Pickle Brined Pork Chops

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Marinating Time: 4 hours
Cook Time: 1 hour
Pellet Recommendations: Hickory, Oak, or Pecan

INGREDIENTS
4 pork chops, each 1 to 1-1/4 inches thick
About 3 cups dill pickle brine, or the brine from 2 jars of dill pickles
Coarse black pepper

PREPARATION
Put the pork chops and pickle brine in a resealable plastic bag. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Drain well and pat dry with paper towels. Season generously with black pepper.

When ready to cook, start the Traeger grill on Smoke with the lid open until the fire is established (4 to 5 minutes). Set the temperature to 300 degrees F and preheat, lid closed, for 10 to 15 minutes.

Put the chops directly on the grill grate and grill, turning once, for about 1 hour, or until the internal temperature of the chop is at least 145 degrees F. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Although the Mandarin Glaze is divine to use all by itself on everything from kebabs to egg rolls to chicken nuggets, we decided to crank up the heat a notch and throw in some smokiness with the addition of some chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. Pair it with some asian slaw and jasmine rice and your mouth will cry with joy.

Chipotle-Mandarin Glazed Pork Tenderloins with Asian Slaw

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30-40 minutes
Recommended Pellets: Apple

INGREDIENTS:

Traeger Sweet Rub
2 pork tenderloins, each 12 to 14 ounces - silverskin removed
Traeger Mandarin Glaze
1/2 to a whole chipotle in adobo sauce

SLAW:
1/2 head of cabbage, slivered (I used purple but savoy would also work great)
Kosher salt
1 English cucumber, diced
2 thinly sliced scallions
1 red bell pepper
1 carrot, grated
2 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1/4 c. seasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey (more or less to taste)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
Juice of 1 lime
1/4-1/2 cup canola oil
Toasted sesame seeds

PORK TENDERLOINS

Generously season the pork tenderloins on all sides with the Traeger Sweet Rub and rub in.

Start the Traeger on Smoke with the lid open for 4-5 minutes or until the fire is established. Preheat to 325 degrees F for 10-15 minutes.

Arrange the pork tenderloins on the grill grate and cook for 30-40 minutes or until the internal pork temperature registers 160 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer.

About 10 minutes before the pork should be done cooking, whisk together the glaze.

Combine about half of the bottle of Traeger Mandarin Glaze with the diced chipotle and about 1/2 teaspoon of the adobo sauce in the can. The Mandarin Glaze already has a healthy spice to it so you may want to start by adding 1/2 of a diced chipotle and then taste and add more chipotle or adobo sauce to achieve that perfect heat and smoky flavor.

Brush the glaze on the pork tenderloins for the last 2-5 minutes of cooking.

SLAW

This spicy-sweet pork pairs perfectly with a tangy asian slaw, which is easy to whip up while that pork is grillin' away to tender perfection.

Start by degorging the slivered cabbage. Degorging is the process of drawing moisture from vegetables. This will make the cabbage softer and help remove any bitterness.

Simply put the cabbage slivers in a colander with a generous few pinches of kosher salt.

Let it sit in the sink or over a bowl (it will release a good amount of water) for about 15 minutes.

Rinse and drain the cabbage and squeeze out any excess water.

Put the rinsed cabbage in a bowl along with the diced English cucumber (English cucumbers are great because the skin is soft enough that you don't have to bother with peeling them), grated carrot, sliced scallions, diced red bell pepper and chopped fresh cilantro.

Toss the vegetables together.

Make the dressing by whisking together the seasoned rice vinegar, grated ginger, honey, sesame oil, and lime juice. If you don't have a juicer, a hand held juicer like this one (below) is a hand-saver! Especially when it comes to juicing smaller fruits like limes. They're also easier to juice if you heat them in the microwave for a few seconds and put pressure on them with your palm as you roll them on the counter before slicing them.

Pour the dressing over the top of the vegetables and gently toss. Top with some toasted sesame seeds.

