Traeger wood pellet grills burn all-natural hardwood pellets when working. The pellet grill combines the best qualities of regular grills and traditional ovens. Pellet grills are also perfect for smoking, frying, baking, and, grilling almost all products.
Contents
How does a Traeger grill work?
For the operation of the Traeger, of course, you need fuel. For wood-fired pellet grills, natural wood pellets are the fuel. The wood pellets are filled into the hopper. To move the pellets from the hopper to the fire pot, a rotating auger is used, which is powered by electricity. When the pellets are moved into the burn pot, the hot rod ignites it. In the fire pot, the pellets burn, releasing heat and smoke.
For good combustion, as we know, oxygen is necessary.
So in the wood pellet grill, there is an induction fan that supplies air and promotes combustion.
A special thermal partition is located above the fire pot, thanks to which the temperature is distributed evenly over the entire surface, not allowing food to burn. Under the thermal partition, there is a drip tray that allows you to collect grease that is formed during the cooking process.
How to launch a Traeger closed-lid model pellet grill?
To check the model of your Traeger pellet grill, check the model number of your grill. If you have a closed-lid model, then this method of starting the grill is for you. Before starting your pellet grill, set the desired temperature using the knob on the control panel.
Next, preheat your wood pellet grill for about 15 minutes under a closed lid, so that the desired temperature is set. Now you just need to open the lid and start cooking the foods that you planned.
How to launch a Traeger open-lid model pellet grill?
If you have just purchased a grill and are igniting it for the first time, then first remove the grill grates, drip tray, and heat baffle. Then plug the grill into an outlet.
Now you need to pour a sufficient amount of wood pellets into the hopper, which looks like a large metal box attached to the grill body. If the pellets run out during the Traeger operation, you can add them back to the hopper. Then you need to turn on the grill to bring it to the required temperature. This can be done using the control panel.
Then you need to find the Smoke setting on the Traeger control panel. If there is no such setting on your panel, then set the Traeger smoking temperature between 160 °F (71 °C) and 200 °F (93 °C). Allow your grill to heat up to the required temperature, it may take about 5 minutes.
When the Traeger reaches the set temperature, it starts to make a lot of noise. In this case, you can either start cooking or shut the grill with a lid so as not to lose heat and smoke. If you want to get a more toasted meal, you can increase the temperature of the grill at this point.
If your grill does not start, you need to first check the availability of electrical power, and then how clean the main components of the grill are: if any debris or dust got into the auger, fan, or hot rod, the Traeger may not start.
How to burn-in a Traeger grill?
Once you have bought a new wood pellet grill, you will need to clean the porcelain grates from industrial oils and other contaminants. It is not recommended to wash new grates with a cleaning agent, but it is recommended to make a burn-in.
To do this, bring the Traeger to 350 °F (180 °C) and keep the temperature for about an hour. Then increase the temperature to 450 °F (230 °C) and leave the grill for another 30 minutes. At this point, you can cook something on the grill, or leave it to cool completely. If you plan to smoke for the first time, let your Traeger cool down to about 150 °F (65 °C) before raising the temperature again.
The main components of the Traeger wood pellet grill
Traeger is the most popular brand of wood pellet grills, and in fact, the concept of pellet grills began with Traeger in 1980.
Not all wood pellet grills work the same, and even some Traeger grills have different operating principles, but the general principles of the pellet grill remain the same. All pellet grills have the same components: pellet hopper, auger motor, combustion/induction fan, burn pot with hot rod igniter and control panel.
The hopper
Wood pellets are placed in the hopper before they enter the burn pot. The larger the hopper, the more pellets you can put there, and the longer your Traeger will burn.
Pellets burning also depends on what temperature you set on the grill and what temperature outside.
The auger
The auger is powered by an electric motor connected to the control panel. The auger sends pellets from the hopper to the fire pot. When the fire pot temperature reaches the value set by the user, the auger is given the command to reduce or stop the supply of pellets through the control panel.
The fan
A sufficient amount of oxygen is required for the efficient burning of pellets. The fan supplies the necessary air to make the pellets burn better, and the smoke and heat spread through the working chamber. The fan, as well as the auger, is automatically controlled via the control panel, that is, you do not have to adjust the air supply power yourself.
