New Pellet Grill Owners: Avoid the 8 Most Common Mistakes

Avoid making these 8 common pellet smoker mistakes that people new to pellet grill smoking regularly make. Whether your new pellet smoker is a Pit Boss, a Traeger, a Yoder, or any other pellet grill, these tips will save you stress and reduce the risk of having a bad cook.
#pellet smoker
#pellet smoker tips and tricks

[@1526BBQ]

Thanks for watching - show some love by hitting the subscribe button!

[@chrisstrayer4323]

I can't subscribe twice, so I'm forwarding to friends who bought pellet smokers this fall. I appreciate the straightforward videos.👍

[@1526BBQ]

@@chrisstrayer4323 thanks Chris! I appreciate the support and the feedback.

[@BlueSky-dr5gx]

Thanks you've answered so many of my questions and then some! I subscribed to your channel! 👍🎉

[@1526BBQ]

@@BlueSky-dr5gx thanks! Glad it helped!!!

[@575motocross4]

Mad respect for the amount of drink breaks taken, highly important and overlooked part of smoking.

[@1526BBQ]

Thanks brother. Many ppl on here were giving my shhh about it. I'm like, "I was just having a drink with you guys. Damn." Thanks again🍺🍺🍺👍

[@dallhoc2895]

One tip I would give is not to dump the whole bag in the hopper. The bottom of the bag contains allot of fine pellet dust. This can build up + absorb moisture and clog up the auger.

[@1526BBQ]

That is a great tip! Thanks Dallhoc!!

[@tylerclendening7446]

1st time watching a video of yours! I've had my 1150 Pro Series for about 6 months now and some of what you explained has made me notice a few things that I need to be doing better to produce a better outcome with the food I smoke. Thanks for the advice my man!!

[@1526BBQ]

Glad I could help. Thanks for watching!!

[@fuelgasscrubber]

Come for the tips, stay for the drink updates! Love it. Thanks!

[@michaeld.krochter5623]

Great stuff...this is what I've learned after 10 years of smoking..thank you hope all the new smokers view this..

[@1526BBQ]

Thanks Michael!

[@oliversmith4805]

Yep, my first smoker was an 18" as well, straight away made 2 racks of ribs and realised i needed bigger as i couldn't fit any more ribs in at the same time

[@1526BBQ]

Yep!

[@Erforscher1]

I think this guy speaks from experience. I can see where the grill lid clipped him in his grape

[@1526BBQ]

????

[@KF-zl5io]

Dead center on the grape

[@1526BBQ]

😀 what does that mean??

[@KF-zl5io]

Bro....your grape = your head

[@1526BBQ]

😱👍

[@johnherkert5324]

Thanks for the tips. My friends gave me a zgrill as a combo birthday/ Christmas gift. I can’t wait to set it up

[@1526BBQ]

What an awesome friend! Is he/she in the market for more friends???? lol. Thanks for watching!

[@murphtheirishmanmurphy7268]

Love my Z grill!

[@1526BBQ]

🔥👍🔥👍

[@tedhart4468]

Iv had my Austin xl for over a year and iv done just about everything you can think of on it its pretty sweet !

[@1526BBQ]

I love my PB pit!! Semper Fu!

[@robertowolfo2128]

I just bought one. Excited to try it.

[@1526BBQ]

You're going to love it!

[@counterremoverepeat]

I was looking at one of those, but some reviews put me off of it. What kind of issues have you run into?

[@1526BBQ]

Ive had flame out because I didnt clean the ash pot, and I had a flare up because I didnt clean the dripping tracks. So all my issues were my own fault....

[@billyt8780]

Great job, important advice especially for people just starting with pellet grills

[@1526BBQ]

Thanks bro!!

[@chrismeeson4641]

Thank you very much for the tips. I’m out cleaning my pellet grill right now. Appreciate it.

[@1526BBQ]

Glad I could help

[@nateescalus]

Thank you for posting this video, I just got my first pellet grill today and this helps a lot!

[@1526BBQ]

My pleasure. Thanks for watching!

[@nateescalus]

@@1526BBQ Is there a particular amount of pellets you have to put in the Grill for the burn off to completely work?

[@1526BBQ]

I don't know the amount, your burn off is more about time. I don't recall how long you need to run your pit to do a significant burn off for the should be in the owner's manual. If I had to guess it's going to be like an hour at super high temperatures. 1 hour shouldn't be too many pellets but you could always over fill and remove the pellets that are left over later, at least you can easily remove pallets from the 1100 Pro that I have not sure which model you picked up. I know it's not an exact answer but hopefully it helps. The owner manual should have what you're looking for..

[@stephenshealy6514]

Good deal, I'm getting one, been fire smoking for years in different smokers and I'm ready to kick back, thanks

[@1526BBQ]

Enjoy. You may be use to more smoke flavor. If you feel the need for more smoke pick up a smoke maze. amzn.to/3qkMIzq

[@happyjack880]

I'm "that guy" when it comes to #2. I'm slowly learning. LOL. Thanks for posting.

