thanks for the help

Congrats on ordering your FEC, you're really gonna like that smoker!

I have one question i have seen on alot of post people say they set it on smoke for x number of hours then turned the temp up. I have read the online manual and i dont know exactly what that means what is setting it on smoke mean? I know this maybe a dumb question but hey this is the place to ask it you guys have been great.

DMassey

I am not familiar with the FEC units. But in general I believe they may be talking about smoke penetration. It is believed that meat will no longer take on smoke flavor once it gets above 140 degrees. So for more smoke flavor some will smoke at a lower temp. for a time then crank it up to continue the cooking process. As said, I don't know the pellet smokers, but I know my pellet stove burns pretty clean (smoke free) when getting lots of air and burning hot. I would presume that the on off cycles of lower temps would produce more smoke for you. Hope this helps till the FEC guys chime in. Congrats on the purchase.

Jack

DMassey

Set the cook time at X (180) then the hold at Y (250)

This allows smoke to penetrate for a time then finish at the higher temp

Hope this helps


Skip

The idea is that with pellet smokers, the lower the temp, the more smoke you will get. When I am cooking butts or briskets, I will start down in the 150-160 range for a certain period of time and then increse the temp up to the range of 225-240. But use whatever temps you like. I think you understand the concept.

Keep in mind, as Smokin always tells us, that once the meat gets up to a temp of 140, it will stop absorbing any more smoke. Applying more smoke after this point will just build up creosote on the outside of the meat and make it taste nasty.

Hope this helps.

Before they went to a digital controller I believe the older units had a setting called "smoke". As described by the other responses all that really means is a lower temp setting. I usually cook my briskets at 160-170 for 6-7 hours to start out which helps produce more smoke flavor.

I believe DMassey, based on price you have the Traeger, not the IQ controller.

It has dial settings, smoke/180/245/275...

The concept has been explained about why, you'll have to determine if you even need to. MANY owners never even mess with it, it's really up to you and your taste buds to determine.

get it (and congrats by the way) and go with a straight cook, 245 setting and see how it goes.

thanks for the info. As for it being a IQ4 controler Dave at The Charcoal Store said that they didnt have one instock and it would arive from Cookshack next week then they would send it out to me after that. Said it would actually have a Mar production date. When i asked why they were selling at the old price he said they simple hadnt marked it up that much.