Pellet grills are nice as a result of they mix wood-fired taste with the comfort of a gasoline grill. They’re excellent for low-and-slow smoking that makes meat fall-off-the-bone tender. Traeger, a family title within the grilling area, has launched a number of totally different traces of pellet grills. Among the model’s most iconic fashions, just like the Ironwood and Timberline, are fairly expensive.

This 12 months, nevertheless, we had been intrigued to see Traeger launch the Woodridge Collection, designed to supply the model’s signature, high-quality grilling expertise at extra accessible value factors. Like the opposite Traeger grill sequence, the Woodridge Collection contains three new grill fashions: the Woodridge (base mannequin), Woodridge Professional (mid-tier mannequin) and Woodridge Elite (premium mannequin).

As a grilling fanatic and Kansas Metropolis native, I’m severe about barbecuing and smoking meats. As a product tester, I’ve reviewed quite a few grills and out of doors cooking devices. After I received phrase of the brand new Woodridge Collection, I used to be keen to search out out if the grill would actually supply a superior grilling expertise at an reasonably priced value. Right here’s how my expertise with the Woodridge Professional went.

What’s the Traeger Woodridge Professional?

The Traeger Woodridge Professional is a part of Traeger’s Woodridge lineup. Designed for backyards, decks and patios, it represents a step up from the bottom mannequin Woodridge, which is barely smaller and has fewer options. The grill is constructed from black, powder-coated metal for spectacular sturdiness. Like most different Traeger fashions, it contains two stationary legs and two legs outfitted with massive rolling casters, permitting for straightforward motion as wanted.

The hopper is situated on the correct facet of the grill and may maintain as much as 24 kilos of wooden pellets. The temperature management and ignition display is on the hopper’s entrance. As soon as ignited, it will probably attain 500 levels. With 970 sq. inches of cooking area and two tiers, there’s loads of area for serving up ‘cue to a crowd.

The Woodridge Professional is supplied with WiFIRE know-how and a digital pellet sensor. These capabilities will let you monitor your cooking and monitor your pellet ranges from afar utilizing the Traeger App. The Woodridge Professional additionally features a folding facet shelf for further prep area, a brilliant smoke mode and a number of other different standout options to reinforce your out of doors cooking expertise.

How We Examined the Traeger Woodridge Professional

I arrange and examined the brand new Traeger Woodridge Professional in my yard. Right here’s the way it went.

Meeting and Setup

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The Woodridge Professional was delivered to my residence on a pallet. I requested that the pallet be positioned close to the storage, because it was raining throughout supply. I unloaded the pallet as soon as sunny climate prevailed and we had time to construct the grill. The supply was heavy, so I satisfied a number of relations to assist me open the field and carry the person items to the yard for meeting.

Assembling the grill took about an hour and a half, with two to a few folks engaged on it at a time. Everybody concerned (my companion, brother and I) agreed that meeting was comparatively straightforward. The field contains the instruments crucial for meeting, and the directions had been very clear and simple to comply with. Though a number of items and steps had been concerned, the instruction guide featured detailed footage and written descriptions with massive fonts and symbols.

To check the brand new pellet grill, we first linked to WiFire by way of Bluetooth to pair it with the Traeger App. Subsequent, we seasoned the grill, which is important earlier than cooking. Correctly seasoning your grill ensures it’s primed for cooking and freed from any manufacturing facility residue.

Seasoning the Grill

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To season the grill, we plugged it in, stuffed it with pellets and switched it on. Then, we set it to 350 levels. As soon as the grill received as much as 350 levels, we let it run for quarter-hour. This produced fairly a little bit of smoke and ash, which is regular when first firing up the grill. After quarter-hour, we raised the temperature to 500 levels and let it run for one more 45 minutes to make sure it was correctly seasoned.

The directions word that getting as much as seasoning temperature for the primary time might take as much as an hour, but it surely took us lower than half an hour. After the 45 minutes had been up, we initiated the shutdown cycle, which included a countdown timer indicating that the grill was shutting down and cooling.

Editor’s Notice: You need to familiarize your self with the meeting information and proprietor’s guide earlier than working your Traeger to keep away from any potential risks or hazards which will come up from misuse.

Cooking

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The subsequent day, we used the Woodridge Professional to prepare dinner what pellet grills do finest: ribs and pork shoulder. (Honestly, in case you’re searching for a grill to prepare dinner issues like skinny steaks, smash burgers, and lamb chops, you’ll possible wish to go the gasoline grill route to attain a high-temp sear or go for one of many Traeger fashions with a facet burner, such because the Woodridge Elite.)

