Pellet barbecues, characteristics and advantages

With the arrival of pellet grills, the barbecue revolution has arrived : Can you imagine cooking with all the flavour of burning natural wood, but without the need or time required to make the embers, being able to control the temperature at all times and with the spaciousness and comfort of a good grill area? All that is what Traeger pellet grills offer. Choose the pellet, press a button and in ten minutes you will be making the best barbecues you can imagine.

Barbecues and more, much more! Take note because I have a lot of information about pellet barbecues that I will love to share with you in this post, in which we will see:

1. What are pellet barbecues?
2. How pellet barbecues work
3. Always equally tasty results
4. Traeger Barbecues, the number 1 pellet barbecues
5. What sets Traeger grills apart
6. What you can cook on a Traeger barbecue
7. How to choose your ideal Traeger barbecue
8. Traeger BBQ Pellets
9. The Traeger Community
10. The Traeger Universe

I hope you find my review of pellet grills and all the information on how they work useful. I hope you become a Traeger style lover like me!

What are pellet barbecues?

Barbecues, in general and traditionally, are outdoor utensils in which firewood or coal is placed and, on an upper grill, all kinds of food is cooked in a natural way and with the great added bonus of that roasted aroma and a characteristic smoky touch.

Traditional barbecues work by burning charcoal or wood . It is simple and inexpensive. The big problem is the time and trouble that it usually takes to light them.

Due to the time and difficulties required by charcoal barbecues , gas barbecues appeared. Convenient and practical, they are barbecues that you will quickly have up and running, since the gas is turned on immediately (just like you can turn on a gas stove, you turn on the barbecue). But they have a big but, especially for lovers of authentic barbecue: the result of their cooking lacks that smoky touch that only the burning of charcoal or natural wood can provide.

And this is where pellet grills come in: pellet grills, which originated with the Traegers we are talking about today, are grills that provide that authentic, unique barbecue flavour thanks to the smoke and flavour of burning natural wood (the pellet), and also integrate the comfort and ease of gas grills, as they are turned on with a button. Pellet grills integrate all the benefits of charcoal and gas grills, without any buts . They are the perfect grills! Just as you are reading it. Should I continue? Follow me!

How pellet barbecues work

Fill the pellet hopper, select the temperature with a small wheel or knob and press the button. Yes, Traeger barbecues work like an oven, you don't need to heat the charcoal or prepare the wood, it does it for you the moment you turn it on and in 10 minutes you have the barbecue at the temperature you have indicated to start using it.

And this is the case with all Traeger barbecue models. They are electric barbecues that are started with a switch and are fed by the pellets placed in the hopper. In addition, their energy consumption is minimal , since it is only necessary to activate the burner and keep the fan running.

Always equally tasty results

One of the most remarkable aspects of Traeger barbecues is that they ensure consistency in the final result. Each and every time we cook with them we will get perfect results. And this is achieved thanks to:

• The quick ignition , in about 10 minutes.
• Precise temperature control from 75°C to 260°C.
  

Traeger Barbecues, the number 1 pellet barbecues

As I was saying, pellet grills represent the evolution of charcoal and gas grills, with great performance, comfort and precision. The origins were born from what are now Traeger grills, which today are the number 1 pellet grills in the world (and what is perhaps even more impressive, today they are already the number 2 grill in the USA among all types and brands of grills, counting charcoal and gas!).

Discovering a Traeger is like entering the world of these grills from the creators of the first original pellet barbecue , invented more than 30 years ago. In addition to being the world leader with its pellet barbecues (the best-selling in the world) and the largest specialist in the market , Traeger has perfected pellet barbecues, combining in a single device all the benefits of a barbecue, an oven and a smoker .

What sets Traeger grills apart

• They are very robust and complete barbecues: Designed and manufactured to last a long time.
  
• They are very easy to use, just like your home oven : Just fill the hopper with pellets, press a button and in ten minutes it will be ready to cook.
  
• Its quick ignition . Its electric auto-ignition system guarantees that the barbecue has reached the indicated temperature in just a few minutes.
• Consistent results and great final taste : Thanks to precise temperature control, you will always get perfect results. Each and every time. In addition, the 100% natural wood pellet enhances the flavor of the food and provides a great wood flavor.
• Its large cooking area : Traeger barbecues have a large cooking area and allow cooking on several levels (except for the Ranger model, the portable barbecue).
  
• Its barrel shape : Its barrel-shaped design optimizes the circulation of hot air, completely surrounding the food, facilitating even cooking and reducing time (except for the portable model, the Ranger).
• They are very versatile : In addition to grilling, you can bake, stew at low temperatures, braise, sear, smoke and braise, thanks to their precise temperature control and large capacity.
• The super smoke function : During cooking (between 70 and 105ºC) you can intensify the smoking. With just the push of a button or from your mobile phone. This option is available on the Timberline and Ironwood models.
• Control the barbecue from your mobile phone : Thanks to WiFIRE® technology (originally created so that astronauts could cook on the moon), you can connect your barbecue to your smartphone and access the control of the functions from your mobile phone using the TRAEGER APP (except for the portable model, the Ranger barbecue).
  
• Your community : Traeger brings people together around its barbecues. A community that reaches out to the whole world, showing the best ways to get the most out of each model, and that has its official day on the calendar.

