Traeger pellet grills have become an increasingly popular way to cook food.
After all, pellet grills can not only grill food but also smoke meat, sear steaks, and even bake a pizza.
So if you’re trying to get the most out of your Traeger grill then look no further! We’ve got you covered.
We’re going to start off with the basics and cover helpful tips and tricks so you can get the most out of your Traeger.
What is a Pellet Grill?
A pellet grill is exactly as the name sounds – a grill fueled by wood pellets.
Wood pellets are compressed pieces of sawdust and other pieces of wood that create the fuel source used by all pellet grills. Read this article to learn more about wood pellets and how to properly store them.
Pellet grills use wood pellets as the fuel to create both smoke and heat in the pellet grill. The hopper holds the wood pellets, while an auger powered by electricity is what feeds the pellets into the firepot where the pellets burn. An induction fan blows the heat and smoke throughout the pellet grill.
Essentially that is how all pellet grills work so you now can understand how the pellet grill can cook food.
How Do You Use a Traeger Pellet Grill?
Pellet grills, including Traeger pellet grills, are very easy to use.
To use a pellet grill, plug the pellet grill in, ensure there are wood pellets in the hopper, and simply turn the power switch to ‘on.’ Allow the pellet grill to ignite the wood pellets before turning the temperature dial to your preferred cooking temperature.
After 10-15 minutes, the pellet grill will be thoroughly preheated and ready to start smoking or cooking your food!
Keep in mind pellet grills require electricity so you must use a pellet grill near a power source.
If your pellet grill is placed too far from an electrical outlet then you may need to use an extension cord to power the pellet grill.
Just make sure the power source, whether it’s an electrical outlet or a generator, can produce enough electricity to power a pellet grill. See this article to learn more about how much electricity pellet grills consume.
How a Pellet Grill Works
Pellet grills have 5 main components:
- Hopper
- Controller
- Auger
- Firepot
- Induction Fan
1. The Hopper
The hopper is what holds the wood pellets so you do not need to continually feed your pellet grill. Generally, hoppers will be able to hold anywhere from 10 to 20 pounds of wood pellets.
Simply open the lid of the hopper and pour the wood pellets straight in.
Pro tip: you can open the hopper lid and gently push any pellets stuck to the sides of the hopper into the middle so the pellet grill can use the pellets to feed the fire.
2. The Controller
The controller is the brains of the machine.
Most controllers will have a digital display that will show you the internal cooking temperature as well as any settings that your pellet grill has.
My Traeger is an older tailgater so it has a simple digital display that shows the internal temperature and has a temperature dial to set your desired cooking temps.
3. The Auger
The auger is a corkscrew that extends from the hopper over to the fire pot.
In the illustration below, (4) shows the auger as pulling the pellets from the (1) hopper into the (5) firepot:
4. The Firepot
The firepot is where the wood pellets are ignited and burned in order to create both heat and smoke.
The image below shows you the firepot in my Traeger which is sitting underneath a heat baffle. The heat baffle can slide over to reveal the firepot.
5. The Induction Fan
The induction fan circulates the hardwood smoke throughout the cook chamber.
The heat baffle helps distribute the heat and smoke throughout the cook chamber so the food cooks and smokes evenly.
The Drip Tray and Grease Bucket
Although these last 2 pieces do not make the 5 main components list, the drip tray and grease bucket are worth knowing in your pellet grill.
The drip tray is what sits beneath the cooking grate and will capture any grease or fats that drip from your food as you cook them.
The drip tray then directs all those fats and greases toward one end of the pellet grill where a grease bucket sits to capture all of the excess fats and greases.
Below is an image of my drip tray that I covered with aluminum foil:
Pro tip: Use aluminum foil or purchase a drip tray liner for your drip tray so it’s easier to clean. There are also grease bucket liners so it’s easy to throw away the excess fats and greases.
Using a Traeger as a Grill
Now that you know the main components of a Traeger pellet grill, let’s cover the most common ways pellet grills are used.
We’re going to cover how to use a Traeger pellet grill for grilling burgers and how to use a pellet grill to smoke a brisket.
Can a Traeger Pellet Grill Replace a Gas Grill?
A common question I hear is if a Traeger pellet grill can replace a gas grill. After all, if you don’t have a lot of outdoor space then you may need to choose between a pellet grill or a gas grill.
See this in-depth comparison of pellet grills vs gas grills but here’s the quick answer:
A Traeger pellet grill can replace a gas grill for everyday grilling needs. Moreover, a pellet grill can smoke a brisket which is difficult to do on a gas grill making pellet grills the more versatile choice between the two.
