Usually these types of videos are full of obvious bs and no one learns anything. This is NOT one of those videos. Full of relevant and CRITICAL information for a new pellet grill owner. You are literally preventing people from burning their house down lol thank you!
@@nickhume32Not common sense. Its my 1st grill and i had to look up on these tips. Normally i use a charcoal which i can use however i want basically. Not with the pellet grill. Glad i saw this video or i would have gotten my self blowned up haha
Great video. I recently received a pellet smoker as a gift. Your 5 “Nots” were superb. Your 5 “To Do” were even better. Thank you for 14 minutes of useful info.
Offset smoker here. Great video. The pro tips are excellent. When I first began smoking, I cooked to time instead of temperature. I ruined so many cooks because of it, until someone said, just cook to temperature. Made all the difference. I use a combination of hickory, apple, and cherry wood. Makes for a great flavor.
I love the biscuit test. Very useful. My last pellet smoker just reached the end of its life, after 7yrs of use. These tips will definitely help anyone who is interested in buying one. As for me, I'm moving across country, once I get to where I'm going I will definitely be buying a new pellet smoker. They are worth it
Lol. I just turned 36 earlier this month, and I've been thinking about purchasing a smoker. I saw this smoker on Facebook marketplace and decided to look it up.
haha yes 35 BBQ king and WWII buff well I always loved WWII since high school and yes 33 was my time to start BBQing LMAO :) O I hated pellet smokers. I was always a charcoal smoker guy until the wife bought me a Pit Boss this summer. Well have to say I love it, but I do use the charcoal one sometimes, but the pellet smoker will always be my goto . :) As a firefighter we call that a back draft or smoke explosion. Same thing happens in aa house fire. All the smoke lights off and explodes and I clean mine every 2-3 cooks, unlike this grill I have to use a shopvac and suck out the burn box. Man I ran out JUST ONCE was just glad I had the pork butt up to 190 internal before it ran out. So didnt loose much time
Tip - use a large litter box scoop (one that was purchased new and dedicated to cooking pellets 😜) to scoop pellets into the hopper. It takes a bit of extra time, but gets clean pellets into the hopper. You’ll be amazed at how much dust is in the bag when you get to the bottom. Pouring from the bag puts the dust in the hopper and auger tube and increases the chances of a fire.
When I seasoned my traeger I noticed how much saw dust was in the cooking chamber. Was really bummed but I read this exact thing. Started using a sifter to get rid of dust. Made a HUGE difference. Cannot recommend enough
I use an old dedicated colander from my wife. She didn't want it anymore so I use it. Pour part of the bag in it, shake it a little over a garbage can to get the dust out, then they are ready to put in the hopper.
I use the same. Buy a new plastic dog food scooper to get the pellets out of the large bags. When you get to the very bottom of the bag and scoop there’s a ton of sawdust material. What I did is poured the remaining few scoops into a colander or strainer and it removes all the dust when you shake it through the strainer and only remaining good pellets that you can use are left! 😊
Damn, I’ve been making mistake number one ever since I’ve owned my grill and that’s been years. Thank you so much for the information now I can avoid exploding
thanks mate, extremely helpful, just bought a smoker and had no idea on how complicated these things can be, your video has saved me hours of reading , very concise and informative with no gimmicks, love you work
Actually, this is my first smoker. I thought every tip was awesome. It is amazing how much you can learn with a few minutes of listening. Thank you for this video. Haven't tried my grill yet, but I am sure glad I watched this video first!
I rarely comment on TH-cam videos, but I've watched this video two consecutive times. As a Traeger Pro Series 34 owner, this is really good information! One of my common practices is that I only cook over top of the drip tray surface area, especially burgers. Otherwise, a.) some of the ends will crisp up faster and b.) grease drips down into the smoker. Thank you sir!
Without question, PRO TIP #5 "The Biscuit Test!" I will be doing that this weekend. I just got my pellet smoker a few months ago and I really need to figure this out in real time. Thank you for this pro tip!!!
I really like the biscuit test. Never thought of that! As for pellets I experiment a lot! I mix different flavors as well. I also found a charcoal pellet (made by Royal Oak) that I mix in at a 1:2 ratio (1 part charcoal to 2 parts hardwood pellets), as it really inhances the visual smoke ring in my meats while not changing the the flavor profile of the pellets I chose for the cook!
Wow I’ve never seen those before. I have some chunks of pure charcoal. I wonder if I could break some down into small pieces and add to my hardwood pellet mix. Thoughts?
These are great tips and I was doing some things wrong. Never had a problem, but after seeing this video I’ll start doing a few things differently……specifically, leaving the lid open during the startup phase and also not unplugging too soon. Liked & Subscribed.
Been using a pellet smoker for years.. started with a Grilla Grill, then a Camp Chef and now using a GMG Ledge Prime.. There are some who “dis” the pellet smokers.. But for me I love sitting in my room watching TV and having a brew and monitoring my temps from my phone and not worrying about fire management…. Can’t do that with a “stick burner” Enjoy watching the videos…. Such a good refresher..
I think most people ask timing questions not for exact doneness but rather an approximate cook time for planning purposes. IE spare ribs take about 5 hrs brisket takes 14 hrs. Salmon takes 2. Wings take an hr etc...
Super glad this popped up in my suggestions. I just got a wood pellet smoker and did my first brisket. It came out pretty good but cooked a lot faster than what I was expecting. I pulled it out at about 203°. I'm going to do the biscuit test to see the hot and cool sides. Thankfully I didn't unplug it right away and I made sure to clean it out after it cooled down completely and emptied the burn pot. I figure why not since it's a new piece of equipment and I want to keep as prestine as possible.
I am brand new to pellet grilling. Though I have used a couple of them that others owned. Now, I am a proud owner. Each of the do's and don't were much appreciated. They will make my learning curve go, SO much easier. In addition: I now have some great ammunition to teach others. I am a full-time volunteer chaplain at the Flying H Youth Ranch in Naches, Washington. The Ranch is a Christian boarding program for at-risk, high school aged boys, that has been in operation since 1962. I also cook, at least, one meal a week for our students. One of my passions it to teach the students, as well as willing staff, how to do things right in the kitchen. As we have a Traeger in our arsenal, that gets used by several of us, I will be sharing this video with our cooks.
Something that wasn’t mentioned and is very important is to not put pellet dust in your hopper. The dust, over time, compacts in the auger tube. I’ve have to break down my grill and pull the auger out and clean out the tube. This takes about three hours!
Just got my first pellet smoker today. Was just wondering if you may could use an air compressor to blow the dust out when your doing a complete clean out?
