How many of you outdoor cook with a Traeger? If not what is your BBQ rig of choice?

DrDmoney

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I’ve cooked with charcoal in my younger days and swore by it, “you can’t get that sear and char flavor with gas” I would proclaim. Then as I got older and could afford one of those gas rigs I would swear it tasted just as good, I didn’t have to deal with the coals and ash, and instant on/off. Now that I’m older and have less time to stand around and mind the “Q”, I Traeger, it allows me to multi task. I don’t get the same “were you messing with your Jeep” questioning. Instead I get the “OMG that tastes so good and it’s so tender”. By the way my Traeger is kept in my shop so I can push it out the drive door, away from peering eyes, and let it do the work while I mess around with my Jeep.;)

WHAT DO YOU COOK OUTDOORS WITH AND WHY?
 
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I have a very nice gas grill that gets used frequently because its so easy but also a Kamado Joe that I use when I want to get serious. Kamado Joe is a Big Green Egg knock off. Just over the weekend I smoked a beef brisket one day and three boston butts the next. I've always wanted a Traeger but I do some work for an outdoor kitchen company and got my grills wholesale. Sometimes I'm jealous of the Traeger guys being able to dial in a temperature, other times I think its cheating.
 
I have a middle of the road Weber gas grill. It does a pretty good job. Like you, my time is precious, and we bbq 3-4 times a week year round, so it's nice to be able to multi task while cooking.
 
My go to is the original Weber 741001 and use the good ol' charcoal chimney to start it up. I use it because as a wise man once said “you can’t get that sear and char flavor with gas”
97576

Now when I have more time to dedicate to cooking or really feel in the mood for some good BBQ I will start up the Masterbuilt propane smoker. I actually just cooked up a salmon on it yesterday.
After cooking ribs with it I don't even bother cooking them any other way now.
97579
 
I have a very nice gas grill that gets used frequently because its so easy but also a Kamado Joe that I use when I want to get serious. Kamado Joe is a Big Green Egg knock off. Just over the weekend I smoked a beef brisket one day and three boston butts the next. I've always wanted a Traeger but I do some work for an outdoor kitchen company and got my grills wholesale. Sometimes I'm jealous of the Traeger guys being able to dial in a temperature, other times I think its cheating.
Yep, like automatic trannys for rock crawling :ROFLMAO:
 
I have a middle of the road Weber gas grill. It does a pretty good job. Like you, my time is precious, and we bbq 3-4 times a week year round, so it's nice to be able to multi task while cooking.
3-4 times a week? sheesh!!!, I wish I was home that much. I’m only home on weekends. But wait till I retire!;)
 
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Weber Genesis for gas, a Primo kamado for 'coal

. . . Sometimes I'm jealous of the Traeger guys being able to dial in a temperature, other times I think its cheating.

I go full cheat mode and use a Digi-Q so I can do other things rather than baby sit a fire all day. Haven't fully been able to adopt the sit by the pit style of 'cue yet.
 
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My go to is the original Weber 741001 and use the good ol' charcoal chimney to start it up. I use it because as a wise man once said “you can’t get that sear and char flavor with gas”
View attachment 97576
Now when I have more time to dedicate to cooking or really feel in the mood for some good BBQ I will start up the Masterbuilt propane smoker. I actually just cooked up a salmon on it yesterday.
After cooking ribs with it I don't even bother cooking them any other way now.
View attachment 97579
The Weber was always my “go to” charcoal grill. Never tried the electric smokers. Weber grills were invented in Chicago by a guy who worked for a bouy manufacturer, he made it from one. Chi-town also has a restaurant called Weber Grill, they cook on these huge charcoal Weber Grills. Best charcoal grilled steak I ever had!
 
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I have a very nice gas grill that gets used frequently because its so easy but also a Kamado Joe that I use when I want to get serious. Kamado Joe is a Big Green Egg knock off. Just over the weekend I smoked a beef brisket one day and three boston butts the next. I've always wanted a Traeger but I do some work for an outdoor kitchen company and got my grills wholesale. Sometimes I'm jealous of the Traeger guys being able to dial in a temperature, other times I think its cheating.
My dad used to use a Green Egg, he made great steaks on it.
 
Weber Genesis for gas, a Primo kamado for 'coal



I go full cheat mode and use a Digi-Q so I can do other things rather than baby sit a fire all day. Haven't fully been able to adopt the sit by the pit style of 'cue yet.
What does the did Digi-Q use as fuel?
 