We smoked a pork shoulder for about six hours, first at 300 levels for 2 hours, then at 285 levels for the following two hours, and at last elevating it again to 300 levels for the final two hours. We might have left it on for for much longer at a decrease temperature, however time was of the essence since we had been anticipating friends that afternoon.

We spritzed the pork shoulder with apple juice each hour to maintain it moist and wrapped it for the ultimate two hours of cooking to reinforce moisture, taste and tenderness. Our efforts yielded super-juicy pulled pork with a pleasant crimson smoke ring. Though the pork might need been much more tender if cooked extra slowly, it was nonetheless very straightforward to shred and acquired a number of compliments from our friends.

Subsequent, we cooked three racks of ribs for 4 hours, beginning at 285 levels for the primary two hours after which rising to 300 levels for the final two hours. We normally desire the 3-2-1 technique for smoking ribs, however once more, time was restricted, and we needed to see how the brand new pellet grill carried out beneath stress.

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That stated, we nonetheless wrapped the ribs in apple juice for the final two hours of cooking, which helped steam and soften them. After all, we let all of the meat relaxation earlier than serving, and the ribs had been a fan favourite in our home. They had been smoky and tender sufficient to drag from the bone simply, and a knife went via them like heat butter.

Later that night, we used the Woodridge Professional to grill some brats at 350 levels (about as scorching as I’d ever prepare dinner one thing with a pellet grill). The brats received a pleasant char and had been completely juicy.

Traeger App

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Among the best options of the brand new Woodridge Professional is its compatibility with the Traeger App, which is environment friendly, user-friendly and simple to take a look at. The Traeger App allowed my companion to fireplace up the grill remotely from the consolation of his pillow at 6 a.m. In the event you’ve ever rolled away from bed early to go outdoors and hearth up the smoker to make sure the barbecue is prepared for firm on time, you know the way luxurious it’s to finish that step from mattress with out even sliding in your slippers.

The app additionally permits you to management the grill’s temperature, set timers, view the precise and alter the goal temperature of the meat probe, examine pellet ranges, choose modes like Tremendous Smoke and Hold Heat, shut down the grill and extra. You’ll be able to even order extra pellets immediately from the app in case you’re operating low—discuss comfort.

Whereas I discovered the app’s simplified interface stress-free, it could depart extra seasoned execs wanting a bit extra. The app basically brings the controls from the entrance of the grill to the palm of your hand. Whereas handy, it doesn’t embody extra options like the power to pre-set a prepare dinner schedule or set the grill to answer probe readings routinely. The app additionally doesn’t monitor the grill’s temperature historical past or file utilization.

In the event you’re questioning how Traeger’s know-how compares to different pellet grill manufacturers, Wes Wright, Founder and CEO of CookOut Information, says, “Traeger is nearly like Apple or Peloton of the pellet grill area. Their tech is arguably higher than Recteq’s [for instance], each by way of the tech on the grill itself and execution on their cell app.”

Shutdown and Cleanup

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The shutdown course of is essential for holding your Traeger grill working at its finest. Merely press and maintain the ignition/shutdown button to begin the cycle. As famous, a timer will start, and also you’ll hear the fan operating. As soon as the shutdown cycle is full, the grill will enter standby mode till your subsequent use.

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Earlier than every prepare dinner, you must take away any buildup from the drip tray or exchange the drip tray liner. You’ll additionally wish to make sure the EZ-Clear Grease and Ash Keg is empty and has a brand new liner.

After every prepare dinner (and as soon as the shutdown cycle is full), take away any meals left behind on the grates whereas they’re nonetheless heat. Use a grill brush to scrape meals particles and buildup into the EZ-Clear Grease and Ash Keg.

Relying on utilization and every day upkeep, you’ll wish to vacuum ash out of the firepot and scrape creosote from the backsplash and again of the grill lid each month or so. You’ll additionally wish to wipe down the grill cavity and clear out the grease drain chute.

Execs

• Approachable value level
• Simple to assemble
• Easy to function, shut down and clear
• Scrumptious meals outcomes, particularly at decrease temperatures and longer prepare dinner occasions

Cons

• Not perfect for searing and high-temp cooking
• App may very well be extra superior

Product Comparability: Traeger Woodridge vs. Ironwood vs. Professional 34

Traeger’s Ironwood, Woodridge and Professional 34 sequence are its three most reasonably priced choices, with the Ironwood line being the priciest of the bunch and the Professional 34 the least costly. The Traeger Ironwood and Woodridge Professional share a lot of the identical know-how, together with WiFIRE connectivity and app compatibility, Tremendous Smoke modes and built-in pellet sensors. The Woodridge grills run a bit bigger than the Ironwood grills, however the Ironwood line options an intuitive touchscreen show and contains two wired meat probes, whereas the Woodridge grills include just one.

