Long story from the newbie with technical difficulties

Bedford

New member
Close to 15 years ago I bought a 36" propane kingfisher kountry kooker, while ogling the traegars. They were close in price, but I went with the propane and it's been great, but now worn out. As I was going through Costco a little over a month ago, they had a Traegar tex 075 for $799, about what it was years ago. I jumped on it. Now after reading I see it's on the low end of the pole, however I intend to use the heck out of it for the next ?? years as it seems to work just fine. Haven't done a turkey yet, my favorite right behind ribs, but I've done a prime rib roast, whole chickens, game hens, and last night a pork shoulder. When reading on this forum, no one mentions traegar pellets, but a couple of others are popular. I can get traegar for $15 a 20 pound bag locally. What's wrong with them, or at least what's your opinion of them. So far I've used hickory and apple and a combo of the 2. I also have pecan which was my favorite on the kingfisher, but hard to find chips. My second were the jack daniels oak chips.

Also the technical issues. I purchased a remote Maverick thermometer which worked one time. It said designed for BBQ, but the display showed hhh after one use and had to be returned. Then I bought a Taylor with remote. It keeps shutting off, and when I did the shoulder last night it beeped repeatedly. When it shut off, I would try to restart it, and use custom to get the meat to 195, but as soon as I turned it on it would lock on beef and tell me it's done, so I had to listen to the beep for a couple hours till it reached temp. What thermometers have you had good luck with?

By the way, we are having the shoulder tonight with either a mustard bbq, or maybe even KC masterpiece, sorry but I like it with homemade coleslaw and german potato salad. I also bought some becks to put in the potato salad and to rinse down the sammiches, cabbage and spuds full of vinegar and bacon.

Come on. Help the new guy!!!
 

Scallywag

New member
I have had my Traeger 07 for close to 3 years now with nothing but a hot rod problem once.. they are decent entry level units. I have cooked everything (except a brisket) pizza, bread pastry.. not much it wont do. As far as your thermometer.. sounds like just bad luck, My Maverick for just over 6 months without issue. Welcome and lets see some pics of these cooks!
 

sparky

New member
i use a therapen and a maverick et732. they both work good. i am trying to learn to check meat by feel. i'm always wrong. i started w/ a costco traeger lil tex. loved it. then the addiction started. got ugly after that. now look what happened. i have too many grills on the patio according to my wife. it will happen to you too. just go w/ the flow buddy. its alllll good. :cool: oh, to tell if your pork shoulder is done. if a probe goes in it "like butter" (trying to say in my italian voice) then it is done.
 
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Smoke Junkie

New member
Just my opinion on the Traeger-brand pellets...

I cooked with the Traeger brand pellets for years because I could get them at wholesale prices and did not know any different at the time. Since reading on this forum and my own experimentation, I have found that they have the least flavor of any pellets and no detectable difference in flavor or smell from one "flavor" to the next. Ex. You will smell no Hickory in the Traeger Hickory pellets. Hickory is a very distinct smell and I cant smell it in their pellets. I figured there must be no flavor wood in their pellets and have since found out that the general consensus IS that there is no flavor wood in them. Rumor is 80% Alder, 15% Maple and 5% flavor oil, regardless of flavor used. I will say they burn hot though, if that is what you are looking for.
 

Scallywag

New member
Agreed on the Traeger pellets... they do burn hot enough (thats about it) I have purchased the Garlic and Onion falvored pellets as well and they had no different smell or flavor then all the others I have used.
 
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