon etc. The problem with pellet grills for smoking is even at low temps the bottom grates can overcook the meat and the space on the top rack is very limited. You can probably build a little hanging piece to put in it but that is extra work. If you use your pellet grill as an actual grill be ready to buy and burn a ton of pellets as well so keep that consumable in mind.

You also get to be this guy:

 

[SuspiciousFish]

What pellets do you use? I have just always used the blend they have at Costco.

I personally really like the Kingsford Hickory Pellets because its actually the wood on the label.


Be careful buying pellets as there is a lot of BS Advertising. They will say "Hickory 100% Hardwood Pellets" or "Hickory Blend" which really means its a small amount of Hickory and the rest mixed cheaper hardwood.

 

[treillw]

I have a Costco Louisiana Grill and I already had to replace the temp sensor on it. Other than that it works well for cooking chicken and salmon etc. The problem with pellet grills for smoking is even at low temps the bottom grates can overcook the meat and the space on the top rack is very limited. You can probably build a little hanging piece to put in it but that is extra work. If you use your pellet grill as an actual grill be ready to buy and burn a ton of pellets as well so keep that consumable in mind.

You also get to be this guy:

I wasn't impressed by the Traeger's. No factory jerky rack add on, shape reduces capacity at top, harder to clean out than camp chef, and more expensive.

 

[SuspiciousFish]

I wasn't impressed by the Traeger's. No factory jerky rack add on, shape reduces capacity at top, harder to clean out than camp chef, and more expensive.

The gauge of metal they use on their grills is pretty pitiful as well. You are basically paying for the name with those.

 

[Rob960]

I will stick with my Pit Boss Kamado grill; grill, bake, smoke, sear at 1000* and so forth. This is the epitome of versatility.

 

[NCtrapper]

I wasn't impressed by the Traeger's. No factory jerky rack add on, shape reduces capacity at top, harder to clean out than camp chef, and more expensive.

+1 for that. You Pay for the name imo.