What temperature to cook steak on traeger grill

Who doesn’t want to enjoy a perfect steak grilled to perfection on a football Sunday? Indeed, it’s our love of American football, PBR and a searing Traeger Elite grill on a concrete parking lot that inspired us to create this website for all Traeger grill aficionados.

It takes some skill to cook a perfect Traeger steak. Many people either end up over cooking the steak or leaving the steak a bit uncooked from few ends. They lack knowledge as to how a steak can be cooked to perfection. Here is the perfect guide to help you out with the perfect steak cooking on a wood pellet grill. Just follow few simple steps.

The Perfect Traeger Steak

First try to get a good sear, as searing helps in sealing the natural flavors. It also infuses new flavors that go perfectly with a dish. For getting a good sear, preheat your grill and set the temperature to smoke. Make sure the lid of the wood pellet grill remains open while doing so. After 5 to 10 minutes, the fire starts and smoke begin billowing.

After the fire is established, close the grill lid and set a high temperature to continue preheating for around 10 to 15 minutes.

Now after 10 to 15 minutes, open the lid and make sure the grill temperature is more than 350 degrees F, as searing and grill marks occur when the temperature is above 350 degrees F. When the desired temperature is reached place the steak on the grill’s hot spot and close the lid for around 3 to 5 minutes, so that the steak gets cooked properly.

After 5 minutes, flip the steak and repeat the same process.

The cast iron present in your wood pellet grill allows even heat distribution and also retains heat, at the same time it also facilitates slow even cooking for providing a deeper sear.

Allow some time, and let the steak cook to perfection, so that it is juicy from the inside and tender from the outside.

The internal temperature should be raised to somewhere between 125 to 135 degrees Fahrenheit to get the perfect tender, medium and rare steak that has all the required flavors intact along with the sear marks.

Post cooking, allow the steak to rest for 10 to 15 minutes and then serve it for enjoying the flavors that are intact in the steak. You don’t need to sacrifice the authentic wood fired taste for only getting grill marks on your steak. Both can be enjoyed if proper steps are followed to cook a steak or any other type of meat.

There are also various cast iron grill accessories that are available in the market, and same can be purchased for a better searing experience. The main reason why the desired temperature should be always above 350 degree F is that, heat above this temperature allows for the meat to caramelize and also have brown spots on its surface and both are guaranteed to improve the flavor of the steak. The main reason why people prefer eating such food is mainly because of its flavors. So always try to cook in such a way that the flavors always enhance for a divine eating experience.

Make sure to check out our Traeger product assessment, if you’re in the market for a wood pellet grill.

Who doesn’t enjoy a juicy, thick steak? Cooking a perfect Traeger steak, on the other hand, requires some skill. Many folks either overcook the steak or leave it raw on the edges. They have no idea how to cook a steak to perfection.

Here’s a handy tip to cooking the ideal steak on a wood pellet traeger grill. We’ve got you covered whether you like it fresh from the field, with some pink or deader-than-dead. In this article, we will discuss how to cook perfect steak on a Traeger Grill, or if you’d like, call it your very own guide to cooking on a traeger grill. So keep reading to learn more.

How To Make The Perfect Traeger Steak

Enough blabbering around, let’s get down to business. This is how to cook on a traeger grill. 

Step 1: To begin, try to get a decent sear, as searing helps in locking in the natural flavors. It also adds new flavors that complement a food wonderfully. Preheat your grill and set the temperature to smoke for a good sear. While doing so, keep the lid of the wood pellet grill open. The fire begins to burn after 5 to 10 minutes, and smoke begins to billow.

Step 2: Close the grill lid and set a high temperature to keep heating for 10 to 15 minutes after the fire is started.

Step 3: After 10 to 15 minutes, remove the lid and check that the grill temperature is higher than 350 degrees F. When the temperature rises above 350 degrees F, searing and grill marks appear. When it reaches the required temperature, place the steak on the hot spot of the grill and close the lid for 3 to 5 minutes to ensure that the steak is cooked correctly. You should use the traeger meat temperature probe instructions to set up the accurate temperature.

Step 4: Flip the steak after 5 minutes and repeat the process.

Step 5: Allow enough time for the steak to cook properly so that it is juicy on the inside and soft on the exterior.

Step 6: To get the perfect tender, medium, or rare steak with the required flavors and sear marks, raise the internal temperature to 125 and 135 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 7: Allow the steak to rest for 10-15 minutes after cooking before serving to enjoy the flavors that remain in the steak. You don’t have to give up the authentic wood-fired flavor of your steak to achieve grill marks. 

Many other cast iron grill accessories available on the market may be bought for a better searing experience. The primary reason why the target temperature needs to be above 350 degrees F is that heat above this temperature helps the meat caramelize.

It develops a brown crust on its surface, both of which improve the flavor of the steak. So, always try to prepare so that the flavors complement one another for a wonderful dining experience.