What you can cook on a Traeger barbecue

A Traeger grill lets you cook it all. Its temperature range, from 70-75ºC to 260º C, makes it easy to prepare any recipe you want. What you can prepare on the stove or in the oven you can do on the Traeger grill. You will see:

• Grilling , of course! Both quickly at high temperatures, sealing meats, vegetables or fruits and giving the food that quick seal without too much smoke flavour penetrating, and at lower temperatures to achieve very different results.
  
• Cooking on the barbecue (with the lid down) from a whole rack of ribs (or two!), chicken thighs or any piece of meat or vegetables. With long cooking times of 4 to 24 hours, at temperatures of 110ºC to 135ºC and controlling the different techniques of the slow cooking process in which the aroma of smoke is involved.
  
• Smoking all types of food , with temperatures from 75ºC to 105ºC, to cook to perfection with more smoke and a more intense final aroma. Fish such as salmon, meats, and even cheese fondue.
• Baking . Whether it's pizza, focaccia or empanadas, or loaves of bread, pastry dough (cookies, ensaimadas, muffins or Christmas cakes!), cheesecakes or puff pastry, whether savoury or sweet, such as apple pie, or cakes, you can bake anything you bake in your home oven, whether on a tray or in a mould, on a Traeger barbecue.
• Braise or stew at low temperature in a casserole, tagine or cocotte, for example, from a legume recipe to a chicken stew with sauce, or a beef stew.
• Confit . Yes, it is also possible to preserve meats or vegetables. A fantastic option to prepare some foods at low temperature in oil or in their own fat.

The large cooking area and the possibility of moving or removing the racks allow you to cook large quantities or whole pieces. In models such as the Timberline, for example, it is possible to cook on 3 levels at the same time, or by using 2 racks, you can roast 9 to 12 chickens at a time (depending on the version chosen).

How to choose your ideal Traeger barbecue

One of Traeger's virtues is that it has managed to design barbecues for everyone. Depending on what you need or how you like to cook, you have the option of choosing the right model without risk of making a mistake:

• RANGER BBQ

Traeger's "Baby", the Ranger grill , is a portable grill with a compact design, with capacity for 1 rack of ribs or 6 burgers. Perfect to take with you everywhere, it is ideal for small spaces, second homes, camping, motorhomes or to take it wherever you go.

• PRO BBQ

The Traeger Pro barbecue is perfect for the garden or patio and for easy cooking. Medium-sized, with double grates and in two versions so you can choose the capacity that best suits you. Simple and suitable for cooking any recipe, it has WiFIRE® technology that allows you to connect your barbecue to your smartphone.

• IRONWOOD BBQ

Larger than the PRO, the IRONWOOD barbecue offers you a larger cooking surface, perfect for larger families. It has a double-sided interior, so you can cook with it with the same results every day of the year, even on the coldest days. Equipped with WiFIRE® technology, you can control the barbecue from your mobile phone and it has a super-smoking function.

• Timberline barbecue

The Timberline barbecue model is the first Traeger. Very complete, perfect for cooking outdoors, with a large cooking capacity and three grids on three levels. It also offers a large stainless steel front surface for food preparation and a bamboo cutting board. Its double-walled stainless steel interior guarantees incomparable robustness and perfect insulation of the internal temperature. Ideal for large families or if you cook larger quantities, as it allows you to cook 9 or 12 whole chickens in one go, depending on the version you choose.

Treager BBQ Pellet

Considered another ingredient in cooking food on a barbecue, essential to enhance its flavors and aromas , Traeger pellets are manufactured in the USA, with the entire process being supervised from the sawmills to the point of sale.

It is FSC certified , coming from responsibly logging wood. It is manufactured in a completely natural way, without added fillers, barks or binders, avoiding waste and contributing to the cleanliness of forests , which helps minimize the risk of spreading fires.

Each wood provides a characteristic aroma and flavor, which enhances the flavor of the food itself. Among its varieties are apple, cherry, walnut and mesquite , which are ideal for pairing with different foods.

The Traeger Community

Treager is much more than a barbecue brand, much more than the greatest barbecue experts. The Traeger community has a day on the calendar where everyone celebrates this way of understanding barbecue (in 2022, it was last May 14). Cooking, company, family and moments to share are fundamental to Traeger, which since its first barbecue has continued to innovate so that we can all enjoy them without anyone missing out on anything.

Because for the Traeger community, barbecue is a way of socializing, of creating bonds, of bringing people together, of enjoying and sharing. Showing new ways to get the most out of cooking on any of its models, teaching and sharing countless recipes to learn and enjoy cooking and eating in a fun and healthier way. Because there is nothing like the taste of food cooked on the grill!

The Traeger Universe

Traeger also has a wide collection of cooking utensils for comfortable, safe and easy grilling. Sturdy, high-quality and generously sized , they are made of stainless steel with a wooden handle and have a leather strap at the end so they can be easily hung from the hooks on the side of the barbecues, always having them at hand.

And since there is no barbecue without sauce, I cannot stop recommending Traeger sauces . I had the opportunity to try them at the presentation of their barbecues and I was surprised by their delicious flavor and the possibilities they offer when combined with food cooked with the different pellets, both to glaze meats and to accompany or add flavor to vegetables and fish. Truly delicious!