Pro 780 No smoke

[Sloppysalmon219]

I purchased a new Pro 780 and I’m very disappointed. No smoke “EVER”!!! The only time any smoke has came out of this grill was during the seasoning. I’ve tried every setting from 160 to 250 and not one puff of smoke. I set out on the patio yesterday for 8 hours doing a smoked rib recipe on the Traeger app. Nothing! Even the app says use the super smoke or smoke setting. Ha! The 780 doesn’t have these settings. I feel like I threw a $1000 dollars in the trash. Funny thing is that the cheaper models around $700 have a smoke setting and the more expensive $1500 to $2000 Models have super smoke but if you spend $1000, nope, you’re out of luck.

Bro I came from a stick burner, charcoal burner infact still own them. I went with pro 575 and it's a different animal. Can't compare Apple and oranges. It's just a different type of cooking style. My neighbor had the iron wood and we both did brisket and he did the super smoke. Same pellets, same day and time and same seasonings. And my pro 575 with a smoke tube had more smoke flavor.

If your looking for stick or charcoal type flavor pellets are not for u. Sorry bud

 

[Murphy's Law]

Bro I came from a stick burner, charcoal burner infact still own them. I went with pro 575 and it's a different animal. Can't compare Apple and oranges. It's just a different type of cooking style. My neighbor had the iron wood and we both did brisket and he did the super smoke. Same pellets, same day and time and same seasonings. And my pro 575 with a smoke tube had more smoke flavor.

If your looking for stick or charcoal type flavor pellets are not for u. Sorry bud

I’d like to see you two go head-to-head w/o the smoke tube to see what difference, if any, super smoke offers over the non-super smoke models.

 

[JayHog]

I purchased a new Pro 780 and I’m very disappointed. No smoke “EVER”!!! The only time any smoke has came out of this grill was during the seasoning. I’ve tried every setting from 160 to 250 and not one puff of smoke. I set out on the patio yesterday for 8 hours doing a smoked rib recipe on the Traeger app. Nothing! Even the app says use the super smoke or smoke setting. Ha! The 780 doesn’t have these settings. I feel like I threw a $1000 dollars in the trash. Funny thing is that the cheaper models around $700 have a smoke setting and the more expensive $1500 to $2000 Models have super smoke but if you spend $1000, nope, you’re out of luck.

I get your disappointment. I felt the same way. However.....You CAN get the smoke you want by using a smoke tube and filling it with WOOD CHIPS, and a very few pellets. Pellets just generate the same sawdust burning smell on the food. Some people like that, but if you want more of a traditional smoky flavor, use wood chips.

Search this forum for Smoke Tube or Wood Chips.

I use 2 smoke tubes to achieve the same smoke as my WSM smoker using wood chunks. It's actually better. : )

Don't despair! There is hope. Just takes a couple add ons.

I hope this is helpful. Good luck, bro.

 

[JayHog]

Well maybe your ok with that, but to me and from what I read, others as well, that defeats the point in buying a 1K smoker like the Treager Pro 780. Why hasn't Traeger come up with a super smoker mode for the Pro 780. I think we paid enough for it to work.

Don't worry about Super Smoke... It's a joke... there is no difference between using it or not using it.

 

[JayHog]

I have two nice Webers sitting alongside my Traeger. Had to buy accessories for them, too.

Like I said, it doesn't matter how much you spent or who you spent it on, you're not going to get "smoker" results out of a pellet grill. You'll get pellet convivence from a pellet grill and smoker results from a smoker (i.e. off set).

Different tools for different jobs. Sounds to me like you bought the wrong tool, Harelydude.

This is so true... Everything requires some mods or accessories.

 

[JayHog]

I did every step they did followed recipe exactly. Same pellets, same temps etc. No they did not use a smoke tube. I would think the smoke tubes would maybe make it taste a little harsh and be almost to much smoke. I dunno. Never tried one.

Smoke tubes filled with wood chips add traditional BBQ smoke. It's not harsh at all. It makes the Traeger into a smoker.

