New Traeger Questions!

[darita]

Just got a Lil Tex and grilled my first steak...boy do I have questions. I got a rather cheap rib eye steak from Winco that was about 3/4" thick. I seasoned it with a rub and put it in the Tex on Smoke, for about 20 minutes, then I cranked it to High, 525 degrees on the external thermometer, for 8 minutes on one side, then 5 minutes on the other. When I took it out, it looked well cooked with charring on the fatty edges and grill marks. Problem was, it shrank to about 1/4" thick and was pretty darn dry. I know there's a learning curve here, so please, "learn" me!

[OSD]

Sounds like you over-cooked it. Just cooking it on high ( without doing the 20 minute smoke ) for about 4 minutes per side would have been about med-rare on a 3/4" thick steak.

[Papa Tom]

No matter what you heard no matter the sales pitch Traegers are not good grills. Smokers yes grills no.
Now if you insist there are things you can do to help and the first thing is go to our "Wanted Posters" and tell us a little about yourself cause we want to know and welcome you proper.
Next you can Kill the Governor Yes KILL, KILL! If you are confused then I will explain the Lil Tex has the same pellet feed mechanism as the Big Tex and so they installed a governor rod to reduce the quantity of pellets fed in a given cycle. Cutting the rod off will allow more pellets fed and thus more heat. The down side none if you have the digital controller, if you have the 3 speed controller then the pit will run hotter on each of the settings. Another thing you can do is run over your pellets with the car a few times this will break down the pellets to shorter lengths and the result more pellets per feed cycle (leave the pellets in the bag to do this).
Now the Killing thing, if you look down the pellet hopper when empty you will see the auger and there should be a rod running through the center of the auger, Rod MUST DIE! Well that is if you want more heat. To kill Rod you have to pull out the auger and cut Rod off with a hacksaw. Now you need to learn how to do this anyway because before your relationship with Lil Tex is over you WILL experience a pellet jam and to fix the auger has to come out.

[BlackFord]

No matter what you heard no matter the sales pitch Traegers are not good grills. Smokers yes grills no.
Now if you insist there are things you can do to help and the first thing is go to our "Wanted Posters" and tell us a little about yourself cause we want to know and welcome you proper.
Next you can Kill the Governor Yes KILL, KILL! If you are confused then I will explain the Lil Tex has the same pellet feed mechanism as the Big Tex and so they installed a governor rod to reduce the quantity of pellets fed in a given cycle. Cutting the rod off will allow more pellets fed and thus more heat. The down side none if you have the digital controller, if you have the 3 speed controller then the pit will run hotter on each of the settings. Another thing you can do is run over your pellets with the car a few times this will break down the pellets to shorter lengths and the result more pellets per feed cycle (leave the pellets in the bag to do this).
Now the Killing thing, if you look down the pellet hopper when empty you will see the auger and there should be a rod running through the center of the auger, Rod MUST DIE! Well that is if you want more heat. To kill Rod you have to pull out the auger and cut Rod off with a hacksaw. Now you need to learn how to do this anyway because before your relationship with Lil Tex is over you WILL experience a pellet jam and to fix the auger has to come out.

the TEXAS sawzall massacre?

[cowboydon]

Papa - Didnt you show me a small space on the Traeger that you could grill a small steak
on? The space had a footprint of a small ribeye, maybe the size of a Dollar Store ribeye.

[Papa Tom]

Papa - Didnt you show me a small space on the Traeger that you could grill a small steak
on? The space had a footprint of a small ribeye, maybe the size of a Dollar Store ribeye.

Yes I did however that was on the old original Big Tex without a grease drain pan. The newer units don't have that capability. The new ones because of the design are all indirect heat. Some of the new Non-Traeger pellet pits are coming out now with direct heat/grilling capabilities. Most notably the Fast Eddy 1000.

[DATsBBQ]

Topic moved to Pits and Smokers, the post has more to do with pits than low&slow cooking. Other choice would have been Grilling and Chilling.

Jeepers Papa....

Encouraging someone to take a hack saw and proceed to make modifications to a brand new pit that surely will void any warranty without even the benefit of a link or pictures ... . Wait, that's what Politicians do -create an emergency that needs immediate attention ... . How much stock do you own in Sawz All?

[Stewdog]

Traeger's not a real good smoker but it is good for quick grilling. It fires off fast and can get to about 450. It's not a steak cooker or a heavy smoker.

[Harry Verdurchi]

No matter what you heard no matter the sales pitch Traegers are not good grills. Smokers yes grills no.
Now if you insist there are things you can do to help and the first thing is go to our "Wanted Posters" and tell us a little about yourself cause we want to know and welcome you proper.
Next you can Kill the Governor Yes KILL, KILL! If you are confused then I will explain the Lil Tex has the same pellet feed mechanism as the Big Tex and so they installed a governor rod to reduce the quantity of pellets fed in a given cycle. Cutting the rod off will allow more pellets fed and thus more heat. The down side none if you have the digital controller, if you have the 3 speed controller then the pit will run hotter on each of the settings. Another thing you can do is run over your pellets with the car a few times this will break down the pellets to shorter lengths and the result more pellets per feed cycle (leave the pellets in the bag to do this).
Now the Killing thing, if you look down the pellet hopper when empty you will see the auger and there should be a rod running through the center of the auger, Rod MUST DIE! Well that is if you want more heat. To kill Rod you have to pull out the auger and cut Rod off with a hacksaw. Now you need to learn how to do this anyway because before your relationship with Lil Tex is over you WILL experience a pellet jam and to fix the auger has to come out.

