Traeger shopping in the future - some questions

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MaytagMan

Assistant Cook
Joined
Dec 7, 2010
Messages
7
Location
Salida, CA
So, I am new here and am hoping that a few questions are okay...

I have done a little bit of reading, and want to get some input from a few experts... I am looking at picking up a Traeger in the next couple of weeks. (The best part is that my wife is behind the idea 100%!)

I was looking at both the BBQ07E and the BBQ075. About $200 difference between the two, and I want to figure out which I would need. It is hard to calculate actual food capacity with only square inch figures to look at, so I guess the first question is how much would actually comfortably fit on the 418 sq in of the 07E versus the 646 sq in of the 075? (How much Brisket, racks of spares, chicken, butts, etc?)

My second question is that I had read that they went from a 180* controller to a 250* controller - are the current models back to shipping with the 180* controller, or am I going to have to purchase the 180* unit and swap them out?

I am making a list of "other stuff" I need to pick up at the same time so that I will be good to go - aside from the following list, what else should I pick up (and do you have any specific recommendations for the items I've listed?)

- Pellets

- Thermometer
- Gloves

- Cooler (one for me to use for BBQ only)

- Injector of some kind (should I?)

- Cover for Traeger

Anything else?

Thanks for getting this newb up and running!
 
Well you indeed a fortunate fella to get treated so well by Santa. I got an old chum that sells them gizmos at his and his Daddys feed store. Give him a call. Goggle up Foreman's General Store in Colleyville, TX
call and axe for Scott. He can tell you whuts whut on them thangs. He is off on Thursday and Sunday. They have all kinds of kewlish stuff plust a home brew dept. and they do ship. Tell em I sent ya and you get something special.

bigwheel
 
PM Diva Q with questions about those cookers. She can tell you what you need to know.

On a side note, I sell appliances at Lowe's.

Welcome to the forum.
 
I had the same choice to make, and went with the 75, the smaller one while okay if your are cooking for 2, the bigger one (75) gives you so much more flexibility, I don't know of anyone who wanted a smaller smoker!!
In mine it came with the basic smoke, low, high, setting thermostat. I replaced it with a temp controled on, with settings like 225, 250 etc if you can swing it, it is the way to go. BTW it is just plug and play, that it I swapped out the old and put in the new myself, not hard at all. NOw a days just take a pic of everything before you do anything so you know how to put it back!! It was basically green snapped into green , yellow into yellow etc. anything else, pleas let me know. I love mine, set it and forget it, it will cook all night w/ 1 hopper of pellets, just be sure to fill to the brim!!!
 
Funny the pellet pooper thread come back to life. I was at the big chili meeting Weds night and bumped into an old chum who claims to be making a good living cooking whole hawgs on his Traeger. Think it for yup partys etc. He say the biggest he has done is 35 lbs but wants to try some bigger ones. He say you just lay it on the grates gutted side down and come back later.

bigwheel
 
Thanks all! Ended up going with the 075, and am very happy with it! It is a little cold out now, so I am having fun trying to figure things out, but I have done a couple of tri tips so far with excellent results!

Now I am just reading and trying to establish a procedure for my ribs, pork, and brisket so I can try them next!
 
MaytagMan said:
Thanks all! Ended up going with the 075, and am very happy with it! It is a little cold out now, so I am having fun trying to figure things out, but I have done a couple of tri tips so far with excellent results!

Now I am just reading and trying to establish a procedure for my ribs, pork, and brisket so I can try them next!

the biggest thing I found on the Traeger is this, on long cooks, make sure you push the pellets down in the hooper. Somethimes the they would slide down the sides of the vat, and although you have pellets in there, there won't be any being picked up by the auger!! toough to explain, but you will see what I mean, if you don't check and push them down.
 

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