With summer around the corner, and the world beginning to seem a bit more like normal, it may be alluring to start firing up some grills and get some outdoor cooking done. Though you may not be able to host the backyard barbecue of your dreams, at least not yet, you can always prepare by getting some great equipment to help with all of your grilling needs. Here at HomCo Lumber and Hardware, we carry multiple lines of grills and smokers, but one of the most stand-out brands has been the Traeger wood pellet smoker and grill. Not only are there years behind the brand and technological innovations that make the process smoother, but there are multiple types and accessories you can choose from to customize your experience to your specific needs. We have Traegers in stock now at HomCo Lumber and Hardware, and if you have any further questions, our associates will always be ready to answer anything you can think up.
How Traegers Function
Traegers are distinct from most other grills. Instead of using propane or charcoal, Traeger grills use wood pellets. These pellets are heated and lit on fire to keep a fairly consistent temperature in the grill to cook food using convection heat. In that sense, they are more similar to an oven than another outdoor grill. Traegers also use a finely tuned system of electronics to keep the heat a consistent temperature, aside normal fluctuations. Since this was first patented by the founder of Traeger, the Tragers are the oldest brand of pellet grills, and have a lot of research and innovation behind them.
The biggest difference between Traegers and regular grills is the convection-style of cooking. This requires more of a consistent temperature than the high heat and searing style of other grills. Traeger accomplishes this by their pellet box technology. The box monitors the temperature in the grill and feeds pellets at a certain rate to either keep that temperature fairly consistent, raise the temperature, or lower it. It is hands free, which allows you to either change the temperature or walk away and do something else (without leaving your property of course since a Traeger is still technically a fire hazard if unattended). This technology makes using a Traeger much easier than using charcoal or gas because the technology does the work for you. Depending on the model, you can also utilize WiFIRE technology and download an app to monitor the temperature and time remotely, but you can very well use the Traeger without the app.
There are some things you need to remember when using your new Traeger when compared to a regular propane or charcoal grill. One is colder weather. Since a Traeger is essentially an oven, the colder weather will affect the temperature on the inside, so getting a winter cover to help with winter grilling is essential if you want to grill during the colder months. However, if you want to do a cold smoke, winter is a great time for this. Also when cooking, it is generally better to start with a lower temperature to get that smoky flavor into the meat and cook it for a few hours before you jump up to the higher temperatures. Tragers do not cook quickly, but they cook deliciously and easily.
Maintenance
Traegers aren't like regular grills where you can just scrape off the grate and be done with it. With any sort of pellet burning device, there are specific procedures that you have to go through in order to keep your grill in top shape. If you don't clean out your grill thoroughly, your grill could stop working, or even catch on fire.
The most important aspect to consider is ash. Each time you grill with your Traeger, the wood pellets burn and leave ash behind. This ash needs to be cleaned up every 2-3 times you grill, unless you use your Traeger for over eight or so hours, in which case you should clean it every time. It may seem like overkill to be cleaning your grill that much, but the ash can cause many problems, up to a grill fire. It's better to be safe than sorry, especially when it concerns your safety and the safety of your grill. Thankfully, all you'll really need is a vacuum hose to get the ash out of the Traeger.
As for other important maintenance, with a pellet stove there will be a lot of grease produced by the cooking process. Traeger has a drip bucket to catch the excess, but there will be a bit more cleaning required than just throwing your drip bucket liner away, or cleaning out the bucket if you don't. have a liner. You'll want to spray the inside of your Traeger with a cleaning agent that is food-safe, and a degreaser. Make sure to use a non metallic brush for cleaning, or a sponge, or the nylon-bristled brush that Traeger offers. The grates are covered with porcelain for cooking, and thus need something non abrasive for cleaning purposes, and you don't want to rub anything off, so it is better to stick with something non metallic for cleaning. Also make sure that when you clean the grates that they are cold or cool, but for the grill interior it is recommended that the grease be slightly warm to help with cleaning it off. If you don't keep the interior clean, the grease will smoke and increase the fire risk.
Before you cook, or after each time you cook, make sure to change out the aluminum foil on the angled pan to make your cooking experience less greasy and less smoky. Proper maintenance will keep your Traeger running smoothly, and it will also keep your electronics working as intended. Traegers do have limited warranties, but it is best to keep your Traeger fresh for grilling so that you can use it when you want.
One Traeger user from Strawberry, Arizona, states that, "Almost all issues are from the user. Traegers are made well, but you need to clean them. I only had issues with one of their older models, and their newer models don't have that problem." He uses his Traegers for cooking meats, especially elk, but his favorite recipe is a special pulled pork with that smokey Traeger flavor.
Accessories/Purchasing, etc
We offer various Traeger accessories here at HomCo Lumber and Hardware. The most important of the "accessories" are the Traeger pellets. We have ten flavors available at HomCo, so you can do some mixing and matching to figure out which flavor of wood you prefer the most. Make sure to only buy pellets when you need them, or else the pellets will rub together in storage and create useless sawdust. Also make sure to store them properly and in a dry area. Wet pellets will only gunk up Traegers, and any wood other than pellets will also break your grill. Traeger grill warranties are also only usable when you use Traeger brand pellets, but after the warranty expires, you can basically use whatever pellet you want. Traegers are built to last past the warranties. HomCo also carries a wide assortment of Traeger brand rubs, sauces, and glazes for your perusal.
As far as the Traeger grill accessories go, we have two different types: replacement accessories, and attachments. Some replacement pieces we have are the grate-cleaning brushes, bucket liners, grates, pink butcher paper, and the aluminum liner for the inside. Some of the attachments we have are the grill covers, the grill winter cover blanket, and an extending front shelf. We also have a smoke shelf available. We have many attachments and accessories for the Traeger grills, so head on over to HomCo Lumber and Hardware and peruse our Traeger section.
Though a Traeger pellet grill may take a bit more work to maintain than a charcoal or gas grill, the results are well worth the effort. Not only can you grill, smoke, bake, roast, braise, and BBQ with a Traeger, but you can set the temperature and walk away to do other things. Gone are the days of watching the charcoal heat up, gone are the days of hooking up gas canisters. You can also customize your grilling experience further with the different flavors of Traeger pellets and Traeger products available and create a grilling experience that is uniquely you. If you're interested in purchasing a Traeger, head on over to HomCo Lumber and Hardware and speak to an expert today. We have many different Traeger grills available for your perusal, and we also offer free delivery in Flagstaff. Pick up your Traeger and begin your new, customized grilling experience today!