New Traeger Pellet Grill - Super Excited!

[fishandgolf]

Just purchased a new Traeger Timberline 850 Pellet Grill. The dealer won't be able to deliver it until next week Tuesday, Nov. 17th. Super excited about this. Can't wait to try new recipes. Mr. Thanksgiving Turkey with probably be one of the first to hit the rails!

https://www.traegergrills.com/pellet-gr ... erline/850

I really enjoy grilling and this will be a new experience for me. My former grilling was pretty much limited to a Weber charcoal and an inexpensive Char-broil LP grill that my wife won in a contest.

If ya got any tips or great recipes..........would really appreciate hearing from ya!

BTW.....we live in Wisconsin and plan to keep the unit outdoors. Any issues with the electronics (Blue tooth) that we need to be concerned about? I did get the cover but not sure how much added protection it'll provide. I do have an option to store it in the garage during the winter months if need be.........but it would be more convenient outside on the patio.

[BogleFan510]

Traeger grills are the best.

Their web site has tons of ideas. Things we like include.

* Chicken thighs with any type of marinate. It is perfect for those.
* Spatchcock whole chickens and cook breast side up, seasoning of choice, I like putting it under skin
* Slow cook ribs with dry rub at lowest setting for 3 hrs+, brisket works too (we finish foil tented in oven for the last hour, but smoking is great for first several hours)
* Kabobs, like lamb Kefte, home made sausage

It's really endless, but chicken and ribs are sweet spots.

[Housedoc]

Youtube has a Tragernation channel. Lots of info. I have a line of Weber stuff but get some tips off the videos.

[Tiny Portfolio]

Do a test turkey first. Last thing you want is to mess it up(hard to do) or mistime how long it will take(easy to do) and have hungry family waiting.

[Mr.Chlorine]

Pellet smokers are ideal for pork butts/shoulders and pork ribs (spare or baby back). I would say try ribs first, 3-2-1 method is easy and good. Otherwise I agree with the spatchcock chicken suggestion.

[fishandgolf]

Thanks for the tips and comments. Really looking forward to getting started with the method of grilling/cooking.

I have read a few reviews on Traeger's website that some owners of this model have had issues with the Blue Tooth not working properly. So my question about where to keep the Traeger continues to concern me.

1). My initial plan is to keep the unit outdoors on the cement patio. Wisconsin winters can toss some pretty tough weather and dramatic temp changes (actually all year long ) Is this going to cause problems with the system?

2). Another option would be to store the unit in my garage. Concern there would be moving it outside for cooking, then back into the garage. Although the garage is not heated, it is well insulated and usually never get below freezing. Would this back and forth into to cold temps, then back into the garage cause issues with the system?

Thoughts, comments ?

[BogleFan510]

Thanks for the tips and comments. Really looking forward to getting started with the method of grilling/cooking.

I have read a few reviews on Traeger's website that some owners of this model have had issues with the Blue Tooth not working properly. So my question about where to keep the Traeger continues to concern me.

1). My initial plan is to keep the unit outdoors on the cement patio. Wisconsin winters can toss some pretty tough weather and dramatic temp changes (actually all year long ) Is this going to cause problems with the system?

2). Another option would be to store the unit in my garage. Concern there would be moving it outside for cooking, then back into the garage. Although the garage is not heated, it is well insulated and usually never get below freezing. Would this back and forth into to cold temps, then back into the garage cause issues with the system?

Thoughts, comments ?

I have a cover and kept it outside for years, no problems. I now dont cover it and wheel into a shed ever use. It goes over a pretty good lip, so a jolt every time. No problems over 10 years. Traeger had an issue with paint on barrel, they sent me a new one no charge, so Ive pretty much disassembled and reassembled one. We dont have bluetooth though, just older tech. We are in California though, so milder weather.

I would buy a cover or go the garage route.

[Orbuculum Nongata]

If ya got any tips or great recipes..........

