# Any Pellet Munchers out there?



## bigal (Mar 3, 2007)

I've been smoke'n for a long time, really got into it 1 yr ago when I got a Traeger.  Was wonder'n if anyone else had a Traeger or any other type of pellet burning smoker.

I feel like the lone ranger with all the other types of smokers out there.  Look'n for some "relatives" to talk with.  No "in-laws" please. :) 

Also, if you don't like pellet smokers let me know.  You won't hurt my feelings.  I really don't care what you think anyway....:)

Thanks guys/gals.


----------



## cajun_1 (Mar 3, 2007)

At last year's County Fair, there was a Traeger display. Personally I thought they would be great.   Dislikes: Small grill space and the pellets were spendy. The price of the whole unit was also spendy for me at the time.


----------



## cajunsmoker (Mar 3, 2007)

Someone around my area must have a pellet smoker because I have been noticing a lot of the stores selling pecan wood pellets.  I've looked at the traeger's and they look great, just out of my budget


----------



## bigal (Mar 3, 2007)

I totally agree w/both of you guys.  I got this one as a gift from parents.  I know why they bought it now...........they wanted some smoked meat.  

I had friends that had them, I said I'd never buy one 'cause of costs.  Now I think that the cheapest thing is the price of the smoker.  I bet I spent more on meat(that I wouldn't have bought anyway) than on the smoker.  

Even w/the temp probs I've had, I'd buy one myself.  But then again, I'd like to try out a char-grillerw/sfb for kicks........if I could find a friend w/one to borrow for a weekend.

Hated my bullets (one mine, the other was dads, nice of him to let me do the cook'n)  I didn't know what the hell I was do'n though.  

Anyway, thanks for the info/response.  
Later


----------



## ultramag (Mar 3, 2007)

The local place in town that sells Traegers was set up at our county fair last summer also. I had a piece of pork butt off it and it was turning out good stuff. The cost was also what shut me off. 

I guess it's official BigAl....you are SMF's lone pellet pooper.


----------



## bigal (Mar 3, 2007)

Call me a pooper, call my smoker a pooper, I don't care if you like Hank.  Lotta good times w/Hank.

aside from bs, price is the stopper on these.  I wish they'd lower their price, .........I guess I can dream in one hand and _______ in the other.

I gotta do some recurit'n, don't want to be the only one.


----------



## gunslinger (Mar 3, 2007)

I am intrigued by them if anything. I would think pellet cost would not be a factor, because I would think that pellets would burn good and hot for a long time like they do in a pellet heating stove. Again, I would think.
Do they have an auger and a hopper like some of the stoves? 
What do they use to bind the sawdust? I think that would be a questionable issue to me.
I personally really like the stick burners. Some say it's purism, but really if I were a purist, I'd have a wooden smokehouse on my trailer rather than a steel tube. 
There's just something about cutting, splitting, and seasoning wood that I like. Makes me appreciate the effort I've made even more. Although here lately I have made some purchases for wood, because I can't find it on my property. I might be getting too fat to harvest my own.
You think you are in the minority? Pellet technology (if you want to call it that) is relatively new, especially for smokers. So really, you are at the beginning of what will probably become a popular way to smoke. Maybe call yourself a Pioneer.
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





  When Brinkman introduces a pellet conversion kit, you will no longer be a minority, because everyone will jump on that bandwagon.
Seems to me that stick burners are a dying breed.


----------



## bigal (Mar 3, 2007)

I don't want to say you are wrong Gunslinger, but I disagree.  Stick burners will never die.  I wish I had trees to get wood from, alot of smoke'n meat is in the prep and way you smoke the meat.  I'm actually look'n at make'n my own stick burner for the "fun" of smoke'n.  No fun in turn'n on a pellet smoker, put meat on, take meat off.  I need another challenge, and I want to fit in.......:).  

We used to have a pellet stove in our house, I actually use the same type pellets to "thin" out the expensive "flavored" pellets like mesquite, hickory, apple, cherry, and pecan.  One thing I really like is the choice of wood.  Where I'm from I have a choice of elm, locust, and evergreen.........and we all know that you only smoke meat w/evergreen for the in-laws :).  So now I have a choice.  

If you want an easy smoke'n experience w/very good results, get a pellet smoker.  If you want to pound your chest and say "I build fire, smoke meat, eat, family happy, I good!", then make your own smoker.  

I want it easy sometimes and I want to pound my chest sometimes.  Guess I better get some welding rod.............

