I wanted to play around with my new smokers so I got two Bst Butts and marinaded them with the same marinade.
Butlers Texas Gold: It is a apple cider/butter base sauce. Sunday nite I splattered them and wrap in plastic wrap
and put them in the fridge. Brought them to room temp and re-splattered them again. Also on Sunday I injected a
picnic with apple juice and rubbed it with Naked Pig "Hawg Rub". Sugar, brown sugar,salt,pepper,citrus peel,paprika.
The rub was 1st place winner 2006 Scovie Award. We will see. Re-rubbed the picnic.
(http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/classicrockgriller/Bradley%20Traeger%20Boston%20Butts/100_1876.jpg)
I wanted to make it as fair as possible so I had to compromise a little on both smokers. The Traeger's true smoke is at
160 (I have an 180 therm), but the Bradley will smoke at any temp. The hotter you crank up the Traeger the less smoke
you get. I set both machines at 180 for the smoke and will raise the Bradley to 230 and the Traeger to 225 after 4 hrs.
The smaller butt and picnic in the Traeger
(http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/classicrockgriller/Bradley%20Traeger%20Boston%20Butts/100_1877.jpg)
The larger butt in the Bradley
(http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/classicrockgriller/Bradley%20Traeger%20Boston%20Butts/100_1879.jpg)
This is not a contest to show one smoker up over the other. They both can do some of the same things, but each can do
something the other can't. This is for my infomation and thought it will be fun to show what two great smokers can do.
I certainly hope the Bradley does OK. I can't afford a Traeger right now. >:(
Not to worry Arnie. I too have both machines and the performances are pretty much equal. As CRG said, they both do things very well. I can definitely speak for butts and ribs on both machines. Haven't done any turkey on the Traeger yet but it's coming soon enough.
KyNola
I put both butts in at the same time (2:15 ct) and used Hickory for the smoke. At the 1 1/2 hr into the smoke
the Bradley diffently produces a stronger smoke. I'll probably have the fire dept here before they finish smoking.
If the fire department comes, they may stay a while. ;D ;D
This is two hrs into the smoke. The IT of the Bradley Butt was 87.1 The IT of the
Traeger Butt was 96.9 and the picnic was 92.6. As you can see from the pics the
Bradley Butt still has a moist layer, but the Traeger Butt is starting to dry out a bit.
When I turn off the smoke I am going to baste them every two hrs untill I run out of
sauce.
(http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/classicrockgriller/Bradley%20Traeger%20Boston%20Butts/100_1879.jpg)
(http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/classicrockgriller/Bradley%20Traeger%20Boston%20Butts/100_1877.jpg)
Looking good. You gonna have butt for days. ;D
Looking good, what time is the party ;D
Did I catch this right, you can only smoke at 180 and below in the Traeger.
NO, I may not have made that statement right. The pellets in the Traeger are the source for both the heat and the fire. The Bradley has a heat source and a smoke source. As you turn up the Traeger you will making less smoke and more heat. Alot of the Traeger recipes call for you to smoke on the smoke selection and then finish off at a higher temp. I think nepas uses 225 as his start and finish temp. I was trying to get as much smoke in the butts as possible for 4 hrs. CRG
Gotcha
I have a pellet pooper on my wish list.
I'll tell you how I got mine. I been receiving checks in various amounts from the restitution court here in town for 4 years. I have been throwing the away. I finally got tired of getting them every month thinking one day they would realize their mistake and want the money back. I call them. 5 years ago I had a truck in for service at a car dealership and someone broke into it and stoled a radio and other small things. The dealership said they were responsible, and that that was the end of. Apparently they caught the guy and he has been paying me back thru these checks. when the lady realized I haven't been cashing them she told me to come to the court house and bring a letter stating I haven't cashed any checks. I did. She gave me a check for $478 and told me the total is $500. Then my sister-in-law came over out of the clear blue sky and gives me $200 for my birthday. In 32 yrs married to my wife my sister-in-law has never given me a birthday card. Then I found a Traeger dealer who gave me a hellofa deal on this Traeger Elite. It was cheaper than just the non-elite and I got my choice of thermos. Guess I was suppose to have the Traeger. CRG
Way to go CRG
I love it when a story has a happy ending and you nailed it.
I'll just keep wishing :D
Take orders for BBQ lunches once a week at work until you raise enough. People would rather spend $8 to 10 on a good meal than $7 for fast food. CRG
I would but every one works out in the field.
