Before cooking the first batch of food in your new Traeger, you need to know how to season your grill. This simple, one-time initial firing process will burn off any residual, non-toxic oils from the manufacturing process and help create non-stick surfaces so that you get the most out of your Traeger Wood Pellet Grill.

One-Time Initial Firing Process

Whether you have a grill from the Traeger Pro series or a new Traeger Woodridge, seasoning and burning in your grill is an essential part of the wood-fired magic.

How long does it take to do the initial firing burn-in?

A WiFIRE grill will take about one and a half hours, while a non-connected grill will take roughly an hour.

Let's start by looking at how to season a WiFIRE grill. Scroll past these first steps to learn how to season a non-connected grill.

If you've purchased one of our Woodridge Grills, make sure you follow these steps to season and burn it in.

Make sure all the components are properly installed in the grill and that all packaging and shipping materials are removed prior. Make sure to not wipe off the protective grease coating before seasoning since it provides a more durable burn-in protective layer.

1. With the main power switch set to off, connect the power cord to your grill and to an electrical outlet.
2. Add pellets by opening the hopper lid and inspecting for any foreign objects in the auger. Fill the hopper with pellets at least to the safety grate and close the lid.
3. Press the main power switch, located on the back of the auger box to ON (I). Press the section dial to wake up the controller. "TRAEGER" will cross the screen, indicating that the grill is on.
4. Turn the selection dial to set the grill's temperature to 350°F, then press the dial. Press the ignite/shutdown button. The grill will display as it increases to the set temperature.
5. Once the grill has reached 350°F let it run for 15 minutes. While the grill is seasoning, you may see dark or excessive smoke and ash; this is normal and will not be as significant on future startups.
6. After 15 minutes at 350°F, increase the temperature to 500°F.
7. Once the grill has reached 500°F, let it run for another 45 minutes to ensure the seasoning is completed properly.
8. After 45 minutes at 500°F, shut down the grill and let the shut-down cycle complete. To shut down your grill, press and hold the ignite/shutdown button or the selection dial for three seconds under the display to show the shutdown animation.
9. A countdown timer begins while the grill is shutting down. you will hear the fan continue to run. Once this countdown is complete, the shutdown cycle is complete.

*These steps can be done also from the Traeger app.

Now that you’ve finished seasoning your grill, get ready to create mouthwatering brisket, fall-off-the-bone ribs, and juicy pulled pork.

Steps for Seasoning Your Non-Connected Grill

1. Plug in your grill and turn it on using the switch on the front of the controller
2. Add hardwood pellets to the hopper
3. Prime the auger with pellets
   1. Open the lid and remove the grill grate, drip tray, and heat baffle
   2. Set the grill to High (or the highest temp possible) for 2 to 5 minutes until you see pellets fall into the firepot
4. Set the grill to Shutdown Cycle and turn off the grill using the power switch
5. Return the internal components to their correct places inside the grill
6. Turn the grill back on, close the lid, and set the controller to Smoke
7. Wait approximately 15 minutes for the fire to establish in the grill. Once the fire is established, the thick, white smoke should change thin and slightly blue.
8. Set the grill to High (or highest temp possible) for about 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, you are good either to start cooking or to continue to Step 9 to shut down the grill.
9. Set the grill to Shutdown Cycle. The shutdown cycle will run approximately 25 minutes.
10. Once the shutdown cycle is complete, turn off the grill using the power switch.

Your grill seasoning is now complete and you are ready to start grilling.

What To Do After

Your grill is seasoned and ready to go. Now what? Make sure you have everything ready to go for your first cook on the Traeger.

Make sure your grill is clean... Before you do anything, make sure your Traeger is clean and ready to go. Make sure to read our guides on how to clean a Traeger and how to clean a Traeger grease trap so that you can be ready to go.

Make sure everything is in its place... Be sure to test out everything to ensure everything is installed correctly.

Read up on cooking methods... Our guides to smoking, grilling, roasting, searing, baking, and braising are great resources before you start cooking.

Stock up on pellets and other accessories... Do you have enough pellets? Do you have all the accessories you'll need? This includes buying a leave-in meat thermometer like a MEATER so you can cook proteins like a pro.

Connect to the app... Is your grill connected to the app? Connecting to the app allows you to not only remotely monitor and control your grill, but it will help you know if you're operating on the latest firmware.

Sign up for email... Purchasing a Traeger means you're officially a member of the Traegerhood. Sign up for Traeger SMS to keep up with all the top tools, best recipes, sales, and insider tips and tricks so that you can grow your grillin' game one cook at a time.