So you can use a Traeger grill to replace a gas grill.
How to Grill on a Traeger
In order to grill on a Traeger, follow these simple steps to get your Traeger ready to grill burgers, hotdogs, or steaks.
- Plug the Traeger into an electrical outlet
- Ensure the hopper is full of wood pellets
- Turn the pellet grill on
- Set the temperature to “smoke” or follow the ignition sequence
- Wait around 5 minutes until the Traeger begins smoking
- Set the temperature dial to your desired cooking temperature
- Wait 10-15 minutes for the Traeger to thoroughly preheat
Once the Traeger has come up to the desired cooking temperature and has been preheating for 10-15 minutes, simply place the food on the grill as you normally would.
Make sure to check out this article that covers how to use pellet grills for everyday grilling.
The one thing to keep in mind is that you should keep the pellet grill’s lid closed even when grilling hotdogs or burgers.
Pellet grills cook through indirect heat so the lid of the pellet grill must remain closed in order to thoroughly cook your food.
How to Sear on a Traeger
Now that you know how to grill food on a Traeger, let’s cover how to sear steaks.
After turning your Traeger on and getting it ignited, turn the temperature dial all the way to high or 450F.
In order to sear a steak, you will want your Traeger pellet grill as hot as possible. Once the Traeger reaches 450F and has been given 10 to 15 minutes to thoroughly preheat, place the steaks onto the grill and close the lid.
After 1 to 2 minutes, flip the steaks over to sear the other side.
Generally, steaks can be smoked on a Traeger first before being seared at the end. This method of searing at the end is called “reverse searing.”
Read this article to learn more about searing food on a Traeger pellet grill.
Using a Traeger as a Smoker
The huge benefit of a Traeger pellet grill is that these grills can be used as smokers.
Now you have the option of smoking a brisket or pork shoulder over multiple hours so you’re left with smoky and tender BBQ meat.
How to Use a Traeger for Smoking Meat
In order to smoke meat on a Traeger, follow these simple steps to get your Traeger ready to smoke brisket, pulled pork, or ribs:
- Plug the Traeger into an electrical outlet
- Ensure the hopper is full of wood pellets
- Turn the pellet grill on
- Set the temperature to “smoke” or follow the ignition sequence
- Wait around 5 minutes until the Traeger begins smoking
- Set the temperature dial to your desired cooking temperature
- Wait 10-15 minutes for the Traeger to thoroughly preheat
Generally, the most common smoking temperatures are 225F and 250F.
You do not want to use too high of a cooking temperature since you need to smoke food ‘low and slow’ in order to break down the tough connective tissues.
Do not worry about the smoke levels on a pellet grill, the Traeger will produce smoke at any temperature setting. A low-temperature setting of 225F means the meat will take longer to cook which will give the smoke a chance to create a nice smoky flavor.
How to Create More Smoke on a Traeger
Keep in mind – too much smoke can be a bad thing since you want to allow the meat to cook and smoke. If your smoker or Traeger is producing thick white smoke then you will have an unpleasant acrid taste on the meat.
Ideally, your pellet grill will be producing a thin blueish-white smoke that will create a pleasant smoky flavor on the food.
However, here are some quick tips for creating more smoke on a Traeger:
- Use a pellet tube or smoker box
- Use lower cooking temperatures
- Use hardwood pellets
See this article for more tips on how to create more smoke on a Traeger.
Traeger Pellet Grill Maintenance
Once you finish cooking food on your pellet grill and you’ve allowed the pellet grill to cool down, there’s some occasional maintenance that will help keep your pellet grill in tip-top shape.
Here are the 2 main things to look out for and clean:
1. Cleaning Drip Tray and Grease Bucket
The first items that can benefit from an occasional clean are the drip tray and grease bucket.
Personally, I like to wrap my drip tray and grease bucket in aluminum foil. Once the grease bucket is too fool or if the drip tray looks too dirty then I simply lift off the aluminum foil and throw it all away.
Keep in mind that BEFORE you use a high cooking temperature such as 350F or 450F, the drip tray MUST be clean!
If the drip tray is full of grease and fats then you may start a grease fire which is no fun. It can seriously ruin your cook, not to mention damage your Traeger.
So always start off with a clean drip tray before using a high cooking temperature on a Traeger.
