How to make the smoke on a Pellet Grill more like a Franklin

[SkipMorrow]

Great video by the Mad Scientist yesterday (8/6/2021).

Compares the flavor for a pellet grill (Traeger) to a Weber Smokey Mountain and to a Franklin. Several blind taste tests later and the Traeger always came out on bottom. I get that, and it makes sense. But I am wondering, what can we do to improve the smoke. I'm not buying a Franklin, and I'm not interested in tending to a fire all day, so that's out.

I've got a smoke tube, and I know that is helping. I've seen the Smoke Daddy mods, and maybe that's the way to go. Other ideas?

Are there any folks here that have an offset smoker in addition to their Traeger? Do you see similar results as the Mad Scientist? Have you tried anything to make the Traeger smoke better? Is there ANYTHING that can be done to a Traeger to make it match an offset?

 

[Slimpicker]

Is there ANYTHING that can be done to a Traeger to make it match an offset?

Simple NO, you said 'match" so it's impossible to make a wood pellet burner put out at same type, flavor, and even chemical makeup of an offset that is burning charcoal and whole wood chunks. Let alone the fact that you only have natural air flow in an offset and fan convection in a Traeger. Believe it or not, that's a big diff right there.

I've used a double smoke tube with a wood chip mix on a whole chicken and it came out dark brown and smoke flavor the next day on leftovers.

 

[Spanky]

Are there any folks here that have an offset smoker in addition to their Traeger? Do you see similar results as the Mad Scientist? Have you tried anything to make the Traeger smoke better? Is there ANYTHING that can be done to a Traeger to make it match an offset?

SkipMorrow

We have both a offset reverse smoke stick burner and a Traeger Pellet Smoker (long story to below and we are close enough with Pellet Smoker results to keep using it. After about 4 months we still have not fired up the stick burner.

Slimpicker sums it up very well above in a few words.


Our story
We started with an Oklahoma Joe Reverse Offset smoker using a mix of charcoal briquettes (mainly to get coal bed started) then followed by a mix of lump charcoal and seasoned clean oak. Always getting very nice smoke ring and heavy smoke flavor with Beef Briskets was never a problem. We only had one air temperature probe in the lid that came with the smoker and tried to maintain 225 to 250 degree F for entire cook. Who knows how accurate that temp was Using a cheap meat probe to check every hour until wrap temp. After paper wrap we would move brisket to indoor kitchen electric range (250 -275) and finish until 204F internal. The only issues was tending the fire each 45 to 60 minutes. One cook I was to relieve my son at 4 AM. I found the fire out and my son sleeping in the lawn chair. The brisket came out great with only the two of us knowing the story. Now my friends here know as well .

Then we went to a Traeger Costco Silverton 810 using Traeger Gourmet blend of Maple, Hickory and Cherry. (bought two 33 pound bags at time of smoker purchase. Never bought another Traeger pellet since then). We could never achieve acceptable smoke flavor with those pellets. We switched and used Lumber Jack Mesquite and OAK/Hickory (IIRC) and then Smokehouse Brand Oak and Hickory Blend (Sams club 40 pounds 14.97). Both LJ and SH Brands and mixes worked well for Smoke flavor. We stayed with Smokehouse (Its cheaper by a little). Now we get a good ring, heavy smoke, and good bark. Start out at 180 F super smoke for 6 hours then increase to 225 F with super smoke until time to paper wrap. Then 250 or 275 F until internal meat temp is 204. Then rest meat 90 minutes and enjoy. Since the Traeger is easy to tend wee dropped the step of moving brisket to indoor electrical range after paper wrap.

For us changing pellets and cook process got us very close to the offset smoker results with good smoke ring and heavy smoke flavor which we like. The bark is acceptable but not as dark and crusty as the offset. Likely experimenting with how long to use paper wrap could improve that. The offset stick burner is still out back under its cover but we have not used it since having the Silverton 810. Likely when we have a cold day with snow cover we will use the offset again as it provides excellent heat rejection from the fire box for personal warming. We enjoy visiting family and friends while the kids play in the snow plus more importantly I can keep warm with my chair close to the fire box. We have also cooked a few 20 pound whole turkeys that were brined. The turkey smoke flavor has been excellent and better then I ever did with the stick burner with whole turkeys.

The help from this forum including the equipment adds (from the deals section) that now allow constant monitoring of the air cook and meat temperature have helped. Now I watch the cell phone apps from inside.

Experiment and advice from this group should get you close enough to be happy with a pellet smoker.

Best regards

Spanky

 

[rgwusa]

A friend wants to cook 2 briskets and vacuum seal and freeze. Has anyone tried this and wondering if you found vacuum bags big enough and how long does it that to freeze. He claims my Briskets are better than any he has ate and wants to take them on a trip the thaw and reheat whole brisket in oven before slicing.

 

[YYCRed]

SkipMorrow

We have both a offset reverse smoke stick burner and a Traeger Pellet Smoker (long story to below and we are close enough with Pellet Smoker results to keep using it. After about 4 months we still have not fired up the stick burner.

Slimpicker sums it up very well above in a few words.