Ive been watching WW2 docs and videos for over 40 years, now that ive seen almost all of them, im moving on to bbq...but ill still watch my Mark Fenton videos while i smoke😂
I am an OG Weber kettle man, but a friend gave me his barely used Traeger. I have not used it yet. It did not come with an instruction manual. I would not have left the lid open after igniting, and I would have probably pulled the plug if I found it did not turn off after the cook. Excellent information. I subscribed.
Nice video with some good advice. I'd like to add two things that some eager beavers overlook: RTFM - Read The Fine Manual. Most pellet smoker manufacturers will tell you to vacuum the ash out of the barrel (chamber) after every 20 pounds of pellets. That includes cleaning out the auger and doing a restart (400 for 15 min). The other is pay attention to how you store your pellets. There have been more flame outs due to damp/wet pellets than just about anything else. And I'm with Fred Willis (below) - Lumberjack pellets for the win.
Never started mine with the lid open, but have seen plenty of vids of the big bang. It will start open from now on, I never knew that is what caused it! Thanks for the tips, and the time you put into each video!
I enjoyed them all. My brother just gave me a new Pit Boss and I have never used one before. Gave me several things to do and not to do. Thanks for the info.
I have two Green Mountain Grills and they have you start the grill with the lid closed. I've never had a problem and I've used them a ton. I also must add that your biscuit test is ingenious! Thank you! I've tried to use both of my temperature probes but it's very difficult to judge this but the biscuit test gives you tangible, visual results.
I was fortunate enough to receive a Lexington Pitboss as a Christmas gift from my wife and kids and it is my first pellet grill. This video helps tremendously and I'll definitely be trying the biscuit test in the near future. Thanks!
That was one of the BEST pellet smoker tip videos I have EVER seen. You were spot on with everything! This video will be very helpful to a lot of new pellet smoker owners. Even though I know the do's and don'ts I really enjoyed your video friend 🙂and it doesn't hurt to have reminders every now and then. I too have run out of pellets 1 or 2 times, it happens to everybody and they'd be lying if somebody said it never happened to them. Grill Sergeant you're the man! You have really made something out of your channel. You are one of the top grilling/bbq channels out there in my opinion and I've enjoyed watching your channel grow from...well, you know how it all started 😉
WSM to Kamado guy here. Love my ceramic cookers, but also understand they cook with minimum air flow. A stick burner is out of the question in S FL (palm trees only). Been thinking about a good mid upper mid range pellet smoker. "How NOT to Use a Pellet Smoker" is one of the most informative videos I've watched last few months. Thank you.
Good info. For the biscuit test, found it a lot cheaper to use bread slices. Good old cheap loaf of white sandwich bread. Will add a "Don't Do" tip. If your burn pot fire goes out during a cook (not related to empty pellet hopper) ABSOLUTELY DO NOT just go thru another restart. Not without getting to your burn pot and completely cleaning it out first. Then do a normal door open restart. Sometimes running a smoker on a very low temp setting, the burn pot will get starved out. Not always getting enough pellets to keep the smolder going, BUT - the auger will keep dumping in pellets after the burn pot is out cold - no flame or smolder. If you simply try a restart, that burn pot is now PILED WITH PELLETS. It will start the usual startup smolder with piles of smoke (more than regular startup) and at some point, that entire pile of pellets ignites into full flames. You'll get a flash-over that makes the startup "pops" of the cover seem childlike. It will blow big time. And the fire from that full pot can burn at temps in the 600F+ range. So if the smoker ever goes cold during a cook and not from empty hopper, immediately pull the plug so there is no way the fan(s) can stoke any smolder in the FULL burn pot and cause a full-fire flash over. Clear the burn pot and do a normal restart. If you have to remove the grates and diffuser to get to the burn pot, just set what you are cooking to the side off the smoker. Besides meat temp probes for the cook, I also have a grill temp probe clipped to the grate to track the grill temp. Will have high and low alarms set in case the smoker temp goes way too high for a cook, or if the smoker goes very low - maybe an indication that the burn pot may be getting starved of pellets. That helps head off the pot going cold and the auger dumping a whole pile of pellets inside.
I had that happen after the flame went out. And then it got almost up to 500 and started smoking like hell. Was even smoking out of the pellet box. I'm glad you explained what was going on.
I have this smoker ,PB cs1250, I've had it now for almost 2 years now I bought it when it wasn't even showing that it was out. But it really works great. I kind of spruce mine up I put temp gauges on each corner of the lid. Redid the bolts that hold the sliding lid on they were coming loose a lot. The only thing I haven't done is cut the protection bars to keep you from putting your hand down where the pellets go into the auger. I do keep mine clean I wipe down the temp gauge every time and clean out the fire pit. But another thing I did is I bought a pellet smoke tube and I use that every time, when I cut into my brisket there's a quarter-inch smoke Ring all around it. It really adds that smoke for the first couple hours. I've cooked just about everything on it and it has worked great . You can fill up the hopper at 9 at night and wake up to a brisket, and I take it off put it in a cooler by 12 you're slicing into a very juicy brisket. I take my brisket off at 195 , put it in a cooler with foam pads on bottom and top so it only increases in temperature to around 205. And either buy lunch or 5 in the afternoon I'm pulling out a juicy flavorful brisket. I've never had any other smokers so I don't have anything to compare it to but the 1250 series has been a great choice because when I cook I always cook for about 15 people. My advice is to buy quality pellets keep your smoker clean and the most important thing is to keep your smoker covered.
great stuff, especially about the different pellet types for different flavors. I also would suggest getting a smoke tube and using that in addition to the pellets in the burn pot if you are looking to amp up the smoky flavors to rival stick burners.
I aggree, I have had fantastic success with a good Stainless steel smoke tube on every long cook, Simply fill with your pellets, light with a propane torch. Tip- let the smoke tube burn for at least 4-5 minutes until you see a good ash build up. otherwise you risk it going out. It lasts for around 4 hrs. Good idea to buy Heat gloves or do what I do and lay it in the grill and light.
Great video. Keeping your smoker CLEAN is huge. If you don’t, you will have a fire. I clean mine after every cook now. Cover entire diffuser shield with foil. When your done. Replace foil,clean grates, remove spent ashes. Easy Peasy. 👍🍺 PS. I only smoke with my pit boss 1100! I do my searing with my Weber grill. 😉 PB smokers are started with the lid open. Once the fan kicks on, close it and adjust temp. 👍
Just found your channel, and I'm new to smoking. I've got a pitboss competition series gen2 vertical 5 smoker. I loved your tips but knew most of them. However, the one I didn't know and enjoyed the most was the biscuit test. I'm pretty sure I know where my hot/cold spots are simply because of science and how this cooker is designed. I do intend on giving it a try just to confirm. Thanks for the tips!
