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TRAEGER · USDA TARGETS

Traeger recipes by the numbers.

Traeger pellet grills run 165°F to 500°F. Most smoking happens at 225 to 275°F. Below are step-by-step methods for the cooks pitmasters do most often. Exact temps, times, and wood pairings.

Six cooks

The recipes that matter.

01

Traeger Brisket

Smoker225°FPull at203°FTime1 to 1.5 hr/lbWoodOak or hickory
  1. 01Trim fat cap to a quarter inch. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder the night before.
  2. 02Set Traeger to 225°F. Place brisket fat-side up. Smoke until internal temp hits 160 to 165°F (about 6 to 8 hr for a 12 lb packer).
  3. 03Wrap tightly in butcher paper. Return to smoker. Continue until internal reaches 203°F and probe slides in with no resistance.
  4. 04Rest wrapped in a cooler for at least 1 hour before slicing against the grain.
02

Traeger Pulled Pork

Smoker225°FPull at203°FTime1.5 hr/lbWoodApple or hickory
  1. 01Apply your rub to the pork shoulder the night before. Let it sit uncovered in the fridge.
  2. 02Set Traeger to 225°F. Place shoulder bone-side down. Smoke until 160°F internal (about 6 to 8 hr).
  3. 03Wrap in foil with a splash of apple juice. Return to smoker until 203°F and probe-tender.
  4. 04Rest 1 hour minimum. Pull with forks or bear claws. The bone should slide out clean.
03

Traeger Chicken Thighs

Smoker275°FPull at175°FTime1.5 to 2 hrWoodApple or cherry
  1. 01Pat thighs dry. Season under and over the skin. Let sit 30 min at room temp before cooking.
  2. 02Set Traeger to 275°F. Smoke skin-side up until internal hits 165°F (about 1 hr).
  3. 03Crank Traeger to 400°F for 10 to 15 min to crisp the skin. Pull at 175°F.
  4. 04Let rest 5 min before serving. Sauce on the side or glaze in the last 5 min.
04

Traeger Salmon

Smoker180°FPull at145°FTime1 to 2 hrWoodAlder or apple
  1. 01Dry brine salmon with brown sugar and salt for 1 to 2 hours in the fridge. Rinse, pat dry.
  2. 02Set Traeger to 180°F. Place salmon skin-side down on the grate.
  3. 03Smoke until internal hits 130°F. This is a mid-cook glaze point, not a done temperature, and it is below the USDA minimum. Brush on a mix of honey, soy sauce and garlic.
  4. 04Continue until 145°F internal. Salmon should flake easily. Rest 5 min before serving.
05

Traeger Spare Ribs (3-2-1)

Smoker225°FPull at195 to 203°FTime6 hrWoodHickory or cherry
  1. 01Remove the membrane from the back. Season with your rub. Let sit 30 min.
  2. 023 hr: smoke at 225°F, bone-side down, no peeking.
  3. 032 hr: wrap in foil with brown sugar, butter, and a splash of apple juice. Return to smoker.
  4. 041 hr: unwrap, sauce if desired, return to smoker to set the glaze. Done when bend test shows a slight crack.
06

Traeger Baby Back Ribs (2-2-1)

Smoker225°FPull at195 to 203°FTime5 hrWoodApple or pecan
  1. 01Remove membrane. Apply rub generously on both sides.
  2. 022 hr: smoke at 225°F unwrapped.
  3. 032 hr: wrap tightly in foil with butter and brown sugar.
  4. 041 hr: unwrap, sauce, return to smoker. Pull when ribs bend and meat pulls back from the bone.
Traeger tips

Better cooks. Less guessing.

  • 01

    Set the right temp from the start

    Most Traeger grills take 10 to 15 minutes to reach temp. Close the lid during preheat and do not open it for the first hour of the cook.

  • 02

    Use the Super Smoke setting

    On WiFIRE models, Super Smoke runs the fan in a pattern that produces more smoke at lower temps (165 to 225°F). Use it for the first 2 to 3 hours of a long cook for maximum smoke ring.

  • 03

    Do not open the lid constantly

    Every time you open the lid, temp drops 25 to 50°F and recovery takes 10 to 15 minutes. Trust the process. Only open to wrap or to probe.

  • 04

    Pellet choice matters

    Traeger sells blended pellets. For beef, use their Signature Blend or pure hickory. For poultry and pork, apple or cherry produces a cleaner, milder smoke.

Also useful

Full smoking times chartPit Boss recipesPellet smoker recipesAll smoker recipes
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