Later


----------



## gunslinger (Mar 3, 2007)

They'll never die. I just think that with the burbs moving closer and closer to rural America and the destruction of forest land, there is less and less wood available to people that don't know where to look. 
Then there is the convenience part. Who wants to hang out with a stick burner all day and night, like me? 
Then there is this forum. Look at the smoker sections here. Much more interest in charcoal and gas than wood.
I'm not saying anything against owning these other types of smokers. It's owner preference, and as I've stated here before, it's all about the outcome, the final product, and not how you got there.  
Now this will be taken wrong I know, but then I'm an idiot. But some of it is appearance. I know guys with BGE's that only bought them to impress. I've been there when these guys drool over it and say "Dude, you got a Big Green Egg, what did you do, rob a bank." The same guys come to my place and say, "I can't believe something that ugly turns out such great Q." And they have ZERO appreciation for the fact that I was up ALL night getting their food ready so they'd have dinner at 6 straight-up. Or that my "ugly" smoker has been an ongoing project for over 10 years now. That's why I don't entertain them anymore. My Q is for my family and a few close friends, most of whom have stick burners, or are fellow gear-heads. The only reason we congregate for Q is to compare notes and compete with each other for the best brisket or butt. It's all in fun though.
I'll tell you this for sure though. When I've been up all night, and my eyes are on fire from being open so long and filled with smoke, I often contemplate converting to gas. But then I've got to much time invested into my project to make the perfect stick burner.


----------



## bigal (Mar 3, 2007)

PRIDE!  That is what is comes down to.  I'd feel much better about my Q if I'd built my own smoker, got a burn on my forearm, and bloodshot eyes than w/ a smoker someone else built.  

I'd like to keep my pellet burner for lazy times, but build my own smoker for the "he-man" times.  Noth'n better than goin to a bar/party/anywhere with a scare and say, "yep, I got that when I made 3 briskets, 2 chickens, 4 racks of ribs, and a fattie".  It's a man thing, gotta hurt to have good........that is why we get married...:)


----------



## Dutch (Mar 3, 2007)

BigAl-If I remember correctly Jim Minion has a Traeger in his smoking arsenal. I've only seen him on here once or twice since we went to the new server. You could always send him a PM.


----------



## bigal (Mar 3, 2007)

Ok, for some reason I was thinking it was you, Dutch.  Couldn't remember.  Didn't want to call you out on that.  

How the ______ can you remember that kinda stuff?  I've already forgot where I left my underware!  :)

Yea, I don't see him much on here.  He is an asset that is for sure.


----------



## rocman44 (Mar 3, 2007)

I have a traeger and love it. My name is Randy 1st time i have posted have been reading and absorbing all your knowledge on here for a while.


----------



## bigal (Mar 3, 2007)

SWEET!  I'm not alone!!!  Whacha got and whacha been smoke'n?


----------



## deejaydebi (Mar 4, 2007)

Big Al -

You've got one heck of a smoker there! If it does what you want it to do, who cares if you bought it or built it? It's all about good food isn't it?

I'd love the convience of these automatic smokers with computer temperature regulators and stuff but for me they're cost prohibitive. So for now I enjoy good food from my ECB-AIO and nobody cares that it cost less than $100.


----------



## msmith (Mar 4, 2007)

Well I feel the same way as gunslinger, Im a wood burner and will go out burning wood. Nothing wrong with all the other cookers guess im just old fashioned and set in my ways. I would be proud to hang out with all of you and cook meat, shoot the bull and have a few cold ones and maybe even pull a cork a time or too.


----------



## Dutch (Mar 4, 2007)

Been told I have a mind like a steel trap-mostly a rusty steel trap.


----------



## up in smoke (Mar 4, 2007)

Hey! Whatever floats yer boat. I prefer a stick burner, ya can kinda get that earthy zen thing going, but when the temps hit zeroâ€¦you can call me  gurlie man, cause Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]ll be lookin for my gasser! Cause itâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s gotta be fun!


----------



## deejaydebi (Mar 5, 2007)

Marvin -

I'll admit that wood is the ultimate smoke - but it's not practical for everyone. It seems that some folks get a bit ... hmmm ...almost embarased if they don't have a huge wood burning smoker. Not necessary! We do what we can do, with what we have to work with right? If you happen to have a nice wood burner ... and you built it yourself that's wonderful, but if you don't that's okay too. Me ... I'd be happy just to touch the Hot Rod!


----------



## mckenna (Mar 13, 2007)

Hey BigAL you now have the traeger brother you have been begging for.

For those of you that don't have a traeger I understand why the $$$$$ factor would make you shy away.  If you are thinking about buying one, ask your traeger dealer for a loaner for the weekend.  Out local dealer will toss one in the back of your truck and provide the pellets for up to a week I believe.  It gives a guy a chance to try one out before falling in love and spending a $1000.