PRESENTATION

After you remove the tenderloins, let them rest for 5-10 minutes to allow the juices redistribute in the meat. Then slice into 3/4-inch slices and serve them with some steamed jasmine rice and the tangy asian slaw.

We know that you're going to fall in love with this Mandarin Glaze. We'll consider starting a support group.

Wild Idea Buffalo Company

Nebraska Bison

Buffalo Hills Bison

Smoky Bison Burgers

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Serves: 4
Pellet Recommendations: Hickory, Oak, or Pecan

Ingredients:
1 lb ground bison
Traeger's Prime Rib Rub
Assorted burger toppings

Preparation:

Start your Traeger on smoke and leave the lid open for 4-5 minutes to establish the fire. Lightly form the ground bison into patties. Be sure the make a slight depression in the middle of the burgers to allow for expansion while grilling. Season with Traeger's Prime Rib Rub.

Place your patties directly on the grill and smoke for 25-30 minutes. Take the patties off the grill and turn the heat up to high. If desired, place a cast iron griddle on the grill grate. Close the lid and allow your Traeger to preheat. 

Place the patties on the grill grate and cook for 5-7 minutes on each side until patties reach desired doneness.

Most people prefer their bison to be cooked to rare or medium rare because it is such a lean meat. We must recommend that you cook ground bison to an internal temperature of 175 degrees.

During the last couple minutes of cooking, top with cheese (if desired).

Remove from the griddle and serve immediately.

Drumsticks often seem like the neglected cousin of wings (sad!). For the life of me, I can't understand why. They are affordable, meaty, flavorful, and just plain fun to eat. Serve drumsticks with Texas Spicy BBQ Sauce instead of wings at your next get-together. Your guests will thank you.

Spicy Texas Drumsticks

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 1 1/2 hours
Serves 6-8
Recommended Pellets: Hickory, Oak, or Mesquite

Ingredients:
8 chicken drumsticks
1 cup Texas Spicy BBQ Sauce
Salt and Pepper

Pat drumsticks dry with a paper towel and season generously with salt and pepper.

Start the Traeger grill on Smoke with the lid open until the fire is established (4 to 5 minutes).

Arrange the chicken legs on the grill grate and smoke for 30 minutes.

Increase the temperature to 350 degrees and cook for 30 minutes. Brush the Texas Spicy BBQ Sauce on each of the wings and cook for an additional 15 to 30 minutes, or until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the leg (but not touching bone) reaches 165 degrees F.

Chicken Pot Pie

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 15-20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Recommended Pellets: Hickory, Oak

INGREDIENTS: 
2 tablespoons butter
1 small to medium onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1-2 carrots, peeled and diced 
2 cups homemade chicken or turkey gravy, or jarred gravy such as Boston Market
1/2 cup cream or milk
1-1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
2 teaspoons dry sherry (optional)
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
3 to 4 cups cooked skinless chicken or turkey meat, diced into cubes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Flour for dusting the countertop
1 sheet of frozen puff pastry (we use Pepperidge Farm)
1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon of water

PREPARATION:

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots and cook 3 to 5 minutes, or until the onion is translucent. Stir in the gravy and cream and heat gently. Add the peas and carrots, sherry (if using), poultry seasoning, thyme leaves, and chicken or turkey meat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. (Note: You might not need to add salt depending on how the gravy and meat were seasoned.)

Coat 4 individual serving casserole dishes or bowls or one large casserole dish with cooking spray. Divide the gravy and chicken mixture among them or dump entire contents into the large dish. Unroll the puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured countertop. Let thaw slightly. Cut it into four equal pieces, each large enough to fit over the casserole dishes or place the entire sheet of pastry on top of the large dish. Make several small slits in the center to let the steam escape. (You can trim the puff pastry "lids" to fit with a sharp knife if desired.) Position on top of the pot pie filling, crimping any overhang. Brush lightly with the egg wash.