[@1526BBQ]

Everyone starts somewhere. Welcome to the club brother and thanks for watching.

[@ivandrago9140]

Good tips man, I'm buying a pellet smoker this weekend. You just got a new sub.👍

[@1526BBQ]

I appreciate it brother. Have you owned a smoker before, either way your going to love it. Welcome to the club!!

[@mattiasklement2677]

Im 3 hours away from buying a traeger pro 780, this was super helpful. Also buying my first brisket right after.

[@1526BBQ]

How did the brisket turn out??

[@mattiasklement2677]

@@1526BBQ phenomenal, 11/10 were the ratings i was given.

[@1526BBQ]

@@mattiasklement2677 awesome man!!!!

[@carolferguson]

Congratulations!!!! I have been smoking briskets too

[@johnharris2353]

Thanks for the tips man. I like the way you say Pellet!

[@1526BBQ]

Thanks brother. Do I say it weird?!?!?!?

[@anzac3779]

Just bought a pitboss 700sc glad I found your channel

[@1526BBQ]

Welcome to the fam Anzacmt! Learn how to run, clean, and maintain your pit - your going to love it!!

[@stephengranger9019]

The 700 sc is the one I'm looking to buy and wondering how it's working out for ya???

[@1526BBQ]

@anzacmt - this ons for you....

[@ezrider5448]

I’m in bro. I’ve been using a pellet grill for about two years now. And everything you said is spot on. So I’m probably going to hang for a little bit see what else you got to say...😎

[@1526BBQ]

Appreciate it brother.

[@bigsexysaquariums6780]

Just put together my Austin Xl. Subbed. Great tips. Appreciate it.

[@1526BBQ]

Thanks Big Sexy! 😄😄😄 you're going to love that thing. Thanks for watching and subbing!!

[@yourtalentexpert]

Ok. I just bought a Traeger and am a grill novice. Looking for a new hobby. This video was so helpful and hilarious (love the drink breaks lol). New subscriber!

[@1526BBQ]

Thanks Derek! Welcome to the family!!

[@terryshampoe]

Good Advice! Keeping things clean is very important. I've used many different smokers or combi smokers and you gotta keep them clean.

[@1526BBQ]

Thanks Chef Terry! Cleaning and maintenance is key.

[@mooreusmc08]

Good video. Helpful info. I've had my Traeger for about 6 years. I would say another important tip is understanding how to restart after a flameout.. On a Traeger it's an "LER" code on the display. It is crazy important that the firebox is cleaned out after a flameout. Which sucks because there is probably meat on the grills. But the auger will potentially dump a ridiculous amount of pellets into the pot. It has to be cleared out before you restart it.. Otherwise. FIRE time. Not a good fire either.

[@1526BBQ]

That is a great point. Maybe I'll throw together a video just on what to do after a flame out - thanks!

[@miguelmorganus3773]

I just figured this out last week, not in a fun way.

[@1526BBQ]

Which one???

[@mywayoflifeoutdoors.1182]

Good vid man I appreciate the info. Just switched from a stick burner to a pellet burner.

[@1526BBQ]

Appreciate it brother.

[@lovingMe-uo4qf]

My man brought a pellet grill home and I had never used one. Oh my goodness! I will never cook on a stove again! This is the most bestest thing that has ever come in to this woman's cooking life lol

[@1526BBQ]

They are awesome!!

[@icejunki]

I'm new to this whole ball of wax. I'm glad I found your channel. Great Content Amigo. SUBSCRIBED

[@1526BBQ]

Appreciate the love Clem!!!

[@dennisprow7576]

Lol always cracks me up "so, you wana buy a pellet smoker, or maybe you just bought one..." yup, just got a Lexington 500 haha

[@traviswheeler2798]

Just ordered the Zgrill 1000d. Trying to learn something before I actually have it delivered. Thanks so much for sharing.

[@1526BBQ]

Awesome brother! Thanks for watching, glad it helped.

[@jaredcook4577]

I’ve been thinking on a Zgrill as well,,,

[@1526BBQ]

Please let me know how it goes. Travis how has yours treated you??

[@traviswheeler2798]

@@1526BBQ My experience so far has been amazing. The set up of the grill was really easier than expected and took me about 40 min. That alone was a plus. So far I have smoked one brisket. Probably the beast I have ever tasted. I know it’s best I have ever made. I have even grilled burgers and steaks. Crank the heat up for those burgers and steaks to get the beautiful grill marks. So far mesquite and hickory are the two pellets I have tried. Hard to decuywixh one is better. Bottom line is it’s a great grill. Glad I got it and glad you shared your video and tips. Big help. Thanks again.

[@1526BBQ]

Thanks for all that info!!

[@HunterK723]

you had me at exploding bbq..subbed

[@1526BBQ]

Hahahaha thanks for the love!!