----------



## bigal (Mar 13, 2007)

It's about time you got your butt on here!  Hope'n CJDigger gets on too.  SC traeger boy, he digs 6' deep holes for a living.....if you know what I mean.  Often wondered what he really had in his smoker.  He's lives up by Scott Lake, he should be reading this soon and getting on here.

Glad you got in, McKenna.  See ya later


----------



## cajun_1 (Mar 13, 2007)

Now we have to list Traeger in the Definations....


----------



## larry maddock (Mar 13, 2007)

yo treager dudes--
please share your experiences on the forums..

unless i hit all 6 numbers on the missouri state lotto--
i will never be able to afford a ""pellet muncher""

i will have to buy a house to store it.
so its more than just the grand sticker price.

so i must live thru yalls toys..


----------



## jmastera (Mar 14, 2007)

So my only question now is, whats "Colorado Kool Aid"?


----------



## up in smoke (Mar 14, 2007)

I betcha itâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s â€œCoorsâ€


----------



## msmith (Mar 14, 2007)

Well since he is from denver


----------



## jmastera (Mar 14, 2007)

I kinda thought that, but living in Denver I have never heard it called that.


----------



## smoked (Mar 14, 2007)

hummm I grew up there for a great many years and never called it that.....we had and still have a name for it...."rocky mountain piss water"


----------



## jmastera (Mar 14, 2007)

Now that's a name you'll never forget!  Good ol piss water.


----------



## bigal (Mar 14, 2007)

Colorado Kool-Aid must be a Kansas thing.  I remember beer being called that since I was a kid.  Don't hear it much at all now.  I don't like Coors, I really liked Herman-Josephs when they made that.  I think they quit in the mid to late 80's.  Yep, do the math, I had a beer or two before I was 21.  Things have changed now; wife, kids, girlfriend, mistress, neighbor...........more like 4-6/day........and I don't have 3 of the 5 mentioned!

I saw the kool-aid guy and liked it, needed some reason for use'n it as my avatar.  Wanted AL from happy days, or better yet the cook in Laverne & shirley.  Couldn't find a good pic of them.


----------



## tonto1117 (Mar 14, 2007)

Iv'e got way to much time on my hands!!!


----------



## bigal (Mar 14, 2007)

Thanks Tonto!  Perfect!  Only problem is that AL is better look'n than I am.  Don't want any women getting excited think'n that this is a pic of me :)


----------



## jdtrans (Oct 4, 2007)

I am thinking about a Traeger!! Which one do u have. Would welcome the no work part. Does it hold temp?? How hot can u get it??? Where did u get?? Anything else I may have forgotten to ask would be much appreciated!! I am new to smoking, have the weber smoker which turns out great stuff, but easier is better in my lazy *** mind!!!
                       Thanks   Jack


----------



## javajoe (Oct 4, 2007)

Yep, It's nice and easy and no mess and no real clean-up or babysitting! Turns out great food and it runs temps from 160 to 400+


----------



## squeezy (Oct 4, 2007)

Like this perhaps $T$


----------



## fatback joe (Oct 4, 2007)

Lazy.........hmmmmmm.......get a Stumps then you don't even have to worry about finding pellets.     

I have slept through many a good smoke with mine.


----------



## squeezy (Oct 4, 2007)

What happened to the pix?


----------



## jletourn (Oct 21, 2007)

Hi,
I recently bought a Traeger Lil Tex 070 and had no idea what I was getting myself into.  My weber knock off that I got at a garage sale used and for $5 with a cover was long overdue to be put out of its misery.  I saw an ad for a Traeger and bought it without much if any investigation into it.  That was about 3 months ago and I have tried to cook on it every weekend since.  

My original goal was to make the worlds best ribs.  No luck there so now I am just trying to get to a point where I know how not to ruin good meat.

I like the Traeger and its relative ease of use but I realize that I really don't know anything about BBQ or Smoking and I think that my end product would be better if I had a clue.  While I am trying to get a clue it sure is fun and even the things that don't turn out great are still pretty darn good.

Right now I have a pork loin and a Corned Beef Brisket on the Traeger that I started about 12 hours ago at 180 (I have the LCD Thermostat) using Hickory pellets.  Which at sometime soon will probably become the oak pellets that I topped the hopper with.  My problem is that I don't know whether to leave these on for the rest of the night ~ 20 hours total cook time. Or should I pull them off at 12 hours?

