The Trail Embers Pellet Grill is an excellent choice for grilling enthusiasts. The grill’s superior performance has outperformed the leading manufacturers in head-to-head tests, earning it recognition as one of America’s Best Grills by Cooks Illustrated.
Trail Embers Pellet Grill Reviews: How Do They Compare?
Trail Embers Pellet Grill is the first pellet smoker grill to use a revolutionary new technology called “Trail-Tex.” This patented design features two levels of stainless steel wire mesh. The top level provides an even flow of air across the cooking surface, while the lower level captures and distributes smoke from the wood pellets. It’s never been easier or more convenient to cook with hardwood!
Trail Embers Pellet Grill is a unique product that provides an easy and convenient way to grill with wood pellets. It has been designed with all the amenities of modern grills, but without any of the hassle or mess. The design features are intriguing, but what really stands out about this pellet grill is its ability to be used as a smoker for low-temperature cooking perfect for smoking brisket, ribs, pork shoulder and other meats typically cooked in barbecue pits.
Trail Embers Pellet Grill is a compact grill that can be easily transported and stored. It’s the perfect size for tailgating, camping, or even just cooking in your backyard. This unit comes with a durable construction of stainless steel and porcelain-coated cast iron grates which will last you through many years of outdoor adventures. You’ll also love how easy it is to use this pellet grill! Just load the hopper with pellets and turn on the gas valve – there are no buttons or knobs to push so you never have to worry about turning anything off again!
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Trail Embers Pellet Grill
The Trail Embers Pellet Grill is a great pellet smoker for the person who wants a larger cooking surface than what a home built electric or gas unit can provide, but doesn’t have the budget to invest in a large commercial rig.
It has enough capacity for true competition style barbecue, or to cook several different dishes at once. When smoking with pellets I’ve found one of the most common problems is not being able to produce smoke due to no airflow through the unit. This is not an issue on this pellet grill (see picture below). Its length allows it to handle large cuts like pork shoulders, beef briskets and ribs without running out of room. It also means that your heat source will be more efficient than when cooking with less heat spread out over a shorter surface.
Pellet grills are relatively easy to use, but it’s important to understand how your grill works before you plan on using it for the first time. I’ll try and cover the fundamentals of pellet cookers in this article to help improve your success.
The Trail Ember comes with an off-set firebox that allows you to load wood pellets into the hopper without exposing yourself directly to the flame (see photo). The secret, if there is one, is getting your smoker up to correct temperature by using indirect heat . This means setting up your grill so that the food cooks away from (above or below) where the heat and smoke is generated. For a pellet grill you’ll want to pre-heat for 15-20 minutes with the lid closed, add your wood pellets, meat and go do something else.
Pellet cookers when used as designed will produce much more flavor from the wood smoke than when cooking over charcoal or gas because it cannot burn up all of the volatile compounds before they condense into smoke – effectively putting them back into solution in your food. Another key feature of a pellet cooker is that they recover temperature very quickly after opening the door/lid to place your meat on or take it off. I’ve found that even if I open my smoker several times while cooking, by the time I return it has typically returned to the “set” temperature. This is a big advantage over most other types of smokers where it is necessary to let the heat dissipate and then re-establish a temperature for cooking.
The one drawback to pellet cookers that I’ve found from experience is they don’t work well when windy, so this means you’ll have to plan your trips outside accordingly or deal with cold meat on occasion. A great way around this is to use a propane torch (see photo) to ignite your pellets when smoking in these conditions, but try not to walk away and let them smolder while you’re at it — we’re grilling here!
Advantages and disadvantages of Trail Embers Pellet Grill
Advantages
– Several different cooking settings, including a smoker setting that can be used for smoking.
– Uses “thermoplastic” as it’s main material, this is an advanced form of plastic which provides better insulation and energy saving capabilities than standard metal materials.
– Can cook from 160 degrees Fahrenheit to 500 degrees Fahrenheit depending on the element you have selected. Different elements are best suited for specific types of cooking techniques, i.e- searing or slow cooking/smoking methods.
– Flavorizer bars emit a flavorized smoke that not only flavors your food but keeps the food moist while being cooked at high temperatures
– The grill has a large surface area which allows you to cook lots of food at once
– Wheels on the bottom make it easy to transport around your yard when hosting a BBQ or gathering with friends. – The design makes it efficient at heating up quickly and maintaining heat which is necessary for proper grilling/smoking techniques.
– Only takes approximately 10 minutes to assemble out of the box, requires very little technical knowledge or prior experience in assembling grills, smokers, etc.
Disadvantages
– Lid is heavy and may be difficult to lift during use if not properly installed. If lifted incorrectly, can result in loosening of screws which could pose a safety hazard over time.
