Info and steps for new and potential Pit Boss owners

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Re: Info and steps for new and potential Pit Boss owners

Postby Papa Tom » Mon Nov 18, 2019 4:49 pm

First MontanaDave Welcome to the forum..
Second go back and read ALL of the posts in this topic I believe most of your concerns have been addressed.

As for the different probe readings...
Old Chinese wisdom says " Man with one clock always know what time it is , man with two clocks never sure....".
tarde venientibus ossa....
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Re: Info and steps for new and potential Pit Boss owners

Postby spacetrucker » Tue Nov 19, 2019 11:22 am

Papa Tom wrote:As for the different probe readings...
Old Chinese wisdom says " Man with one clock always know what time it is , man with two clocks never sure....".


:laughing7: :laughing7:
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Re: Info and steps for new and potential Pit Boss owners

Postby Tebanino » Fri Dec 13, 2019 3:53 am

Papa Tom wrote:First MontanaDave Welcome to the forum..
Second go back and read ALL of the posts in this topic I believe most of your concerns have been addressed.

As for the different probe readings...
Old Chinese wisdom says " Man with one clock always know what time it is , man with two clocks never sure....".


Great advice Papa, greetings from South Texas/Mexico, I'm new here and please apologize for my English, I have a Austin XL and already cooked 5 brisket always trying to change something to improve but everytime goes worst, I put an iron cast pan, cover with foil the deflector shield, take reads with probes and they are different in same places and in separate places too, at the beginning they were all crispy at the button because I put it fat side up the first 3 and set up at 250, then the 4 I smoked it fat side down at 225 and got burned again and dry from the lean part, then I took the reading and watched that the temperature in the smoker was 270 and the cooking time was 8 hrs for a 13 lbs brisket, so I decided to go P4 setting for my last brisket with the mods of the iron pan with the cooking side down so the heat can go out, the deflector shield cover with foil and this brisket was 15 lbs, it took 12 hours and the inside temperature never went up from 168 so this was the worst of all of my attempts, I really don't know what to do, I'm a little bit frustrated, I really want to improve and enjoy this beautiful way of cooking with my family, if you or someone can help me I would really appreciate it. Thanks!
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Re: Info and steps for new and potential Pit Boss owners

Postby Papa Tom » Fri Dec 13, 2019 4:51 pm

When I do a brisket I rub as needed then put it on the pit fat side between the heat and the meat (usually means fat down).
Run the controller on "Smoke" for a couple hours then turn up to 250 ish and cook until the probe in middle of the thickest part of the brisket reads 160°F.
At this point I wrap in foil (actually I put it in a big foil pan and cover pretty tightly with foil) continue cooking until the probe reads 200°F and then test for done by inserting a probe or other skewer into the meat it should go in with little resistance (like sticking it in warm butter) if there is some resistance I go a little more but never beyond 205°F.

Best of luck & BTW I have looked @ the Austin XL and like what I see.
tarde venientibus ossa....
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Re: Info and steps for new and potential Pit Boss owners

Postby RDF » Sun Dec 22, 2019 8:04 pm

hello
new to this board, hope I,m putting this in the right place
just got a new -pit boss tailgater- , my first pellet grill ever, The problem i,m having is after smoke startup , then burnoff, is if I put the temp at 300 or higher
the grill shuts off after about 10 or so mins, and I get a HEr code not the ErH code in manual I am assuming its over heating. it was a cool day today only 43 deg
but still the grill keep shuting off , so i set the grill temp to 350 and watched the aactual temp on the grill it went up to 300, 320 , 340, all the up to 400, but was at 400 for just a few seconds , then it went to 375 stayed there for a few mins then the grill shut off with the HEr code again , Am I doing something wrong or do you think I may have a bad inside temp sensor :banghead: :banghead:
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Re: Info and steps for new and potential Pit Boss owners

Postby Papa Tom » Mon Dec 23, 2019 11:39 am

Welcome aboard RDF...