[@halpwr]

Love the drink and the smile. Great vid

[@1526BBQ]

Thanks halpwr!!!

[@Natedoc808]

I got the Pit boss sportsman for Christmas, just using the smoker side today for some pulled pork!!! So excited. It’s been rad switching from a Weber 24” charcoal bbq over to the grill side of this bad boy, now it’s time for smoke on!

[@1526BBQ]

Let us know how it goes!

[@Natedoc808]

@@1526BBQ turned out absolutely killer. Super juicy and perfect flavor. I’m gonna smoke something once a week for sure!

[@1526BBQ]

Nice!! 👍

[@_type1rider]

Just bought my first pellet grill today, Pitt Boss Pro 850. Looking forward to breaking it in!

[@sublime._9684]

Good video brotha. I liked the description of the "clean smoke" that a pellet grill offers. I had been wondering how these compare to that wood fired taste.

[@1526BBQ]

You'll get smoke taste, just not as strong. Thanks for the support!

[@lances25]

Nice upgrades to the grill!

[@1526BBQ]

Thanks bro

[@potojr]

Great video. I'm just now doing the burn off on my pellet grill. Bought an Austin xl yesterday. Go big or go home ha. But definitely some good tips, thanks

[@jonkbaby]

Great video, thank you. I bought a Traeger Junior Elite 20, and looking to bust it out this year. Will subscribe to your channel

[@1526BBQ]

Awesome, you're going to love it! Thanks for watching and subing!

[@ethansherrill6061]

I know I'm tardy to the party but this video honestly helped me and I'm a total newbie so thanks a bunch.

[@josephagundez5336]

I picked up a Pit Boss 820 at Lowe's last year and I absolutely love it. I had never smoked anything in my life, but during my time stuck at home due to the pandemic I wanted to find something fun to do and that was BBQ. The hardest part for me to get over was the temperature swings. I freaked when I saw the temp go low then shoot up high then go back low again. It took me 3-4 cooks before I forced myself to trust the process and let the smoker do its thing. Now I'm doing smoked tri-tip and ribs. I'm not confident enough to do brisket yet, but I'll get there.

[@1526BBQ]

Thats awesome brother - welcome to the club! You'll never look at BBQ the same again.

[@doalex2085]

I love you Man; glad I clicked on your video!!! I’m going to do that clean out mod !! So cool 😎

[@1526BBQ]

Like I said on your last comment - dont grind with a cut off wheel. I dont want you to get hurt. Thanks for the love, and for watching!!!

[@harleykilfian1107]

Just hit that bell. Thanks for the tips. My First pit boss.

[@1526BBQ]

Thanks brother!!

[@Ivarposthumus]

Thanks for tips! And yes! Temperature swings don't matter! Finally somebody that says it on video. Most people are obsessed with them and say they're the devil. Going to switch from a WSM, Weber Master touch and Smokey Joe to a pellet grill. Thinking about the GMG Daniel Boone. Cheers!

[@1526BBQ]

I loved my WSM for many years. Thanks for watching!!

[@daltonbreaux]

I’ve developed degenerative disc disease and lifting my 22.5” WSM cooking chamber is a no go. I’m considering the move to a pellet grill or even going back to an offset. GMG, Traegar and Pit Boss are on my list of consideration. Any advice would be greatly appreciate or even some feedback on your transition.

[@Ivarposthumus]

@@daltonbreaux I went for the GMG Daniël Boone. I love it. Getting the pizza over for it this spring. Check this video. Very informative guy, good solid reviews and exactly what you're looking for. After that video, check his pellet comparison. He went from the science behind offset and has now made a dive in pellet smokers. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eZ6mmpWOmMugp7s

[@daltonbreaux]

@Ivar Posthumus Thank you for the info. I’m one of those guys that does a ton of research before buying anything above a couple hundred dollars. I dread buyer’s remorse.

[@Ivarposthumus]

@@daltonbreaux I'm the kind a guy that does research on anything to get the best option/quality/value for money 😅🤣. Starting with the videos of the channel I gave you is a very, very! good start.

[@robertjason6885]

Great stuff!

[@chrome2l]

Great communication, easy on the Jack & Coke. 👍

[@1526BBQ]

😀 thanks brother!

[@seanharwood85]

Looking into buying one. Thanks for the video.

[@1526BBQ]

Yeah bro. No problem. Thanks for watching!

[@rbrown2895]

Great advice!! Thanks!!

[@tonysanders2332]

I love my Pit Boss Austin XL. I've found Lumberjack pellets (70%) mixed with Jack Daniels charcoal pellets (30%) makes for great flavor.

[@1526BBQ]

That sounds great. Where did you pick them up?

[@qtran999]

Just subscribed for mistake #3. Thanks for sharing.

[@1526BBQ]

Thanks brother

[@chuckarock2001]

Thanks for your advice. Regards from Australia 🇦🇺🤓

[@1526BBQ]

Thanks for watching!!

