When you start grilling on a Traeger, you will want to do it the right way.
Most people are going to have specific techniques that work for them. It often comes down to understanding what will work for you over time.
In general, the one thing people will often mention is, can you grill on a Traeger with the lid open?
You can grill on a Traeger with the lid open but it’s not recommended. The reason it is not recommended is due to the sudden temperature fluctuations, ruined food quality, increased grilling time, and the likelihood of pests.
If you want to simplify things, it’s best to close the lid when grilling on a Traeger.
This is going to make things simpler for you and it will allow you to focus on understanding how the grill works.
This article is going to look at the main reasons to not grill on a Traeger with the lid open.
Table of Contents
Reasons To Not Grill On A Traeger With The Lid Open
1. Constant Temperature Fluctuations
When you are grilling on a Traeger, you don’t want a situation where the temperature does not hit the number you have set it to.
This does happen when the lid is open.
The Traeger is not going to regulate temperature when the lid is open and it is going to cause things to fluctuate rapidly. While this does not mean you can’t grill on the Traeger with the lid open, it still leads to a situation where things are unstable.
This is not good for situations where you are grilling a recipe based on a specific set of instructions.
It is going to get confusing and that is also going to make it harder to judge when the food is done. You are better off setting the temperature and keeping the lid of the Traeger closed as it grills.
You will know it is going to hit the temperature you are aiming for and it is going to work out the way you want it to.
2. Can Ruin The Food’s Quality
The main purpose of using a Traeger is to make sure you are getting that seasoned grilled experience.
You will know it is going to let you hit the temperatures that you are hoping for but that is only possible when you are not opening the lid of the Traeger in the middle.
You will want to avoid a situation that is going to ruin the food quality as best as you can. It is not always easy to do this but you will have to be focused on doing this.
Of course, you can open the lid from time to time as a way to look at how the food is doing. However, this should be done for a few seconds.
You will want to keep the lid closed to not ruin the food’s quality.
3. Increases Grilling Time
You will want to think about decreasing the grilling time.
This is not going to happen when the lid is open.
You will have a situation where the increase in grilling time is going to be all over the place and that will become confusing to manage. You don’t want a situation where the grilling time gets to the point where it is out of control.
You will want to keep things as stable as possible and that is only possible when the lid is closed on the Traeger.
4. Can Welcome Pests
Let’s assume you are running the grill.
The grill is going to do its job as it begins to work on the food but that does not mean it is going to welcome pests.
You have to make sure there is a situation where the pests are kept under control. It is important to think about this when it is time to focus on what is going on with the pests.
If pests are coming onto the grill, this is not good for the food and it is going to potentially contaminate it.
Be careful when it comes to how you care for the pests as things can go out of control if you are not careful. This is why keeping the lid closed is a much better idea.
Final Thoughts
Can you grill on a Traeger with the lid open?
You can grill on a Traeger with the lid open but it is not recommended. The reasons you will not want to grill on a Traeger with the lid open are the increased grilling times, irregular temperature control, potential pests, and ruined food quality.
It is best to not take this type of risk when it comes to how the Traeger works.
You will want to use it the way it should be and that is with the lid closed. You are going to get better results by doing this and that is one of the most important things a person can do when it is time to focus on what works and what does not.
