Pellet grill (Traeger) = less smoke flavor?

[NU2SMOKE]

Not really. Smoke ring and smoke flavor do not go hand in hand. There are different compounds responsible for each. You can create a huge smoke ring with virtually no smoke flavor, and have a ton of smoke flavor with no smoke ring. I'm not saying you're not getting good smoke flavor, but smoke ring does not offer any proof of that.

If that is true then I shall stand corrected. I was not aware of that information but would sure like to learn more about my hobby. Please tell me more or direct me to where I can learn.

 

[bregent]

If that is true then I shall stand corrected. I was not aware of that information but would sure like to learn more about my hobby. Please tell me more or direct me to where I can learn.

Here's one article: https://amazingribs.com/more-techni...nce/mythbusting-smoke-ring-no-smoke-necessary

A bit more in depth from the same author: https://www.genuineideas.com/Assets/imageassets/NBBQA Talk- 2015- Greg Blonder.pdf


But I've seen it discussed on lots of websites, forums, etc.

 

[SlowmotionQue]

That site has a wealth of information on it about all matters related to smoking and grilling.

Over the years it’s been up, I’ve used it as reference and I’ve learned a lot from it.

NU2SMOKE you won’t go wrong studying the articles on that site.

It will clear up a lot of things about this hobby.

 

[NU2SMOKE]

That site has a wealth of information on it about all matters related to smoking and grilling.

Over the years it’s been up, I’ve used it as reference and I’ve learned a lot from it.

NU2SMOKE you won’t go wrong studying the articles on that site.

It will clear up a lot of things about this hobby.

I will be reading thru it intently....I never want to post any misinformation and if I have then I apologize. Thats how bad rumors start and I only want to help the hobby, not to cause problems from misinformation.
Thank you bregent for the links and helping me to learn even more!

 

[archer75]

I find that if i want more smoke flavor on a cook, I run at 180 (LO) for a few hours and then turn up the heat to get the cook done. I can get a good smoke level with this process. on a hot day LO pumps out the smoke. I also adjusted the min auger rate to the lowest setting. that will need to be dialed back up come winter.

That's how you do it. I've been using a traeger for years and have no problem getting a smoke flavor. I do wish it had more smoke flavor but not quite as much as a stick burner.
I do also have the tube but it doesn't help. And the smoke from it doesn't smell good.

 

[archer75]

I am going to chime in and say that I must be very blessed with my Rec Tec Bull! Not only does it give me great sweet tasting smoke but the proof in is the ring. This is a brand new pit to me...I have had it 2 weeks and do not use any additional smoke producing devices. Here a couple of pics from ribs to beef. I even did smoked mac and cheese and you could absolutely taste the smoke in it!View attachment 400946 View attachment 400947

A rectec is a traeger. They copied the traeger design and put the hopper on the back. But it's essentially the same thing.

 

[sweetride95]

A rectec is a traeger. They copied the traeger design and put the hopper on the back. But it's essentially the same thing.

Now ya went and did it........

 

[archer75]

Now ya went and did it........

Lol. Yeah, I know. But that's what they started with. You can still see the traeger barrels in their design today.

 

[sandyut]

A rectec is a traeger. They copied the traeger design and put the hopper on the back. But it's essentially the same thing.

Well big NO on that... Tragers dont even come close. thats like say a mazzarati and VW are the same because they both have 4 wheels, just different paint. Rec Tec is far superior to a trager in every way.

Not all pellet smoker are the same.

 

[archer75]

Well big NO on that... Tragers dont even come close. thats like say a mazzarati and VW are the same because they both have 4 wheels, just different paint. Rec Tec is far superior to a trager in every way.

Not all pellet smoker are the same.

How's it superior? Their first model was a direct copy. You can't look at it and say it's not. They probably got the barrel form the same manufacturer. Same materials and all. Just with the hopper on the back. They've made some tweaks since then with materials but the shape and dimensions are the same. It's going to cook exactly the same as a traeger.

In this case they just put different wheels on a VW, and more chrome. Still looks very similar, more bling, but performs the same. There's no denying they copied the design. Not knocking it, that's just what it is.

 

[sandyut]

looks similar does not equate to cooks exactly the same.

 

[banderson7474]

To me it seems the rec tec bull is the cadillac of pellet smokers and that's just by reading comments on here and my friend has one. I find it hard to believe it is the same as a Traeger especially since I've heard that the traeger owner Joe went to pit boss and the traeger's have gone down in quality since

 

[archer75]

To me it seems the rec tec bull is the cadillac of pellet smokers and that's just by reading comments on here and my friend has one. I find it hard to believe it is the same as a Traeger especially since I've heard that the traeger owner Joe went to pit boss and the traeger's have gone down in quality since

Cadillac? oh no not at all. Midrange at best. The cadillac I would say is a Mak. Yoder is certainly up there. Memphis grills.

If anything Traegers quality has gone up with the ironwood and timberline. The timberline especially puts them at a level they haven't been at.
Though for years there they were stagnating and quality was slipping.

But look at the pictures, inside and out. Same design. Same barrel, same firepot in the same place burning the same pellets. It cooks the same. I do appreciate that they're using stainless in some places now. That's good.

 

[SlowmotionQue]

A rectec is a traeger. They copied the traeger design and put the hopper on the back. But it's essentially the same thing.

Yep. I understand your argument. I own a Rec Tec.

Just about everyone copied the Traeger.

A pellet grill only has a few essential parts. A cooking chamber, hopper, fan, igniter, burn pot, auger motor and auger and a means of measuring temperature.

