July 4, 1985 is a day that will live in barbecue infamy. Joe Traeger was cooking chicken on his newly purchased gas grill.

Joe’s hungry tribe was poised for the feast, anticipating the tasty grilled fowl. Stepping into the kitchen for just a moment, Joe returned to find the grill engulfed in flames, the chicken burnt beyond recognition. Joe attempted to remove the chicken and douse the flames, to no avail. Finally, Joe’s temper got the best of him. In a flash of frustration, he kicked the flaming grill—chicken and all—off the deck and down a wooded ravine, where it lies rusting to this day.

The next morning, Joe was at work applying Traeger’s wood pellet technology to a barbecue. Less than a year later, the first wave of Traeger Wood Pellet Grills began rolling off the assembly line.

Now nearly 20 years later, Traeger Wood Pellet Grills have transformed the lives of thousands of families across America. Those families have been set free from gas flare-ups, messy charcoal, and have enjoyed better taste and fewer hassles.

This is why the Traeger Woood Pellet Grill is one of the fastest growing products in the barbecue industry.