Do you enjoy a good smokey flavor in your meat? Then you might need to make some adjustments if you are cooking with a traeger grill as this particular brand doesn’t produce that type of heavy smoke on its own.
With years of grilling under my belt, I’m here to give you some tips on getting additional smoke out of your Traeger to get the smoke taste that you want.
What is a Traeger Grill?
Traegers are the original pellet grills. They are well known for being wood powered using just enough pellets to smoke your meat at any desired temperature.
The pellets come from a hopper or tubes that are mounted on the side of the grill into a central burn chamber [1].
Once in the chamber, the pellets get lit by a hot metal rod which turns into a burning fire. To get this grill started, all you need to do is plug it in.
Because it runs on electricity, you have digital temperature control, precision fan control, and diffusion holes to make grilling a breeze.
You will fill the air with the scent of smoked chicken, ribs, or brisket in no time.
Read More: Where Are Traeger Grills Manufactured Nowadays?
Does a Traeger Pellet Grill Produce Smoke?
One downside of the pellet smoker grill from Traeger is that it doesn’t produce a ton of smoke.
This could be a problem for some grillers who want their food to have that smokey flavoring.
On average, the pellet grill burns two pounds per hour which means a fire can last up to twenty hours when the grill is set to low heat.
This sort of bbq grilling might cause thin blue smoke to come out. You can modify pellet grills by using smoker tubes to get that white smoke.
How To Get More Smoke From Your Traeger Grill?
Looking to get an abundance of from your Traeger pellet grill? These tips will turn your traditional grill into a smoking machine hot rod.
1. Go Low and Slow
Lowering the temperature is one way of getting smoke out of your pellet grill. The drop in temperature will extend the time spent producing smoke.
This isn’t an easy solution as it might take you a couple of tries, but you’ll find the end result of smoke flavor worth it.
First, lower the cooking temperature by a whopping 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
This lengthens the cooking time while building up that smoke.
But we recommend putting a water pan in the smoker chamber to help keep the meat moist during the whole smoking process.
2. Change Out the Fuel
Most grill companies will say you have to use brand specific wood pellets with their grill, but that isn’t always the case.
But pellets make a big difference in the amount of smoke you get.
The Traeger grill brand of wood pellets are weaker and create light smoke and no distinct flavor.
Consider switching the Traeger pellet with hickory pellets or oak pellets which are known to create more smoke.
You’ll notice a difference in taste and smoke. Different wood pellets produce different results.
3. Buy a Smoker Tube
If you don’t want to switch out pellets, consider buying a pellet smoker tube. This cheap gadget is a stainless steel contraption built to last.
The tube holds the wood pellets tightly together which makes it generate greater amounts of smoke.
And the greater amount of smoke equals more smoke flavor. These smoker tubes are similar to smoker boxes but specifically designed for a pellet smoker grill.
This lengthens the cooking time while building up that smoke.
But we recommend putting a water pan in the smoker chamber to help keep the meat moist during the whole smoking process.
4. Adjust Smoke Setting
Most Traeger models come with a super smoke setting. In this mode, the auger dispenses enough coal pellets to create smoke without raising the temperature too much.
The temperature in this setting won’t go above 150 degrees Fahrenheit.
In this mode, you’ll get a nice smokey flavor in whatever you are cooking.
Let the food stay in this mode for a bit before turning to higher temperatures to cook food until the desired doneness. This lengthens the cooking time while building up that smoke.
But we recommend putting a water pan in the smoker chamber to help keep the meat moist during the whole smoking process.
Will the Traeger Grill Without Visible Smoke?
When using the traeger, you won’t find it to be a smoke filled grill, but the soaked wood chips do a good job of creating some constant smoke.
Indirect heat produces enough smoke to cook delicious hot dogs at lower temperatures with just enough smoke.
Using different pellets or hardwood logs is one option to get more smoke. If you really want a smoke you can clearly see, look into buying a smoke tube or smoke ring.
Most Traeger grills even come with a super smoke option which will blast the food with steam.
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Would We Recommend a Traeger Grill?
Traeger grills are some of the best on the market for becoming your own bbq pit boss or trying out cold smoking. With dozens of models to choose from, you can’t go wrong.
If you are on the fence about the smokiness of the grill, ask a neighbor or visit a local store to get a demonstration of how it works. The grill keeps the flame going with a steady temp which is perfect for a barbecue.
For that smokier flavor, you can get more smoke by adding a super smoke or smoke rings to your grill. These add-ons are a great buy.
You can check out these pellet grills from Traeger and see which one works best for you.
References:
- https://www.traegergrills.com/why-wood-pellets