[@Gerryinthewoods]

G’Day Roy Hurlstone.

[@tomasm007]

Great video man!

[@1526BBQ]

Thank you!!

[@cantunderstandfoolishpeeps2036]

thanks for the tips!!!

[@1526BBQ]

Thanks for watching!!!

[@baconmaples]

Thanks for the information brother! I made more than 1 of these mistakes lol

[@1526BBQ]

Thanks for watching!!

[@vincentcassano3179]

Very good job on the video. Thanks.

[@1526BBQ]

Awesome. Thanks Vincemt!

[@jonsanderson6936]

Finally, someone who knows how to get someone to subscribe to their channel. I hate being asked to subscribe before I know if I like the video. Great video. Subscribed liked, alerted

[@1526BBQ]

Thanks brother!

[@infiltrateassimilate]

Good video bud, decent advice

[@caseyadams4659]

On the pit boss, only the smoke setting is on a on/off timer. The actual temp settings are controlled by temp probs and feed pellets accordingly

[@1526BBQ]

Not on the 1100 Pro. The newer Pit Boss pits, that have PID controller do control with the temp probes - but not my old pit!

[@davedoes5893]

Casey, I believe you are correct here or its a communication issue. I have the 1100 Pro as well. It turns the auger on based on temp but unlike a PID controller its on or off based on that temp. What a PID controller does is use calculations to figure out how much pellets it needs to feed to achieve and maintain a temp.

[@1526BBQ]

Sounds like I have some testing to do!!

[@bradhelfrich6602]

Thank you for sharing your experience! So much for set it and forget it... Lol.

[@1526BBQ]

Its pretty damn close to set it and forget it, definitely way closer than a traditional pit. Thanks for watching!

[@bradhelfrich6602]

@@1526BBQ I found your channel by searching "flame outs on pellet grills" New Subscriber

[@1526BBQ]

@@bradhelfrich6602 I appreciate it brother. Did that search show you my flameout video...

[@bradhelfrich6602]

@@1526BBQ Yes it did! Thank you for great information.

[@stevenfunk1536]

Great tips. Thanks

[@1526BBQ]

No problem Mr. Funk!! Thanks for watching.

[@rsteeb]

I like my CampChef Woodwind's removable-from-the-bottom ash pot!

[@1526BBQ]

Thats sweet! The new Pit Boss pits have something like that too.

[@wessimpson2544]

good info so far I just bought a Louisiana Pellet 700 (LGH700SL). I was looking at the Traeger Junior 300 but thought it might be a little small for us. Also no front shelf and cover included like this one and would have cost more - you pay for the name. I'm a good grill master I own a Kamado Joe classic but it's a pain for the longer slow and low cooks. So I thought let's try a pellet.

[@1526BBQ]

Thats great Wes. I love my pellet smoker.

[@GreyCountyGrillin]

Good tips brother! New Sub here. Well done!

[@1526BBQ]

Thanks brother!

[@jorgefundorasr.513]

Way to go I love your videos

[@1526BBQ]

Thanks for watching!

[@CarlGoldmam]

Just found this video. I’m subscribed👍👍👍👍

[@1526BBQ]

Thanks Carl!!!

[@sarahhall7212]

New to this channel and just bought a PitBoss Lexington 500

[@1526BBQ]

Welcome! Thanks for watching!!!

[@Mankitchenrecipes]

Great tips Tony! I think you covered some good points about a pellet smoker. And true, you won't get the same smoke flavor as you would from a WSM or offset smoker but with those you can also get too much smoke as well. To me, the pellet smokers add a good amount of smoke, without over smoking your food. Some people really like the smoke flavor and get a pellet smoker and are disappointed. How do I know if there was too much smoke? If hours later I burp and burp up smoke flavor, that's too much smoke for me. Yes it tasted great going down but the after smoke..... I like both if smoked right, but you can't beat the convenience of a pellet grill. Great review and keep them coming! Have a Great Day!!!

[@1526BBQ]

Thanks Kevin! Happy Thanksgiving brother.

[@djbone604]

Made the first 2 mistakes. Didn’t want to make #3.......new sub 👍 Bang on with your information cause it’s all true 🇨🇦

[@1526BBQ]

Thanks brother!!!

[@mikefalle7910]

me tool

[@FloridaDock]

Not sure I think +1 -2 degrees as a temp swing but I have zero complaints with my Recteq RT-700...... thanks for the tip. PID all the way.

[@1526BBQ]

Yeah man! I can't wait until I get a PID controller....one day. Thanks for watching!

[@derekk6906]

I have a really nice charcoal smoker, holds heat really well. I can walk away for several hours with minimal temperature drop. After watching this video, I believe a really nice smoker is better than a pellet grill with better smoke and less maintenance. I would imagine Steaks burgers and fajitas would be better on a charcoal grill with the high direct heat than a pellet grill. Just personal opinion.

