Traeger Jr. Smoking Puzzler

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Wileycat

New member
New Traeger Jr. (BBQ055).

So far, I've cooked two whole chickens (at 40 min/lb) and one turkey breast (at 1 hr/lb) using Traeger hickory pellets. Plenty of smoke was generated. Meat was tender, juicy, and flavorful except that it had practically no smoke flavor -- just a hint. The same types cooked the same way on my old Brinkman dome-top were rich in smoke flavor.

I theorize that the Traeger Jr. fan is the same one as used in the larger models, so it's moving the air/smoke through the smoking chamber at a higher velocity. This would mean that the smoke wouldn't linger as long and just blow by the meat. The Jr. also doesn't have a flue -- just two large slots at the rear top. I've thought of partially blocking the slots (like using a damper) but wonder if back pressure might disrupt the fire.

Any experience/ideas?
 
squirtthecat

squirtthecat

New member
What temperature are you cooking at? You might try running it on 'smoke' for about 1/2 of the cook time, then crank it up to finish.

The higher the temp, the faster the smoke/heat moves out the exhaust..
 
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Wileycat

New member
Cooked the chickens on Smoke for first hour. Then about 275 until finished. Total time 3:20 or about 40 min/lb.
Turkey breast on Smoke for first 2 hours, then 180 until done. Temp varied between 170-200 but mostly around 180. Total time 6 hrs for 6.5 lbs.
Can't do it much slower, so it must be something else.
 
squirtthecat

squirtthecat

New member
Yeah, that's about how I do mine. Maybe you can try some different (non-Traeger) pellets. I've never been real happy with the Traeger pellets re: flavor, so I go with some of the others out there. (BBQrs Delight has a nice variety)

I don't think you'll get the same smoke concentration as you can with a bullet smoker - but you should get stronger flavor than what you are seeing now.
 
Big Poppa

Big Poppa

Administrator
ONe of the love/hate things with pellets is that they are vbery gentile on the smoky flavor...It is a plus for me but for some they add a smoke daddy or Candy Sues Smoke Stix to get more smoke into their flavor profile
 
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Wileycat

New member
Thanks for the comments. I've only used the hickory pellets that came with my smoker. I need to try some others.

I had a talk today with my local Traeger dealer. He's used one as his personal smoker since they first came out. He increased the smoke flavor on his by reducing the outlet on the flue by moving its cap down. The Jr. has no flue, but I'll experiment by closing down some of its vent area and see how that goes.
 
squirtthecat

squirtthecat

New member
What do the vents look like? You might be able to loosely cover them with foil on the back - secured with a couple magnets.

Try some 100% Hickory pellets. There are quite a few out there on the market. I think you'll like them vs the stock Traeger pellets.
 
C

Carter13

New member
I have a Traeger Jr and just did two pork shoulders last friday. I started cooking with Bear Mountain pellets a few weeks ago and they seem to give more smoke flavor over the Traeger pellets. I use a 50/50 mix of hickory and apple. I actually am thinking about covering the back vents like squirt mentioned. There is quite a bit of smoke that escapes around the main door if you watch during the smoke stage.
 
Big Poppa

Big Poppa

Administrator
please use caution when deciding to black a vent they are critical to the convection and safety of the final product
 
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Wileycat

New member
I'm smoking a piece of brisket as we speak. I reduced the vent size by about half by partially covering them with a couple pieces of tin can. We'll see how this works out.
 
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Wileycat

New member
Puzzle solved. Brisket was great with excellent smoke flavor and a beautiful smoke-ring.

The Traeger draft fan is overlarge for the volume of the Jr.'s smoke chamber, so it speeds the smoke from the firebox to the two vents on top, largely bypassing the meat. By closing about 1/2 the vents' area, the smoke is forced out the edges of the lid and through the drip-pan drain spout, and thereby surrounds the meat on its way out.

I'm going to fashion a pair of sliding dampers for the two slots, so I can adjust their openings. If I get around to this task before I pass on to the great BBQ in the sky, I'll post some photos of it.
 
scooter

scooter

Moderator
You might find the increase of smoke flavor was a combination of the increased length of time the brisket lingered in your cooker and the dampering you did. Like BP said, be careful with the dampering. The last thing you want to do is restrict the airflow through your cooker which could adversely impact your fire creating creosote. It'll get ugly fast. I've had creosote dripping from every hole in my cooker down onto my redwood deck when I first installed a smoke daddy and starved the fire before I figured out how to run it.
 
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Wileycat

New member
Thanks for the caution, Scooter.
Today I'm doing a pork tenderloin and tomorrow beef tri-tips. Then friends are coming for dinner :)
 
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BigJoeBob

New member
Wiley, I have had my junior for jsut 3 weeks and twice the fan has burned out on high. First on burn-in and relaced fan and it happened agian while cooking beef tenderloin for 20 miuntes. Be carefull blocking vents and running on high.
 
RGrunz

RGrunz

New member
Big Poppa said:
please use caution when deciding to black a vent they are critical to the convection and safety of the final product
Click to expand...

BP.... as you know, I posted pics of my Smoke Daddy mod on my Traeger just to give me more smoke flavor when I wanted it... but, I wonder if there is a viable way to modify the fan speed to decrease some airflow without creating a bigger problem someplace else?
 
Big Poppa

Big Poppa

Administrator
I dont believe that decreasing the airflow is the answer... at the end of the day it is a pellet cooker and not a stick burner...there are trade offs
 
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