Burn pot and hot rod igniter
The hot rod igniter is responsible for igniting pellets and it is located in the burner.
The control panel
Each Traeger grill has a control panel. Through the control panel, you can send simple signals to your grill, such as turning it on, and off, and setting the temperature. The control panel regulates the operation of the auger motor, fan, and hot rod igniter. The temperature level in the grill also depends on the control panel.
About wood pellets
All-natural hardwood pellets are specially designed for filling pellet grills. Hardwood pellets consist of sawdust of hardwood, fruit woods, and nut wood. Sawdust is subjected to strong heating to create dense, small, and neat pellets.
It is necessary to store pellets in a dry place; otherwise, they can stick together because of moisture.
How many hardwood pellets to use at a time?
If you cook at higher temperatures, then you will use more hardwood pellets. Approximately one to three pounds of pellets per hour. In this case, a 20-pound bag of pellets will last you for 6-20 hours. For example, smoking small pieces of meat takes from two to five hours. If you cook large pieces of meat, then the smoking process can take from 9 hours or more. Therefore, always have a spare bag of pellets on hand.
How to turn off the Traeger grill?
You need to turn off, as well as turn on the Traeger grills correctly, we will give you some tips for the poet.
- On the control panel, turn the settings dial to the grill Shut Down Cycle. The auger stops feeding new wood-fired pellets, and the fan and the igniting rod begin to work more intensively to burn the remnants of pellets in the furnace.
- Do not disconnect the Traeger grill from the power switch, let it burn all unnecessary pellets.
- When you hear that the fan is not working, and this will happen after about 5 minutes, then you can turn off the power by moving the dial to Off.
- When the grill grates have completely cooled down, remove the remnants of unused wood-fired pellets from the hopper and auger.
Tips for maintenance of the Traeger pellet grill
In addition to regular cleaning of the Traeger grills, also pay attention to its maintenance. This way you will prevent the appearance of rust and corrosion on your grill.
- Use a cover for your grill when you are not using it.
- Keep your grill clean. After each use, remove grease and debris from the grill grates.
- In winter, store the grill in a dry and cool place, wet storage conditions can lead to rust.
- Do not use steel wool, bleach, and other harsh and abrasive materials to clean the Traeger.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Traeger grill need electricity?
Wood-fired pellets are fed into the Traeger grills burn pot by an auger that needs electricity. Also, the electrical components in the Traeger grills are a fan that provides oxygen supply for better pellet burning, and a flammable rod that provides ignition pellets.
Therefore, yes, undoubtedly, the Traeger pellet grills need electricity.
Can you use a Traeger as a regular grill?
You can cook food on a Traeger pellet grill, which will be cooked the same way as on a regular grill, but it will be even tastier, as it will be soaked with fragrant wood smoke, which wood-fired pellets emit when burning. The difference between a pellet grill and a regular one is in the fuel and the method of ignition. Of course, you can’t use propane and charcoal in a pellet grill.
What is so great about a Traeger grill?
Traeger’s original wood pellet grill is universal. You can grill, smoke, bake, roast, stew, and barbecue. The pellet grill is not difficult to kindle, and wood pellets will give your food a spicy aroma of wood smoke you can’t get with a gas grill or charcoal grill.
Can you grill on a Traeger without pellets?
The fact is that the pellets are designed specifically for the pellet grill. And from the hopper, pellets are fed into the burn pot through a hole in the auger that fits the size of the pellets. Therefore, it is unlikely that you will be able to use any other fuel in the pellet grill.
Conclusion
The Traeger pellet grill is one of the most famous pellet grills. For the operation of the Traeger, special wood pellets are needed, during the combustion of which heat and smoke are formed. First, you have to fill the pellets into the hopper, and then with the help of an auger, the pellets are fed into the fire pot, where they burn up with the help of a hot rod.
Maintenance of the pellet grill is not complicated, it just needs regular careful cleaning of all components. And in return, you get a universal grill, on which you can fry and smoke and get very tasty food with smoky notes.
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Great! I was interested in the question of how many pellets are needed for this grill. You gave me the answer.