I do get orders for take home a couple times a month, maybe I should press the sales more, like the boss says every Tue in our meetings.
The holidays are good for the sausage and snack sticks though.
Good idea, I'm going to think more on that one.
4 hrs into the smoking and the smoke is off the Bradley. I bumped the oven up to 220. Gave it a little moppin on top. The IT was 124.8. So it had rinsen almost 40 degrees in two hrs. There is some color change in the butt.
(http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/classicrockgriller/Bradley%20Traeger%20Boston%20Butts/100_1884.jpg)
Traeger butt was at 132.1 and the picnic was at 134.7
(http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/classicrockgriller/Bradley%20Traeger%20Boston%20Butts/100_1887.jpg)
The Traeger Butts got pulled and FtC at 2:00 in the morning. The Bradley hit at 6:00.
There is always a learning curve in using a new smoker/grill/girlfriend/etc. So I can't blame
it on the Traeger but the butt didn't pull after a 4 hr FTC. It did have a nice smoke ring. I
just had to chop some of it. bummer
(http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/classicrockgriller/Bradley%20Traeger%20Boston%20Butts/100_1892.jpg)
(http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/classicrockgriller/Bradley%20Traeger%20Boston%20Butts/100_1894.jpg)
CRG,
I'm blaming it not pulling so well on the pig that butt came off of. I have done several butts in the Traeger and everyone of them has nearly fallen apart trying to get them off the Traeger rack. Sounds like that pig didn't want to give it up! ;)
KyNola
I never FTC the butts out of my Traeger. I pull them out when they get an IT of 190-210*. the meat just comes right off and pulls with minimal effort. The bone pulls right from the meat.
nepas
I'm sure it's the inexperience on my part. I didn't wait till 210, they were pulled at 190.
I was hoping for something like what I got when I tried to remove the butt from the bradley.
(http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/classicrockgriller/Bradley%20Traeger%20Boston%20Butts/100_1890.jpg)
After FTC I kinda shoved everything back together to take a picture.
(http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/classicrockgriller/Bradley%20Traeger%20Boston%20Butts/100_1899.jpg)
During the pulling
(http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/classicrockgriller/Bradley%20Traeger%20Boston%20Butts/100_1900.jpg)
Pan full of juicy "pulled" pork
(http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/classicrockgriller/Bradley%20Traeger%20Boston%20Butts/100_1902.jpg)
CRG these butt look like they are coming along very nicely.
HR
good luck on yours HR
Yummy
You did your self good CRG they all look tasty
Butt looks great, that is next on my "to smoke" list.
Here are the pics of the picnic that was cooked on the traeger
(http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/classicrockgriller/Bradley%20Traeger%20Boston%20Butts/100_1896.jpg)
(http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/classicrockgriller/Bradley%20Traeger%20Boston%20Butts/100_1898.jpg)
Did you notice any taste difference between the two butts?
Deflated, I didn't. I have been doing alot of reading on the Traeger and I would do the Traeger different next time I cook one in it.
I am very happy with the butts from the Bradley, almost can't miss. The Traeger spikes a little more but I love it. Next time I will put it on 225 and forget it.
That's the answer I was hoping to hear. I'm still working up the funds to buy a Traeger and don't want to be disappointed by the lack of smoke flavor. I love how everything tastes when it comes out of the Bradley and I want to be sure that I'm going to love the flavor of the food out of the Traeger just as much.
Deflated,
I too own a Traeger. For things "low and slow" temp cooking such as 200-225 degrees on the Traeger, you get plenty of smoke. I invested in the digital controller. If you buy a Traeger, spend the extra cash for the digital controller. If you set it to the "smoke" setting, it is going to run somewhere around 180-200 with lots of smoke the entire time. Set it at 225, you still have lots of smoke, just not quite as much as the "smoke" setting gives you. Even at higher temp you still get a kiss of wood taste as you truly are cooking over wood the entire time.
Love my Bradley and love my Treager just as much. They're both great.
KyNola
KyNola has the 225 thermo and I have the 180 thermo, my smoke setting only rises to about 150, but my next setting is the 180 (Which is the temp for the smoke setting on the 225 thermo), plus you can adjust the p setting to get your temp closer to the control dials.
Like everybody has stated they compliment each other very nice. Sometimes it a hard decision on which one to smoke on. The cost of operation is very close.
Once again the people on this forum come through with the answers. Man I love this place.
I'm thankful, some had to and still does help me.