If you’re reading this, you likely own a Traeger. If not, you might be thinking about buying one. In either case, you may have been drawn toward Traeger grills because of their ability to grill and smoke simultaneously.
But, not every single dish you want to cook needs to be smoked. Sometimes you just want the sear and the char, without the strong, smoky flavor. So, can you grill on a Traeger without smoke?
As a Traeger owner, here’s what I can tell you!
You can grill or cook on a Traeger with less smoke, but not completely without smoke. Indeed, Traeger grills are a type of pellet grill, also known as pellet smokers. As such, they burn wood pellets. As those pellets burn, they’ll produce heat and inevitably: smoke. However, it is possible to reduce the volume of smoke produced by increasing the temperature of your grill. The hotter your grill burns, the less smoke it will produce. However, if cooking your dish at high temperatures isn’t an option, you need to be prepared for your Traeger grill to smoke profusely – and the smokey flavors that come with it.
If your grill is smoking excessively (i.e., more than normal), your grill may have a problem. I’ve written an article to help you troubleshoot the issue. Check it out here.