Awesome! Welcome to the group! There’s a ton of good info here and even better people!
I have basically the same smoker, just an earlier version. They are excellent and I absolutely love mine! It does take some getting used to though.
There are a few things you should know upfront. The temp probes in these grills are not the best, they are usually off anywhere from 5-30 degrees in either direction. You can bug customer service and they will send you new ones and a new controller or you can just buy a stand alone unit that will be easier to use and cause you less heart ache. Something like the fire board, thermoworks, etc...
Next thing is the metal on metal seal for the lid is not always perfect. It causes heat fluctuations and causes smoke to escape the cooking chamber. A $15 fix is to buy some lava lock high temp felt gasket material found on Amazon and you’re Golden.
These things are easy to put together; but they’re a little heavy and awkward, so it’s helpful to have a friend there to help stand the unit up once the legs are installed.
Do the initial burn in the correct way. While the instructions in the book worked for me, I feel like this is the better way. Also; once you get the grill together and upright, take everything out of the cooking chamber and wipe as much of the rust preventative and machine oil off everything as you can. Then do these steps to “season the smoker”
Before cooking the first batch of food in your new Traeger, you will need to season the grill. This simple, one-time initial firing process will ensure that you get the most out of your Traeger Wood Pellet Grill. We’re so excited that you’ve chosen to join Traeger Nation.
Step 1 Plug in grill to an electrical outlet and turn on
Step 2 -Prime your auger tube with pellets
Step 3 -Add hardwood pellets to hopper
Step 4 -Turn the main power switch on
Step 5 -Turn dial to "Select Auger" then choose "Prime Auger"
Step 6 -Once pellets begin to fall into firepot, select "Done" to turn off auger
Step 7 - Turn selection dial clockwise to 225°F (107°C) and press the dial
Step 8 - Press ignite, close the lid, and when the temperature reaches 225°F, run for 20 minutes then Shutdown grill and let cool.
Start Gill again
Step 9 Turn selection dial clockwise to 340°F (170°C) and press the dial run for 20 minutes then Shutdown grill and let cool.
Start Gill again
Step 10 Turn selection dial clockwise to 450°F (230°C) and press the dial run for 20 minutes then Shutdown grill and let cool.
This approach will help give the paint time to "cure" before exposure to high temps , hope it helps.
Lastly, don’t get hung up in using only Traeger pellets. Most of us here have switched and won’t ever go back. They’re just over priced for what you get.
Best of luck with you’re new smoker. We are here for any questions and cooking tips and everything in between you may need