I'm a little late to the game.....just turned 45 and have chosen the path of smoking meats. Just bought a Pit Boss Pro 850. Thanks for the informational video. Subscribed.
Here's an additional tip from experience... be very careful to not let the pellets get wet. They will soften, start to fall apart and then as they dry; reform into a solid structure... no longer pellets, but in the shape of the hopper outlet and cake into the auger spacing. Requires complete disassembly and difficult clean out. Hasn't been a problem with the style in this video but my stand up box type has happened 3 times.
Seconded on this... It's exactly how I ruined my first pellet grill. Didn't cover it during MN winter and forgot to empty out the hopper before the snow came. At least I learned a good lesson and had an excuse to upgrade.
I can add a # 6 on what not to do. I saw several videos where people had used aluminum foil to protect the grill from drippings. I assumed this was so it would not have to be cleaned as often or would make clean up easier. I bought 100 yards of foil from Sam's thinking it would last most the summer. It was not easy to place, having the assure heat and smoke were not obstructed and the slide would still worked. The thing about aluminum foil is you can never get it smooth. So after cooking burgers, the next time I used my pitboss, it quickly flamed up all over. If you have to apply foil every time you use it and remove it every time you use it, it is too much work. It is easier just to let it get dirty and clean it every 3 or 4 uses.
As a huge pellet smoker fan, when I first saw the title of this, I read it as "Don't Use a Pellet Smoker". Which made me think "pellet smoker haters gonna hate." Followed by "humph... let's see what he has to say." These are actually excellent tips of what not to do, and what to do, when operating your pellet smoker. I salute you Grill Sargent. 🫡
Biscuit test is a great idea. I found out early on with my pellet smoker that I got more smoke flavor and hotter temps near the smokestack end. Also, the burn pot is usually located in the center of the smoker, so the center also has some hot spots in the back and front (where the heat travels around the deflector under neath).
I have never used a pellet grill but I've been cooking with wood for years. My favorite woods are cherry, hickory and apple woods. I am getting my first pellet grill soon so I'm watching a lot of videos to help me decide what I want. I was looking hard at the Pit boss Austin xl
I'm always debating about getting a pellet smoker... I've been using the offset so long and the snake method in the Weber. But the overnight with the brisket...or a pork butt...that is what keeps me thinking about the pellets. Great video Grill Seargent!
Dave! My man! Kettles and offsets a great tools that every pitmaster should have but a pellet smoker is one of those sweet tools that helps you enjoy that long overnight bbq without you having to worry about chasing temps.
This is fantastic! I love the biscuit tip and adding a small amount of pellets to your burn pot to speed up start time. I'm preparing to start learning how to use my husband's Traeger. He got it free but barely uses it (about 5 times in 3 years). I do almost all the grilling on our small grill and I can't wait to take on bigger projects that will help me meal prep for our family of 7. 😄
Well, I’m glad I washed your video. I have just bought a Traeger pellet smoker and I got it on Facebook Chris used one for 100 bucks and sold her one so I was trying to find out as much information on using one of those pellet smokers as much as possible. I’m used to the old way of smoking so anyway hey man, I appreciate that I’m going to keep track of your channel I like the information.
I'm considering a new pitboss and def forgot about the boom boom if the lid is closed but didnt know about the cool down cycle. Glad I watched this video.
43, 8 yrs late to the show, didn't know about a pellet grill till today, and I'm looking to be a smoker/grill master. Trying to see if I need a pellet grill or vertical smoker, or smoking/grill combo.
I'm glad i found this video . Im about to buy a pit boss pro 850. Im 26, started grilling (charcoal and propane) barbequing at the age of 18. All the tips are very useful. Even more stoked to get it now
WOW this was an IMPRESSIVE video on mistakes and pro tips that are super helpful to a newbie like me.... i went the route of WW2, ROME, and backyard BBQ aficionado at 40! LOL
All of these tips were fantastic, for me. My wife bought a new pit boss for my birthday off of FB marketplace. The pit was new, but missing the grates and instruction manual. I definitely would have blown up, or caught some shit on fire. After the do nots, I like the biscuit test. This is something I could have done years ago on many of my pits. New to pellet cooling, so LETS GOOOOO! THANK YOU, SIR!
Great video man! Just got my first pellet grill a Pit Boss 850 and I think it works great. This grill is so easy compared to cooking with charcoal and wood which I’ve done for the last 40 years and will continue to do. 👍🏻
Amazing video. Truly! Tonight I just ordered a Pit Boss Sportsman 820 as a birthday gift for my father. He doesn't even know its on the way as we speak. This video will be so helpful for him and the rest of the family to get started right in the world of smoking. Liked and subbed. Cheers brother.
Just got a austin xl1100 second hand with no manual so the start up tip is appreciated. Mine was set on Celsius at start up so now I know it can get over 600 degrees Fahrenheit
35 and watching WWII & pellet smoker videos? I'm WAY late to the game! I'm 64😢. I just bought a Z Grills 700d3 after watching Silent Service (real submarine stories from WWII) lol. Great video Sgt., this video should be attached to every manufacturer website and Aztec linked in every owners manual (for those of us who read them😂😂). Great job, thanks. Signed new subscriber guy.
My Traeger has had 2 fire pot fires in 4 years. Both from an auger jam, then temp going down, then jam broken up, then a huge load of pellets constant feed to pot to get temp back up and it runs away. Then, pull meat off and put out fire w/extinguisher before a hopper fire. Then finish cook in oven. Then clean the cooker on Saturday. Both instances were due to pellets: one, the fuel was different from a Traeger type I suppose, and 2nd was borrowing pellets from a neighbor to finish a cook running longer than I expected. Over the years I've upgraded the igniter, thermocouple, fan, and controller. Best pellets I use now are Meat Church hickory/oak and no problems so far bc the bags are resealable. Best regards.
Thank you for all the tips, I’m new to a pellet smoker so everything new I can learn is a great benefit to a better product. In the instructions they advised emptying the burner pot evert 3 to 4 cooks but what you said made sense so I will clean it out every time I use it. I have the Pit Boss 600 pro because it’s only myself and the wife.
Well first I'm a 75 yr old woman. And wish I had found you before I started on this experience. I know nothing now maybe I won't blow up with my smoker. I have used it a big 3 times, still learning ! Thank you for your help.
