The 1150 is showing up next week and I have finally found Oak splits I'll be cutting into chunks. Now the next big decision is what lumped charcoal to use. What's your go to? Thankfully all 3 brands are available in my area. Oak wood is so hard to source in Northern Alberta.
So I recently purchased a Traeger Pro 34 and am not happy with. Maybe I'm being too picky. Took 27 and a half hours to cook a 16lb brisket. Also had a 8lb bone in pork shoulder cooking at the same time. Temp was set to 225 and turned it to 250 at the 15hr mark. Since the cook I have done extensive testing and have found there is a -30⁰ difference at the middle of my grill. Traeger is saying there is nothing wrong with it ...it's only 1 month old. Also getting temp swings from 214 - 255 when set at 225⁰... all normal i guess.
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Looking at getting a MB 1050 and just wondering about temp swings and how well the ambient temperature is to what the grill says it's at?
Found this on Amazon. This is an upgrade for my Pro 34. Traeger is saying there isn't anything wrong with mine yet there is a 30⁰ difference from the temperature in the center of my grill and the RTD temp probe lol. Was wondering your guys thoughts on this beauty?
No it wasn't dry. So since this 16lb brisket took so long I have done some testing. I've taken my wifi thermometer and placed it on the rack on some time foil so it wasn't touching the metal once it was heated to 225 as per the Traeger panel. After 45mins the ambient temperature was reading 195f. Over a period of 2hrs it did peek to 205 however for most of the testing it was averaged 196f. So that's a 30⁰ difference between that and what the RTD was reading. Traeger told me that a "3rd party" temp probe isn't valid. So I put the wired meat probe that's part of the Traeger in the same position and it was reading 20⁰ different in the middle of the grill and 10⁰ different in the same area as the RTD is mounted. I have since calibrated my wireless probe in a glass half filled ice and filled up with water and it read 32⁰ then wrapped the metal part in a soaked paper towel and put it in my oven which was heated to 250⁰. After about 30mins it flat lined at 256. So after all that in my opinion my temp probe works and is accurate. So imo the RTD is faulty. I did fully clean the smoker after that long cook too btw and also degreased and cleaned the RTD probe to make sure that wasn't the issue. Does anyone have any insight? I'm going to call Traeger back with everything that I have found. I'm hoping that I am correct in assuming that there is something wrong with it.
First time trimming and cooking a brisket and I fucking nailed it. Only kosher salt and 16 mesh pepper for the rub. Went on at 930am Saturday morning. Foil boat at 160f. Was at 225f till 1230am then turned up to 250f for the remainder of the cook. Pulled at 195f, wrapped in butcher's paper with the tallow I rendered during the cook from the trimmings from it. Then into my oven at 150f for a 5hr rest.
How did I do? Anything more I need to do before I apply the rub?
Going to be getting my first smoker. I already have an amazing gas grill and have used a smoker box for BBQ'ing but want an actual smoker now.