The Smoker That Made Me Promote My Traeger

I purchased a Traeger Ironwood 885 again in 2021 to exchange my offset smoker and charcoal grill. It smoked some epic BBQ, however left me disillusioned when it got here to grilling. It simply couldn’t get scorching sufficient to adequately sear burgers, steaks, and hen. 

Earlier this yr, Recteq launched their DualFire which promised to hit a max temp of 700 levels and had oblique and direct warmth choices. I received one to check out and I’ve been cooking with its excessive and low settings for 2 months. Right here’s why it changed my Traeger.

• Temperature vary: 180 to 700 levels 
• Energy supply: 110 Volt AC GFCI Outlet
• Gasoline supply: Hardwood pellets
• Weight: 251 kilos
• Direct warmth cooking house: 300 sq. inches
• Oblique warmth cooking house: 900 sq. inches of cooking house on
• Hopper capability: 70 kilos 
• Contains 4 meat probes
• Wi-Fi connectivity
• Six-year guarantee

Twin Cooking Zones

There are two cooking chambers. I measured the smaller, direct-heat aspect at 19 by 13 inches and the huge, low-and-slow aspect at 19 by 26.5 inches. The direct-heat chamber will get as much as 700 levels and the oblique aspect will get as excessive as 500 levels.

Temperature Management

Each chambers are managed by unbiased knobs and energy buttons on the management panel. And sure, you may run each chambers concurrently.

Giant Hopper 

The DualFire holds 70 kilos of pellets that feed each chambers. I’ve been cooking on the DualFire weekly for 2 months and I lastly want so as to add extra pellets.

Meeting 

I put collectively the DualFire solo in two hours. Recteq has YouTube video that walks you thru the method. 

Learn Subsequent: Finest Pellet People who smoke

Testing the Recteq DualFire 1200

I used to be most excited in regards to the DualFire’s grilling prowess, so I put it to the take a look at with fish, steak, hen, and greens. The very first thing I cooked was jerk hen at 450 levels. The grill cooked it completely and lent a pleasant smoke taste to the meat. I skirted catastrophe although once I adjusted the temperature mid prepare dinner (425 to 450 levels). That improve in temperature prompted an enormous plume of white smoke because the pellet grill labored to stoke the hearth. If I used to be cooking fish or if I made a bigger adjustment, it might have put an excessive amount of smoke into the meat. From then on, I didn’t regulate the temp as soon as it was set. 

Subsequent I grilled an entire pink snapper at 600 levels. I received very nice grill marks, crispy pores and skin, and wooden hearth taste. A giant plus is how persistently the DualFire held proper at 600 levels. I went on to grill steaks and carne asada on the max temp. That is when the direct-heat aspect actually confirmed its metallic because it sizzled and seared the meat to perfection. It produced distinct grill marks, all of the Maillard response you may ask for, and that charcoal grill taste. 

The grill works extremely properly and may be very handy. I timed how lengthy it took the DualFire to go from a chilly begin to its max temp of 700 levels. Over three completely different cooks it took a mean of 13 minutes. That comfort has led me to make use of the grill extra typically and it’s helpful for fast weeknight meals. 

My principal low-and-slow take a look at was a lean brisket I picked up from Costco. It didn’t have an excellent fats cap or marbling, however I used to be decided to show it into BBQ. I rubbed it with salt and black pepper. Then put it on the smoker at 250 levels at 6 a.m. The DualFire held inside 5 levels of my set level because the cool morning temps was a scorching afternoon. At 5 hours, I wrapped the brisket in butcher paper and it already had the beginnings of a pleasant bark. After one other 5 hours the brisket felt unfastened and was able to relaxation. The end result was brisket — not one that’s going to win any competitors, however strong BBQ that made for an excellent meal. The principle detrimental was the bark was over developed. Nevertheless it had an excellent smoke ring and simply handed the pull take a look at. 

Learn Subsequent: Finest Grills

What the Recteq DualFire 1200 Does Finest

It is a extremely versatile smoker and grill. You get the comfort and excessive warmth of a propane grill with wooden smoke taste. The smoker aspect works completely with clear smoke and constant temperatures. There are additionally a ton of nice added equipment for the DualFire like a folding desk and a chilly smoking attachment. 

The place the Recteq DualFire 1200 Can Enhance

As a lot as I liked the direct warmth aspect of the pellet smoker, I want it had extra actual property. There’s undoubtedly sufficient room to prepare dinner a meal for your loved ones, however when you’re having a cookout, you’ll need more room. 

Regardless that the grill aspect is small, the DualFire takes up a whole lot of house. The whole footprint measures 27 by 70 inches. So maintain that in thoughts if in case you have a small patio or deck. 

The grill’s LCD display screen just isn’t essentially the most conveniently positioned: it’s inset and the shelf above it overhangs the display screen. Each of these design options assist defend the display screen towards glare and rain, however I needed to step again to see it. At 6 ft 6 inches I’m fairly tall, however I believe even a prepare dinner of common top may have bother seeing the LCD display screen.

Remaining Ideas on the Recteq DualFire 1200

I like all kinds of grilled and smoked meals, and there’s no substitute for the flavour wooden smoke provides to meat and greens. However who has time to construct an ideal mattress of coals or monitor a smoker for 12 hours? Perhaps you lose 5 p.c of the flavour and some factors off your chef rating, however a pellet smoker makes that wooden smoke taste lots simpler to realize. If you need an all-in-one pellet smoker, I don’t suppose there’s a greater choice than the DualFire. It grills and smokes properly whereas conserving all of the comfort of a contemporary pellet grill.