Most of these tips are spot on. My pitboss has a smoke stack and I never open the lid to start. No problems in over 5 years. I would open the lid if I didn't have a smoke stack like yours. Love that your model has an accessible burn pot!
Thank you so much. As I am considering buying a pellet smoker, this video is exactly what I need to get me going. Looking forward to watching other videos!
I've been using an electric smoker for the past couple years (low cost of entry) but it died & now I'm considering getting a pellet smoker. These tips will definitely save me some time, frustration & money! I just subscribed, so thanks for the great content!
Wow! Thank you, this has been one of the most informative smoking videos I've seen. I've been using a pellet smoker for maybe seven years, and feeling almost lucky that I haven't had a fire.
Very helpful for us newbies. And I love a host that displays their lessons 'learned the hard way' honestly! Though the Towering Inferno shot is epic...
Don't feel bad I'm 75 and have been waiting for Lowe's to have a sale on the Pit Boss 1150. They had $500 off the retail price with FREE assembly and FREE delivery. This pellet grill will last me until I made the trip to heaven some day 🙂
I thankfully read the manual "Wife Made me" since it was my first ever Pellet grill, so I knew about what not to do. However, I do appreciate the 5 tips. Now I want to go by a brisket and try it with a water tray. My first brisket was ok, but not as juicy as I wanted it to be. Guess I'll be a new subscriber!! Thanks!
I have a pit boss 820d (2016 version). It’s been an amazing little smoker, however to maintain that awesomeness it does need to be cleaned out every 2-3 cooks. If you don’t, junk can build up pretty significantly and can increase the risk of the fire going out in the middle of the smoking process. I have a little shop vac that I keep on hand to vacuum out my smoker on the regular with.
Been smoking for years, but it’s good to see the ideas of others. Nice presentation! The biscuit test is one of the lesser known and most valuable. Glad you shared it.
Great video, thanks for sharing. Regarding tips that hit home were: 1- the length of time to let the meat rest after coming off the smoker. I'd been letting it rest anywhere from 30 mins to an hour or so. I'll really work to get my meat in the smoker earlier so I have time to let it rest longer before serving. 2- I should experiment more with the different hardwoods. Because it's a pain to empty the hopper to change the pellets, I've been using Traeger's Gourmet Blend as my standard for everything and then just adding specific flavors (Apple for pork, or Mesquite for fish) using a separate smoke tube. Thanks!
Just watched this video and I learned quite alot. I'll be trying the biscuit test tomorrow. It is good to know that I have been pretty good on the "don't" list as I always try to keep my smoker in tip-top condition. Priming my smoker would be a hassle as I am one that needs to break it down to reach the heat pot. Thanks for a great video.
My question is for grill sergeant if I do the water tray, I would have to put my brisket on the second shelf on my pit Boss. Which would make the meat farther away from the heat. How would that affect the cooking of the brisket and would it block the smoke from getting to the meat? I'd like the idea of having a trade to collect the grease
Hey Sarah! You still get plenty of heat and smoke. You could put a oven temp gauge there and test it out to see what temp it gets to on the second grate with the water pan underneath it. I love it because it makes cleanup that much easier.
Usually these types of videos are full of obvious bs and no one learns anything. This is NOT one of those videos. Full of relevant and CRITICAL information for a new pellet grill owner. You are literally preventing people from burning their house down lol thank you!
Ha! Thanks! 🍻
I disagree. That was a complete waist of my time. That was all honestly 100% commen sence
@@nickhume32Not common sense. Its my 1st grill and i had to look up on these tips. Normally i use a charcoal which i can use however i want basically. Not with the pellet grill. Glad i saw this video or i would have gotten my self blowned up haha
@@nickhume32 Well Nick have ya looked around the country lately? There doesn't seem to be to much common sense going on anymore!
I don't own a smoker yet.. but good info I will retain 😊
The biscuit test is pure genius. That's a new one for me.
You can do the same thing for cheaper with white bread, thus the "toast test"
Sweet, thanks!!
@@ottokiehl5413makes better since that was a lot of biscuits.
I am 42. I have chosen the path of grill master. I recently bought a Pit Boss. Thank you for this video.
"Get into World War history or get into barbecue"...how about those of us who did both?
I came here to say exactly that😂
Right there with you.
Exactly Germans had some of the biggest bbqs during the war😉
Here here
I represent that comment…
Great video. I recently received a pellet smoker as a gift. Your 5 “Nots” were superb. Your 5 “To Do” were even better.
Thank you for 14 minutes of useful info.
Nice! What smoker did you get?
@@GrillSergeant Traeger 34 Pro.
Offset smoker here. Great video. The pro tips are excellent. When I first began smoking, I cooked to time instead of temperature. I ruined so many cooks because of it, until someone said, just cook to temperature. Made all the difference. I use a combination of hickory, apple, and cherry wood. Makes for a great flavor.
I was just blessed with a brand new FREE pellet smoker from a friendly neighbor. Thanks for the info, can't wait to start smokin!
That's awesome! Now the big question, what are you gonna BBQ first?
Dang dude! Do we have the same neighbor? Mine just bought me a Pit Boss Pro Series smoker!
I love the biscuit test. Very useful. My last pellet smoker just reached the end of its life, after 7yrs of use. These tips will definitely help anyone who is interested in buying one. As for me, I'm moving across country, once I get to where I'm going I will definitely be buying a new pellet smoker. They are worth it
😊
I literally got my pit boss this past Tuesday for my 35th birthday. My jaw dropped during the intro 😂
I'm 36! Just got my third smoker. I'm a woman, though 😂 so close to correct 😅
Lol. I just turned 36 earlier this month, and I've been thinking about purchasing a smoker. I saw this smoker on Facebook marketplace and decided to look it up.
haha yes 35 BBQ king and WWII buff well I always loved WWII since high school and yes 33 was my time to start BBQing LMAO :) O I hated pellet smokers. I was always a charcoal smoker guy until the wife bought me a Pit Boss this summer. Well have to say I love it, but I do use the charcoal one sometimes, but the pellet smoker will always be my goto . :) As a firefighter we call that a back draft or smoke explosion. Same thing happens in aa house fire. All the smoke lights off and explodes and I clean mine every 2-3 cooks, unlike this grill I have to use a shopvac and suck out the burn box. Man I ran out JUST ONCE was just glad I had the pork butt up to 190 internal before it ran out. So didnt loose much time
Tip - use a large litter box scoop (one that was purchased new and dedicated to cooking pellets 😜) to scoop pellets into the hopper. It takes a bit of extra time, but gets clean pellets into the hopper. You’ll be amazed at how much dust is in the bag when you get to the bottom. Pouring from the bag puts the dust in the hopper and auger tube and increases the chances of a fire.