I would call PB support, it sounds to me like something just not right...
tarde venientibus ossa....
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Re: Info and steps for new and potential Pit Boss owners

Postby RDF » Wed Dec 25, 2019 11:30 am

I should add ,Ileft the P,setting on 4 ever though its cold here , I did not want to go to P3 figuring that would just make it get even hotter . is that correct ?
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Re: Info and steps for new and potential Pit Boss owners

Postby Hutch » Sun Jan 05, 2020 12:02 pm

Thanks for this info. I received a Pit Boss Austin XL as a gift from my Daughter a week before Christmas.I came with a part missing which has forced me to read up on it much more than I probably would have while I wait on the part. This post has answered a lot of questions I had.
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Re: Info and steps for new and potential Pit Boss owners

Postby RCAlan » Mon Jan 06, 2020 3:59 am

The preheating as per the Owners Manual is so important... Your grill has a Non PID Controller, so it will have some temp swings. That’s normal... What You don’t want to have are the wild temp swings that can cause problems and issues with your grill. Preheating helps to eliminate the wild temp swings from happening. Always preheat at no lower then 300* degrees... The Owners Manual says 350* degrees for at least 20 mins to allow your PB Austin XL to settle and stabilize. Never just turn it on and set the temp. Another good practice is to clean out the burn pot of ash after every cook. Using a Shop Vac will make cleaning out the ash very easy and when changing out your Pellets, if you see an accumulation of pellet dust in the pellet hopper, shop vac out that dust as well. Preheating and keeping Your PB Austin XL clean will help prevent many issues from ever happening. Keeping it covered and out of the rain and elements will also help protect your wonderful Christmas gift from your Daughter. I know you’re going to enjoy it very much. Others I’m sure will have their say and chime in as well. If You ever have any questions or issues, you’ll find a lot of help and support here as well on the Texasbbqforum.

Pellet Pro Austin XL and a few more mods... in SoCal and Always... Semper Fi
Pellet Pro Austin XL and a few more mods... in SoCal and Always... Semper Fi.
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Re: Info and steps for new and potential Pit Boss owners

Postby Madman905 » Sat Feb 22, 2020 8:44 pm

I have a Pro Series Pitt Boss and have been using it for about 6 months. I have a lot of experience with other traditional smokers. I think the “P” settings normally range on the lower end. If you want more smoke, I recommend that you invest in A-Maze-N products.

I set my Pitt Boss at 225 when smoking and it stays fairly stable on the Pitt Boss reading. However, my probes have consistently showed that the left side runs about 15-20 degrees less than the right side.

I purchased a Smoke Daddy diffuser and noticed that my temperature swings are less. Bottom line, you want more smoke flavor, invest in A-Maze-N and just set the darn thing to 225-250 depending on what your smoking and you’ll be golden.

I hope this helps.
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Re: Info and steps for new and potential Pit Boss owners

Postby Madman905 » Sat Feb 22, 2020 9:09 pm

Sorry, I forgot to add this. If you desire to use the smoke/P setting, If want a temperature above 200 and it’s cold 60F or less, use P0-P1. I don’t use anything above P2 unless it’s above 80F outside. I never use P4 in any kind of temperatures.

Very important....all of my cooks are in the shade. If you have direct sun on your Pitt, this may vary.
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Re: Info and steps for new and potential Pit Boss owners

Postby Papa Tom » Sat Feb 22, 2020 10:15 pm

Madman I think you should review the purpose of the "P" settings.
tarde venientibus ossa....
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Re: Info and steps for new and potential Pit Boss owners

Postby nbestreviews » Wed Feb 26, 2020 10:17 pm

I think Pit Boss is very good, I have not had any problems like this.
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Re: Info and steps for new and potential Pit Boss owners

Postby my87csx481 » Wed May 20, 2020 4:29 pm

Hi all. Sorry for the thread revival, and the lengthy first post.

I'm in the initial stage of looking at getting a pro series 820. I am not new to smoking low and slow (Weber WSM at 225-250°F for many years), but I know nothing about pellet smokers....with the exception of having read through this entire thread, and the 820 owner's manual. I have never eaten anything cooked on a pellet smoker either.

I have many questions, and maybe this is the wrong thread....but I'll start here anyway.

