Pellet Grill Question

[AlexDad]

I bought a Traeger about 2 1/2 years ago and we didn't get along. I let my brother have it cheap and bought me a Camp Chef model pellet grill and much happier. However, I still can't cook meat worth a crap on any grill. I HATE chicken but had to cut back on red meat and the pellet grill is about the only way I can stomach it.

Here's my problem - when it comes out right the pellet grill makes all the difference to me in taste. Only problem is I fail 6/10 times. I use the temp probes but when it reaches temp it always looks undone to me and with chicken that scares me. Then in turn I cook it until it's so dry its unedible. I think with chicken the pellet grill gives it that reddish smoke ring that makes me think it's still undercooked.

To be honest even when I get to eat a little pork or red meat I mess it up too. Beef not as bad because I like it a little pink in the middle. Pork and chicken I'm afraid I'll catch salmonella or mitochondriactricanosis.

What is a fail safe way I can set my pellet grill on X temp and let it hit that temp and then place chicken in grill, flip after X minutes, get it out after X minutes and it's safe to eat?

 

[TAFKAP]

Use a temp probe thermometer. Cook chicken to 160° and pull it. Don't go by looks. Trust the temperature

Commercial pork can be eaten closer to 145°, so don't worry about it so much.

 

[AlexDad]

Use a temp probe thermometer. Cook chicken to 160° and pull it. Don't go by looks. Trust the temperature

Commercial pork can be eaten closer to 145°, so don't worry about it so much.

By "temp probe thermometer" do you mean the probes that came with the grill or buy one of those like a gun? I think that's a lot of my problem I don't trust those probes. Kinda like a guy that gets lost in the woods and doesn't trust his compass.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

I agree with TAFKAP. You can get a good one for about $20-$30. Stick it to the center of the meat and not touching any bones. Trust it. Even if it is on the line, you can pull it and it will continue to cook while resting. If you go with a cheaper thermometer, you may want to get 2 for comparing temps.

This is the one I have and it is very accurate:

Williams Sonoma Digital Instant Read Thermometer | Williams Sonoma

A multitasking cook often has time for only a quick glance at a dish. This precision thermometer's large numerals afford an accurate reading instantly, ensuring that your meats and poultry are cooked to a safe internal temperature and the

www.williams-sonoma.com

 

[spoonie]

thermapen..... buy once cry once

 

[Pilchard]

You're looking for an instant read thermometer...

 

[TN Song Dog]

Like others said, use the temp probe on your grill. Then double check the thick end with a instant read digital thermometer pen to check the thick end for doneness. 165 degree is done. Don't go over

Therm Pro pen from Amazon works great.

 

[AlexDad]

Thanks guys! With the thermapen is it infrared like what I use to shoot the temp on my trailer hubs or do you actually pierce the meat with it?

 

[Pilchard]

Thanks guys! With the thermapen is it infrared like what I use to shoot the temp on my trailer hubs or do you actually pierce the meat with it?

It goes into the center of the meat. It's a probe

 

[Travis G.]

I have a thermpro with wireless readout so I can be doing other things around the house(sitting on the couch drinking beer). Just trust the thermometer and you will be fine.

 

[TN Song Dog]

Peirce the meat. It reads at the tip. Measure in middle of the thickest area of the chicken.

Once we started cooking boneless skinless chicken by temp instead of time and over cooking to be safe, it was a game changer. Also like to coat it in some olive oil before seasoning, and it also helps keep it moist.

 

[mike243]

You cant use infrared to measure meat temps as you need a internal ck. Inkbird makes some decent priced therms that have worked well for me, I have 2 rechargeable stick probes and a 6 probe remote that you can set alarms for temps so you don't over or under cook you food

 

[THE DUKE]

thermapen, for long cooks I have the dot meat probe easy to use just set desired temp you want and will beep once meat hits the set temp.

 

[AlexDad]

Thanks guys

 

[TAFKAP]

By "temp probe thermometer" do you mean the probes that came with the grill or buy one of those like a gun? I think that's a lot of my problem I don't trust those probes. Kinda like a guy that gets lost in the woods and doesn't trust his compass.

Doesn't matter what kind. Just trust your compass.

For a little piece of mind, the temperature of meat will continue rising after you pull it from the grill.

 

[TJS209]

Are you brining or soaking your chicken in buttermilk? I use probes when I put the meat on then double check it with an insta probe. Go by temp and not time, as other have said.

Also what kind of chicken are you cooking? boneless skinless breasts or whole chickens?
If you want juicy chicken, cook a whole bird or bone-in skin-on chicken thighs...hard to mess those up.

 

[old guy]

We cooked all the time at the firehouse and a guy I worked with par-boiled the chicken and then put it on the grill and put butter , lemon juice , sprinkled dry veggie rub and sometimes only BBQ sauce. It was always melt in your mouth tender , juicy and done . We grilled a lot of fish also , it was easy to get done through and through .

 

[jetwrnch]

If you insert a probe into the meat before the surface reaches a safe temp, you'll push bacteria in with it. You can no longer consider it whole muscle, so your finished IT will need to be for ground meat. Just wait a bit before inserting the alarm probe. The OP's problem is over thinking resulting in over cooking. Red juices flowing from chicken is often from bone marrow. Many people mistake it for blood from under cooked meat.

 

[big 8s in Weakley county]

Check the temp it doesn't lie.
Also look up the Traeger chicken challenge one of the best chickens and very juicy. You basically put a whole chicken on the grill turn to 400 and cook for roughly a hour and 10 mins.
We also cook whole turkeys on our Traeger and they are very good. We usually brine our turkeys and chickens for a couple days ahead or time but have done them without brining also.