My buddy's pellet hopper tip backfired at a cookoff in Austin

I mean, my friend Dave swore by keeping the hopper topped off to the brim before a long cook. I did that at the Lockhart BBQ festival last month, and the auger jammed up twice in 6 hours. Turns out the weight of all those pellets packed them down and made a bridge. Has anyone else had that issue with a loaded hopper, or is it just my Traeger being finicky?

2 comments

2 Comments

victor7791mo ago

That "little shake every time I check the meat" trick is lowkey the pro move here. I started doing the same after my last jam, but I also tap the side of the hopper with a rubber mallet before I light it off. Breaks up any sneaky gaps before they become a problem. Same deal though, half full max and it runs way smoother.

ellis.faith1mo ago

That "topped off to the brim" thing got me too. I packed my hopper full for a brisket cook last spring and the pellets bridged right over the auger, starved it for like an hour before I noticed the temp dropping. My Traeger did the exact same thing, jammed and then the fire went out. I had to dig all the pellets out with a plastic cup, what a mess. Now I only fill it about halfway, maybe two thirds max, and I give the hopper a little shake every time I check the meat. It seems like a stupid small thing but it totally changes how steady the temp runs.