1 Comment November 30, 2017 Editor

Everyone in our house loves steak. We also love tacos. As regular readers know, we make both. A lot. But besides sweet potatoes, asparagus, and potatoes — we’ve never really tried smoking many vegetables.

Last night, we expanded the playbook, and think we finally nailed it. So we put together this quick little how to video for you…in under 60 seconds …

Traeger Grill Thanksgiving Turkey Review

REVIEW: Traeger Turkey Pellets Blend

2 Comments November 20, 2017 Editor

If you’re entrusted with cooking the bird on Thanksgiving, you’re probably looking for a risk-free, no-fuss tried and true recipe. Have a reoccurring nightmare about dry turkey, or sweet dreams about crispy, herb-crusted turkey legs?

If you’re on a wood pellet grill, this Traeger Turkey Pellets Blend might be for you:

We did a 20-pound test bird this weekend, and were cooking for 16 people. It was your typical friends-giving feast (with no less than 4 other Traeger-owners coming, NO PRESSURE!).

Again, we were looking for an easy, but proven, method and recipe. After skimming a dozen articles on spatchcocking, brining, injecting, rubbing, etc — we said: “Meh, nothing exotic.”

That’s when we turned to the wisdom of the Traeger Grills family. We had two bags delivered from a Traeger Instagram contest (“BBQ Hero of the Week”) over the summer.

The results were nothing short of amazing. “Best turkey I’ve ever had,” raved one friend. “OMG, moist, zesty, and great smoke flavor,” commented another. “Got to try that for our family Thanksgiving now, ” said one of our Traeger brethren.

Now, most everything that comes off the Traeger at our house is good. But that’s “most” not all. Not ashamed to admit we have a few hiccups every now and again. So these were pretty strong endorsements. What’s the secret? We followed Traeger’s included Smoked Bourbon & Orange Brined Turkey recipe to a T. Here are the basics (minus the booze):

Brine overnight (bag comes inside the pellets bag, fish it out!)

Pat dry, apply rub (again, included in the bag)

Put turkey directly on the grate (we put in a disposable roasting pan)

Set Traeger to smoke for 2 hours (for us, 180F)

Turn up to 350F for 2-3 hours (or until internal temp reaches 165F)

WHERE TO BUY?

You can pick up the Traeger Turkey Pellets Blend at your local dealer, or order from Amazon. If you HURRY, you select one-day or two-day shipping for Prime members, to still get in time for Thanksgiving.

Watch our mid-cook Facebook LIVE video from TraegerFanatics.com for some laughs:

Editor’s Note: This post contains affiliate links.

VIDEO: Traeger Grill Modifications

1 Comment November 17, 2017 Editor

Companies often times build products with the mass consumer in mind. They then offer their own, sold-separately accessories at a premium. That’s why “mods” or modifications are increasingly popular, especially among BBQ enthusiasts.

While Traeger Grills really does a fine job, some folks will always want to keep toying with perfection. We were looking for some inspiration, and found Trikester’s video:

Here’s a list of some comparable parts you’ll need, if you want to trick out your Traeger like Trikester (whew, say that three times fast!):

1. 10in Air Tires or 7in Universal Wheel (see also Traeger Wheel Modification video for step-by-step and more parts/tools needed)

2. Traeger Front-Shelf (step-by-step video here; see also Under Shelf)

3. Cutlery Storage Caddy

4. Large Zip Ties (for securing caddy to leg, or drip bucket to hook)

5. Savannah Stoker (upgraded thermostat)

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Do you have a favorite Traeger or pellet grill hack? Leave a comment or hit the Contact Us form. If you liked this post, please share it and bookmark us!

Related content:

7 Traeger Hacks, Tips, and Tricks

30 Traeger Essentials, Accessories, Gadgets, Gift Ideas, and More

13 BBQ Books to Get You Started

Editor’s Note: Post contains affiliate links. Learn more.

VIDEO: How to make Tacos Al Pastor on the Pit Barrel Cooker

Leave a comment November 15, 2017 Editor

If you’re a regular Rendezvous’er, you know we LOVE Tacos Al Pastor. While surfing some BBQ groups on Facebook, we came across TheHollarBBQ.

Here’s their host, Kevin Griffith, on one of our all-time favorites:

Looking to take your Tacos Al Pastor to the next level? If you’re using a traditional BBQ or grill with grates, we recommend the Super Skewer (a/k/a/ Brazilian Gaucho Skewer).

If you like this video, check out others on our blog (we’ll be adding many more soon!), and subscribe to TheHollarBBQ.

Editor’s Note: This post contains affiliate links. Learn more.

13 Barbecue Books To Get Started

5 Comments November 14, 2017 Editor

You know what they say: You can’t judge a book by its cover. So we asked a few of the top barbecue groups on the internet for their BBQ book recommendations. The response was amazing.

Within a few hours, we had a monster list of titles and author to sort through. We then invested even more time looking at each book’s sales ranking, customer reviews, and status on most wished for lists.

Presenting 13 books, to get started as a novice griller, or for continuing education as a pit master!

VIDEO: Meathead’s Buying Guide to Thermometers

2 Comments November 12, 2017 Editor

From Meathead at AmazingRibs.com:

Meathead does a great job over-viewing the various types of thermometers. Now here are some of the best-sellers and most highly-rated among BBQ enthusiasts:

ThermoPro TP03A – Instant Read Thermometer. A high precision sensor gives you accurate readings within 4-7 seconds. Stainless steel probe is easy to clean, and folds for convenient storage. Five-year warranty. Price range: $.

Lavatools Javelin – Instant Read Thermometer. For about twice the cost as the TP03A, you can get this ultra-fast sensor probe (3-4 seconds). Display is nice and big for easy reading. An integrated magnet allows for easy storage on your fridge or grill. Lifetime warranty. Price range: $$.

ThermoPro TP08 – Dual Probe Wireless Thermometer. We own this unit, and have found it well-suited to monitoring our wood pellet and gas grills alike. One probe monitors the meat, the other monitors the grill temp. Alarm and receiver both alert you to when temp has been reached. Up to 300 feet range. Lifetime Sensor Probe Warranty. Price range: $$.

ThermoPro TP20 – Dual Probe Wireless Thermometer. Simple and easy to use. Main difference from the TP08, are a Meat and Taste button that give you pre-programmed internal temps. Takes the guess work out of cooking any meat. Lifetime Sensor Probe Warranty. Price range: $$.

Tappecue – Meat Thermometer with Wifi. Comes with a phone app to monitor temps that’s available on all Apple, as well as Android products. You can get alerts when the meat or chamber goes above or below a min/max temp. Four meat probes mean you can keep track of multiple cooks at once! One year limited warranty. Price range: $$$.