Quick & Easy Traeger Grilled Bacon
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Traeger Grilled Bacon may now be my favorite way to make bacon!!! It’s super simple – pop it on the grill and let it go – and it comes out magical! The bacon is crispy in all the right spots but the fatty part still has flavor. Oh man – I could have eaten the whole pound!
I tested making it two different ways – half with the bacon slices directly on the grill and half on a pan with a grate to catch the drippings. There was a clear winner in the bacon on the grill method cook-off – keep reading to find out which way was better.
How do you make bacon on a Traeger (or any pellet grill)?
Whether you’re putting bacon on burgers or just eating it plain – making it on the grill is perfection! All you do is turn the Traeger pellet smoker on – and put the bacon on!
- Check your hopper and be sure you’ve got pellets in there! These pellets are your fuel source! This recipe isn’t going to take too many – but just don’t run it empty.
- Turn your Traeger on to “Smoke” – leave it about 10 minutes – it will start to smoke – don’t be alarmed!
- Once the smoke has dissipated, change the temp to 300 – it should take about 10 min to come to temp
- Now it’s time to put the bacon on!
Let’s go into the two ways I cooked it:
Bacon on a Rack
I know the popular oven method places bacon on a rack over a cookie sheet – and this is also one of the ways you can do it on the Traeger. You can line your large baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil to ease in cleanup then lay your bacon in a single layer on a wire rack. I found this method to be a little problematic. It took much longer to cook and it stuck to the rack a lot more.
Time: 30 minutes – no need to flip since it’s on a rack
Bacon directly on the Grill
The other option is to place your bacon directly on your grill grates. Be sure to clean off your grates before you bacon them up. I just used the brush to get the stuff off and did not have ANY problems with the bacon sticking! I felt this was the best bacon out of the two!
Time: 24 minutes – flip halfway thru
Tips, Tricks and FAQs
My favorite bacon is always Thick cut! I’m originally from Iowa and got a box of yum from the Amana Colonies and in it was this package of Hickory Smoked Bacon. Perfect for grilling on a Traeger. It’s already smoked and then the Traeger pellets add a bit more smokiness to your bacon. (OMG – their cheddar brats are the BEST EVER!!!)
24-30 minutes depending on how you cook it – I would check it at 20 minutes if you place bacon slices directly on the grill. If your bacon is not thick cut – be sure to check it after 10 minutes.
I did it at 300 degrees F – I would definitely keep it low and slow. It will take a little longer – but it’s worth the wait!
If you are using smoked bacon – you can go the same route as the bacon – like mine was Hickory smoked. I buy the Traeger Signature Blend pellets which are a mix of hickory, maple and cherry. I think they work well across the board.
Well – you just leave it on longer to make it crispier. That said – I still urge you to take it off before it APPEARS crispy – it will firm up when you remove it from the grill.
Leftover???? JK – I made a pound of bacon – and I’m a single right now – so yes – I had bacon left. I let it cool and then picked up the slices and put them in a gallon ziploc bag.
If you want that smoky flavor – but don’t have a smoker – you’ve got a couple of options!
– Wood chips – Soak them in water for 30 minutes before starting the grill. One cup of wood chips will last for about 20 minutes. Keep adding chips to the grill throughout the process. If you use a charcoal grill, light the coals, when the coals are ready, place them on one side of the grill. Place some of the wood chips on top of the coals. Place your food on the side without the coals to cook it with indirect heat.
– Smoker Tubes – My friend Nick introduced me to the wonderment of a smoke tube! It’s a metal tube with holes – fill that tube with Traeger pellets and then light it with a butane lighter. Once the pellets catch fire – let them get started – then blow the flames out. Set them in the grill with your chicken and shut the lid. The smoke flavor is all those tubes will leave behind!
Other Traeger Recipes
- Country Style Ribs
- Smoked Queso
- Smoked Candied Bacon
- Traeger Pork Belly Burnt Ends
- Bacon Wrapped Oreos
- Traeger Pork Tenderloin
- Find more delicious recipes for your Traeger here…
More Recipes with Bacon
- Copycat Ruby Slipper Pig Candy (candied bacon)
- Air Fryer Bacon
- Chipotle Chicken & Bacon Pizza
- Smoked Bacon Wrapped Chicken Thighs
- Maple Bacon & Sausage French Toast Bake
- Find more delicious recipes with bacon here…
Traeger Smoked Bacon
Ingredients
- 1 lb thick cut bacon
Instructions
- Turn the Traeger on and set to Smoke and leave open. Traeger will smoke – let smoke dissipate.
- Clean off grill with brush so grates are clean. Change temp to 300 and close lid to preheat grill. Should come to temp in about 10 minutes. Be sure your hopper is full of pellets.
- Once Traeger comes to temp, place bacon directly on the grates. Cook for 10-12 minutes.1 lb thick cut bacon
- Open Traeger and flip slices – cook for 10-12 more minutes
- Watch bacon after 20 minutes – as the bacon cools (for about 1-2 minutes) it will firm up so don't over cook it! Take it off when it's floppy – even if you like crispy bacon – it will get crispy!
- Remove from Traeger and place on paper towels to blot off any remaining grease. Serve immediately.
Yum! Great recipes, – thanks for sharing.