Transfer the pot pies to a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. When ready to cook, start the Traeger grill on Smoke with the lid open until the fire is established (4 to 5 minutes). Set the temperature to 400 degrees F ("High" if you have a 3-position controller) and preheat, lid closed, for 10 to 15 minutes. Bake the pot pies for 30 minutes, or until the puff pastry is nicely browned and the filling is bubbling. Serve immediately.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon

Recommended Pellets: Maple or Pecan
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 8-10

INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds fresh brussel sprouts
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
6 strips of thick-cut bacon
1 small onion, diced (optional)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (optional)

When picking your brussel sprouts, if you have the benefit of picking them out of a bin, choose smaller ones that seem firm and don't have a lot of loose or brown leaves. If you do have any like that, just pull off and discard the yucky leaves.

Slice the brussel sprouts in half through the root end.

Transfer the halves to a bowl and toss with a few drizzles of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. (I used about 2 teaspoons of salt and 1/2-1 teaspoon of pepper.)

Arrange the brussel sprouts on a foil-covered, rimmed baking sheet with at least half of the them cut-side facing down.

When ready to cook, start the Traeger on Smoke with the lid open for 4-5 minutes or until the fire is established. Set the temperature to 350 degrees F and preheat for 10-15 minutes.

Put the baking sheet on the grill grate and roast the brussel sprouts for approximately 20 minutes or until they begin to brown.

Meanwhile, dice the bacon into small pieces.

Put the bacon dices into a cold frying pan and saute until the bacon begins to render its fat.  If you like onions, add in the diced onion and saute for about 3 minutes. (Don't cook the bacon until crisp because it will continue to cook in the Traeger.)

Use tongs or a thin metal spatula to turn the brussel sprouts over.

Add the bacon and onion mixture along with the chicken broth and balsamic vinegar (if using) to the brussel sprouts.

Continue to cook the brussel sprouts until they are tender, or about 10 more minutes.

Take them off the grill and serve!

With this recipe, you can take an oft-hated vegetable and just maybe, turn them into the star of the meal.

Don't you know that Traeger has you covered with our Salmon Spatula.

Of course it's perfect for moving large fillets or a whole fish but it's also great for those 'big daddy' burgers, pork tenderloins, briskets and basically all those larger cuts of meat that are tricky to maneuver.

We had to showcase this bad boy by grillin' up some Blackened Saskatchewan Salmon (try saying that three times fast) using our incredible Blackened Saskatchewan seasoning. The peppery flavor notes pair perfectly with the sweet honey drizzle on the salmon. This is a recipe from our Guilt Free - Love, Laugh, Grill cookbook that we tweaked just a little.

Blackened Saskatchewan Salmon

Recommended Pellets: Hickory, Mesquite or Maple
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS:

1 whole fresh salmon fillet, cleaned
Olive oil
Traeger Blackened Saskatchewan seasoning
Honey
Cooking Spray

Start with a beautiful piece of salmon. When you're shopping for fresh fish, there are a few things you should check. You want the flesh to be shiny, firm and 'springy' to the touch. The color should be bright without any discoloration. And it shouldn't smell fishy. Fresh fish should smell more like the ocean than a stinky fish. If it passes those tests, then this specimen is good to wrap up and take home!

Set your Traeger on Smoke with the lid open for 4-5 minutes, or until the fire is established. Preheat to 350 degrees F.

Rinse and pat dry the salmon fillet. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Season the fish moderately with the Blackened Saskatchewan and lightly rub it in.

Flip the fish and repeat.

Tear a large sheet of foil and spray with cooking spray. Carefully move the fish to the foil.

Drizzle the top of the fish with a generous amount of honey. (don't rub it in)

Wrap the foil around the fish and cook for 15 minutes on the Traeger.

Unwrap the fish and take out of the foil, using the marvelous Salmon Spatula and put the fillet directly on the grill grate. This will let the outside caramelize and give it a little crispy crust on the exterior.

Grill for an additional 5-10 minutes (The time depends on how done you like your salmon. I like a little bit of rawness in the middle, so I only cooked it for 5 minutes more.)

If you like a little flair, garnish the salmon with some chopped chives and pause for the 'Oohs' and 'Aahs'.