I used this recipe/method for the Thanksgiving turkey two years ago and it was a massive hit:
https://www.smoking-meat.com/november-1 ... bed-butter

[TheoBanana]

BTW.....we live in Wisconsin and plan to keep the unit outdoors. Any issues with the electronics (Blue tooth) that we need to be concerned about? I did get the cover but not sure how much added protection it'll provide. I do have an option to store it in the garage during the winter months if need be.........but it would be more convenient outside on the patio.

I live in MN. The screen on the grill freezes up even in moderate cold, so you'll want to keep it in the garage. Only an issue for igniting as after that you can control it from the app.

Check out "How to BBQ Right" on YouTube. Malcom is the master!

[j7se]

BTW.....we live in Wisconsin and plan to keep the unit outdoors. Any issues with the electronics (Blue tooth) that we need to be concerned about? I did get the cover but not sure how much added protection it'll provide. I do have an option to store it in the garage during the winter months if need be.........but it would be more convenient outside on the patio.

I live in MN. The screen on the grill freezes up even in moderate cold, so you'll want to keep it in the garage. Only an issue for igniting as after that you can control it from the app.

Check out "How to BBQ Right" on YouTube. Malcom is the master!

+1 on Malcom. Actually watched another video of his tonight. I also recommend the bearded butchers channel.

I’d love to have a pellet grill but my kamado style grill does just fine and I don’t cook enough to warrant both. Might pick up a recteq at some point.

[DarthSage]

My DH got a Traeger for his birthday (Halloween). A couple thoughts:

They sell a "smoking blanket" to cover the smoker while in use in cold weather. We're in North Carolina, so maybe don't need it, but Wisconsin--worth looking at.

He, too, was excited for smoked turkey on Thanksgiving. As a test, I bought a turkey breast, which he smoked Wed. TBH, neither of us liked it as much as a regular roasted turkey breast--no crispy skin, and the meat was very chewy. Now, he's new at this, and it's probably operator error. We're willing to try again, for sure, and with a whole bird as well. However, he's not going to be smoking the Thanksgiving turkey--as others have said, there's too much on the line. Also, I need the drippings to make gravy--not sure how that would work out on the Traeger (he had a pan under the breast, but there was very little in it when he was done cooking).

He has had good luck with pork--ribs and an amazing roast last weekend. Publix puts prime rib on sale for the holidays, definitely trying that in the smoker. And we'll continue to experiment with poultry.

[Soon2BXProgrammer]

BTW.....we live in Wisconsin and plan to keep the unit outdoors.

Pellets slowly absorb moisture. I keep all my excess pellets in a garage. (or a truly sealed bucket, use a food grade bucket with a food grade removable/seal-able lid)

I leave my unit outside. I try not to overfill my pellet hopper, if i am not going to be consistently use the smoker. If you are goign to "winterize" your smoke (not use it for months in the winter) make sure you use all the pellets in it. or they will slowly swell and clog the auger.

I use my smoker once a week or so, and i don't have any pellet issues. i also just try to keep my hopper on the low side, and then let it use the old ones, then if needed put more in the hopper..

Some people switch pellet types all the time, so they empty the hopper and clean it out, etc. i don't I am lazy, so i just make sure i don't leave pellets in rainy weather for months at a time.

[fishandgolf]

* Spatchcock whole chickens and cook breast side up, seasoning of choice, I like putting it under skin

New word/cooking method for me....Spatchcock.... Never heard of this before so I checked it out....wow.....interesting way to grill/smoke chicken and turkey. I did p/u a turkey breast so as soon as the Traeger gets delivered......I'm gonna give it a test run. I'm also going to get a whole chicken from the local butcher and gonna do the "Spatchock" thing.....

Pellets slowly absorb moisture. I keep all my excess pellets in a garage. (or a truly sealed bucket, use a food grade bucket with a food grade removable/seal-able lid)

I leave my unit outside. I try not to overfill my pellet hopper, if i am not going to be consistently use the smoker. If you are goign to "winterize" your smoke (not use it for months in the winter) make sure you use all the pellets in it. or they will slowly swell and clog the auger.