 

[Sloppysalmon219]

This is so true... Everything requires some mods or accessories.

Does it blow the ash from the wood alot?

 

[Mimi]

I get your disappointment. I felt the same way. However.....You CAN get the smoke you want by using a smoke tube and filling it with WOOD CHIPS, and a very few pellets. Pellets just generate the same sawdust burning smell on the food. Some people like that, but if you want more of a traditional smoky flavor, use wood chips.

Search this forum for Smoke Tube or Wood Chips.

I use 2 smoke tubes to achieve the same smoke as my WSM smoker using wood chunks. It's actually better. : )

Don't despair! There is hope. Just takes a couple add ons.

I hope this is helpful. Good luck, bro.

Do you use a 6” or 12” tube? What % wood chips/pellets? And do you only burn the tubes a couple hours?

 

[Harleydude]

Now you guys have me wondering if it's my model or something. I have the Pro 780 and I get little to no smoke flavor after smoking a pork putt 6hrs before wrapping.

 

[Mimi]

Now you guys have me wondering if it's my model or something. I have the Pro 780 and I get little to no smoke flavor after smoking a pork putt 6hrs before wrapping.

Same

 

[JayHog]

Do you use a 6” or 12” tube? What % wood chips/pellets? And do you only burn the tubes a couple hours?

I use the A-MAZE-N AMNTS 12" smoke tubes. The ratio is probably 95% wood chips and 5% pellets. I just use the pellets to fill in gaps between wood chips. You really need to pack them in the tube with a rod or some hard packing tool. If they are packed down good, you'll get 3 to 4 hours of blue smoke that is not harsh at all.
After you load the tube, stand it upright (I put mine in a can so it won't fall over) and light it with a torch. Let it burn for 5 minutes or so to make sure the wood is burning well. Then blow out the flame, put it in the smoker and let it smolder for hours under the meat you're smoking. If you don't have an upper rack, it will still work by letting the smoke roll over the meat on the same level. Upper rack is better, as it will create the BBQ bark that is so nice.

These are some ribs I made on the Traeger using this process. I'm selling my Weber smoker because these actually taste better.

I've read that meat will only take smoke for about 3.5 hours. So this is plenty of time to smoke the meat.

Good luck with your smokin'. : )

 

[JayHog]

Does it blow the ash from the wood alot?

Not at all. There is not much ash with the wood chips. What ash there is seems to remain inside the smoke tube. I think the A-MAZE-N AMNTS is well designed and the holes keep the ash inside the tube. Other tubes probably do the same thing. I would imagine they are all similar. People use different types.

 

[Mimi]

I use the A-MAZE-N AMNTS 12" smoke tubes. The ratio is probably 95% wood chips and 5% pellets. I just use the pellets to fill in gaps between wood chips. You really need to pack them in the tube with a rod or some hard packing tool. If they are packed down good, you'll get 3 to 4 hours of blue smoke that is not harsh at all.
After you load the tube, stand it upright (I put mine in a can so it won't fall over) and light it with a torch. Let it burn for 5 minutes or so to make sure the wood is burning well. Then blow out the flame, put it in the smoker and let it smolder for hours under the meat you're smoking. If you don't have an upper rack, it will still work by letting the smoke roll over the meat on the same level. Upper rack is better, as it will create the BBQ bark that is so nice.

These are some ribs I made on the Traeger using this process. I'm selling my Weber smoker because these actually taste better.

I've read that meat will only take smoke for about 3.5 hours. So this is plenty of time to smoke the meat.

Good luck with your smokin'. : )

Is there a particular brand of wood chips that burn cleaner?

 

[JayHog]

I usually get the ones at Walmart. The brand they sell is Western. But dried wood is dried wood and it seems to burn just fine. If you don't like rich smoke flavor like you get at a BBQ place, maybe start with one tube and see how it goes. Actual wood smoldering is what gives BBQ that good smoky flavor. Be sure to get the small chips, not the large chunks. They come in a small bag.

 

[Murphy's Law]

I picked up some at Home Depot a few years ago and use those. Just make sure you get the small chips and not the chunks.