Whether you are new to this or experienced, grilling on a traeger can be confusing at times. But don’t worry. We have got your back. To get perfect steak every time, just follow the traeger steak guide as given below.

1. Basic Rules Of Cooking Meat

The first and foremost rule to cook meat is setting the right temperature for different meat.

It is important because it imparts a distinct flavor to the meat and ensures that it has reached a safe internal temperature. It should be hot enough to kill potentially harmful organisms that cause food poisoning.

Here’s a quick rundown of the ideal internal temperatures for various meat types and cuts, with more detailed information to follow.

Ideal Internal Temperatures for various Meat Types and Cuts

Here’s a quick rundown of the ideal internal temperatures for various meat types and cuts, with more detailed information to follow.

1) Chicken

• Parts: 12 minutes per side on HIGH (400 F)
• Whole: 1.5 – 2 hours on MEDIUM 275-300°F

2) Pork Chops

• 1 inch thick 8-10 minutes per side on High 400°F
• 1.5″ thick 10-12 minutes per side on High 400°F
• 2 inch thick 12-15 minutes per side on High 400°F

3) Roasts – Rare 140°F, Medium 150°F, Well 160°F

• Beef: cook on Medium 275-300°F until it reaches 150°F internal temperature. Approximately 40 minutes per pound.
• Pork: cook on Medium 275-300°F until it reaches 165°F internal temperature. About 40 minutes per lb.
• Lamb: cook on Medium 275-300°F until it reaches 150°F internal temperature. About 40 minutes per pound.

4) Steaks – Always cook at HIGH 400°F. For 1-1.5″ thick steak

• Rare: 140°F cook 8 minutes per side
• Medium: cook 10-12 minutes per side at 150°F
• Well: 15 minutes per side at 160°F

5) Turkey

• Breast: cook to 170°F internal temperature- 2-4 hours
• Quarter: cook to 180°F internal temperature 1-1.5 hours
• Whole: cook to 170°F internal temperature (breast)
• It usually takes 7-12 hours on medium 275-300°F depending on the weight of the turkey

6) Lamb

• Leg: 150-155°F — 2-5 hours depending on size
• Roast: 150-155°F — 2-4 hours depending on size
• Riblets: 155°F — 3-4 hours

Other Traeger Grill FAQs

1. How To Get A More Smoky Flavor In Your Meat?

.Set the Traeger grill over medium heat and let the meat heat up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit internal temperature before switching to smoke. It causes the meat fibers to open up, allowing the meat to absorb more smoke.

2. How Long Will A Traeger Grill Take To Cook Meat?

Meat should be cooked in a Traeger Grill for 20 minutes per pound at 350 degrees F.
Roasting temperatures: rare 140°F, medium 150°F, well 160°F.
For beef, cook on medium (275-300°F) until the internal temperature reaches 150°F. It takes about 40 minutes per pound.

3. How To Cook Big Pieces Of Meat In A Traeger Grill?

Always begin with the medium setting (250-275 degrees Fahrenheit. When you start cooking a large piece of meat at an excessively high temperature, the blood in the meat rises to the surface, resulting in unpleasant blood stains on the meat.

Suppose you begin smoking before letting the meat heat up to at least 100F internal temperature. In that case, it could further end up with only surface smoke penetration rather than deep penetration, which most people prefer.

4. What Are The Minimum Cooking Temperatures To Cook Meat?

Chicken: 170F (breast), 180F (thigh), other 165F
Turkey: 170F (breast), 180F (thigh), others, 170F
Beef, Veal and Lamb: 145F
Pork: 165F
Hamburgers: 160F
Hot Dogs: 155F -160F

5. Can You Cook Sear Steaks On A Traeger Grill?

Place the steak on the grill grate and smoke it for 45 to 60 minutes. Take the steak off when time is up. Raise the temperature to the highest setting. Sear steaks on hot grill grates till an internal temperature of 125°F is reached for medium rare.

6. How To Reverse Sear?

Okay, this is a piece of cake! If you’re using a WiFIRE®-enabled grill, first switch to ‘Super Smoke’ mode. Smoke your cut of choice for 45 minutes to an hour at 225 degrees F, or until it’s almost done.

Then, remove the steak from the grill and increase the temperature to High. It’s important to remember that you don’t open the lid until the steak reaches searing temperature. Finally, place the beef on the hot grill grates for about 1 minute on each side and enjoy the best steak you’ve ever had.

Conclusion

Cooking on a traeger grill on a lazy Sunday afternoon sounds like the most apt thing to do, doesn’t it? There’s something about gathering your family and friends around and flaunting those perfect sear marks on thick, juicy pieces of meat. But first, you must ensure that you know what you’re working with.

I’m guessing you’ve figured out how to cook a perfect steak on your traeger grill by now. What about cooking on a charcoal grill like stok charcoal grill? Cooking requires some effort, but it is well worth it! Always keep the temperature in mind when cooking steak or other meat to not overcook or undercook it. You can rely on a good meat thermometer for this.

I hope you found this post useful. And as always, happy cooking!