I use my smoker once a week or so, and i don't have any pellet issues. i also just try to keep my hopper on the low side, and then let it use the old ones, then if needed put more in the hopper..

Some people switch pellet types all the time, so they empty the hopper and clean it out, etc. i don't I am lazy, so i just make sure i don't leave pellets in rainy weather for months at a time.

Soon2BXProgrammer: thanks for the tips on pellet storage and hopper control......great stuff to know!

[surveyor]

I have been happy with mine but I only use it for protein that doesn't need a sear. For a tri-tip or whole chicken that gets smoked, it spends some time on the gas grill before serving. Steaks, chicken parts, etc. only see the gas grill. Maybe I'm doing it wrong.

[Nestegg_User]

BTW.....we live in Wisconsin and plan to keep the unit outdoors.

Pellets slowly absorb moisture. I keep all my excess pellets in a garage. (or a truly sealed bucket, use a food grade bucket with a food grade removable/seal-able lid)

I leave my unit outside. I try not to overfill my pellet hopper, if i am not going to be consistently use the smoker. If you are goign to "winterize" your smoke (not use it for months in the winter) make sure you use all the pellets in it. or they will slowly swell and clog the auger.

I use my smoker once a week or so, and i don't have any pellet issues. i also just try to keep my hopper on the low side, and then let it use the old ones, then if needed put more in the hopper..

Some people switch pellet types all the time, so they empty the hopper and clean it out, etc. i don't I am lazy, so i just make sure i don't leave pellets in rainy weather for months at a time.

I have an old "pit boss" not a traeger (got it after traeger stopped making them back in Wilsonville OR; the patent was up and Pit Boss was started by some older traeger workers (and the older ones like mine were heavy duty, heavier gauge metal, built to last like mine has). I leave it covered outside, even in winter, as we use ours all year.

Pellets do absorb moisture, even in a lower humidity environment (in very low humidity central OR and left some pellets in while traveling... it can be a pain to clear from auger). You also should get familiar with different variety of pellets (apple/cherry/pecan/etc)... some of us never use mesquite or pure hickory pellets (too strong/bitter for us). Keep your pellets in garage/shed (and elevated so as to not invite mice that love them) and, as noted above, either put open bags in containers or tie bag top to reduce exposure.

I would also suggest NOT doing a turkey (especially if you aren't used to pellet grill yet) as uneven meats are far more finicky to properly cook. I've been using mine for years and still cook my turkey in the oven (in a bag, along with apples/etc to make some real good stuffing) and use the pellet grill year round for most everything else. my steaks, prime rib, pork ribs and chops, and chicken are far better on the pellet grill than on normal gas grill. For prime rib, use a cast iron skillet inside grill ... pre-heat at very high heat, quickly remove and add butter and lay meat on top to start to sear and then replace into grill, rotating after good sear to other side; it comes out great.

[We're wolves]

check out the amazingribs.com website. great source of information as well as killer recipes.

[BogleFan510]

* Spatchcock whole chickens and cook breast side up, seasoning of choice, I like putting it under skin

New word/cooking method for me....Spatchcock.... Never heard of this before so I checked it out....wow.....interesting way to grill/smoke chicken and turkey. I did p/u a turkey breast so as soon as the Traeger gets delivered......I'm gonna give it a test run. I'm also going to get a whole chicken from the local butcher and gonna do the "Spatchock" thing.....

Pellets slowly absorb moisture. I keep all my excess pellets in a garage. (or a truly sealed bucket, use a food grade bucket with a food grade removable/seal-able lid)

I leave my unit outside. I try not to overfill my pellet hopper, if i am not going to be consistently use the smoker. If you are goign to "winterize" your smoke (not use it for months in the winter) make sure you use all the pellets in it. or they will slowly swell and clog the auger.

I use my smoker once a week or so, and i don't have any pellet issues. i also just try to keep my hopper on the low side, and then let it use the old ones, then if needed put more in the hopper..

