Burnt Ends

[YYCRed]

Most recipes are for general smokers, stick burners and wood burners. You would need to adapt the temperature for the recipe for smoking on the Traeger. That and/or use a smoke tube.
You could always smoke at a lower temp for a couple hours and bump it up after.

Thanks, and I get that, but the recipes that I am looking at specifically use Traegers. And I haven't seen a smoke tube in any of the pics/videos. It just seems weird that they all say "smoke the pork belly for 2 hours..." when you aren't really smoking at those temps.

I was planning on going to 225 to get some smoke but wanted to see if anyone has actually done it successfully.

 

[Slimpicker]

I've cooked several chuck roast and end up eating them before I make the burn ends. I have also done Malcom Reeds "bacon burnt ends" several times. Fortunately I have a local shop that will give me a whole pork belly that has been cured as bacon just not sliced yet. It makes damn fine "burnt ends". Different flavor and texture then true burnt ends but they are a fan favorite none the less.

me too, in fact these are the only ones that made it that far

now I take chuckies all the way to 'done' and just dig in!!!

 

[RustyJake]

Thanks, and I get that, but the recipes that I am looking at specifically use Traegers. And I haven't seen a smoke tube in any of the pics/videos. It just seems weird that they all say "smoke the pork belly for 2 hours..." when you aren't really smoking at those temps.

I was planning on going to 225 to get some smoke but wanted to see if anyone has actually done it successfully.

Baked burnt ends.
I guess they feel the Traeger will impart a smoked flavor at those temps. You won't see them recommend a smoke tube. That'd be like admitting that their smoker doesn't generate enough smoke.
My personal take is that the recipe was something transposed to the Traeger and the temps reflect that.
I would cook at 225°F like you mentioned. If I did that on mine I would be at around 238°F. But still able to use Super smoke because the grill is set at 225

 

[YYCRed]

Baked burnt ends.
I guess they feel the Traeger will impart a smoked flavor at those temps. You won't see them recommend a smoke tube. That'd be like admitting that their smoker doesn't generate enough smoke.
My personal take is that the recipe was something transposed to the Traeger and the temps reflect that.
I would cook at 225°F like you mentioned. If I did that on mine I would be at around 238°F. But still able to use Super smoke because the grill is set at 225

I’ll be doing mine either Friday or Saturday and will let you know how they turn out. First time trying them, but I won’t use that as an excuse. Cheers!

 

[JamesB]

Baked burnt ends.
I guess they feel the Traeger will impart a smoked flavor at those temps. You won't see them recommend a smoke tube. That'd be like admitting that their smoker doesn't generate enough smoke.
My personal take is that the recipe was something transposed to the Traeger and the temps reflect that.
I would cook at 225°F like you mentioned. If I did that on mine I would be at around 238°F. But still able to use Super smoke because the grill is set at 225

I agree! I believe many of those recipes in the app were developed in the kitchen using a big ol Viking or Wolf commercial oven, and most of the temps don’t reflect what anyone would do on a smoker, let alone a pellet grill.
It just appears to me that Traeger was in a hurry to get recipes for their app, and had several chefs/cooks supply recipes that could be prepared in a Traeger, without much thought as to whether it was smoked or not.

 

[YYCRed]

I agree! I believe many of those recipes in the app were developed in the kitchen using a big ol Viking or Wolf commercial oven, and most of the temps don’t reflect what anyone would do on a smoker, let alone a pellet grill.
It just appears to me that Traeger was in a hurry to get recipes for their app, and had several chefs/cooks supply recipes that could be prepared in a Traeger, without much thought as to whether it was smoked or not.

The recipes I’m talking about aren’t just on Traeger’s site. They are from all over the place and you can see the grill they are using is a Traeger.

 

[RustyJake]

The recipes I’m talking about aren’t just on Traeger’s site. They are from all over the place and you can see the grill they are using is a Traeger.

Recipes for smoking foods are just guidelines. You can vary things to suit your tastes or your methods of cooking. I would have to guess that some people are following a recipe. I know I have watched some of the Traeger cook sessions and they would crank the Traeger to 275°-350° and it leaves you thinking, where would they get a smoked flavor. They won't, and they don't discuss that part either. You can see people ask about lack of smoke on their chat screen and those questions never seem to get presented to the cooks.
You can definitely cook on the Traeger at temperatures above 225°F but we all know that the higher we go, the less smoke we get.

 

[mpanelli]

I know this may be a stupid question...
Do using smoke tubes at the higher, or lower temps add a significant amount of flavor?
Are they worth using?

 

[Slimpicker]

I know this may be a stupid question...
Do using smoke tubes at the higher, or lower temps add a significant amount of flavor?
Are they worth using?

YES

 

[mpanelli]

Enough said.. ordering mine as we speak

 

[Timmy]

I know this may be a stupid question...
Do using smoke tubes at the higher, or lower temps add a significant amount of flavor?
Are they worth using?

Yes and yes.

 

[RoadRunner18]

Thanks, and I get that, but the recipes that I am looking at specifically use Traegers. And I haven't seen a smoke tube in any of the pics/videos. It just seems weird that they all say "smoke the pork belly for 2 hours..." when you aren't really smoking at those temps.

I was planning on going to 225 to get some smoke but wanted to see if anyone has actually done it successfully.

No problem doing Bacon Burn't ends (Pig Candy) at 225. It just takes a little longer to reach that 205 - 212 internal meat temp before you remove them from the grill and sauce them. I have made Pig Candy at 200 degree temps to get the smoke i am looking for, and the only problem I have experienced is my own impatience because they smell so darn good! Just be sure to probe your Bacon Burnt End cubes with your meat thermometer to ensure they are where you want them.

 

[midwest]

I've made the bacon burnt ends several times. My local butcher will sell me a whole slab of bacon before it is sliced. Only issue I have had is every once in a while some of them come out really chewy, like you can't swallow them and have to spit them out, while others you could cut with a plastic spoon. Is the really chewy pieces likely caused by being over cooked or under cooked?

 

[Murphy's Law]

I've made the bacon burnt ends several times. My local butcher will sell me a whole slab of bacon before it is sliced. Only issue I have had is every once in a while some of them come out really chewy, like you can't swallow them and have to spit them out, while others you could cut with a plastic spoon. Is the really chewy pieces likely caused by being over cooked or under cooked?

When I make bacon I’ll buy a belly and cut a 2 or 3 pound chunk off one end for burnt ends and use the rest for the bacon.