If you are a Traeger grill owner, I know, you are taking care of your grill all the way.
The secret of keeping your grill happy lies in the pellets.
If you keep pellets happy, it automatically keeps your Traeger grill happy and your stomach too!
So, taking care of pellets is the most essential thing in grilling.
Once you finished the grilling job with the Traeger, probably you may wonder, can you leave pellets in the Traeger hopper?
Then I would say, no.
Some Traeger owners store the pellets in the hopper after cooking successfully.
But I don’t recommend storing the pellets in the hopper.
You should not leave pellets in the Traeger hopper.
Because the outside environmental elements lead to moisture trapped in it and cause to rot them eventually.
Here we’ll get to know the Traeger pellet and its proper storage after grilling.
Can You Leave Pellets in the Traeger Hopper?
If you are a newbie to Traeger, you may have question grapple in your mind,
Can you leave pellets in the Traeger hopper?
Then I would say, no.
You should not leave the pellets in the Traeger hopper.
Some Traeger owners leave the pellets in the hopper without any issue.
They don’t empty the pellets after every use.
Yes, you can leave the pellets in the Trager hopper. But with it needs some extra precaution.
Such as make sure there is no moisture gets in it.
You should cover the grill with Traeger insulated cover after every use.
If you are using your grill frequently you can leave the pellets in the hopper.
But on a safer side, I would recommend not to leave the pellets in the hopper and empty the hopper after each cooking batch.
If you are not going to grill for more than a week-long, you’ll have to change your pellets so they’re good as new when you get back for grilling.
If you are living in high humidity area, don’t leave the pellets in the Traeger hopper.
You may end up with a lump of sawdust from the pellets swelling up and falling apart if you stored it in a pellet hopper.
Don’t leave the pellets in the hopper. It may rot since they will be exposed to the outdoor environment.
Leaving the leftover pellets in the hopper can expose them to air moisture, humidity, or even rain.
Any of these factors leads to the pellets absorbing moisture and rotting.
Storing the pellets in the hopper results in augur jamming in your grill.
Then fixing jammed augur will take many hours to fix it.
So, it is way easier and quicker to empty the hopper after each cook.
It won’t take more than just 2 minutes to take out the pellets from the hopper.
You should empty the hopper after each cook. Store the leftover pellets in the trusty Traeger pellet storage metal bucket.
It keeps your wood pellets secure as the pellet lid is airtight and doesn’t allow moisture to get in.
The Traeger storage buckets are weather resistant.
It has 20 lbs storage capacity. The bucket allows for easy pouring of wood pellets in the hopper for the next time.
You don’t need to worry about sawdust in pellets as the bucket has a filter that stains the sawdust.
You can also use a Rubbermaid tote to store the pellets.
How to Change and Remove the Traeger Pellets?
Removing or changing out pellets of Traeger grill is quite an easy process.
You can change or remove the pellets in the following ways:
For Pro-Series or newer grills
If you have Traeger pro series or newer grills, you have to open the hopper.
Clean the door. Then simply pour the pellets back into the container.
Isn’t it easy?
For Traeger older models
If you have Traeger older models, Scoop out the pellets with a smaller scoop or container.
You can also use a bucket vacuum head.
But ensure the vacuum is not too much strength as it can break out the pellets.
In this way, you can change or remove the pellets easily though you have newer Trager models or older ones.
How to Store Traeger Pellets?
The Traeger pellets should have a good shine and they snap when you break them in half.
It means your pellets are in good condition.
If the pellets are dull and crumbled as well, it means they are not good enough to use for your Traeger.
If you want your Traeger pellets in pristine condition for longer, you need to store them precisely.
How and where to store your pellets are key elements for taking care of your wood pellets.
You need to store the Traeger pellets by using the following guidelines:
Store in the dry place
Moisture is the wood pellet’s worst enemy.
Moisture can adversely affect the quality of wood and the amount of smoke from pellets.
Damp wood pellets do not ignite at all and smoking with it will also become a disaster.
Store the pellets in a dry place.
The storage place should be free from humidity, mold, and flooding.
You can store your pellets in a garage and shed.
Don’t leave the pellets in the bags they came in
Don’t leave the pellets in the bags it came in.
Even if you are storing wood pellets indoor, don’t leave them in the bag.
There is still moisture present in the air.
Store the pellets the Traeger metal buckets
Store the pellets in the Traeger metal buckets.
It has an airtight lid so that moisture won’t trap inside the pellets.
It also ensures the freshness of wood pellets for a longer period of time.
Don’t store pellets near flame or heat
Wood pellets are tremendously flammable.
They should be used and stored with extra carefulness.
If you are storing the pellets in the garage, ensure that they are away from high heat like a water heater or car.
Even if you got new pellets and you still stored them in the bag inside, there is a possibility that they can ignite if contacted to flame or extreme heat.
Don’t store on floors
Don’t store your Traeger pellets store on the floor.
The floor can be easily got wet, even there is no spillages or rain exposure.
So, store your pellets off the ground place.
You can keep them on a shelf or in a cabinet.
Final Thoughts
If you have been leaving the pellets in the hopper, then don’t do it next time.
You should not leave the pellets in the Traeger hopper.
If you leave the pellets in the hopper, outdoor environmental elements affect them, and moisture is trapped in it.
They won’t ignite and it affects the longevity of the pellets.
So, don’t leave the pellets in the hopper.
Take out the pellets in the hopper and store them in the air-tight bucket and keep them in a moisture-free environment always.
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