Amazing tip! Thanks for sharing!!
thank you for this video! I feel ready to give the pellet smokers another shot!
When I seasoned my traeger I noticed how much saw dust was in the cooking chamber. Was really bummed but I read this exact thing. Started using a sifter to get rid of dust. Made a HUGE difference. Cannot recommend enough
I use an old dedicated colander from my wife. She didn't want it anymore so I use it. Pour part of the bag in it, shake it a little over a garbage can to get the dust out, then they are ready to put in the hopper.
I use the same. Buy a new plastic dog food scooper to get the pellets out of the large bags. When you get to the very bottom of the bag and scoop there’s a ton of sawdust material. What I did is poured the remaining few scoops into a colander or strainer and it removes all the dust when you shake it through the strainer and only remaining good pellets that you can use are left! 😊
Damn, I’ve been making mistake number one ever since I’ve owned my grill and that’s been years. Thank you so much for the information now I can avoid exploding
thanks mate, extremely helpful, just bought a smoker and had no idea on how complicated these things can be, your video has saved me hours of reading , very concise and informative with no gimmicks, love you work
The biscuit test is a great idea ..... never thought of that!
Actually, this is my first smoker. I thought every tip was awesome. It is amazing how much you can learn with a few minutes of listening. Thank you for this video. Haven't tried my grill yet, but I am sure glad I watched this video first!
I rarely comment on TH-cam videos, but I've watched this video two consecutive times. As a Traeger Pro Series 34 owner, this is really good information! One of my common practices is that I only cook over top of the drip tray surface area, especially burgers. Otherwise, a.) some of the ends will crisp up faster and b.) grease drips down into the smoker. Thank you sir!
No problem! Thanks for watching Joe!
Without question, PRO TIP #5 "The Biscuit Test!" I will be doing that this weekend. I just got my pellet smoker a few months ago and I really need to figure this out in real time. Thank you for this pro tip!!!
Nice! What pellet smoker did you get?
It was like Grill Sergeant was talking to me. He summed me up almost perfectly. I got into grilling in my mid 30's. subscribed.
Ha! 🍻
I really like the biscuit test. Never thought of that! As for pellets I experiment a lot! I mix different flavors as well. I also found a charcoal pellet (made by Royal Oak) that I mix in at a 1:2 ratio (1 part charcoal to 2 parts hardwood pellets), as it really inhances the visual smoke ring in my meats while not changing the the flavor profile of the pellets I chose for the cook!
Or you can use bread. It’s cheaper.
@@Adam_Smith1136 ?
@@todds5956 toasting white bread instead of baking biscuits to find the hotter/cooler areas
Wow I’ve never seen those before. I have some chunks of pure charcoal. I wonder if I could break some down into small pieces and add to my hardwood pellet mix. Thoughts?
The biscuit test and priming the fire pot are the best tips I’ve seen! Thanks!,
I agree , that was great . Never had heard of the biscuit trick or priming the burner pot . Thank you fot sharing your knowledge. Gary Sr.
76 years old
These are great tips and I was doing some things wrong. Never had a problem, but after seeing this video I’ll start doing a few things differently……specifically, leaving the lid open during the startup phase and also not unplugging too soon. Liked & Subscribed.
Awesome Tom! See you around!
Been using a pellet smoker for years.. started with a Grilla Grill, then a Camp Chef and now using a GMG Ledge Prime.. There are some who “dis” the pellet smokers.. But for me I love sitting in my room watching TV and having a brew and monitoring my temps from my phone and not worrying about fire management…. Can’t do that with a “stick burner”
Enjoy watching the videos…. Such a good refresher..
I think most people ask timing questions not for exact doneness but rather an approximate cook time for planning purposes. IE spare ribs take about 5 hrs brisket takes 14 hrs. Salmon takes 2. Wings take an hr etc...
I completely agree!
Super glad this popped up in my suggestions. I just got a wood pellet smoker and did my first brisket. It came out pretty good but cooked a lot faster than what I was expecting. I pulled it out at about 203°. I'm going to do the biscuit test to see the hot and cool sides. Thankfully I didn't unplug it right away and I made sure to clean it out after it cooled down completely and emptied the burn pot. I figure why not since it's a new piece of equipment and I want to keep as prestine as possible.
I am brand new to pellet grilling. Though I have used a couple of them that others owned. Now, I am a proud owner. Each of the do's and don't were much appreciated. They will make my learning curve go, SO much easier. In addition: I now have some great ammunition to teach others. I am a full-time volunteer chaplain at the Flying H Youth Ranch in Naches, Washington. The Ranch is a Christian boarding program for at-risk, high school aged boys, that has been in operation since 1962.
I also cook, at least, one meal a week for our students. One of my passions it to teach the students, as well as willing staff, how to do things right in the kitchen. As we have a Traeger in our arsenal, that gets used by several of us, I will be sharing this video with our cooks.
Awesome! Thanks for sharing!
I own a pellet grill since 2020 and this video was BY FAR the best I've watched so far. Helped me a ton!! Great work!
Something that wasn’t mentioned and is very important is to not put pellet dust in your hopper. The dust, over time, compacts in the auger tube. I’ve have to break down my grill and pull the auger out and clean out the tube. This takes about three hours!
Just got my first pellet smoker today. Was just wondering if you may could use an air compressor to blow the dust out when your doing a complete clean out?
Also in very rainy and humid climates. I vacuum the hopper after every grill.
Ive been watching WW2 docs and videos for over 40 years, now that ive seen almost all of them, im moving on to bbq...but ill still watch my Mark Fenton videos while i smoke😂
me, a 25 year old woman who just bought a pit boss pellet grill watching the intro to this video: 👁️👄👁️💅🏻
Ha! Welcome! I’m glad TH-cam is finally showing my videos to more than just 35 year old males.
Literally me too 🤣
Same lol
I am an OG Weber kettle man, but a friend gave me his barely used Traeger. I have not used it yet. It did not come with an instruction manual. I would not have left the lid open after igniting, and I would have probably pulled the plug if I found it did not turn off after the cook. Excellent information. I subscribed.
Nice video with some good advice. I'd like to add two things that some eager beavers overlook: RTFM - Read The Fine Manual. Most pellet smoker manufacturers will tell you to vacuum the ash out of the barrel (chamber) after every 20 pounds of pellets. That includes cleaning out the auger and doing a restart (400 for 15 min). The other is pay attention to how you store your pellets. There have been more flame outs due to damp/wet pellets than just about anything else. And I'm with Fred Willis (below) - Lumberjack pellets for the win.
