Ash on food is most common with new grills and usually disappears after proper seasoning. Other causes include a dirty grill, poor-quality pellets, incorrect chimney clearance or part installation, a malfunctioning induction fan, and overcrowding. Black smoke may indicate circulating ash; clean and maintain the grill.
Applies to: All Grills
What Causes Ash to Get on Food?
Traeger Grills are designed to circulate smoke effectively without causing ash residue on your food, so finding ash on your food, though uncommon, is not impossible. Let's walk through some common causes of ash on your food.
Most Common: New Grill
The most common situation when ash gets on food is when a grill is new. This is completely normal.
As the grill seasons over the first few cooks, this will go away. This is one of the most important reasons you need to season your grill properly before use.
If a customer's grill has been well-loved, the following causes may contribute to ash getting on their food.
Dirty Grill
First and foremost, is your grill clean?
At the very least, you should clean out your grill after every 20 hours of cooking time. For additional information on proper maintenance and cleaning, see Grill Maintenance.
Check the Pellets
Good, quality pellets should have a nice sheen, and you should hear a nice "snap" when breaking. They should not be dull or crumbling.
Chimney Cap Height
If your grill has a chimney cap, make sure it has space for smoke to leave the barrel. You should be able to fit your thumb in between the cap and the chimney.
Parts Installed Incorrectly
Make sure the firepot, drip tray, and heat baffle are all undamaged and installed correctly.
Pro Tip: Warped drip trays and heat baffles are normal and will not affect ash on food.
Induction Fan not Working
Can you hear the fan running? Depending on the temperature, the fan may run consistently or turn on and off in regular intervals.
If you can't hear the fan, check whether there's any buildup preventing it from spinning.
- Remove your hopper access panel.
- Locate the induction fan (not the one attached to the auger motor).
- Turn on the grill and ignite it.
- If the fan is not spinning, try moving it manually to see if it starts spinning.
- If not, turn off the grill and clean off any grime that could prevent it from spinning.
- Turn on and ignite the grill.
- If the fan still does not spin, replace the fan.
Overcrowded Grill
For a Traeger to have the proper air circulation, there needs to be at least an inch of clearance between the grill walls and food, pans or liners/foil inside the grill. If the pan is too big, there is too much food, or if drip tray lining is not flush, it will change the air circulation, which can cause ash to get on the food and temperature issues.
Do You See Black Smoke?
Do You See Black Smoke?
If you notice black smoke in your grill, it may actually be ash circulating inside the grill and landing on your food, which can make the food appear black or discolored.
To resolve this, follow the cleaning and maintenance steps outlined in Grill Maintenance.
Still need help?
Contact Traeger Support — we're ready to help get you back rolling smoke 365 days/year.