– Relatively large so storage options are limited if space is an issue for you.
– It uses “green technology” with an advanced thermo plastic material, so it is more expensive than standard metal grills or smokers.
– Requires frequent cleaning in order to maintain ideal cooking conditions for different types of food being prepared.- The grill has no lid latch which could pose a safety hazard if children are using the grill.
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How do I clean my trail embers pellet grill?
– Once the fire has died down and your pellets have cooled, clean the ash pan. Use gloves or tongs to remove any loose ash, but be sure not to dump it all out! There is still some leftover heat in that ash, which can cause a flare up once it gets dumped out into the bottom of the grill.
– Blow off any remaining ash with an air compressor or leaf blower until there are no more traces of ash left on the deflector plate, deflector shield, or burn pot. Make sure to check for any hot embers hiding under these components as well before blowing them off. These hidden embers could turn into small flames if you don’t fully clear them away from underneath these devices.
– Use a grill brush to scrape the deflector plate and the inside of the burn pot. If you notice any remaining ash or soot on top of these components, scrub them until they’re free from debris.
– Once your trails embers pellet grill is as clean as new, it’s time to say goodbye. Never use water to clean out ashes that have been fully cooled off because this could cause those ashes to scatter back into open flame and catch fire.
– Rinse parts with water if they still have hot embers underneath them after using a leaf blower or air compressor. You should also make sure all food particles are completely removed before applying oil for coating purposes . The right way to clean out your trails embers pellet grill is not by using water.
– Only scrape off dirt, debris, and ash after the pellets have completely cooled because these particles could cause damage to your trails embers pellet grill if you clean them while they’re still hot.
Trail ember pellet grill problems and their solutions
Trail embers grills are very popular with many people, because of their grilling features. Many grillers prefer pellets to regular charcoal or hardwood for a variety of reasons, but one main reason is the ease of use of a pellet grill.
Problem #1: Indicator lights not going off
Solution: The first thing you should do if your indicator lights on your trail embers grill will not turn off is to check that there is power getting to the unit. Unplug it from the mains outlet and plug a different appliance into that outlet. If it comes on then check your circuit breaker or fuse quickly as some models have a built in fuse or circuit breaker.
Problem #2: Low heat on the unit
Solution: Check your pellets to ensure that they are not damp, if they are then simply allow them to sit out for a few days and then try again. If this does not resolve it then you may have a blocked burner or a clogged air vent on the bottom of the pellet smoker. Clean these with compressed air as per manufacturer’s instructions.
Problem #3: Temperature dropping from set point quickly after reaching it
Solution: There is either an issue with airflow or circulation within the grill itself causing sudden temperature drops during grilling. Try removing all extra racks and plates within the grill and cooking directly at grate level. If this resolves the issue then you have an airflow problem, check your spacing of all plates and racks to ensure good air flow through the pellet smoker. You can also clean out your grill by removing cooking grates and any plates within the unit to allow for a proper cleaning of all surfaces. Pay careful attention to airflow paths when putting everything back together so grill is able to breathe properly.
Problem #4: Mist coming from pellet smoker when in use
Solution: This could be caused by overfilling or clogging pellets in hopper or auger jamming. You should empty excess pellets from the hopper and if possible remove it from grill body and turn it upside down and tap firmly on table (if in a safe place outside). If that doesn’t work then remove auger and clean and check all parts for blockage. You should also ensure that there isn’t a clog in pellet tube if you have one fitted to your pellet smoker, this is where the pellets fall from the auger to the fire pot.
Problem #5: Ribs take too long or temperature fluctuates erratically when smoking with grill
Solution: This could be caused by insufficient airflow around burner as well as incorrect positioning of rib rack if applicable. Ensure proper spacing around burner so it can breathe properly, you should also ensure that no plates or racks are blocking airflow throughout the grilling area. As well try using higher heat setting and ensuring meat is dry before placing on grill.
Problem #6: Pellets not feeding into smoker as expected
Solution: If you have a hopper attached to your grill then first check that the auger within the pellet tube is turning by hand (if possible without taking apart). If it doesn’t move freely then this may be caused by foreign objects or build up of grease in tube. This can usually be resolved by using compressed air to clean out hopper and pellet tube, if this fails then there could be an issue with motor or auger itself. You can also try turning heat setting down which should resolve most issues, if it does not then you may need to replace auger motor assembly.