Love the biscuit test. It really gave me a feel of where my hot and cold spot are on my smoker!! Thanks!
Never started mine with the lid open, but have seen plenty of vids of the big bang. It will start open from now on, I never knew that is what caused it! Thanks for the tips, and the time you put into each video!
I enjoyed them all. My brother just gave me a new Pit Boss and I have never used one before. Gave me several things to do and not to do. Thanks for the info.
I have two Green Mountain Grills and they have you start the grill with the lid closed. I've never had a problem and I've used them a ton. I also must add that your biscuit test is ingenious! Thank you! I've tried to use both of my temperature probes but it's very difficult to judge this but the biscuit test gives you tangible, visual results.
Instead of biscuits I use a loaf of Walmart brand white bread - much cheaper than several cans of whomp biscuits ;) (On my PB1100PS1)
Same with Weber SmokeFire they tell you to keep the lid closed until it reaches set temperature, even on smoke setting.
Same with my Yoder it tells you to leave the lid shut.
Nice video, all the tips were good. The one that stood out the most was the biscuit test. Love it
Thanks for watching!
I was fortunate enough to receive a Lexington Pitboss as a Christmas gift from my wife and kids and it is my first pellet grill. This video helps tremendously and I'll definitely be trying the biscuit test in the near future. Thanks!
Awesome! Thanks for watching. Got a ton of bbq ideas on my channel. See you around!
That was one of the BEST pellet smoker tip videos I have EVER seen. You were spot on with everything! This video will be very helpful to a lot of new pellet smoker owners. Even though I know the do's and don'ts I really enjoyed your video friend 🙂and it doesn't hurt to have reminders every now and then. I too have run out of pellets 1 or 2 times, it happens to everybody and they'd be lying if somebody said it never happened to them. Grill Sergeant you're the man! You have really made something out of your channel. You are one of the top grilling/bbq channels out there in my opinion and I've enjoyed watching your channel grow from...well, you know how it all started 😉
Thank you brother! No joke I ran of pellets on something I was filming today! 😂 Oh the irony! 😂
WSM to Kamado guy here. Love my ceramic cookers, but also understand they cook with minimum air flow. A stick burner is out of the question in S FL (palm trees only). Been thinking about a good mid upper mid range pellet smoker. "How NOT to Use a Pellet Smoker" is one of the most informative videos I've watched last few months. Thank you.
Good info. For the biscuit test, found it a lot cheaper to use bread slices. Good old cheap loaf of white sandwich bread.
Will add a "Don't Do" tip. If your burn pot fire goes out during a cook (not related to empty pellet hopper) ABSOLUTELY DO NOT just go thru another restart. Not without getting to your burn pot and completely cleaning it out first. Then do a normal door open restart. Sometimes running a smoker on a very low temp setting, the burn pot will get starved out. Not always getting enough pellets to keep the smolder going, BUT - the auger will keep dumping in pellets after the burn pot is out cold - no flame or smolder. If you simply try a restart, that burn pot is now PILED WITH PELLETS. It will start the usual startup smolder with piles of smoke (more than regular startup) and at some point, that entire pile of pellets ignites into full flames. You'll get a flash-over that makes the startup "pops" of the cover seem childlike. It will blow big time. And the fire from that full pot can burn at temps in the 600F+ range. So if the smoker ever goes cold during a cook and not from empty hopper, immediately pull the plug so there is no way the fan(s) can stoke any smolder in the FULL burn pot and cause a full-fire flash over. Clear the burn pot and do a normal restart. If you have to remove the grates and diffuser to get to the burn pot, just set what you are cooking to the side off the smoker.
Besides meat temp probes for the cook, I also have a grill temp probe clipped to the grate to track the grill temp. Will have high and low alarms set in case the smoker temp goes way too high for a cook, or if the smoker goes very low - maybe an indication that the burn pot may be getting starved of pellets. That helps head off the pot going cold and the auger dumping a whole pile of pellets inside.
Great info!
I had that happen after the flame went out. And then it got almost up to 500 and started smoking like hell. Was even smoking out of the pellet box. I'm glad you explained what was going on.
I have this smoker ,PB cs1250, I've had it now for almost 2 years now I bought it when it wasn't even showing that it was out. But it really works great. I kind of spruce mine up I put temp gauges on each corner of the lid. Redid the bolts that hold the sliding lid on they were coming loose a lot. The only thing I haven't done is cut the protection bars to keep you from putting your hand down where the pellets go into the auger. I do keep mine clean I wipe down the temp gauge every time and clean out the fire pit. But another thing I did is I bought a pellet smoke tube and I use that every time, when I cut into my brisket there's a quarter-inch smoke Ring all around it. It really adds that smoke for the first couple hours. I've cooked just about everything on it and it has worked great . You can fill up the hopper at 9 at night and wake up to a brisket, and I take it off put it in a cooler by 12 you're slicing into a very juicy brisket. I take my brisket off at 195 , put it in a cooler with foam pads on bottom and top so it only increases in temperature to around 205. And either buy lunch or 5 in the afternoon I'm pulling out a juicy flavorful brisket. I've never had any other smokers so I don't have anything to compare it to but the 1250 series has been a great choice because when I cook I always cook for about 15 people. My advice is to buy quality pellets keep your smoker clean and the most important thing is to keep your smoker covered.
great stuff, especially about the different pellet types for different flavors. I also would suggest getting a smoke tube and using that in addition to the pellets in the burn pot if you are looking to amp up the smoky flavors to rival stick burners.
Thank you for the advice on the smoke tube. That's on my next Amazon order.
hi please watch Watchman on the Wall 88 on TH-cam
I aggree, I have had fantastic success with a good Stainless steel smoke tube on every long cook, Simply fill with your pellets, light with a propane torch. Tip- let the smoke tube burn for at least 4-5 minutes until you see a good ash build up. otherwise you risk it going out. It lasts for around 4 hrs. Good idea to buy Heat gloves or do what I do and lay it in the grill and light.
Great video.
Keeping your smoker CLEAN is huge. If you don’t, you will have a fire. I clean mine after every cook now. Cover entire diffuser shield with foil. When your done. Replace foil,clean grates, remove spent ashes.
Easy Peasy. 👍🍺
PS. I only smoke with my pit boss 1100! I do my searing with my Weber grill. 😉
PB smokers are started with the lid open. Once the fan kicks on, close it and adjust temp. 👍
Just found your channel, and I'm new to smoking. I've got a pitboss competition series gen2 vertical 5 smoker. I loved your tips but knew most of them. However, the one I didn't know and enjoyed the most was the biscuit test. I'm pretty sure I know where my hot/cold spots are simply because of science and how this cooker is designed. I do intend on giving it a try just to confirm. Thanks for the tips!