I run a Traeger for the smokin and a little cheap apartment sized propane grill for grilling (hoping to get that replaced eventually here since it looks ridiculous behind my house and doesn’t have enough grill space).

As a tangent: Other than those my mom gave us an InstantPot and we’ve made some pseudo BBQ stuff in there (wings, ribs) with pretty good success when the weather wasn’t prime for being out back.
 
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I run a Traeger for the smokin and a little cheap apartment sized propane grill for grilling (hoping to get that replaced eventually here since it looks ridiculous behind my house and doesn’t have enough grill space).

As a tangent: Other than those my mom gave us an InstantPot and we’ve made some pseudo BBQ stuff in there (wings, ribs) with pretty good success when the weather wasn’t prime for being out back.
I have a wood stove in my shop I’ve been thinking about piping my Traeger smoke stack into it so I can get some winter Q-ing/smoking/dehydrating (best jerky ever).
 
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What does the did Digi-Q use as fuel?
The Digi-Q is an accessory to use with Big Green Egg or my Kamado Joe. It uses a temperature probe and small fan to regulate airflow, therefore cooking temperature. Another cheat.

In all honesty I have many times considered a Digi-Q but they are not cheap and all of my digital thermometers last only a 1-2 years so afraid a Digi-Q might fall to the same fate. I have gotten pretty good with my Kamado Joe and confidently leave it for hours while smoking.
 
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My go to is the original Weber 741001 and use the good ol' charcoal chimney to start it up. I use it because as a wise man once said “you can’t get that sear and char flavor with gas”
View attachment 97576
Now when I have more time to dedicate to cooking or really feel in the mood for some good BBQ I will start up the Masterbuilt propane smoker. I actually just cooked up a salmon on it yesterday.
After cooking ribs with it I don't even bother cooking them any other way now.
View attachment 97579
I just picked up a masterbuilt on CL last week, so far have smoked turkey breast, short ribs and yesterday a sausage fatty. I am really liking it but even with a bluetooth thermometer it still takes some watching.
 
I just picked up a masterbuilt on CL last week, so far have smoked turkey breast, short ribs and yesterday a sausage fatty. I am really liking it but even with a bluetooth thermometer it still takes some watching.
I've loved just about everything we have made with it. We did an 11 hr pork shoulder that was amazing, but I've been burned out of pulled pork for 6 months now. :ROFLMAO: I learned that if you use the large chunks of wood rather than the chips it a lot easy to manage the temps and doesn't require as much babysitting.
 
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I've loved just about everything we have made with it. We did an 11 hr pork shoulder that was amazing, but I've been burned out of pulled pork for 6 months now. :ROFLMAO: I learned that if you use the large chunks of wood rather than the chips it a lot easy to manage the temps and doesn't require as much babysitting.
yes, I have settled on chunks as well, had a disaster when I tried pellets...but these were never meant to use those. I am really interested by the traeger pellet grills and will look into those...the green egg and others are just too much money.
 
yes, I have settled on chunks as well, had a disaster when I tried pellets...but these were never meant to use those. I am really interested by the traeger pellet grills and will look into those...the green egg and others are just too much money.
I was scared away from the Traegers because of cost, I got mine from Costco for a little less pus it has the warming oven and bottom shelf. I think exclusive to Costco.
 
HA !
I've had a Rec Tec 680, bought it in 2011. It is amazing, their customer service is the best.
I wouldn't put down Traegers but they are what they are.
Working in a slaughterhouse, i have put so much meat on that smoker and I've got to say, my wife loves my meat.
I could post some pics of all the stuff I've smoked
 
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HA !
I've had a Rec Tec 680, bought it in 2011. It is amazing, their customer service is the best.
I wouldn't put down Traegers but they are what they are.
Working in a slaughterhouse, i have put so much meat on that smoker and I've got to say, my wife loves my meat.
I could post some pics of all the stuff I've smoked
and so I go into my research mode - Traeger, Rec-tec, Z-grills...any others?
 
I love grilling.

For burgers, steaks, brats, corn, etc, I have a tried and true Weber with the wooden handles (so much nicer than the new plastic handles imho). I use a blend of Kingsford and lump charcoal.

For smoking I use a Weber Smokey Mountain with Kingsford and blocks of wood.