Yes im using the Traeger that cost 10x what the charcoal grill does only to heat the coals for the charcoal grill….
I bought a Traeger at the beginning of the year thinking i was going to use it all the time. I realized that i was wanting a “grilled” flavor, over a “smoked” flavor with most of my grilled foods. The thing we end up using the Traeger for is ribs and smoked salmon, otherwise we use the charcoal grill for everything.
Does anyone find themselves using the Traeger less than expected? Or have the food tasting less than expected?
by TecnuiI
19 Comments
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If this is a photo of one of your cooks, maybe share the recipe and techniques
used, as it’s almost guaranteed one of the first questions you will be asked!
*What seasoning did you use?
*How long did you cook it, and at what temperature?
*Did you use any special tricks or techniques?
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I was just looking at getting a kettle grill for this reason. My wife likes everything that hat comes out of the Traeger, but the chicken. We loved grilled chicken.
I also have a griddle that I thought I would use more. But at least it didn’t cost an arm and a leg.
So you use the smoker for smoking and the grill for grilling?
I use both weekly
Why are you dirtying up the Traeger when you can put the chimney in the weber??
I use them about equally just depends what I’m making. To me they’re completely different tools. I don’t like smoking things in the kettle and I don’t like grilling things in the Traeger.
I sold my traeger and bought a kettle. I like the kettle more, and my wife LOVES the kettle. She never liked the food the traeger put out.
I used the kettle grill from Weber for over 30 years before getting my Traeger. I used to use lighter fluid to start the Weber, and that’s all I could taste in the food. I know you can use different starters and that would make a huge difference. Overall now I really enjoy the food from the Traeger more. Just a personal preference.
But like… why?
I use the traeger for smoking or anything I would make in the oven for better flavor.
Anything I want grilled like steaks, burgers and kabobs I do on the charcoal grill.
The Traeger is more of an oven than a grill. It’s great for low and slow. Or roasting a chicken. But it’s not hot enough to grill. But it’s great for chuck, roast, brisket, ribs, chicken wings, pulled pork. Just set it and forget it. But for grilled meats – that’s what my grill is for.
User error
Is there not a /charcoalBBQ ?
I prefer smoking in my weber kettle, too. I get better smoke and flavor from it than I do my 575. But the trade off for flavor is convenience. I can put a pork butt in the traeger for 9 hours and not worry. Maybe top off the pellets part way through, but other than that? Easy.
The kettle requires a bit more work, and little more baby sitting. Especially for longer cooks. It’s more versitile, too. I can use it for hot and fast or low and slow. Cleaning it is also less hassle.
For longer smokes, where I don’t want to worry, I’ll go with the traeger. For something that’ll take 5 hours or less, I’ll set up a snake in the kettle and throw a couple handfuls of woodchips on the the coals.
Repurpose my empty charcoal bags ,start at the top and cut a ribbon the width of the depth on bottom of chimney. Roll it up till it fits in bottom of chimney . Works great .
Blasphemy
I have the same two grills, and I definitely like both of them a lot. Personally, I do enjoy cooking things with a quicker cook time – burgers, sausages, steaks, etc on the Weber. But I use the Traeger for stuff like brisket which I would not even want to attempt to do on something like the Weber.
I got a used 22” off marketplace last summer and my traeger has only been on one time after and that was just to burn through the pellets that were in the auger. Im sure ill use it eventually for some over night cooks but right now fire management is to much fun to give up.
Hands down it’s not even close!
The traeger isn’t a grill, it’s barely a smoker. It’s really just an out door pellet oven