[@mbbrooks123]

Cleaning it out is a real pain to get the big round sheild thing under the grate where the flame is on the 1100 pro series and some others. I saw someone put some aluminum foil on there's to protect it and I'm going to do that right before the brisket I'm going to smoke this week. Thanks for the tips man! Subscribed just now because I saw some good looking foods in the video list

[@michaelmeroney2691]

Good job, I am looking at pellet grills for spring.

[@1526BBQ]

You're going to love it

[@broseno9042]

Pit boss pro series, you’ll love it

[@davekogut9954]

I got a traeger and love it but will look into a rec tec next. Remember you get what you paid for

[@jensenjacobson6534]

Check out the traeger ironwood 650. It’s my first smoker, and it’s money. I have a video smoking a tri tip on it.

[@dustinsiemers4766]

DONT LET YOUR PELLETS SWELL IN THE AUGUR. I have one to add which is a mistake I made which is to not let your pellets get wet and to clean out your hopper and augur after smoking. Also you should probably cover your grill or put it in the garage. Also use good pellets and store them in a sealed dry container.

[@1526BBQ]

Great point Dustin! Thanks for adding to the conversation.

[@chrisryan8863]

Not doing exactly what you said led me to have to eventually throw away a fairly new pellet smoker because the auger system was destroyed

[@1526BBQ]

@@chrisryan8863 that sucks man - sorry to hear it. Did you upgrade to something better??

[@thegods2622]

If you got a cover your not gonna have issues with your pellets getting wet. I had a full hopper and it was pouring rain for a day or two and it was still go to go when it cleared up. And my smoker and grill set out in the open.

[@1526BBQ]

Nice

[@Tunaslayer1]

I have a Cabela's 36" which is made by the same company that makes Pit Boss. I Believe it is Dansons Inc. I totally neglect it, and it is awesome. It has a window, a pellet change out port. and a vacuum port to remove the ash from the fire box. Yes, you still need to remove everything now and then to clean the accumulation on the bottom of the unit. I went with this because it was less than the "T" brand, and it has 36" of cooking surface, and all the above mentioned upgrades. I must let you know that the viewing window is great, but you will need SOS pads, and a good degreaser to keep it clean. Thanks for the video!!! Keep them coming!

[@1526BBQ]

Thanks Tunaslayer1!

[@kameljoe21]

I have about the same amount of cooking space yet I can shelf up about 4 or 5 feet. In 1 inch increments. Is that big? Most of the tips are common which most people will do the first few times then they will not do it till a problem happens and they clean it and its solves it and back to taking care of it for a few smoke then back to not worrying about it again.

[@1526BBQ]

👍

[@ryu-ken]

I was gonna buy the small smokepro but decided to pay the extra for the bigger model. glad I made the change

[@1526BBQ]

Yep. Always buy bigger!

[@garrettaguirre2445]

tip to use for those that want a stronger smoke flavor i bought a cheap cold smoke tube at walmart that can be used in my pellet smoker as well and it has worked wonders the tube can be filled with pellets as well but will slow burn them after the initial lighting of the end of the smoke tube and it lasts about 4 hours so i usually once its out dont worry about it but for real long smokes you can smoke the first fill empty it and reload it. makes a massive difference if your like me and like a good smoke flavor on your food

[@justindobson6279]

Great video! Do you have a spring clean type video of cleaning your pellet grill?

[@1526BBQ]

I have a video in my queue to shot all about cleaning, each day, monthly, semi annually and annually. It should be out on KZbin by the end of February. Thanks for watching!!

[@BrackishWaterC]

Great video 🔥

[@1526BBQ]

Thanks Cody! Appreciate it.

[@depravedregime5288]

Great video bud

[@1526BBQ]

Thanks brother!

[@BrettCrawford646]

Bro, you said something about salsa and deviled eggs. I’m in. I had never thought about putting those on a grill.

[@1526BBQ]

Here you go brother. kzbin.info/www/bejne/nYjMcqyBrc5ghLs kzbin.info/www/bejne/onXZoWmCnc5gkK8

[@1526BBQ]

Thanks for watching!!!

[@charlesorso9578]

ty some needed knowledge here was fighting the temp swings

[@1526BBQ]

Thanks for watching brother

[@charlesorso9578]

fo sho beers up

[@1526BBQ]

🍺🍺

[@robertbusek30]

I have an electric smoker, but my father-in-law just got a Weber pellet grill for his birthday. It’s nice to have outdoor cooking options... 😀

[@1526BBQ]

Sweet! After a couple of months using that weber you got to come back and tell me how it is.. In hear good things.

[@robertbusek30]

@@1526BBQ - Well, we’ve used it twice to good effect so far. We love applewood pellets! My mother-in-law doesn’t like gas grills, so this was a good compromise. Do you happen to have any advice about how to efficiently clean a pellet grill? It’s a big one and I want to keep it clean without having to take forever. I’ve subscribed, so keep up the great work!

