# Traeger question



## linsey24 (Feb 28, 2016)

I've got the lil Jr. I believe. Wanting to do a pork butt but my settings go from smoke,225,250 so on. When I smoke it only runs at 185-200 but I want to actually smoke at 225. If I move the dial to 225 instead of smoke will it put out enough smoke and cook it right? Or is the 225 just for cooking and not so much smoking?  Or just fight the lower temp and cook longer?


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## seenred (Feb 29, 2016)

Hello Linsey.  Looks like your first post here, so first off...welcome!  Sorry someone hasn't answered your question sooner...hope this isn't too late to be of any use.

Your Traeger will put out pretty good smoke on the 225 setting...but probably not as much as on the Smoke setting.  However, if you try to run an entire cook in Smoke mode, you may never get the meat done.  You could try it a couple different ways:

1.  If you like lots of smoke flavor, run your cooker in Smoke mode for an hour or 2 to get plenty of smoke on the meat, then bump up to 225, or even 250, to finish the cook.  Also, if you have a dependable BBQ thermometer, you might want to use it to double check your Traeger's controller.  Don't assume that you're actually cooking at 225 just because that's what you have the controller set at.  Those analog controllers are sometimes not as accurate as you'd think.

2.  Run your cooker at 225 for the whole cook.  Like I said above, your Traeger will make nice smoke at 225...just not as much as in Smoke mode.  A good rule of thumb with pellet smokers...the higher your cooking temps, the less smoke it will produce.  Again, verify your cooking temps with an external therm that you know is accurate.

You'll get a better handle on how satisfy your own tastes as you experiment with it a little.  One thing I do when smoking at higher temps in my pellet cooker, is use an added smoke generating device for more smoke.  There are several options out there...just Google BBQ smoke generators, and you'll get plenty to look at.  One generator that is very popular on these forums for pellet cookers is the Smoke Tube from A-Maze-N Products. 

Hope that helps...good luck!  Be sure to let us know how it turns out... 
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






Red


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## hank2000 (Feb 29, 2016)

I only got my Traeger Lil' Texas Elit Friday afternoon and have only done hot and fast cooks Hamburgers one night and fish and veggis the other. This good info SeenRed I was woundering the same thing I have ordered the Expandable 12' (what ever the big one is) from Todd


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## smokinpapist (Feb 29, 2016)

SR is spot on. If you want more smoke get one of the Amazin Pellet Smoker tubes or tray. These will help you generate bountiful smoke.


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## hank2000 (Feb 29, 2016)

SmokinPapist said:


> SR is spot on. If you want more smoke get one of the Amazin Pellet Smoker tubes or tray. These will help you generate bountiful smoke.


My tube shipped today


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## smokinpapist (Feb 29, 2016)

I own the standard 12" and love it, but the expandable one sounds awesome.


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## linsey24 (Mar 1, 2016)

Thank you for the replies! I think I would like to keep it at 225 it usually runs consistent! Is their a certain brand of smoke tube to run? And how long would you run it on a 7-8 pound pork butt? And have these ever put out too much smoke? Just wanting a little more info on them! Thanks guys!


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## hank2000 (Mar 1, 2016)

Amazen smoke tube from Todd he has a link on this form   I don't cook buy time so I don't know but if you want pulled pork any where from 200 to 210 internal temp I go to 205 works every time.  Sliced butt I can't tell u we like ours pulled.  And no the smoke is just right with the tube   I smoke my butts about 4 hours with smoke then or to 160 IT then cover to finish   That's what I do


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## hagar (May 4, 2016)

Hello, I just cooked 2 butts 17# total Sunday on my Traeger Texas. I usually use the smoke setting for 3-4 hours then bump it up to 250 till the meat is 195-203 deg. Has a great bark on it. I do have a smokin wedgie that I use sometimes to really put out the smoke. I spray with apple juice every hour or so for the first 6 hours I also use a tray in the grill with juice in it for the cook. 

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