I'm a little late to the game.....just turned 45 and have chosen the path of smoking meats. Just bought a Pit Boss Pro 850. Thanks for the informational video. Subscribed.
35??? I'm 26 😂
I was 33 years old when I got my smoker and I'm a woman. 🙄
@@bcc7777🔥
@@bcc7777 lol he’s just joking around
I’m 25 😬
@@bcc7777just came to say the same thing 😂… keep on smokin’!
The biscuit test is something I've neverheard of but it's a really good tip, thanks
Here's an additional tip from experience... be very careful to not let the pellets get wet. They will soften, start to fall apart and then as they dry; reform into a solid structure... no longer pellets, but in the shape of the hopper outlet and cake into the auger spacing. Requires complete disassembly and difficult clean out. Hasn't been a problem with the style in this video but my stand up box type has happened 3 times.
Seconded on this... It's exactly how I ruined my first pellet grill. Didn't cover it during MN winter and forgot to empty out the hopper before the snow came. At least I learned a good lesson and had an excuse to upgrade.
I thought that went without saying.
@@shirttailsupcoattailsdown269 Thanks bud. I have an old bag of pellets that went through the same winter and a new pit boss! Glad I saw this comment.
Is there a way to seal the hopper?
@@haroldbutterfield5677 No, not really plus the humidity outside will always get in. Just get buckets with lids and keep in there.
Thanks for recommending using a paint scraper to clean the smoker. Glad to know I’m not the only one who uses that tool for the same purpose.
I can add a # 6 on what not to do. I saw several videos where people had used aluminum foil to protect the grill from drippings. I assumed this was so it would not have to be cleaned as often or would make clean up easier. I bought 100 yards of foil from Sam's thinking it would last most the summer. It was not easy to place, having the assure heat and smoke were not obstructed and the slide would still worked. The thing about aluminum foil is you can never get it smooth. So after cooking burgers, the next time I used my pitboss, it quickly flamed up all over. If you have to apply foil every time you use it and remove it every time you use it, it is too much work. It is easier just to let it get dirty and clean it every 3 or 4 uses.
I just cook everything in disposable pans
Just picked up a like new pellet smoker, for 20 bucks..the fan had a wasp nest blocking the fan..works like a champ..
The biscuit test alone was worth a sub. Lol. Great video!
Ha! Welcome!
As a huge pellet smoker fan, when I first saw the title of this, I read it as "Don't Use a Pellet Smoker". Which made me think "pellet smoker haters gonna hate." Followed by "humph... let's see what he has to say."
These are actually excellent tips of what not to do, and what to do, when operating your pellet smoker. I salute you Grill Sargent. 🫡
Traeger IW885 here. They are designed to start with the lid closed.
Yes, I have the Traeger Timberline 850. Designed to start with lid closed. Tip #1 read the owners manual.
So does the recteq ❤
I also have the IW885 and I always Fire Up my Smoker with the lid closed and have never experienced any issues.
They are designed that way but they actually start better with it open. IW1300 here
Green Mountain Grills (Daniel Boone) My manual says to start with lid closed as well.
The biscuit test was very cool. I’m definitely doing that. A ton of great info!
Biscuit test is a great idea. I found out early on with my pellet smoker that I got more smoke flavor and hotter temps near the smokestack end. Also, the burn pot is usually located in the center of the smoker, so the center also has some hot spots in the back and front (where the heat travels around the deflector under neath).
It helps you visualize your hot areas and helps you plan out your cook.
Just got my first smoker for my 61st b’day. This was huge help. Thank you!
I have never used a pellet grill but I've been cooking with wood for years. My favorite woods are cherry, hickory and apple woods. I am getting my first pellet grill soon so I'm watching a lot of videos to help me decide what I want. I was looking hard at the Pit boss Austin xl
As a 35 year old man who bought my pit boss yesterday, I feel absolutely called out.
Great video though, thank you for all the helpful information.
I'm always debating about getting a pellet smoker... I've been using the offset so long and the snake method in the Weber. But the overnight with the brisket...or a pork butt...that is what keeps me thinking about the pellets.
Great video Grill Seargent!
Dave! My man! Kettles and offsets a great tools that every pitmaster should have but a pellet smoker is one of those sweet tools that helps you enjoy that long overnight bbq without you having to worry about chasing temps.
This is fantastic! I love the biscuit tip and adding a small amount of pellets to your burn pot to speed up start time.
I'm preparing to start learning how to use my husband's Traeger. He got it free but barely uses it (about 5 times in 3 years). I do almost all the grilling on our small grill and I can't wait to take on bigger projects that will help me meal prep for our family of 7. 😄
Awesome! Make sure to check out my latest video, I found something better than the biscuit test!
Im here to smoke meats to bring to the WWII reenactment
😂😂😂😂😂😂
Well, I’m glad I washed your video. I have just bought a Traeger pellet smoker and I got it on Facebook Chris used one for 100 bucks and sold her one so I was trying to find out as much information on using one of those pellet smokers as much as possible. I’m used to the old way of smoking so anyway hey man, I appreciate that I’m going to keep track of your channel I like the information.
Awesome! Thanks for watching!
Guilty as charged! I must be the luckiest SOB there is!! Great tips!
Thank you!
Why can't I both be into Smoking food and WW2
Haha, right?
Foiling the main deflector saves a lot of pain and hassle of grease buildup. A removable layer helps with cleanup so much.
I literally turn 35 in two weeks. And this is the first smoker video I’ve ever watched. You nailed that like clockwork. 😂
I'm considering a new pitboss and def forgot about the boom boom if the lid is closed but didnt know about the cool down cycle. Glad I watched this video.
43, 8 yrs late to the show, didn't know about a pellet grill till today, and I'm looking to be a smoker/grill master. Trying to see if I need a pellet grill or vertical smoker, or smoking/grill combo.
Good hint on adding a few pellets to the burn pot before starting the smoker. Haven't tried it yet but will real soon. Thanks
Ray
I'm glad i found this video . Im about to buy a pit boss pro 850. Im 26, started grilling (charcoal and propane) barbequing at the age of 18. All the tips are very useful. Even more stoked to get it now
WOW this was an IMPRESSIVE video on mistakes and pro tips that are super helpful to a newbie like me.... i went the route of WW2, ROME, and backyard BBQ aficionado at 40! LOL
All of these tips were fantastic, for me. My wife bought a new pit boss for my birthday off of FB marketplace. The pit was new, but missing the grates and instruction manual. I definitely would have blown up, or caught some shit on fire. After the do nots, I like the biscuit test. This is something I could have done years ago on many of my pits. New to pellet cooling, so LETS GOOOOO! THANK YOU, SIR!