As far as temperature goes they are in the 140 - 160 range now so I think that I am out of the woods there but will leaving them on make them more tender or tough?

I have a hard time cleaning the grate so I am using two aluminum pans (1 pan for each item) with water under the brisket and apple juice under the pork loin.  The pans have racks over the top of them and the meat is setting on the racks so it isn't soaking in the liquid.

I also want to try cooking bacon in the traeger but don't have a clue as to temp (High or low & slow).

Anyway it is great to find this board.  And I look forward to any wisdom that you care to share!

JtL


----------



## mikejerky (Dec 15, 2007)

I bought my Treager pro about a month ago and love it. So far I have had 2 large smokes and a bunch of after work "quickies" for supper. Everything so far has been great. Just sprinkle on some of Jeff's rub,hit the on button and off we go. Seem's to be very stingy with pellets so far, maybe using 1/4 of a bag. The only issue, and a small one at that, is changing pellet flavors. Takes very long to run out the auger. For christmas I got my self all the wood flavors exept grapewood which locol guy did not have but will get for me. Very expensive Buyin all the meat to smoke.


----------



## up in smoke (Dec 15, 2007)

Well Mikeâ€¦just watch those specials at Sams and Costcos when they have boston butts for 99Â¢ a lb and chicken thighs for the same, Buy bulk and cut your costs! Where theres a will theres  a way Hint! Get a Foodsaver, Nothing better than coming home from work late, grabbing a packake of pulled pork out of the freezer, tossing in some boiling water, Mixing up some Georgia white sauce (takes lesds than a minute! Grab some slaw, toss that meat on a good bunâ€¦and itâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s Dummertime all over again! Yeppers!


----------



## borgg (Mar 16, 2008)

Hello Everyone!  I've been reading the forum for a couple weeks.  My Traeger Lil Tex was delivered yesterday.  I love it already!  I was already using Traeger pellets (apple and cherry) in my MES Smoker (which died and was returned to Cabelas).  Since I had to return the MES after just two weeks and 2 uses I decided to go with the Traeger.  A Service Tech where I work absolutely loves his and he convinced me to try them.

After the poor reception I received when I called two local dealers I decided to call my friends dealer.  He burned in my grill at his shop, delivered it (30 plus miles each way, he's in Iowa), carried it (with his helper) to my 2nd story deck and then they carried down my old Charbroil gas grill.  On top of this he gave me two bags of pellets, a free cover, a free Traeger Cookbook, a Traeger Rubs and Shakes sampler, and two nice NY Strips and some ground chuck (my dealer also has a small grocery store in Neola, IA).  I could not have asked for better service.  He showed me everything I need to know about the grill and wants me to call if I have any questions or issues.

Last night I cooked some pork steaks with hickory pellets.  For lunch today I made burgers out of the ground chuck with cherry pellets.  For dinner tonight I'm going to cook the Strips with cherry pellets also.  

Ok, enough of my ramblings... just had to post about my Traeger, I love it already.  

BTW... I love this forum.  Everyone is helpful and freely shares their knowledge and experiences.  It is greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Ralph


----------



## kookie (Mar 16, 2008)

I seen that Sam's club website has a couple pellet poopers on there that are marketed under the Smith and Wesson name and they had pellets too.....I can't remember the price on the smokers, but I remembe thinking the pellets weren't to badly priced........I was even temped on gettting some pellets and using in my little cheif, just because they had wood flavors that I can't find in chips or chunks in my area.......Well I just thought I would pass that info on to everyone.......


----------



## deanandjodi (May 21, 2008)

As an Ambassador for Traeger I am available for shows and store openings to cook for people.  I don't get paid by them, I just love my Traeger that much!!  Most people I live around have little to no pride in what they cook.  Using gas grills and calling it BBQ.  The Traeger is a great way of getting people to take pride in what they cook.  It's as easy as gas, but much more flavor.  I, too, have several cookers/stickburners.  Some of which I've made, my Traeger still beats them. 

As for the pellets they are bound with Lignin, which is the natural glue which holds plant fiber together.  So you don't have to worry about glues or chemicals getting into your food.

I could still be coaxed into dusting off my double barreled smoker, from time to time!


----------



## cwb124 (Jun 14, 2008)

Count me in as a Traeger owner.  My boss had one and I realized how easy it would be to make some decent BBQ.  The price really put me off, but I started checking Craigslist and found a guy who was selling a Lil Tex Elite BRAND NEW NEVER USED for $500.  This thing is $999 new so I snatched it up quickly.  When I picked it up, it was truly brand new, never even broken in and even came with a 20lb bag of hickory pellets.