Some people switch pellet types all the time, so they empty the hopper and clean it out, etc. i don't I am lazy, so i just make sure i don't leave pellets in rainy weather for months at a time.

Soon2BXProgrammer: thanks for the tips on pellet storage and hopper control......great stuff to know!

As a foot note (or food note), good cooking shears make cutting the backbone out much easier (in a pinch even wire cutters can work). I prefer that to using a sharp knife for safety. Also, when you spread the legs and breast apart, make a nice hard push on the center, top part of the breast against the cutting board. This helps the chicken stay flat, as it cracks the breastbone apart a bit. A finger snaking under the skin (near the wishbone and thigh areas) can allow insertion of seasoned butter or dry seasoning under skin for more flavored meat.

PS. Pellets now come in resealable bags with a zip lock top. Ace carries them (all the time) as well as Costco (seasonal) around us.

[Soon2BXProgrammer]

As a foot note (or food note), good cooking shears make cutting the backbone out much easier (in a pinch even wire cutters can work).

oh since we are talking about kitchen utensils... everyone needs a set of these stainless steel pliers to de-bone fish

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003E48CZO/

[falconsfan]

I looked at all the pellet grills and went with Rec Teq, no regrets at all. Unbelievable customer service and the thing works like a charm. No wifi issues and I can monitor everything on my cell, from anywhere! Check the FB pages for both brands since you haven't taken delivery yet.

Mine is 18 months old and has been outdoors since I bought it. Keep it covered and you'll be fine. 'They' recommend a fattier meat for the first cook to help season the grill. Ribs are great for this and as suggested the 3-2-1 method is easy. I have also done spatchcock turkey and bacon wrapped turkey breast for Thanksgiving and both were excellent! Don't be afraid to try something new. Enjoy the grill!

[Barsoom]

I have the prior version "Elite" Junior version (now called Tailgater, but with non-removable legs).

For steaks, burgers, etc., the difference between a Traeger and a Weber is indirect heat. The Traeger is essentially a convection oven, so you won't get grill marks or sears.

To counter that, I suggest you look into buying a few Grill Grates from grillgrate.com. These are basically reverse heat sinks, as they trap the heat between the fins that you cook on, creating intense heat under your food.

-B

[Dakotah]

Congrats! I've had my Pro 575 for about 6 months now and love it.
The mobile app has lots of good recipes that you sort through and mark as favorites. My favorites are the Midnight Brisket, the 3-2-1 Baby Back Ribs, and the Beer Can Chicken.

A few things that I've learned over the last few months:

1. Don't try to rush the pre-heat process. If you open it while it's pre-heating, it will mess up the calculations of the controller and cause temperature swings and even flame-outs later on during the cook. When in doubt, err on the side of a longer pre-heat.
2. Routine clean-outs are important. Get a small shop-vac to vacuum out the ash if you don't already have one.
3. Find a dry area to keep the pellets you haven't used yet.
4. The cooking times seem to almost always take longer than the recipe calls for (maybe that's elevation dependent?)
5. It's certainly not the cheapest way to cook a meal...but I'd argue the costs are worth it.

[Housedoc]

My DH got a Traeger for his birthday (Halloween). A couple thoughts:

They sell a "smoking blanket" to cover the smoker while in use in cold weather. We're in North Carolina, so maybe don't need it, but Wisconsin--worth looking at.

He, too, was excited for smoked turkey on Thanksgiving. As a test, I bought a turkey breast, which he smoked Wed. TBH, neither of us liked it as much as a regular roasted turkey breast--no crispy skin, and the meat was very chewy. Now, he's new at this, and it's probably operator error. We're willing to try again, for sure, and with a whole bird as well. However, he's not going to be smoking the Thanksgiving turkey--as others have said, there's too much on the line. Also, I need the drippings to make gravy--not sure how that would work out on the Traeger (he had a pan under the breast, but there was very little in it when he was done cooking).

He has had good luck with pork--ribs and an amazing roast last weekend. Publix puts prime rib on sale for the holidays, definitely trying that in the smoker. And we'll continue to experiment with poultry.