Our story
We started with an Oklahoma Joe Reverse Offset smoker using a mix of charcoal briquettes (mainly to get coal bed started) then followed by a mix of lump charcoal and seasoned clean oak. Always getting very nice smoke ring and heavy smoke flavor with Beef Briskets was never a problem. We only had one air temperature probe in the lid that came with the smoker and tried to maintain 225 to 250 degree F for entire cook. Who knows how accurate that temp was Using a cheap meat probe to check every hour until wrap temp. After paper wrap we would move brisket to indoor kitchen electric range (250 -275) and finish until 204F internal. The only issues was tending the fire each 45 to 60 minutes. One cook I was to relieve my son at 4 AM. I found the fire out and my son sleeping in the lawn chair. The brisket came out great with only the two of us knowing the story. Now my friends here know as well .

Then we went to a Traeger Costco Silverton 810 using Traeger Gourmet blend of Maple, Hickory and Cherry. (bought two 33 pound bags at time of smoker purchase. Never bought another Traeger pellet since then). We could never achieve acceptable smoke flavor with those pellets. We switched and used Lumber Jack Mesquite and OAK/Hickory (IIRC) and then Smokehouse Brand Oak and Hickory Blend (Sams club 40 pounds 14.97). Both LJ and SH Brands and mixes worked well for Smoke flavor. We stayed with Smokehouse (Its cheaper by a little). Now we get a good ring, heavy smoke, and good bark. Start out at 180 F super smoke for 6 hours then increase to 225 F with super smoke until time to paper wrap. Then 250 or 275 F until internal meat temp is 204. Then rest meat 90 minutes and enjoy. Since the Traeger is easy to tend wee dropped the step of moving brisket to indoor electrical range after paper wrap.

For us changing pellets and cook process got us very close to the offset smoker results with good smoke ring and heavy smoke flavor which we like. The bark is acceptable but not as dark and crusty as the offset. Likely experimenting with how long to use paper wrap could improve that. The offset stick burner is still out back under its cover but we have not used it since having the Silverton 810. Likely when we have a cold day with snow cover we will use the offset again as it provides excellent heat rejection from the fire box for personal warming. We enjoy visiting family and friends while the kids play in the snow plus more importantly I can keep warm with my chair close to the fire box. We have also cooked a few 20 pound whole turkeys that were brined. The turkey smoke flavor has been excellent and better then I ever did with the stick burner with whole turkeys.

The help from this forum including the equipment adds (from the deals section) that now allow constant monitoring of the air cook and meat temperature have helped. Now I watch the cell phone apps from inside.

Experiment and advice from this group should get you close enough to be happy with a pellet smoker.

Best regards

Spanky

That's a great reply, Spanky. Well said.

 

[overnightbbqryan]

A friend wants to cook 2 briskets and vacuum seal and freeze. Has anyone tried this and wondering if you found vacuum bags big enough and how long does it that to freeze. He claims my Briskets are better than any he has ate and wants to take them on a trip the thaw and reheat whole brisket in oven before slicing.

You should create your own thread to ask this....

Also, yes you can get larger vacuum seal bags. I just got some on Amazon two weeks ago. I think they're 15" wide. You have to cut them at the corners and get creative in order to seal a 15" wide bag with a FoodSaver 11" wide vacuum sealer lol. I picked up a large 3-bone beef rib rack and then plans changed and I couldn't smoke them as planned and needed to freeze.

Trust me, I tried using the wife's hair straightener and several FoodSaver bags and tried to McGuyver them together and couldn't get rid of the leaks. Just buy bigger bags. They're also thicker.

There are what I bought two weeks ago... says they're unavailable now but should give you a good idea https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CXJP9ZF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[RustyJake]

These pleated bags may be of use for a whole brisket

FoodSaver 11" Expandable Heat Seal Rolls, 2pk : Amazon.ca: Home

FoodSaver 11" Expandable Heat Seal Rolls, 2pk : Amazon.ca: Home

www.amazon.ca

 

[rgwusa]

You should create your own thread to ask this....

Also, yes you can get larger vacuum seal bags. I just got some on Amazon two weeks ago. I think they're 15" wide. You have to cut them at the corners and get creative in order to seal a 15" wide bag with a FoodSaver 11" wide vacuum sealer lol. I picked up a large 3-bone beef rib rack and then plans changed and I couldn't smoke them as planned and needed to freeze.

Trust me, I tried using the wife's hair straightener and several FoodSaver bags and tried to McGuyver them together and couldn't get rid of the leaks. Just buy bigger bags. They're also thicker.

There are what I bought two weeks ago... says they're unavailable now but should give you a good idea https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CXJP9ZF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Thanks is my first post and I should have added a new thread. Just looking into it. Thanks for Amazon link.

 

[Slimpicker]

A friend wants to cook 2 briskets and vacuum seal and freeze. Has anyone tried this and wondering if you found vacuum bags big enough and how long does it that to freeze. He claims my Briskets are better than any he has ate and wants to take them on a trip the thaw and reheat whole brisket in oven before slicing.

better way is to cool in the frig, next day slice cold, vacuum pack 15-20 slices at a time, freeze them, then since the meat has already been cooked to 200°+, all it takes to reheat is take boiling water off stove and drop in packets. The End

 

[GrillMeister]

A friend wants to cook 2 briskets and vacuum seal and freeze. Has anyone tried this and wondering if you found vacuum bags big enough and how long does it that to freeze. He claims my Briskets are better than any he has ate and wants to take them on a trip the thaw and reheat whole brisket in oven before slicing.

I have vacuum packed briskets for years, but I tend to cut them down to meal size rather than try to do a whole brisket.

Reheat via sous vide and you will have BBQ day any day of the year.