RayClem
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 4, 2022
- Messages
- 1,390
- Media
- 36
- Reaction score
- 1,253
- Location
- Chicago suburbs
- Grill
- Ironwood 885, Char-Griller Flat Iron Premium griddle, InkBird Sous Vide
Remember that the Traeger instructions are designed for worst case scenarios to protect their own interests. That is why they place a hand guard in the pellet hopper. They do not want to get a lawsuit if someone gets a hand caught in the auger, although that is unlikely. It is also why they say never to leave pellets in the hopper for more than a week. That might make sense if you live in the Florida Keys surrounded by water on all sides.
Since you live in Seattle, you might want to be careful during the rainy season, which is October through March. The other six months should be fine.
We are having a heat wave in the Chicago area with temperatures expected to reach 79F this afternoon. Thus, I am planning to fire up the Ironwood and cook some chicken breasts and a meat loaf for the freezer to eat this winter. Before it gets cold, I need to make some chili con carne with beans and a mess of baked beans, both of which are great cooked on the Traeger. I am hoping to do the Thanksgiving turkey on the Traeger like I did last year; it was both attractive and flavorful. After Thanksgiving, the leftover turkey will be used for Turkey Brunswick Stew which I will cook on the Traeger to add more smoky flavor than the turkey itself will provide. Then for Christmas, I hope to cook a hickory smoked Smithfield ham on the Traeger to add a second layer of smoky goodness. Although January is normally very cold and snowy in Chicagoland, last year we had a couple of warmer days and I fired up the Traeger to cook steaks and pork chops. If you watch the weather, you should be able to use the Traeger often enough during the colder months to keep the pellets from getting damp. Folks in Canada use their Traegers even when temperatures are below freezing.
