I’ve been wanting a smoker for a while and never wanted to spend the money. So my wife got me one for my birthday since I never spend money on myself. Well now I’ll be spending all my money on things to smoke! Anyway, had a bunch of family in town so we decided to smoke 2 chickens. My traeger came with one probe so I stuck it in the one closest to the hopper. Took them out once we hit 165, but then took some additional temp checks and it was closer to 150. Popped them back in for a while longer. They came out delicious, but wondering if the probe accuracy is typically off, or if there are some tips and tricks anyone wants to share. Also the skin was pretty rubbery. Again, flavor was great, but I was expecting more smoky flavor. Should I start it on the “smoke” setting before I raise the temp?
Smoked them at 275 for probably 2.5-3 hrs then bumped it to 350 for another 20 mins or so. Both were about 5lbs. And no they weren’t in the Pyrex in the smoker that’s just what I put them in to bring them in from the deck.
by Alaninabox
9 Comments
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24 hour brine and spatchcock them next time. Low and slow isn’t your friend with chicken. 350° minimum for smoking chicken. I’ve never used my probe because they are notoriously wrong so I use ink bird wireless 4 probe. It works well and seems to be accurate for the price.
Birds look great and an excellent first cook. Enjoy the journey.
Your chicken looks good! 👍 Prolly one of the best proteins to smoke as a beginner on the Traeger.
This is a saved note I post to help new Traeger owners get started:
If you’re new to a pellet grill, always cover your drip tray with HD foil. If you don’t, you’ll wind up with a completely trashed drip tray that is a PIA to clean. Replace the foil as needed. Those foil covers they sell are expensive and not worth it IMO. Costco has a 2-roll special that goes on sale with a $5.50 off coupon. Look for that deal.
Also, dedicate an inexpensive hand-held vacuum for vacuuming the fire pot. Home Depot sells one that fits on the top of their Orange buckets. Vacuum it out every 3-5 cooks depending on length of time of your cooks. You do not want the ash in the fire pot to get so high that it could ignite the pellets in the auger.
That fire pot needs special attention. Above all, don’t ignore it. Also, it’s good to take your hand and swirl the pellets in the hopper around during a long cook every hour or so, as they can collect on the sides of the hopper causing the auger to run out of pellets and then it will shut down. I removed the grid protector so I can stir them easily. Just don’t touch the auger while it’s running as it gets very hot.
When the cook is over, I don’t store pellets in the hopper. To keep em dry, store them in containers in the garage or a cool dry place. I just recommend to empty the hopper for beginners since I’ve heard horror stories of leaving them out long enough that the pellets swell up with moisture and either clog the auger or cause an auger fire. Sometimes even damage auger parts. However, some leave their pellets in the hopper with no issues. YMMV
Invest in the best ThermoPen meat thermometer you can afford. It’s more important to cook to an internal temp rather than how long a recipe tells you to smoke. FYI the Traeger temp probe has been traditionally inaccurate per reports on here. I don’t use mine.
So go ahead and install the Traeger app on your phone, so many recipes! Enjoy your smoker and don’t let it run out of pellets. And if there is one available, a folding front shelf for your grill is highly recommended.
Lastly, some pellet grill models may not impart enough smoky flavor to your cook and if that’s the case, get a smoke tube… They are cheap enough and they really work!
https://a.co/d/9PpCiCw
When grease builds up, take a scraper and clean. Also would like to add most Traeger grates are porcelain enamel-coated so if they’re in good shape you can dishwash them with a non abrasive scrub pad and you can keep em almost new with care. I clean mine before every cook.
YouTube is your friend. Look up Malcom Reed and Matt Pittman and they can help guide you thru the basics and then more advanced recipes with their vids.
Another good reason to empty the hopper after every cook is bc you can change out the pellets depending on the meat, chicken or fish you’re smoking…
Pork, I’m using either oak, apple or hickory. Pork ribs are perfect for oak. Pork butt, I have used apple and hickory with great results.
Beef, I like to use mesquite for steak and tri tip or for prime rib, cherry. Pecan is awesome for beef jerky and beef ribs.
Fish, I like alder, mesquite and apple. Lobster tails are awesome with mesquite. I cook salmon filets on a cedar plank @ 350° with apple or alder pellets and it comes out amazing every time.
Chicken, I usually use mesquite or hickory. Would love to hear what other guys use on different meats.
I realize a lot of guys just like a competition blend for almost everything and that’s fine for them. Apparently if you don’t have any issues with moisture in the pellets, then go ahead and leave em in the hopper. I choose not to do so.
One more thing: If your Traeger has a grease bucket, try repurposing an old mason jar for the liner. Those foil liners are nice but expensive. The mason jar fits and works great; when full, just screw the lid back on, toss and replace with another jar. Easy peasy.
The probes are notorious for being off, including the temperature sensor that controls the auger and igniter. If you have a Traeger with WiFi capability, there’s a calibration procedure you can use to get more accurate readings. If not, then connect your probe, and dip it in an ice bath. If it doesn’t show 32°F, then you can use the difference to gauge actual temperature of your food. Or you can buy a separate meat probe like the first guy said. I also have the inkbird and I love it. You can use one of the extra probes with the clip that comes with it, and attach it directly to the cooking grate to get a more accurate indication of your cooking chamber temperature.
Looks good and congrats! That’s a great wife. There’s so much more you’ll do too. Keep posting please.
Chicken you’ll want to cook at higher temperatures like 350 all the way through. At sub 300 the meat sits in that “danger zone” for a lot longer where bacteria has the chance to grow. This should help with the skin too so it comes out less rubbery. Basting with butter a few times throughout helps add flavor and fry the skin a bit too. Because chicken is cooked hot and fast, it’s hard to get a lot of smoke flavor but a pellet tube can help.
I like do my chickens either spatchcocked or on a chicken throne for beer can chicken. When you spatchcock the meat of the chicken is leveled out so it cooks more evenly. You can do this with turkeys too, I won’t ever do another turkey without spatchcocking.
As far as the temp probes go, I’ve never really heard anything positive about the built in traeger ones. A lot of people say they’re unreliable, so I never bothered to try them myself. I started out with the older version of this [thermopro digital thermometer](https://a.co/d/ebvAP1w) and used it for several years (still do from time to time) and it’s been outstanding. My girlfriend bought me the [meater block](https://store-us.meater.com/products/meater-block) for Christmas 2 years ago which is the one I primarily use now. Obviously a lot more expensive, but it includes Wi-Fi and an app on my phone that I can use to monitor the meat remotely.
Welcome to the family! Trying new recipes and wowing your friends and family is a great time, I’m sure you’ll love it.
Spatchcock it
I make a butter compound I put under the skin
Put them in the fridge overnight uncovered and let em
Rip cold to 350.
I do the butter concoction made with butter, a mixture of lemon pepper under the skin with two birds, breast up with olive oil binder, then season liberally with Kinders “The Blend” seasoning. I put my smoker on Smoke along with a smoke tube for one hour and when the Birds hit 100 internal then i crank it up to 350 and wait until they hit 165 and pull them and let them rest in a covered roasting pan for a half hour then slice. I use, and love my Meater Plus probe but i also have another probe (Govee) that i use for the other bird and also to dbl check ambient temperature. They read about 5-8 degrees different. They always come out perfect!!! I try to get birds that are the same weight of course. Good luck!
Put them right in the grates