Welcome bro!
@@GrillSergeant yessir! Love the collab with Arnie Tex, the San Antonio assassin! My man!
That biscuit idea is pretty slick definitely a good idea to figure out where the hot zones are
I like the biscuit test idea, as I just got my smoker today and just doing the burn off now, .. will try the biscuit now, lol
Great video man! Just got my first pellet grill a Pit Boss 850 and I think it works great. This grill is so easy compared to cooking with charcoal and wood which I’ve done for the last 40 years and will continue to do. 👍🏻
Amazing video. Truly! Tonight I just ordered a Pit Boss Sportsman 820 as a birthday gift for my father. He doesn't even know its on the way as we speak.
This video will be so helpful for him and the rest of the family to get started right in the world of smoking. Liked and subbed. Cheers brother.
Just got a austin xl1100 second hand with no manual so the start up tip is appreciated. Mine was set on Celsius at start up so now I know it can get over 600 degrees Fahrenheit
That biscuit test is a fantastic idea! You can use with your oven as well. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
I’m picking up my pit boss 850 in a couple weeks
I am going to do the biscuit test.
Thank you so much!!
Pork and Chicken are sweet woods like cherry/apple/peach/maple. Beef is oak/maple/hickory/mesquite.
35 and watching WWII & pellet smoker videos? I'm WAY late to the game! I'm 64😢. I just bought a Z Grills 700d3 after watching Silent Service (real submarine stories from WWII) lol. Great video Sgt., this video should be attached to every manufacturer website and Aztec linked in every owners manual (for those of us who read them😂😂). Great job, thanks. Signed new subscriber guy.
The biscuit test is genius and I will try it for sure !
I like the biscuit test
My Traeger has had 2 fire pot fires in 4 years. Both from an auger jam, then temp going down, then jam broken up, then a huge load of pellets constant feed to pot to get temp back up and it runs away. Then, pull meat off and put out fire w/extinguisher before a hopper fire. Then finish cook in oven. Then clean the cooker on Saturday.
Both instances were due to pellets: one, the fuel was different from a Traeger type I suppose, and 2nd was borrowing pellets from a neighbor to finish a cook running longer than I expected.
Over the years I've upgraded the igniter, thermocouple, fan, and controller. Best pellets I use now are Meat Church hickory/oak and no problems so far bc the bags are resealable. Best regards.
Thank you for all the tips, I’m new to a pellet smoker so everything new I can learn is a great benefit to a better product. In the instructions they advised emptying the burner pot evert 3 to 4 cooks but what you said made sense so I will clean it out every time I use it. I have the Pit Boss 600 pro because it’s only myself and the wife.
Welcome! 🍻
Well first I'm a 75 yr old woman. And wish I had found you before I started on this experience. I know nothing now maybe I won't blow up with my smoker. I have used it a big 3 times, still learning ! Thank you for your help.
Most of these tips are spot on. My pitboss has a smoke stack and I never open the lid to start. No problems in over 5 years. I would open the lid if I didn't have a smoke stack like yours. Love that your model has an accessible burn pot!
Thank you so much. As I am considering buying a pellet smoker, this video is exactly what I need to get me going.
Looking forward to watching other videos!
I've been using an electric smoker for the past couple years (low cost of entry) but it died & now I'm considering getting a pellet smoker. These tips will definitely save me some time, frustration & money! I just subscribed, so thanks for the great content!
I just ordered Pitboss sportsman 1230, am soo glad I found this video. I never used pellet grill before and didnt know anything about pellet grill.
Wow! Thank you, this has been one of the most informative smoking videos I've seen. I've been using a pellet smoker for maybe seven years, and feeling almost lucky that I haven't had a fire.
Very helpful for us newbies. And I love a host that displays their lessons 'learned the hard way' honestly! Though the Towering Inferno shot is epic...
Man.... I waited too long! I'm 46 and just got this over Father's Day! Thank you great vid!!
52 and was a die hard charcoal smoker. Picking up a Traeger today
Don't feel bad I'm 75 and have been waiting for Lowe's to have a sale on the Pit Boss 1150. They had $500 off the retail price with FREE assembly and FREE delivery. This pellet grill will last me until I made the trip to heaven some day 🙂
I thankfully read the manual "Wife Made me" since it was my first ever Pellet grill, so I knew about what not to do. However, I do appreciate the 5 tips. Now I want to go by a brisket and try it with a water tray. My first brisket was ok, but not as juicy as I wanted it to be. Guess I'll be a new subscriber!! Thanks!
I have a pit boss 820d (2016 version). It’s been an amazing little smoker, however to maintain that awesomeness it does need to be cleaned out every 2-3 cooks. If you don’t, junk can build up pretty significantly and can increase the risk of the fire going out in the middle of the smoking process. I have a little shop vac that I keep on hand to vacuum out my smoker on the regular with.
Been smoking for years, but it’s good to see the ideas of others. Nice presentation! The biscuit test is one of the lesser known and most valuable. Glad you shared it.
Great video, thanks for sharing.
Regarding tips that hit home were:
1- the length of time to let the meat rest after coming off the smoker. I'd been letting it rest anywhere from 30 mins to an hour or so. I'll really work to get my meat in the smoker earlier so I have time to let it rest longer before serving.
2- I should experiment more with the different hardwoods. Because it's a pain to empty the hopper to change the pellets, I've been using Traeger's Gourmet Blend as my standard for everything and then just adding specific flavors (Apple for pork, or Mesquite for fish) using a separate smoke tube.
Thanks!
Just watched this video and I learned quite alot. I'll be trying the biscuit test tomorrow. It is good to know that I have been pretty good on the "don't" list as I always try to keep my smoker in tip-top condition. Priming my smoker would be a hassle as I am one that needs to break it down to reach the heat pot. Thanks for a great video.
My question is for grill sergeant if I do the water tray, I would have to put my brisket on the second shelf on my pit Boss. Which would make the meat farther away from the heat. How would that affect the cooking of the brisket and would it block the smoke from getting to the meat? I'd like the idea of having a trade to collect the grease
Hey Sarah! You still get plenty of heat and smoke. You could put a oven temp gauge there and test it out to see what temp it gets to on the second grate with the water pan underneath it. I love it because it makes cleanup that much easier.