[@1526BBQ]

Saturday at noon Eastern time I am dropping a video on how I keep mine clean - maybe you could use some of those techniques on that Weber! Thanks for the sub!!

[@robertbusek30]

@@1526BBQ - Sweet! Thanks for the heads up!

[@1526BBQ]

Semper Fumus Brother!

[@rickmelonman]

i'm amazed at how far babacueing has moved forward since i was a boy and that was 45 years ago. i had a simple charcoal barbacue and it made awsome food.

[@roberthoward9482]

Great video all around! I am a Grill Master (Self Made :)) but went a period of time not grilling! I purchased the 1100 3 weeks ago and have done about 9 cooks. I’m certainly getting acclimated to the pellet grilling phenomenon and want to enjoy each session! I cooked ribs & pork chops and they were “alright”. I know I can do much better! These tips are critical so thank you 🙏🏽 I’ve subscribed so I’ll be getting some great info along my pellet journey! I’m going to make some modifications to the searing plate, front grill flap, cover and anything else to enhance the experience. Any suggestions would be welcomed! My fam loves that dad is grilling regularly so I have to keep them happy!!! #HappyGrilling

[@1526BBQ]

Welcome to the club brother, and thanks for the love. The video I have on the ash pot mod is the best mod Ive made. I ended up removing the hinges from the back and used the same "tab" I put in the front in place of the hinges. A clean ash pot is critical for success. kzbin.info/www/bejne/kIO7p6qMi6enmbc

[@tomolsen3420]

Yep, buy bigger. I cheaped out and ended up buying another one. You won't believe how good these things cook.

[@1526BBQ]

Yep. The WSM I got was instantly too small. Dealt with it for six years, then I got my 1100 Pro PB. Thanks for watching Tom!

[@adriannewman1322]

I have a Cuisinart pellet smoker and I've used it more in the couple months I've had it than I used my propane grill I had for 2 years I haven't seen much temp swing maybe 20 degrees I don't stir my pellets and I haven't had trouble yet

[@1526BBQ]

Thanks for watching and commenting Adrian. Maybe the walls of the hopper on the Cuisinart are steeper, which would decrease the potential of pellet voids forming???

[@1madeintheimage]

Great ideas but only Germane to those of the center fire pot design. I've got a sawtooth SPG401 1st gen pellet grill, and it is a departure from the Traeger copies out there, (mainly the fire box/ash pot and the center placement of these) of which the Pit Boss Green Mtn and many others are. My smoker doesn't have those grease "side tracks". And I've solved the pellet feed dilemmas toy spoke of by adding a tall 20-24 inch cardboard tube that effectively narrows the pellet box and steepens the angle, while also doubling the hopper capacity, for a true "set it-n-forget it" ability. Cheers!

[@1526BBQ]

Cheers!!

[@jamescook5784]

You can also set it on smoke mode for 15-20 minutes at the beginning of your cook then change to regular smoking for better taste.

[@1526BBQ]

Thanks James!!

[@CJS0614]

Subbed thanks for the info

[@1526BBQ]

Thanks CJ!

[@deplorableredneck4.02]

Glad I found this..my pellet grill ( pit boss 820 ) caught on fire cause the auger wasn't turning on and off ..and yes I do vacuum out the ash pot

[@1526BBQ]

That sucks! Did PB help you out under warranty?

[@deplorableredneck4.02]

@@1526BBQ no...it only had a one year warranty...I didn't buy extended warranty..heck my treager lasted 15 years ..I love my pit boss don't get me wrong but yea I will never ever leave my grill alone again..

[@deplorableredneck4.02]

@@1526BBQ i was going to buy a new pit boss from Lowes as it was $50.00 off this weekend..it now comes with a 5 year warranty from PB

[@1526BBQ]

Sorry brother. Smoke on!

[@deplorableredneck4.02]

@@1526BBQ heck yea thanks and have a safe Memorial Day tomorrow..God Bless Our Troops

[@johnmanthey2683]

I would suggest also would be to “sift” your pellets. Just in case of foreign debris in bag of pellets. Also cleaning and vacuuming the grill out keeps ash from prior cooks blowing up and onto your meat.

[@1526BBQ]

Thats a great point, thank you!!

[@paullylambert5386]

Sifting is good because some pellets are stuck together and create pellets that are 2 or 3 times longer than normal and will cause a dam effect in the fire pot creating bursts of unwanted heat.

[@paullylambert5386]

ooops i commented before you talked about bridging of the pellets !

[@1526BBQ]

@@paullylambert5386 I failed to mention sifting pellets - so thank you for adding to the conversation, and thanks for watching!!!