It’s arguably the improvements on quality, build materials and reliability on those and other parts which make the difference over the various offerings of pellet grills out there.

But yeah, it seems that pretty much everyone making pellet grills copied the Traeger design to some extent.

As far as “cooks the same”, well that’s arguable.

Heat distribution and how even it is or isn’t, cooking surfaces ie grate materials and air flow are three things I can immediately think of which might, and likely, will make a difference in food produced on one cooker vs another.

But that would be true even if you’re talking a UDS or a cinder block pit.

 

[archer75]

Yep.

Just about everyone copied the Traeger.

A pellet grill only has a few essential parts. A cooking chamber, hopper, fan, igniter, burn pot, auger motor and auger and a means of measuring temperature.

It’s arguably the improvements on quality and reliability on those and other parts which make the difference over the various offerings of pellet grills out there.

But yeah, it seems that pretty much everyone making pellet grills copied the Traeger design to some extent.

Of course. They all have the same basic components. But all but rectec created their own designs. Whereas rectec literally took the traeger barrel and put the hopper on the back. Kept the same chimney and cover on it. Same firepot. Same controller on their first model. Same grates, drip pan, diffuser. In their case it was a blatant ripoff. All they are is a blinged out traeger. These two, cook the same as a result.
Everyone else is at least doing something different and often times better.

 

[banderson7474]

I could be wrong but i'm told that the warranty on the rec is better than the yoder

but at those costs, you are bound to get a nice machine

 

[SlowmotionQue]

Cadillac? oh no not at all. Midrange at best. The cadillac I would say is a Mak. Yoder is certainly up there. Memphis grills.

If anything Traegers quality has gone up with the ironwood and timberline. The timberline especially puts them at a level they haven't been at.
Though for years there they were stagnating and quality was slipping.

But look at the pictures, inside and out. Same design. Same barrel, same firepot in the same place burning the same pellets. It cooks the same. I do appreciate that they're using stainless in some places now. That's good.

Cookshack Fast Eddy is up there too.

But when you start talkin pellet grills like MAK and some Yoders, Fast Eddy, you’re up and over 2 grand with minimal accessories.

Rec Tec seems to be targeting the mid price range.

It’s tough to beat them at the price point that they seem to tend to focus on.

IMO, they dominate the pool they swim in.

 

[SlowmotionQue]

I could be wrong but i'm told that the warranty on the rec is better than the yoder

but at those costs, you are bound to get a nice machine

Bull has the 6yr warranty.

I don’t believe that anyone else tops that.

 

[archer75]

Cookshack Fast Eddy is up there too.

But when you start talkin pellet grills like MAK and some Yoders, Fast Eddy, you’re up and over 2 grand with minimal accessories.

There are maks, yoders and fast eddies starting $1600/$1800+. But yeah, they are certainly pricey. And you're right about the accessories.
I'm in the market for an upgrade myself.

 

[SlowmotionQue]

There are maks, yoders and fast eddies starting $1600/$1800+. But yeah, they are certainly pricey. And you're right about the accessories.
I'm in the market for an upgrade myself.

The cheapest "latest" or "this year's" MAK I've seen out there, the MAK 1 Star General, is $1,800.00. Just the grill.

The cover is another $100.00. The "Flamezone" for searing steaks, if you want it, is another $400.00.

That would bring you to $2300.00. Free shipping.

The bottom storage shelf, which is underneath the cooking chamber and sits between the grill's wheels, is another $150.00

That gets you to $2,450.00 for their bottom of the line grill with just those accessories.

But even if you skip the flame zone, you have $1800.00 for the grill, $150.00 for the bottom "storage" shelf which fits beneath the grill and the grill's wheels, and $100.00 for the cover. That would top you out at $2,050.00 shipped.

I've seen them knock $100.00 off during the 4th of July or was it Memorial Day sale.

The Yoder YS480s, their smallest pellet grill, comes in at $1,579.00 plus shipping. It weighs in at 277lbs. Shipping won't be cheap. The other option is to find a dealer, drive to them and pick it up.

The cover is $113.00. Door thermometer is $59.95. Dual door thermometers are $119.90 if you want them.

Perhaps the most popular Yoder out there, the YS640, now the YS640s, starts at $1,799.00. The cover retails for $113.00. Door thermometers, if you want them, refer to above. And then there's shipping.

The Fast Eddy Cookshack PG500 retails for $1,815.00. The cover retails for $142.29.


The Rec Tec Bull retails for $1,199.00. The cover is $84.98.

Not that the other grills, the MAK, the Yoder and the Fast Eddy, aren't great, but with the exception of the baby Yoder, the YS 480, all of them are going to run you into that 2 grand range.

If one wants to spend that kind of money on a pellet grill, well, that's certainly one's prerogative. And they would definitely be getting a quality product.

But if you don't want to drop the better part of 2 grand or so on a pellet grill and cover, the Rec Tec, IMO, is a very good option.

I thought about buying a MAK 1 Star when I bought my Stampede. I paid $899.00 shipped for my Stampede. I'm sure that the MAK is great. But is worth $1,151.00 more than my Stampede? I decided that for ME, it wasn't. It may well be to someone else. But grilling real estate, hopper size, etc., for me, I didn't think that I was going to get food off of it which tasted $1151.00 better than food that I would get off the Stampede.

I bought the Stampede. And liked it so much, that a few months later, I bought another one and gave it away as a house warming gift. And was still only down $1800.00 for those TWO Stampedes, vs the $2,050.00 I would have been down for just ONE MAK 1 Star.

Good luck to you archer75. Happy grilling and smoking whatever you decide on.