I have multiple buddies with treagers. It puts out fine bbq and they can adjust it via their phone and leave it alone. Just seems wrong on some level.
The only thing that you need to worry about is keeping it dry. If the pellets get wet they get gummy and it’s hard to clean them out of the box. I think you’d just about have to disassemble the thing down to the auger to get them all out. I’ve not had that experience though because I keep mine in the garage. You also want to keep the CPU and electronics dry, obviously. So keep that in mind. They don’t handle handle the elements well. Not like a gas grill will. You don’t have to worry about the quality of meat you smoke. They’re solid to very solid, and most you can use as a grill as well so they’re versatile enough to justify the cost. You’ll of course still want to monitor the internal temp of your meat, but there’s all kinds of thermometers with Bluetooth and WiFi for that. Other than that, it’s pretty much set it and forget it.
Thanks. It’ll be covered so keeping it dry shouldn’t be an issue beyond humidity. The new recteq line (and traeger) have probes for the meat that integrate with their app as well, which is nice.
It’s crazy that bbq is a thing that, if you don’t have to struggle with it... something ain’t right. I’m the same way with my cheap drum smoker. I have to nurse that thing constantly to get good bbq out of it, but it feels right to do so. One day I’ll grow up and join the 21st century, but it won’t be anytime soon.
That’s good to hear. I had already planned to get smoke tube thinking that might help push the smoke up.
I only have a Weber...I’d like to build a pit like @Beechervol for smoking. I fixed a my first pot of fresh collards ever on NY day. They would make a bulldog break his chain.
I’ve got a chargriller big enough to do a 10-lb or so butt and one of those Weber Igrill things. It’s not a lot of work I don’t think. Just keep an eye on it and add charcoal when necessary
I have a Weber smoker and it’s not a lot of work to keep it at temp, but it’s not an ezbake oven like the treager where you can leave it alone for hours
It’s not really about the ease or difficulty of the work to me. I still enjoy smoking meats the “traditional” way when I have the time. The problem is having the time.
Still haven’t been to Fmc. Hard to not go to walnut kitchen for me when it comes to that sort of occasion
Need to go to The Appalachian. It’s owner used to own The Walnut Kitchen, and sold it to open this new venture.
Noted. Every so often we'll get away for a night and go somewhere close to get away. Will keep that one in mind.