Tips For a Better Grilling Experience

For those new to pellet grilling, it is essentially cooking with wood but at the flick of a switch. Don’t get me wrong, I love a fire pit, but there’s a time and place for everything. If I find myself running around with a gazillion things going on at the same time, the ability to create incredible flavour in a short amount of time is invaluable.

With traditional fire cooking, there are so many elements to be aware of, wind direction, wood type, timing (waiting an hour for the fire to burn down to coals), and it can feel overwhelming.. With pellet grilling, set the temperature and you’re good to go. It’s like an oven… but fun and outdoors with all the flavours of cooking with fire.

If this sounds like something you may be interested in, read on for my top tips for cooking with pellets:

1. Use high-quality pellets

Not all pellets are created equally. The high-quality pellets you should be using, are made from natural, food-grade hardwood. They burn cleaner, longer and with a more consistent temperature. My favourite are Traeger’s Hickory Pellets, made from 100% hardwood and are guaranteed to provide you with that authentic, smokey flavour every time. You’ll be able to identify lower-quality pellets because they are less dense and contain a lot of moisture. Their temperatures are inconsistent and they can create more ash... basically it's harder to get the quality and flavours you want with a cheaper product. No thanks!

2. Keep track of your temperature by using a thermometer

Every time you open the grill and peek at your dish, you lose heat, and you’ll find that the smokey flavour and all those gold cooking juices just evaporate. Trust your instincts (or better yet, the recipe), and use the grill top thermometer to keep all that fiery goodness inside. Don't open until you're pretty confident that your dish might be ready to come out.

3. Keep your grill clean

No one wants to see last week's leftover steak oils when preparing a new dish. Make sure to clean the grill after every use, excess grease can be a fire hazard, and if that's not enough of a reason, did you know a build-up on your grill can breed carcinogens? Scrub the grates with a bristle brush or a cloth - if you've got a lemon handy this is a great cleaner as well.

4. Try something new

When it comes to a pellet grill, your flavour profile is guaranteed to be delicious and smokey, while cooking with the lid down means it's impossible for your dish to dry out. It's honestly one of the easiest, most forgiving ways to cook, so try something you haven't before as even if you do "mess it up" no one will know. If you’re just starting out with your Traeger, or other pellet grills, I’d suggest giving my roasted lamb with rosemary and lemon a whirl, the BBQ salad or the cheesy confit garlic & mushroom pizza (all available on my website)

5. It's better with friends

I love the way that cooking outdoors builds connections with mates and always has a fun vibe. Grilling is such a great way to get everyone up, peering into the grill, giving advice, moving things around with tongs and generally providing a focus and something to chat about. Get your favourite cut of meat, fish or veg... throw some potatoes and corn around it, invite over some mates and crack open a coldie... you're guaranteed to have a good time.

Not only are they more convenient, I prefer a pellet grill over a traditional grill because it offers a broader range of flavours and options. A traditional grill provides heat, whereas a pellet grill brings all the flavour of the wood to your dish. There’s no need for fancy rubs and spices because the wood really elevates the dish and creates a depth of flavour not available from a traditional grill.

Sarah Glover, Author of WILD: Adventure Cookbook and Ambassador for Traeger Grills Australia:

The internationally renowned chef and explorer, has travelled the world in search of epic food and wild adventures. As a classically trained chef and pastry chef, Sarah brings skill to wood-fired cooking, scaling windswept cliffs and salty stretches of beach to create simple, uncomplicated and seriously tasty food (always with a grin!).

Sarah has forged a career in Bondi Beach, Tasmania and beyond. She is the author of WILD: Adventure Cookbook and owner of the Wild Kitchen, a catering company founded on extraordinary events, cooked up under the stars. Sarah is the ambassador for Traeger Grills Australia.

Traeger Grills: Traeger Grills, headquartered in Salt Lake City, has been revolutionising BBQ grilling and outdoor cooking for over 30 years with one simple, all-encompassing cooking solution. Traeger pellet grills use 100% all-natural hardwood fuel to infuse food with flavorful smoke, making food taste delicious and most of all, memorable. As the inventor of the original and world's top selling wood-fired grill, Traeger utilizes wood-fired convection power to provide 6-in-1 versatility; grill, smoke, bake, roast, braise and BBQ meals to perfection every time.For more information about Traeger Grills’ complete product line, where to buy and to learn more about the wood-fired difference, visit www.traegergrills.com.au