BIG SMOKE

Absolutely tests out the ultimate home grill

By ABBIE SCHOFIELD

Ever wondered how many beers it takes to set up a grill? Quite a few, according to Traeger’s manual, which tells you how many to drink during set-up of its legendary wood pellet grill. While two people are needed, the assembly process is pretty easy, setting the precedent for the whole Traeger experience - it’s not only a seriously good grill but it’s ridiculously convenient.

One outstanding feature is that it connects to wifi, so you can place your meat on the grill, set the desired internal temperature and your phone will alert you when your meat is ready. There’s no constantly checking the grill with the dreaded feeling that you’re burning everything to a crisp.

The wood pellets give everything a delicious smoky flavour, although despite being wood-fired, not much smoke comes out of the chimney thanks to the internal fan that circulates the heat and controls the temperature.

The grill connects to the wifi, so your phone will alert you when the meat is ready

I cook baby back ribs with a homemade rub and short ribs with the Traeger coffee rub. Both take six to seven hours to slowly perfect, with outstanding results on par with leading barbecue restaurants. The Traeger rub gives the meat a rich flavour and some heat thanks to a mix of garlic, paprika, black pepper, coffee and cocoa.

Cleaning the grill couldn’t be easier. As it’s a wood pellet oven, there’s no mess - a simple tray or heavy duty tin foil needs to be replaced over the heat protector between uses. Having been a Weber fan for years, I’m now a converted smoker. Traeger has changed my grilling game for good.