Take the breast off when internal temp hits 145. Place in a foil pan and add a half stick of butter and a cup of chicken broth. Cover and return to grill or place in oven till it hits 160 internal. Let it rest covered for 30 min. All the smoke flavor comes in first few hours. It should be quite juicy and you have your drippings!

[fishandgolf]

Wow......some many great tips and detailed suggestions..........Thank you! I'm getting ready to place an order from "Traeger's" website. Want to order a variety of pellets ..............and ?

So...my next question is........What kind of rubs can your recommend? Traeger does have a bunch to select from but not sure what is best. Any good recipes out there? When the Traeger arrives on Tuesday, I wanna fire it up! I do plan on cooking a variety of meats...beef, chicken, turkey, ham, etc.....or just about anything that is fit for human consumption. Unfortunately, I no longer participate is the famed "Wisconsin Whitetail Deer Hunt" ...(which is only a week away)...so venison will not be on the menu.......unless of course, DW slams another one with the car.....

[JimMolony]

The six hour smoked ribs are amazing. Obviously need to plan the timeline, but worth the wait.

We've been impressed with all the recipes in the cookbook included with our Traeger. YouTube channel recipes have also been great. We grill many veggies too: Yams, sweet potatoes, asparagus, etc.

[Doom&Gloom]

Wow......some many great tips and detailed suggestions..........Thank you! I'm getting ready to place an order from "Traeger's" website. Want to order a variety of pellets ..............and ?

So...my next question is........What kind of rubs can your recommend? Traeger does have a bunch to select from but not sure what is best. Any good recipes out there? When the Traeger arrives on Tuesday, I wanna fire it up! I do plan on cooking a variety of meats...beef, chicken, turkey, ham, etc.....or just about anything that is fit for human consumption. Unfortunately, I no longer participate is the famed "Wisconsin Whitetail Deer Hunt" ...(which is only a week away)...so venison will not be on the menu.......unless of course, DW slams another one with the car.....

My impression is that taste for a particular rub is very individualized. What we did was search for a rub mixture that sounded good to us, and we started with that. With each use we tinkered with the ingredients and proportions until we found exactly what we liked. Of course, one rub does not fit all meats, so it becomes quite the adventure. It's all part of the fun. Enjoy!

[Soon2BXProgrammer]

Of course, one rub does not fit all meats, so it becomes quite the adventure. It's all part of the fun. Enjoy!

I do like my meats rubbed a particular way.

[Dopey]

A chuck roast is good. Wrap at 160. Cook to 200 and hold there for a while, then let it rest. I’m going to try injecting one with a water/seasoning solution this weekend. I don’t like injecting with beef broth. Tastes too much like a crock pot.

Whole chickens are incredible. And I don’t even like chicken that much. Again, inject with salt water and rub it down.

A reverse seared steak is restaurant quality. Bake the steak at 225 till about 110F internal temp. Crank the heat and expose the flame. Sear each side for about a minute. Best steaks I’ve had.

[fishandgolf]

A reverse seared steak is restaurant quality. Bake the steak at 225 till about 110F internal temp. Crank the heat and expose the flame. Sear each side for about a minute. Best steaks I’ve had.

Dopey....are you searing your steaks (beef I assume?) on a Traeger?

Along with the Traeger 850 that I purchased, I also purchased a small Weber Q1200 portable gas grill. I got this for one reason only....to sear steaks and chops. I'm sure I'll use it for other stuff but the best beef steaks (3" thick tenderloins) have to be seared.....IMHO.

How I prepare my beef steaks now ....I buy 3" thick tenderloins, sous vide them for about 1.0 -1.5 hours. I have the charcoal grill fired up (coals are red hot and stacked so they are nearly touching the top grate). I then place a cast iron pan on top, heat it for 5 minutes or so, add a slab of butter, then hit it with the steaks. It only takes one minute or so per side.....they are perfect! Internal temp of the steaks is ~142 - 144 degrees....you can cut them with a fork. In the past my wife would rarely eat beef steaks.........now she loves them!