Problem #7: Burner and heat plate gets too hot
Solution: If you find that burner and heat plates are getting too hot then there may either be a loose connection somewhere or it is time to clean your grill. You should disconnect power before continuing with this process as it will involve grilling surfaces being removed from the barbecue. Clean all aluminum components such as burner, heat plates and cooking rack using warm soapy water and remove any excess grease or debris with clean wadded up paper towels. After rinsing off the soap residue allow to air dry completely before reassembling unit, take care not to kink the gas line when reinstalling cooking racks, also ensure proper spacing around burner to allow airflow during use.
Problem #8: Unit is leaking gas
Solution: If you find that your pellet smoker is emitting unusual odors such as those associated with gasoline or propane, this could indicate a leak somewhere in the system. Check the connections between all hoses and gas valves to ensure no leaks exist, also check inside both ends of each hose for any perforations or tears. You can also try disconnecting supply line from tank and checking for pressure within line (you don’t want any if safety is compromised). Make sure there are no leaks at connections along supply lines. If there are then it will need to be replaced which generally requires assistance from a professional.
Problem #9: Grill takes too long to reach set temperature
Solution: If you find that it is taking too long to heat up, first check the heat plate spacing and ensure there is no excess debris on or around them. You can also try turning down your heat setting if possible which should minimize the amount of time required for grill to reach set temperature.
Problem #10: Food has odd taste
Solution: This could be caused by incorrect positioning of food on grill or not enough airflow around cooking area during use. When using pellet grills always ensure meats are dry before placing on grate this will reduce chance of sticking and will improve flavor profile of finished product (even salting assisted). Also make sure that all plates/grates are clean of any build up of grease or debris to ensure food does not pick up unusual flavor.
Problem #11: Motor runs but smoker isn’t turning on
Solution: If you find that your barbecue is receiving gas and the motor is running but the grill still will not heat up then there may be a problem with starter or power switch assembly. You can try bypassing any safety sensors if available by connecting propane tank directly to burner(s) this should allow you to determine whether issue lies with controls or thermal fuse/circuit breaker. If this proves successful than you know that the problem lies within assembly that allows power from battery to reach heating system, if it doesn’t then it’s likely due to an issue inside starter button (which should require assistance from a professional).
Problem #12: Food is over/under cooked
Solution: If food takes longer to cook than expected, make sure a consistent cooking temperature is being reached by making slight adjustment to heat dial. For undercooked food try increasing your flavor setting and extend the cooking time. Also make sure that all plates/grates are clean of any build up of grease or debris to ensure food does not pick up unusual flavor. If the problem persists, the heating system may have been damaged during shipping which will need to be replaced using warranty information. You can also use this guide for pellet grill troubleshooting.
The Trail Embers Pellet Grill is a great investment if you are in the market for a grill. It combines many features of other grills with some exclusive to itself. The following will go over these features in greater detail.
Features of Trail Embers Pellet Grill
Features Overview:
– High Quality Construction – Heavy Duty, Durable Cast Iron Grates – Cooks At Low Temperatures For Longer And More Even Cooking – Features A Grease Bucket That Does Not Need Removing For Days On End – Much Larger Cooking Space Compared To Similar Grills Of This Price Range – Customizable With Virtually Unlimited Add-On Options
– Construction: The construction of the grill is very high quality compared to its price point. All metal items included are made from stainless steel and cast iron. This heavy cast iron will never warp and is highly durable. It features a stainless steel door, stainless steel burn boxes, etc. The outside of the unit is powder coated for even further durability.
– Cooking Space: One distinguishing feature that sets this grill apart from others in its price range is the cooking space it offers compared to other grills at the same price point. It has over 37 square inches of total cooking space compared to similar grills which offer only around 24 square inches or less.
– Mobility: The grill features four, four inch swivel casters on a steel frame. This makes it easy to move around. It also features a very heavy duty handle with a latch for locking the unit in place when you do not want it to roll.
– Grease Bucket: A feature that is also very unique is that it has one bucket located under the main grates and another located under the cooking box which holds all of its grease and food particles instead of needing to be emptied daily like most other grills at this price point.
– Maintenance And Warranty: The only maintenance required is washing off any ash or food debris left after each use and greasing up the main grates and the cooking box about every month. As for warranty, this grill comes with a 10 year limited warranty.
This concludes the article on the Trail Embers Pellet Grill. You now understand how it is better than other grills at its price point, why it is such a good investment, and what makes the various features of this grill unique.
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Conclusion
Trail Embers Pellet Grill is a popular pellet grill brand that offers quality-made grills at an affordable price. If you’re looking for the best way to cook up your favorite foods, then these are some of the top brands you should consider. With their advanced cooking technology and patented system, it’s no wonder why they have so many satisfied customers! From burgers to steaks to seafood – there’s nothing this grill can’t do! And don’t forget about all those tasty side dishes too. You’ll be hooked on every meal with the help of this amazing pellet smoker.
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