Help! Traeger turns meat black

[kg17]

Hey everyone,

I’m having issues with my traeger turning meat black… I notice it with chicken and salmon. Which ever side I have down on the grate looks normal when I flip it but the side that is up is black. Once the meat is up for a while after being flipped, that side turns black too. I scraped and cleaned the crap out of it today hoping that would fix the problem but no luck… I’m still new to the traeger world and have no idea what to do to fix this problem. Any help would be much appreciated!

 

[Timmy]

What grill do you have?

 

[kg17]

What grill do you have?

I’m honestly not sure, I bought it used off of Craigslist. There was no label in the hopper when I got it. This is what it looks like.

 

[Timmy]

It looks like a Texas Elite (BBQ075). Block soot usually means it burning something like grease. Check it real good and make sure there is no grease hiding in the barrel. What pellets are you using?

 

[JamesB]

Is it actually soot or just burned and crusty?

 

[JamesB]

I must not be seeing what you are talking about that piece of meat looks browned to me

 

[Timmy]

I must not be seeing what you are talking about that piece of meat looks browned to me

The one on the lower left has black stuff on it.

 

[Slimpicker]

looks SIC to me

 

[JamesB]

Ya, I see it now.. you’re right, looks like soot. Pellets or grease…my bet is pellets

 

[kg17]

It looks like a Texas Elite (BBQ075). Block soot usually means it burning something like grease. Check it real good and make sure there is no grease hiding in the barrel. What pellets are you using?

Ok I’ll take it apart tomorrow and see if there is grease somewhere. I’m using smokehouse pellets from sams club. Since I got the traeger I have replaced the hot rod and upgraded the controller. I doubt either of those would have an impact but just thought I’d rather it out there.

 

[Timmy]

Ok I’ll take it apart tomorrow and see if there is grease somewhere. I’m using smokehouse pellets from sams club. Since I got the traeger I have replaced the hot rod and upgraded the controller. I doubt either of those would have an impact but just thought I’d rather it out there.

Do a quick check and make sure the fan is running also, lack of ventilation can cause black creosote soot on food. I did a quick google search and found this out.

 

[kg17]

Ok so I did use the traeger earlier when I first posted. Since then I had done the shut down cycle and everything was off and cooling off. I went out and fired it back up on the smoke setting to check the fan, but this time smoke was pouring out of the hopper. But the fan was running so that’s one positive!

 

[Timmy]

Check the square tube that the auger tube and the fire pot are in. Make sure it is clear from the fan to the fire pot. My fire pot got plugged and smoke came out of the hopper. This isn’t supposed to happen.

 

[JamesB]

Might also make sure that all the holes in the fire pot are clear..

 

[Timmy]

Might also make sure that all the holes in the fire pot are clear..

Yes that too.