[@TheBradleyd1146]

Buy Bear Mountain pellets. They are really clean. Never sifted

[@ckherring82]

I'm about to but pellet smoker thank you for tips. Oddly most will match reloading and shooting. The size my wife agrees with. Whether motorcycle buy what works for us. For grills smokers etc. Buy enough for my huge family. I live in country bought huge playground stuff all the kids play and hang. No I'm not wealthy just a farmer and county mounty... but I want quality once versuses buying 5 times. Cost the same but headache of fights or building disposing is much higher.

[@1526BBQ]

I hope you make the right choice. Either way you will love the food that comes from it. Enjoy!

[@347strokerdude]

I feel like if I don't follow these tips, I'm gonna get whacked by Tony Soprano. Lol, Just kidding. New sub here and great tips!

[@1526BBQ]

LOL I appreciate it brother. Thanks for the sub!!

[@ljc4810]

Thanks Brother I just got my first Pit Boss 850, Is grill time!”

[@1526BBQ]

Nice! Thanks for watching, and welcome to the club!!!

[@robertguerrero8009]

Nice info dude...

[@1526BBQ]

Thanks brother! You might like this one too. kzbin.info/www/bejne/p4jMq6h_lKl_g5o

[@elizabethshaw734]

I am purchasing a full size pellet smoker grill by ASMOKE at home Depot. I was told that traeger pellets are crap! Here's a tip. Smoke some cream and make ice cream with it. It is divine! :-)

[@1526BBQ]

That's not a bad idea, thanks! I haven't done it but I've thought about maybe smoking some vanilla beans and then making vanilla ice cream out of it. Have you tried that?

[@elizabethshaw734]

@@1526BBQ no I haven't tried that yet in fact I never thought of it. LOL I have just smoked plain cream heavy cream and made ice cream with it is exceptionally delicious and one batch I added Jack Daniels to just a little bit because a lot will prevent freezing but that was better than exceptionally good.:-)

[@oscarb9139]

Number 9. A properly run stick burner is as clean as a pellet cooker, and may run cleaner depending on the pellet feed of the pellet cooker. Clean smoke is sweet smoke. If a stick burner smokes, the operator should spend time learning how to run it right. Properly run stick burners will have better flavor than a pellet cooker. The best smoke has a slightly blue hue to it as it leaves the stack. If you ever seen smoke coming out of my stick burner, one of two things is going on. Either I just lit it, or I am frantically trying to fix the problem. Clean smoke smells better and tastes better. Oh, and in case anyone thinks I am a pellet hater, wrong. I own two. They are for small cooks and winter cooking when I don’t feel like standing outside all day monitoring the fire. My stick burner can usually take care of itself for 40 to 50 minutes, which is as long as you want to go between checking the meat. Another mistake is not having a blanket for the cooker in cold weather. An old moving blanket trimmed to fit the top of the pit (trimmed so it won’t be directly exposed to anywhere that is hot enough to burn it) will cut pellet usage down by 30 to 40%. I have used my pellet pit down to 0 F. With a blanket, it uses about the same amount of pellets as it does in the summer.

[@1526BBQ]

All great points. The blanket issue is one I dont have to mess with since I live in South Florida - buy makes sense. Thanks for watching, and for adding!

[@oscarb9139]

@@1526BBQ Wasn’t sure where you were. I used to live in the mountains and we had a very dry climate, so pellets never swelled, but temps were freezing or below over half the year. Moved to Texas, and now empty out the hopper after every cook to keep the pellets from swelling. I still use a blanket if the temp is under 50 or windy. It seems like I am always running out of pellets.

[@jdsnapp]

@@oscarb9139 p

[@1526BBQ]

👍

[@oscarb9139]

@@jdsnapp Sorry, not up on all the internet shorthand. Dont know what "p" means.

[@chuckheinch]

Great tips. I've been through all these mistakes including the explosions. Clean it after long smokes. Had the drip pan flare up and shoot flames. Temp swings don't really matter as mine swings 40 degrees. I disagree with smoke flavor. I've overamoke using different types of pellets, especially mesquite and oak. I quit using a stick burner due to Convenience.

[@1526BBQ]

I agree, you cant beat the convince. What brand pellets do you use. Ive tried some different ones and feel better brands make better smoke....

[@chuckheinch]

I've been using a local almond pellet, Knotty Wood, brand mostly and typically use Louisiana grill brand. Almond is mellow for most everything.

[@1526BBQ]

@@chuckheinch never heard of almond pellets, I'll have to check them out. Thanks!!

[@maltz99]

You're dead on with most of what you said. I do have to disagree with the temp swings. The lack of big temp swings is why many get away from stick burners. That and to make it easier... I have both Traeger (8yrs) and a 2yr old Pitts and Spitts. My T has about a 10°+ swing where as my higher end P&S is maybe 1 or 2. IMO the lower end unit someone has, the greater the temp swing... again, just my opinion with a good 8yrs of pellet grills. I liked your video!

[@1526BBQ]

Thanks maltz! I appreciate your opinion and the fact that you watched and added to the conversation. Thank you!