The Traeger Professional 34 is priced decrease than the opposite two grills; nevertheless, it lacks WiFIRE connectivity and isn’t appropriate with the Traeger App. Moreover, the Professional 34 is lacking options like Tremendous Smoke mode, built-in prep area and the EZ-Clear Grease and Ash Keg. It additionally isn’t appropriate with the PAL Rail or ModiFIRE equipment that may take your Traeger grilling expertise to the following degree.

All three grill sequence present a flexible temperature vary, a handy hopper clean-out and two tiers of grates.

Last Verdict

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To date, my companion and I are massive followers of the Traeger Woodridge Professional. It’s straightforward to assemble, use and clear, and it delivers even, constant outcomes. I admire that the controls and app are streamlined for hassle-free grilling. Whereas some professional grillers may need extra options from the Traeger App, I discovered its easy interface manageable and simple to make use of from the primary prepare dinner. I additionally admire that Traeger has launched the budget-friendly Woodridge Collection, which incorporates most of the identical technological options because the dearer Ironwood and Timberline grills.

The place to Purchase the Traeger Woodridge Professional

The bottom mannequin of the Woodridge Pellet Grill retails for about $900, the Woodridge Professional (reviewed right here) is priced at round $1,150 and the Woodridge Elite is obtainable for $1,800. You should buy the Woodridge Professional and different fashions immediately from Traeger, in addition to at Residence Depot, BBQ Guys, and Ace {Hardware}.

FAQ

How do you clear a Traeger grill?

The main points for cleansing your Traeger grill might fluctuate by mannequin, however the fundamentals stay the identical. Earlier than cleansing your grill, guarantee it’s utterly cool. The usual cleansing course of contains spraying the grates with an all-natural degreaser or cleaner, eradicating previous foil or drip tray liners and emptying the pellets from the hopper.

Often, you’ll wish to vacuum the within the grill, firepot and hopper to make sure your Traeger is working at its finest. In case your grill has a chimney, you should definitely clear its inside as effectively. Spraying each the within and out of doors of the grill with an all-natural degreaser or cleaner is a good suggestion. It’s also possible to use a home made combination of diluted dish cleaning soap, water and vinegar.

A grill cowl may also prolong the lifespan of your Traeger by defending it from the weather.

How do you begin a Traeger grill?

Every Traeger mannequin varies barely, however basically, all that you must do is plug in a Traeger, flip it on, choose a temperature, and press the ignite button. Traeger grills are fairly straightforward to begin.

How do you join a Traeger grill to WiFi?

Obtain and set up the Traeger App. Then, pair your grill to the app by way of Bluetooth by urgent the menu button on the entrance of your grill and deciding on the WiFi grill icon from the menu bar. After that, you possibly can click on on the grill icon within the app and choose the plus sign up the correct nook so as to add your grill. Your grill have to be powered on to connect with WiFi.

The meeting information included along with your grill gives detailed directions for connecting your particular Traeger to WiFi.

How have you learnt which Traeger to purchase?

Choosing the proper Traeger grill relies on your funds, the variety of folks you usually prepare dinner for, whether or not you need a transportable possibility and the particular options you want (e.g., WiFi compatibility).

The Professional 34 is nice in case you’re on a decent funds and don’t want any bells and whistles in your smoker, whereas the Timberline sequence is price contemplating in case you’re able to put money into an upscale smoker that packs the punch of a mini out of doors kitchen. The Woodridge sequence represents a stable middle-of-the-road possibility, that includes superior know-how and huge cooking capacities at an inexpensive value. In the event you’re looking for one thing transportable, have a look at the Tailgater and Ranger.

Why You Ought to Belief Us

Rising up in Kansas Metropolis, grilling at residence was synonymous with smoking meat, particularly barbecue brisket, pulled pork and ribs, so I spent numerous hours round pellet people who smoke. I even have expertise writing about Kansas Metropolis eating places and barbecue pits and interviewing a few of the nation’s most expert pitmasters.

As a procuring editor at Style of Residence, I’ve labored carefully with our Product Testing Crew to guage Traeger grills and the main pellet grill fashions from Pit Boss, Recteq, Weber and Yoder. I’ve personally examined the Traeger Woodridge Professional in my yard.

I additionally chatted with Wes Wright, Founder and CEO of CookOut Information, about pellet grills. CookOut Information is the most important commerce publication within the live-fire cooking trade. Wright could be very conversant in pellet grills from Traeger and different manufacturers.