# I'm already bored!



## Shaky (May 21, 2004)

My lovely wife got me a new Texas Traeger for Christmas and I put my first brisket on it this am at 7am, temp is perfectly steady at 225 but I'm bored to death! No wood to split, no messing with the vent stack, no messing with the temp! Hard to justify drinking a beer with this thing! Guess I'll run into town and renew my auto registration or something! lol


This grill is making my life too dang easy! Cant possibly let her know either otherwise she'll add to my honey do list!


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## Team S.A. Blue (Sep 8, 2004)

*smoker*

yep. I wanted to get one also but how can you justify drinking beer with that thing. Send it back!


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## Billphish (Apr 17, 2006)

if you're near Cypress swing by and clean out my gutters.


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## poco jim (Jun 28, 2010)

Doesn't slow me down from drinking beer while using it!


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## tspitzer (Feb 7, 2013)

cooking with out beer is like dating your sister--it can be done but I could not do it--


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## NaClH2O (May 25, 2004)

I look at it this way - cooking on a pellet grill doesn't get in the way of your drinking like a stick burner does. How do you like the Traeger so far? I've had one for about 9 months and have loved it. The only issue I've had is that I thought I could use it to replace the grill, but it can't. Cooking a steak on it sucks. Bacon, however, is awesome.


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## Court (Jul 16, 2011)

NaClH2O said:


> I look at it this way - cooking on a pellet grill doesn't get in the way of your drinking like a stick burner does. How do you like the Traeger so far? I've had one for about 9 months and have loved it. The only issue I've had is that I thought I could use it to replace the grill, but it can't. Cooking a steak on it sucks. Bacon, however, is awesome.


I cook steaks, burgers & pork chops on mine all the time & they are unbelievable-Just cooked two bone in ribeyes & two filets & all I heard was delicious & excellent between bites.


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## NaClH2O (May 25, 2004)

Court said:


> I cook steaks, burgers & pork chops on mine all the time & they are unbelievable-Just cooked two bone in ribeyes & two filets & all I heard was delicious & excellent between bites.


I like a good char on my steaks and I just can't seem to get that with the Traeger. I've also had problems with judging how done they are since it's a different method, so I may have to try again with a thermometer in one to keep an eye on internal temp. It's really the only negative I have to say about the thing. It's a fantastic smoker.


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## Shaky (May 21, 2004)

So far I really like it, Ive cooked t-bones, a brisket, ribs, chicken breasts and quarters, sausage of course, and a couple of the recipes out of the Traeger book, Mac and cheese and the baked beans (both of which were pretty dang good!) So far everything has turned out really excellent except for my brisket. I used a cheap remote internal meat thermometer and instead of checking it first, just trusted it. Brisket turned out a little tough which tells me it could have used more time and or the internal temp just wasnt there. Also my first time to use a meat thermometer instead of my usual pocket knife method.

Oh, vegetalbles are also easy and good on the traeger too, cant wait for some fresh sweet corn out of the field this spring!


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## NaClH2O (May 25, 2004)

I've found I have to take my briskets to an internal temp of 205 to get tender enough. On my friend's stick burner, we only go to 190. No idea why they need to go so much higher on the Traeger.


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## Shaky (May 21, 2004)

NaClH2O said:


> I've found I have to take my briskets to an internal temp of 205 to get tender enough. On my friend's stick burner, we only go to 190. No idea why they need to go so much higher on the Traeger.


Weird, I wrapped mine at 175 in the flat, pulled it at 190 and held it in an ice chest for an hour while everything else finished, I'll give the higher temp a try next go round.


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## NaClH2O (May 25, 2004)

Shaky said:


> Weird, I wrapped mine at 175 in the flat, pulled it at 190 and held it in an ice chest for an hour while everything else finished, I'll give the higher temp a try next go round.


I've cooked four or five briskets so far and all cooked to less than 205 were tough. The two I did right were perfect on the tenderness. I've been wondering if the difference has to do with the Traeger being a dry smoke. In our big competition pit, we always put a pan of water in the bottom of the cooking chamber provide some moisture while cooking. I may try adding a small water pan in the back left corner of the Traeger on my next brisket and see what happens.


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## manintheboat (Jun 1, 2004)

feel is a way better indicator of whether a brisket is done than temp. If the prope slides in and out of the thickest part of the flat like butter, then the brisket is done. If it is tight and grabs, then it needs more time in the cooker.


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