traeger grills/BBQs

[BigWill]

I saw one of these at a hardware store. As best as I can figure, these things use an electric thermostatically controlled auger to feed wood pellets into the firebox as needed to maintain optimum temperature.

So, do wood pellets produce the same smoke as chunks of real wood? they sell several different wood pellets, oak, pecan, mesquite, etc.

Any info on these things? their website sucks, although the bevo grill is coolThe Link

 

[hornian]

I doubt a pellet could give the volume of smoke from real logs.

I'll stick with what I know.

 

[cbs]

I think the wood pellet smokers are pretty popular. Here's an article about Ray Lampe (who has written a couple of cookbooks) and his use of a green egg and a pellet smoker. It's at least interesting: The Link

And Fast Eddie's Cookshack smokers (which use pellets) claim to have won the following:

2006 Jack Daniels Invitational - CancerSucksChicago.com, Grand Champion
2006 American Royal Barbecue Invitational - four of the top ten teams
2006 Lakeland Pig Fest - five of the top ten teams
2004 Jack Daniels Invitational - Mad Cows BBQ, Grand Champion

 

[NCAAFBALLROX]

Like a quality car rebuild or just about anything in life, it's the maintenance & tending that makes it worthwhile in the end.

As much as a part of me wants a "fire it & forget it" operation, there's something to be said about tending the fire.

 

[Steel Shank]

Seems like a Yankee thing to me.

 

[Sooner-Tuf]

I have had food off of them that was just fine. I think it depends on where you live and what you have ready access to. I live way out in the middle of nowhere so wood is plentiful and doesn't cost me a dime. But I could see someone living in a large city having problems obtaining/storing wood. Might be as cost effective for them to buy a bag of pellets.

The only potential gripe I might have against one would be what they use to bind the sawdust with to make the pellets. I don't care for charcoal briquets because of the clay and wax used in them. Most of it I have used transfers those flavors to your meat during a long smoke. Something you don't have with lump charcoal or wood.

The ones I have seen you have to regulate the temperature by adjusting the auger speed yourself. But I wouldn't be surprised if some have some form of thermostat on them.

The only other downside to the ones I have seen is they are nowhere the quality of a good home made smoker or one from companies such as Horizon Smokers, etc. Of course they are typically cheaper as well.

 

[BigWill]

thanks for the responses.

Sooner, this thing was over $1,000 so cheap it aint.

And I agree it's a bit yankee, but so am I.

 

[Sooner-Tuf]

Hey if you liked the cooker it may just be the ticket for you.

As steel and labor costs soar, a big part of the coolness of heavy pipe smokers evaporates. The days of picking up a piece of cheap of pipe and having a buddy or a hand weld it up on a slow day are just about over. Some of these new alternatives will become the norm, sooner than later I expect.

 

[NCAAFBALLROX]

Yikes... for 1K, I can probably think of a few other "traditional" smokers that will cost about the same & possibly last longer.

I am thinking that you're trading thickness of steel on a 'normal' offset for some electronics & the auger feed setup for the pellet unit.