[psy1]

Traeger's are fine but have a finite life. Trying to keep it in the garage or otherwise indoors is a major pain. Just leave it outside, cover it, keep it dry, and accept that it will fail at some point. Budget maybe $150/year as a replacement cost.

Store pellets indoors in plastic bins. You will want a variety: hickory for ribs or pork shoulder, apple for pork, cherry for chicken, etc. Experiment with the smoke.

Traegers are great for smoking, horrible for searing. They just don't get hot enough. If you need to sear, get an induction burner and sear in a cast iron pan at the beginning or end of smoking on the Traeger.

Try doing some things on the Traeger for Christmas gifts. Cold weather in WI is a good time to smoke cheese. Also a good time to smoke salt. Get a box of kosher salt, spread it on a cookie sheet, smoke it for a few hours, and then seal in a Mason jar. Makes a good gift. So does brined and then smoked salmon.

Get a wifi meat thermometer for winter. Traeger's use relatively light steel and don't hold heat good enough for WI winters. If you open the grill it can take a long time to re-equilibrate. For example, if it is below zero and you are smoking at 225, don't open the grill until the meat is done...

The Traeger is foolproof for smoking things like chicken, pork chops, fish. Don't forget fish. Use a stainless mesh so the fish does not fall through the grate.

Make sure you line the drip tray with two layers of foil. Will save a lot of cleanup. And don't forget to shop-vac the ash from the fire area underneath. Make sure you do it at the beginning of winter, hoping that you can wait until it warms up to do it next!

In the winter, set it to high temp to get it started. As soon as you open the lid it will cool off rapidly. Then you can dial down the temp if need be. For example, if you want to low and slow a pork shoulder in winter, don't set the grill to 225, open it, add meat, and then close it. The grill will cool down considerably and take for ever to warm up. Set the grill for maybe 350 to warm up, put the meat on, then reduce heat.

A Traeger is a great device if you work through its limitations.

[psy1]

A couple of things:

Sous vide is not the way to go for steaks if you have a Traeger. Smoke them on the Traeger at low temp until rare, then nuke them in cast iron on an induction burner or on a hot charcoal grill. Sous vide looks pretty because they are perfectly done but without much flavor and with no smoke. To each his own.

As for chuck:

Keep an eye out for chuck eye steaks. Those are fantastic on the Treager. Douse heavily with a dry rub and then smoke until done. They are like big ribeyes.

If you really want to try something good with sous vide, find a heavily marbled chuck roast and sous vide for 72 hours, then remove and sear it with a blow torch. It is transformed into a huge ribeye. Some of the best meat I have eaten. But quite the project.

[westcoast]

Had mine since 2003 and it’s still working fine. Sanded and repainted the outside once along with replaced the fan. I keep the cover on it and it stays on the patio all year. Weather here is cold and rainy in the winter. Follow the recipes in the cook book that comes with the traeger and you won’t go wrong. Have fun with it.

[fishandgolf]

A couple of things:

Sous vide is not the way to go for steaks if you have a Traeger. Smoke them on the Traeger at low temp until rare, then nuke them in cast iron on an induction burner or on a hot charcoal grill. Sous vide looks pretty because they are perfectly done but without much flavor and with no smoke. To each his own.

As for chuck:

Keep an eye out for chuck eye steaks. Those are fantastic on the Treager. Douse heavily with a dry rub and then smoke until done. They are like big ribeyes.

If you really want to try something good with sous vide, find a heavily marbled chuck roast and sous vide for 72 hours, then remove and sear it with a blow torch. It is transformed into a huge ribeye. Some of the best meat I have eaten. But quite the project.

Thanks for the comments and tips. I've got lots of things to learn but ready to get at it. As I continue to read up on pellet grilling, I keep finding stuff that's amazing. For example........"smoke tubes"...... Just placed an order on Amazon for the 6" and 12".

