The USA is famed for outdoor BBQ’s, as grills are a staple piece of equipment in most US homes. Here in the UK, however it’s almost always weather dependent if we bring out the kettle BBQ this summer!
We haven’t necessarily been that invested in a great BBQ or grill in the past. But these things are changing here in the UK as we are entertaining more and more from home. Therefore, having an all-singing, all-dancing grill is becoming much more common place BY Traeger Grills.
Having watched Netflix’ BBQ Showdown we realised that cooking on a grill wasn’t just about the basics. It was more about what can be achieved by using a professional quality grill.
Let’s introduce you to Traeger, the largest grill brand in the USA. It has arrived in the UK and we couldn’t be more excited. The team from Traeger loaned us an Ironwood for a couple of months so we could trial the new model.
Traeger Grills, Ironwood

The first thing we must say is that it’s a beast of a grill, you’ll need to get serious if you’re cooking with a Traeger. Equally, the Traeger Ironwood is another level grill, it’s literally an outdoor oven that can be set to a specific heat to cook anything you want. The Smart Combustion™ technology maintains a consistent cooking temperature, and the insulated dual-wall reduces temperature fluctuation, unlike a traditional BBQ. Furthermore, you don’t have to stand over it flipping your burgers so they don’t burn, thus giving you more time with friends and family.
The second thing we need to mention is that Trager grills are all wood fired, with special wood pellets that give an authentic smoky flavour. Moreover, if you’re feeling adventurous you can switch to Super Smoke® Mode to give the highest possible wood-fired flavour. You’ll get perfect results every time due to this specific wood-fired innovation. Each Ironwood has a touchscreen display with easy controls, it even tells you when you’re running low on your wood pellets.
Traeger Grills

Let’s talk about the pellets as they come in various blends. You’ve got plenty to choose from including Traeger’s Signature Blend (which is what we used whilst we had the Ironwood on loan), pecan, hickory, mesquite, cherry plus more limited editions. Depending on how smoky, and what kind of smoke you want on your grilled food, you’d choose the most appropriate pellets for your taste buds.
The Signature Blend which we used was an all-round wood-pellet, perfect for BBQ meats, fish, and vegetables. The flavours of hickory, maple, and cherry hardwoods are perfect for any-type of cook. It offered a full-bodied flavour, which brough out the best in everything we cooked.
The third thing we should bring up is that the Traeger Ironwood isn’t a cheap piece of kit, they start at around £1,999.00 and go up to around £3,999.00 depending on the model and accessories you buy. But, for the most amazing grilled food you’ll ever have at home, it’s well worth the investment.
We downloaded the Traeger App as it showcases recipes, gives advice on cleaning the grill, and other little nuggets on how to use the Ironwood to the best of its ability. Whilst on the App we opted for recipes including Beer Can Chicken, Roasted Potatoes with Mustard Seeds, and Roasted Veg to make for dinner one Sunday evening. We weren’t disappointed! Check out this picture of our Sunday Roast using the Traeger Ironwood.
Sunday Roast, Traeger Ironwood-Style

It was a sad day when we had to give back the Ironwood, but it had opened our eyes to the endless possibilities of what we could grill with a Traeger.
For more information about any of the Traeger Grills, visit Traeger.

Traeger Grills, The Only BBQ You’ll Ever Need – Words by Rachel McAlley