The only complaint about my model is there are only 3 heat settings since it didn't come with the digital thermometer.  High, medium, and smoke.  The smoke setting settles around 175-185.  Medium is between 285 and 300.  And high is 400-450.  As any BBQ'er can see, there is a major important temperature range missing: the 220-240 degree range.  I can't obtain/maintain that temperature without buying an additional $180 part.  I feel like Traeger did that on purpose to sell more additional parts so I am kind of resentful of that, but otherwise I love the grill.  So far I've smoked several baby back and spareribs and one brisket that was absolutely delicious.  Even lacking that temperature I can make good Q, but I guess I'll have to invest in that digital add-on to really dial in what I want to do with it.


----------



## oscarsroost (Jun 22, 2008)

I bought a Smith & Wesson 38 Speical in Jan 08 from Sportmans Warehouse. A little over $500. It is made by Trager. It also has 3 setting, but have order a new dital controler for it. Most Trager dealer sell them w/ditial controler on them.  I dearly love mine. looking forward to the new controller so I can have more choices of temps. Have cooked many things on mine from veggie to meats, bisquits and cakes, pizzas. smoke most every weekend. and grill week days.


----------



## bigbear (Jun 24, 2008)

"Pellet Poopers", "Pellet Munchers", we Traeger owners just can't no respect!  But we sure can get some satisfaction!!

I've smoked on wood, charcoal, electric, gas, wet, dry, almost everything but the Egg.  The more I read about Traeger, especially by owners, the more sense it made.  

The price is a huge turn-off for sure.  But they are very well made so I decided to bite the bullet. I bought a Traeger Deluxe for $1,500 (used twice, retails for ~$2,300, guy's wife was a vegetarian, no kids). Traegers are flying out the door around this town.  And there are no deals to be had (unless a free bag of pellets is a "deal").

I love stick burners but life is short and good smoke wood is hard and expensive to find.  Buying 10# bags on line just wasn't getting it done for me.  We don't have hickory or mesquite around here and fir trees leave this strange Pinesol aftertaste on the brisket! -:)

Traegers use real hard wood bound with lignin (a natural wood by-product).  Very clean and easy.  Just vaccum out the firebox.

The best part of using a Traeger is the temperature control.  Start cooking on medium for an hour or two and then back off to the smoke setting for as long as you want smoke.  You can smoke a brisket for 18 hours on "Smoke" or 4 hours on "High".  Talk about thin blue smoke!!  The digital thermometer just monitors the temp and slows down the auger.  Hard to do with wood or charcoal.

I hope to share some ideas and recipes with my fellow Traegerheads!!


----------



## conn (Jun 24, 2008)

Guys this is my first post, sorry I have not properly introduced myself.

I also have the Traeger Deluxe.  Since they are made here in Oregon we hear about them a lot, and once trying the food at a buddies, decided I had to have one.  The Deluxe has a large cooking space, and has the digital temp control.  For those that have this, if your smoke setting is too high, mine settled in at 270, there is a way to adjust the time of the auger shut off. (there is a dial on the back of the control unit which is easily adjusted)  Smoke setting now at 180, and max is 450.  Either call Traeger, or ask and I will describe how to do it.

Results are phenominal.  Have done butts, brisket, chicken, turkey, flank steak, pork tenderloin, salmon, ABT's......all are outstanding.  Using hickory, mesquite, apple, and have bags of alder and pecan that I will be using soon.  

I have used other smokers, charcoal, propane, and wood fired pit, and was able to achieve good consistant results.  I find the traeger performs just as well as the others, with one benefit.......no hassle.  Sunday I smoked a brisket for nine hours.....attended one daughters soccer game, and anothers basketball game.....without having to tend to anything. 

I was skeptical about the pellets giving a true flavor, but I find they really provide an excellent result.  I also like the choice of wood speices available, and they are easily stored.  

No I do not work for the company, but give a bit thumbs up to their product.  

Anyhow, learning much from this site, glad I found it.


----------



## fast freddie (Jun 25, 2008)

I have two FEC100'S. I also a FEC500 on a trailer.
http://lh5.ggpht.com/ffsta123/R1nUOJ...jpg?imgmax=512

http://lh6.ggpht.com/ffsta123/SFChFW...jpg?imgmax=640


----------



## tomthegrillguy (Sep 11, 2009)

I'm a Traeger owner!  Love it.  Easy to use, and great taste.


----------



## bbqhead (Sep 11, 2009)

I got 2 COOKSHACK FEC-100'S , and love 'em. for comps and personal use ,just set it and forget it!!!!


----------