*If you want a great side, pair it with some creamy mashed potatoes. I quickly whipped some up using the potato that I had scooped out and saved after making the Pizza Potato Skins. I heated them up along with 3 tablespoons of half & half, 2 tablespoons of butter, 3 tablespoons of onion and chive cream cheese (Love this stuff! You can use any kind of herbed cream cheese.), dill, and salt and pepper to taste. Just mix it together using a hand mixer (or by hand) and you're ready!

The Quality of Your Meat Makes a Difference!

Whether you are cooking beef, pork, or chicken it is the quality of your meat that is going to elevate the flavor and texture of your final product to the sublime. Whenever possible, be in control of what meat will be going on your Traeger.

One of the best ways to do just that is by buying local. It may not be something you are used to, but buying from local farms allows you to have so much more information about what you will be eating. Who really knows where your crayovaced bag of brisket has been?? Buying local allows you to have a direct relationship with the person who raised your livestock. You will know what they ate (grass fed beef has similar caloric value to skinless chicken and contains higher levels of healthy Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids). You will know how they exercised (free-range chickens vs. caged).

source: cmrbeef.com

Essentially, buying local livestock allows you to have a lot of information, a fresh product, and a good feeling in your heart for supporting local farmers in your community. Not to mention, your final product will just taste better!

To help you out with exploring more options for buying from your local animal stock, check out this AMAZING resource of local farms in each state from TipsforBBQ.com.

Roasted Red Pepper White Bean Dip

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Recommended Pellets: Any

INGREDIENTS:

4 cloves roasted garlic (we'll tell you how to roast a whole head of garlic)
2 roasted red peppers (ditto the above)
2 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (or other white bean)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons salt (or more, to taste)

ROASTED RED PEPPERS & GARLIC:

First we need to roast the garlic and red peppers. This is so easy to do and so flavorful, you'll be wondering why you haven't roasted these guys for every dish.

Roasting the garlic takes away a little of its edge and potency but replaces it with a smoky-toastiness that will have you adding roasted garlic to just about everything you eat. You may even be tempted to munch on some while it's fresh, warm from the Traeger.

Start the Traeger on Smoke with the lid open for 4-5 minutes (or until the fire is established). Then preheat to 400 degrees F.

It's easiest to roast the entire head of garlic, or even better, several heads of garlic. (You won't regret it!) Keep the unused cloves in the fridge and whip them out to make future dishes extraordinary. (Roasted garlic makes the ultimate garlic bread!)

Peel away the outside layers of the garlic husk. Cut off the top of the garlic bulb, exposing each of the individual cloves.

Drizzle olive oil over the top of the head of garlic and rub it in.

Wrap the garlic in foil, completely covering it. Put the head of garlic and the two red peppers (washed and dried) on the Traeger. Roast the garlic for 25-30 minutes and the peppers for about 40 minutes. Rotate the peppers a quarter-turn every 10 minutes until the exterior is blistered and blackened.

Pull the peppers off the grill and put them in a bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave them for 15 minutes. The steam will loosen the skins so that they slip off like a drumstick covered in barbecue sauce.

Peel off the pepper skin.

Cut off the stems and scrap out the seeds and they're ready to use.

As for the garlic, let it cool and then pull out the individual cloves as needed. (If any of the outside cloves get too dark, just throw them away)

THE DIP

In a blender put the roasted red peppers, 4 cloves of roasted garlic, dill, parsley, drained and rinsed beans, olive oil, lemon juice and salt.

Blend until the dip is smooth and creamy. You may need to scrape down the sides of the blender a couple of times. If it's having difficulty blending or looks too thick add more olive oil or lemon juice. (Add more lemon juice if it tastes like it needs more acid or brightness.)

The great thing about this recipe is you can tweak it to taste how you like it to taste. Add more fresh herbs if you want it more herbaceous or more salt if it tastes bland. You could even add in some red pepper flakes if you wanted a hit of heat.

Serve this tasty dip with some fresh-cut vegetables, warm grilled pita (or naan bread), kebabs or just about anything.