As far as the Sous Vide type cooking, not going to be doing much of that anymore; the Traeger will be the "new norm" of grilling for me.

[ChowYunPhat]

I have the Sam's version of the pellet grill...nickname is the "Saeger" but seems to work the same. It does grilled and hole chickens very well, and it's perfect for an overnight pork shoulder.

My favorite, although indulgent recipe, is au gratin potatoes. Here is one variant of the recipe https://www.traegergrills.com/recipes/p ... -au-gratin

I recommend adding a couple of ground jalapenos into the cream mixture to give it a little kick. Also add some cheese at the end for a nice charred cheese topping. I've found au gratin potatoes to be a bit touchy as you need to make sure all of the potato piece have been soaked in the dairy mixture and adding a little extra cook time helps ensure an appropriate softened texture. You also want to make sure you cook these in aluminum tin pans from available at the Dollar Store 2 for $1. Makes cleanup easy. And you can also use these pans for veggies.

Good luck! Great grill!

[rixer]

I've been using a Traeger for about 6 years now. It's boosted my outdoor cooking skills 100%. I love it, good choice!

[wfrobinette]

Just purchased a new Traeger Timberline 850 Pellet Grill. The dealer won't be able to deliver it until next week Tuesday, Nov. 17th. Super excited about this. Can't wait to try new recipes. Mr. Thanksgiving Turkey with probably be one of the first to hit the rails!

https://www.traegergrills.com/pellet-gr ... erline/850

I really enjoy grilling and this will be a new experience for me. My former grilling was pretty much limited to a Weber charcoal and an inexpensive Char-broil LP grill that my wife won in a contest.

If ya got any tips or great recipes..........would really appreciate hearing from ya!

BTW.....we live in Wisconsin and plan to keep the unit outdoors. Any issues with the electronics (Blue tooth) that we need to be concerned about? I did get the cover but not sure how much added protection it'll provide. I do have an option to store it in the garage during the winter months if need be.........but it would be more convenient outside on the patio.

Just look at https://amazingribs.com/tested-recipes Everything I cook as he suggests gets the OMG this is the best _____ we have ever had.

I dare you to cook a steak exactly as he says.

[Pete12]

Nice grill, man. Enjoy! Here’s a few pellet grill recipes from Stephen Raichlen:
https://memphisgrills.com/steven-raichl ... ect-smoke/
Always enjoy his shows on PBS

[Dopey]

A reverse seared steak is restaurant quality. Bake the steak at 225 till about 110F internal temp. Crank the heat and expose the flame. Sear each side for about a minute. Best steaks I’ve had.

Dopey....are you searing your steaks (beef I assume?) on a Traeger?

Along with the Traeger 850 that I purchased, I also purchased a small Weber Q1200 portable gas grill. I got this for one reason only....to sear steaks and chops. I'm sure I'll use it for other stuff but the best beef steaks (3" thick tenderloins) have to be seared.....IMHO.

How I prepare my beef steaks now ....I buy 3" thick tenderloins, sous vide them for about 1.0 -1.5 hours. I have the charcoal grill fired up (coals are red hot and stacked so they are nearly touching the top grate). I then place a cast iron pan on top, heat it for 5 minutes or so, add a slab of butter, then hit it with the steaks. It only takes one minute or so per side.....they are perfect! Internal temp of the steaks is ~142 - 144 degrees....you can cut them with a fork. In the past my wife would rarely eat beef steaks.........now she loves them!

I have a pit boss. But yes, I sear them on it. I like exposing the flame and getting it super hot and then sear on each side.

[krafty81]

As someone else mentioned - do not leave pellets in the unit if you can help it. Keep them warm and dry. I found out that old pellets will not burn as hot and I could not really get above 400.

[Gabelli2020]

We purchased a Traeger last year. After the panel burned out (2 weeks after purchasing) , returned it for Kamado Joe, large size. We think the process and final outcome is much better for the Joe. Our neighbor has been cooking with a Traeger for the last 6 months, he’s now looking for a Kamado or Green Egg