[@kameljoe21]

I am pretty sure that the higher end models will have a much better temp swing based on a few things. Type of cabinet, Insulated or not, Smoke damper, More than one probe. Temp probe placement is key. In my smoker my temp probe is half way up my vertical smoker and another temp gauge is at the top. It will show 180f mid range and 200 at the top. I have yet to go out and watch and see how much it swings in wind or other types of weather. Type of thermostat be it pid or what ever other types will also depend on how much swing there is. An automatic damper and variable speed blower can also adjust the temps. The type of igniter is also key. My smoker starts up very very fast, with in about 1 mins and its off to the races. Pellet smokers are pretty much the exact same thing a pellet stove is. There is almost nothing different other than the settings. Slower burn rates and controllers. Higher end smokers are likely to have far better equipment and ways to choke off the smoke and keep the heat in while adding and reducing the heat. Having a second blower would be something to help force the heat out and cool down the chamber when it gets too hot.

[@1526BBQ]

Engineer?

[@kameljoe21]

@@1526BBQ Everyone is an enginner!

[@1526BBQ]

😀👍🚀

[@ruthless4645]

Best advice he gave you was SPACE, many for these smokers tell you they deliver 1200+ sq inch's of cooking space, BUT that's with the "upper/middle" racks in. The upper/middle racks are basically useless for anything other than warming/holding food while you can only really smoking/cook food on the bottom rack, they will often account for wasted 1/3+ of your useable REAL cooking space. Choose carefully!.

[@1526BBQ]

I agree. My upper rack is somewhere in the garage - never use it. Thanks for watching, and for adding to the conversation!

[@JPHBJH]

My smoked cheese and two types of bologna that I did yesterday says you are wrong

[@1526BBQ]

😝😂😝😁👍👍

[@connorbryant]

Going to buy the pit boss 1150 pro series today, excited to try it out and not make these mistakes haha

[@1526BBQ]

Congratulations!!!

[@garysampson5258]

I had the Austin XL, bought the 1150 Pro, the PID (POS) controller sucks for smoking, so I sold the 1150 and bought another Austin XL. If you are going to use a PID controller, just cook the meat in your oven. You need temp swings to smoke. PID control is for charcoal or wood pits, not pellet!

[@1526BBQ]

I hear a lot of ppl struggling with the PID - sorry brother.

[@connorbryant]

Mine struggles with keeping the temp at 225, but I just put it at 250 and adjust my cooking times with the higher temp. Everything that I've cook on it so far has been amazing though.

[@1526BBQ]

Thanks for the update! Is that a PID controller?

[@tomolsen3420]

Here's an early data point on pellet compatibility. I had a traeger then purchased a pit boss. I used the traeger pellets in the pit boss. The heat control was great, smoke was good, no feed issues. I followed up with put boss pellets. There was no difference though it seemed like the out boss pellets may have reached cooking temp set points quicker. But then again it was cold so maybe it was just a cold air issue.

[@1526BBQ]

I just started experimenting with different pellet brands. I have a theory that different brands may produce more smoke flavor. Did you notice that?

[@tomolsen3420]

@@1526BBQ it was not scientific but to me the smoke flavor was stronger with pit boss pellets. The meat was different between cooks though. One was beef and the other was pork. Cook time was much shorter on the beef which used pit boss but picked up more flavor. If I ran a real experiment I'd keep as many variables as I could out if it.

[@oscarb9139]

Most pellets, including Traeger, are mild woods (west coast producers commonly use Ash as a base wood. East coast use oak) with pecan, hickory, apple..... flavorings added. I look for pellets that are made from the actual wood. They are more difficult to find, but they are out there. Lately, I have bought pellets from Amazon. I have never done a taste test between pellets that are flavored and those that are made from the actual wood, so I can’t say one is better than the other. It is possible that the flavored woods have a stronger flavor because the flavoring has to overcome the natural flavor of the base wood.

[@tomolsen3420]

@@oscarb9139 That is interesting about the base wood being a different species. I wonder if the base wood may be different between flavors within the same brand as well. I say this because burning mesquite in the traeger was a horrible experience. Temperature excursions were over 100 degrees from the set point. I compared that against the hickory type and saw much better heat control. Traeger has a reputation for poor heat control in the reviews I've read and my unit lived up to that reputation. The interesting observation was the difference in heat control with different flavors of pellets in the same cooker. Fwiw

[@oscarb9139]

@@tomolsen3420 I have two Traegers and have never had temperature problems. 95 percent of the time, it shows on temp, but occasionally floats away by maybe 20 degrees for a couple minutes, but then comes right back. Pellets shouldn’t really bother it much unless they are swollen or have some other issue that affects the shape and size of the pellets. I don’t filter mine (reference to filtering out broken and dusty pellets in another comment) and have not really had any issues. Here is a clip from another forum. www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/new-info-on-whats-in-traeger-pellets.116254/.