I have 6 different Traegers two of the original BBQ 100's One Big Tex and a couple of the Executives . None of mine have a Governor ,Must be a new deal in the last few years but a couple do have an autostart feature with an element running in the firebox . Do Not cut that off or you will be S.O.L. on auto lighting and will have to use Alcohol or worst yet Fire Starter fluid.
The older Traegers had an option of a plate with holes in it so the flames would actually lick the Steak as you cooked on it . The newer ones however are baffeled and do not offer this option . I take my baffle out and cook many things on it that way . The key to a good Grilling of a Steak is for it to Talk to you when it hits the Grill . IMHO Traeger is now WAY OVERPRICED and over complicated of a Really good concept at its inception.

[Stewdog]

I have a Lil Tex and I agree

[darita]

I have 6 different Traegers two of the original BBQ 100's One Big Tex and a couple of the Executives . None of mine have a Governor ,Must be a new deal in the last few years but a couple do have an autostart feature with an element running in the firebox . Do Not cut that off or you will be S.O.L. on auto lighting and will have to use Alcohol or worst yet Fire Starter fluid.
The older Traegers had an option of a plate with holes in it so the flames would actually lick the Steak as you cooked on it . The newer ones however are baffeled and do not offer this option . I take my baffle out and cook many things on it that way . The key to a good Grilling of a Steak is for it to Talk to you when it hits the Grill . IMHO Traeger is now WAY OVERPRICED and over complicated of a Really good concept at its inception.[/quote]
Offline, please tell me more about how to grill on this Lil Tex. There's a drip pan under the grill, then a flame deflector under that.
Having just purchased this thing, I really don't want to start modifying it, as that will void the warranty. I do want to see if I can in fact, grill steaks on it. See, the wife OK'd the purchase as long as we sold our 1 year old, $500, Blue Ember gas grill. I don't know how accurate the temp gauge is on the cover, but reads 525 on high...is that hot enough to grill on or do I need that direct flame contact?

[Harry Verdurchi]

I have 6 different Traegers two of the original BBQ 100's One Big Tex and a couple of the Executives . None of mine have a Governor ,Must be a new deal in the last few years but a couple do have an autostart feature with an element running in the firebox . Do Not cut that off or you will be S.O.L. on auto lighting and will have to use Alcohol or worst yet Fire Starter fluid.
The older Traegers had an option of a plate with holes in it so the flames would actually lick the Steak as you cooked on it . The newer ones however are baffeled and do not offer this option . I take my baffle out and cook many things on it that way . The key to a good Grilling of a Steak is for it to Talk to you when it hits the Grill . IMHO Traeger is now WAY OVERPRICED and over complicated of a Really good concept at its inception.

Offline, please tell me more about how to grill on this Lil Tex. There's a drip pan under the grill, then a flame deflector under that.
Having just purchased this thing, I really don't want to start modifying it, as that will void the warranty. I do want to see if I can in fact, grill steaks on it. See, the wife OK'd the purchase as long as we sold our 1 year old, $500, Blue Ember gas grill. I don't know how accurate the temp gauge is on the cover, but reads 525 on high...is that hot enough to grill on or do I need that direct flame contact?[/quote]


Read here on this site about cooking ,there is an unlimited amount of info here on it . Then decide about your cooker . BBQ is an art not a science . Once you get your feet wet you will soon master your own pit and its Quirks.

[Harry Verdurchi]

Hey darita ,I didn't mean to hurt your feelings with my last post ,but typing the English Language doesnt really show Facial Expressions or the warmth a person to person good ol Talk to would . But if you need some one on one just post it here that way everyone can see it. For starts on your Particular Traeger Pit I would recommend you find the Sweet Spot .By that I mean to find where the Grill area is Hottest .The way to do this is to get the pit up to temp then open a can of Cheap Biscuits flop them on the Grill and wait five minutes then see which ones are the darkest . That is where you want to put your Steks for quick cooking and also you will know where your Marshmellers will Burn .

[darita]

Hey darita ,I didn't mean to hurt your feelings with my last post ,but typing the English Language doesnt really show Facial Expressions or the warmth a person to person good ol Talk to would . But if you need some one on one just post it here that way everyone can see it. For starts on your Particular Traeger Pit I would recommend you find the Sweet Spot .By that I mean to find where the Grill area is Hottest .The way to do this is to get the pit up to temp then open a can of Cheap Biscuits flop them on the Grill and wait five minutes then see which ones are the darkest . That is where you want to put your Steks for quick cooking and also you will know where your Marshmellers will Burn .

Great tip! Thanks!