2. Vacuuming Ash out of Firepot and Cooking Chamber
The second maintenance item is vacuuming out the ash from the firepot and the cooking chamber.
The pellet grill burns wood pellets in the firepot and the induction fan helps spread the smoke and heat throughout the pellet grill.
Over time, ash will start to build up in the firepot which can eventually cause the Traeger pellet grill to stop mid-cook. Once that happens, you’ll have to follow this guide for restarting a Traeger which involves vacuuming out the firepot.
So vacuuming the firepot clear of ash every 3 to 5 cooking sessions is a good maintenance schedule.
Can a Traeger Be Used Without Wood Pellets?
A common question I hear with Traeger is if they can be used without wood pellets. Or if you can use charcoal or propane for fuel in a Traeger if you run out of wood pellets.
Traeger pellet grills require wood pellets in order to cook food. Pellet grills cannot use charcoal or propane as fuel.
So if you run out of wood pellets then the Traeger will stop cooking food until you fill the hopper with more wood pellets.
How Long a Bag of Wood Pellets last in a Traeger
Generally, a 20-pound bag of wood pellets will last for about 20 hours of cooking time on a Traeger at 225F. Most pellet grills will burn between 1 to 3 pounds of pellets per hour depending on the cooking temperature.
So if you plan on smoking a brisket for 15 hours at 225F then expect to use around 15 pounds of wood pellets.
Wood pellets can be found at most outdoor, BBQ, and grocery stores.
Personally, I get my wood pellets off Amazon since you can find more wood blends than you would find in most stores. Not to mention Amazon will deliver these wood pellets to your doorstep so you’ll be ready for the weekend cook if you order them during the week.
Using a Traeger Pellet Grill for the First Time
When using a Traeger for the first time, you will need to season the grill by burning off any residual oil from the manufacturer.
Follow these steps when firing up a pellet grill for the first time:
- Pour pellets into the hopper
- Plug in the grill
- Turn the grill on and set the temperature dial to high or Select Auger>Prime Auger on newer models
- Wait until you see or hear the pellets fall into the firepot
- Turn the temperature dial to smoke or follow the ignition sequence
- Once you see the pellet grill smoking, set the temperature dial to 350F for 20 minutes
- Increase the temperature to 450F for an additional 30 minutes
- Shut down the grill by holding the temperature dial for 3 seconds
If you plan on cooking straight away then you don’t need to go through the shutdown cycle. Just add your food to the grill after the 30-minute period ends.
Using a Traeger in the Rain
Now when you start using a Traeger, you’ll want to use it every weekend regardless of what the weather is like.
For those of us that live in rainy climates, this might mean using a Traeger in the rain. Here’s the main thing to keep in mind when using a Traeger in the rain.
Traeger pellet grills can be used in the rain as long as the wood pellets and any electrical connections are protected from the water. Rain can cause damage to exposed electrical connections and accelerate rust so avoid using an uncovered pellet grill in heavy rain.
Here are some quick tips for using a pellet grill in the rain:
- Shelter pellet grill from the rain with a canopy
- Use an insulated blanket to block rain and hold cooking temp
- Use an outdoor-rated extension cord to place the pellet grill in a covered area
See this article for more tips on using a pellet grill in the rain.
Using a Traeger on a Covered Porch, Patio, or Deck
Another common question I hear is if you can use a Traeger on a covered porch, patio, or deck.
Pellet grills and smokers can be used under covered porches, patios, or decks. However, there needs to be sufficient airflow to blow the smoke out of the covered enclosure. Pellet grills, smokers, or any grills should not be used in enclosed spaces or areas with poor airflow such as a garage.
So just make sure the pellet grill is placed away from any flammable materials and that there is sufficient airflow.
Read this article for more information on how to safely use a pellet grill on a covered porch, patio, or deck.
Here’s a video where I show you how I use my pellet grill on my covered porch:
Can You Use Traeger Pellet Grills in Apartments?
Although it is technically possible to use pellet grills in smaller spaces, there are a few things to keep in mind.
Generally, pellet grills can be used in apartments that allow for propane and electric grills on balconies or patios. Pellet grills use electricity to burn wood pellets in order to create heat and smoke so are usually classified as controlled cooking devices.
However, keep in mind that pellet grills do produce larger amounts of smoke so you may want to consider that when thinking of where to place a pellet grill.
If your balcony or patio is close to other balconies and patios then your apartment neighbors may not appreciate the extra smoke being produced by the pellet grill.
Read this article for more information and considerations when thinking about using a pellet grill in an apartment.