Regarding startup procedure: Step 2 and 3 of the startup procedure (page 15 of the latest manual from Pit Boss for the 820 pro series) says: "2. Ensure the Temperature Control Dial is in the SMOKE position. Press the Power Button to turn the unit on. This will activate the start-up cycle. The auger feed system will begin to turn, the igniter will begin to glow and the fan will supply air to the fire pot. The grill will begin to produce smoke while the start-up cycle is taking place. The barrel lid must remain open during the start-up cycle. To confirm the start-up cycle has begun properly, listen for a torchy roar, and notice some heat being produced. 3. Once the heavy, white smoke has dissipated, the start-up cycle is complete and you are ready to enjoy your grill at your desired temperature!" Is this accurate? After the torchy roar, close the lid and set it to 225/250? Or should I follow RCAlan's suggestions a few posts back (and throughout this thread) - 300 for a half hour, then low and slow at 225/250?

Regarding cooking: The manual, and this thread, mentions smoke mode.....after startup and preheat, put the meat on and set to smoke mode for a certain amount of time, then turn up to desired cook temp. Using my WSM with lump charcoal, and wood chunks, I'm used to shooting for 225/250, and trying to maintain it there. I assume I will need to adjust my technique a bit for using a pellet smoker? Is there no smoke at all when it is set to 225/250? I'm just thinking that hours on smoke/170 is going to increase cooking times significantly. I enjoy a decent amount of smoke flavor.

I've added a terra cotta plate to my WSM to use as a heat sink, instead of water in the water "tray". This thread mentions a cast iron griddle. I'll keep that in mind.

I need to baby sit the WSM every 15 to 30 minutes (even though I've done what I can to keep it sheltered from environmental factors that can influence temp). Should I expect to have to baby sit the Pit Boss this frequently too? Even after becoming familiar with it?

Thanks for any info at all. And thanks to all that have contributed to this thread. And if you made it this far, thanks for reading.
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Re: Info and steps for new and potential Pit Boss owners

Postby Papa Tom » Wed May 20, 2020 9:20 pm

Welcome aboard 'Ole 87 I'll try to fill in some blanks .

my87csx481 wrote:Hi all. Sorry for the thread revival, and the lengthy first post.

I'm in the initial stage of looking at getting a pro series 820. I am not new to smoking low and slow (Weber WSM at 225-250°F for many years), but I know nothing about pellet smokers....with the exception of having read through this entire thread, and the 820 owner's manual. I have never eaten anything cooked on a pellet smoker either.

I have many questions, and maybe this is the wrong thread....but I'll start here anyway.

Regarding startup procedure: Step 2 and 3 of the startup procedure (page 15 of the latest manual from Pit Boss for the 820 pro series) says: "2. Ensure the Temperature Control Dial is in the SMOKE position. Press the Power Button to turn the unit on. This will activate the start-up cycle. The auger feed system will begin to turn, the igniter will begin to glow and the fan will supply air to the fire pot. The grill will begin to produce smoke while the start-up cycle is taking place. The barrel lid must remain open during the start-up cycle. To confirm the start-up cycle has begun properly, listen for a torchy roar, and notice some heat being produced. 3. Once the heavy, white smoke has dissipated, the start-up cycle is complete and you are ready to enjoy your grill at your desired temperature!" Is this accurate? After the torchy roar, close the lid and set it to 225/250? Or should I follow RCAlan's suggestions a few posts back (and throughout this thread) - 300 for a half hour, then low and slow at 225/250? You can just go to 225/250 or whatever temp you want after startup

Regarding cooking: The manual, and this thread, mentions smoke mode.....after startup and preheat, put the meat on and set to smoke mode for a certain amount of time, then turn up to desired cook temp. Using my WSM with lump charcoal, and wood chunks, I'm used to shooting for 225/250, and trying to maintain it there. I assume I will need to adjust my technique a bit for using a pellet smoker? Is there no smoke at all when it is set to 225/250? I'm just thinking that hours on smoke/170 is going to increase cooking times significantly. I enjoy a decent amount of smoke flavor. There is smoke produced at 225/250 and other temps but since it is a forced air combustion it will be less especially @ higher temps. I usually do my prep early startup and preheat (preheat only to sanitize the pit) then shut it down and open the lid to cool while I go get the meat ready. With the meat ready and still cold I start it up again wait 4 minutes (that is how long the startup cycle is) put the meat on and leave @ "Smoke" for an hour or more depending on the cut. Yes this will extend your cook time but with better results.

I've added a terra cotta plate to my WSM to use as a heat sink, instead of water in the water "tray". This thread mentions a cast iron griddle. I'll keep that in mind. The iron griddle mod is mine I have used it on Traegers and Pit Bosses
and recommend it


I need to baby sit the WSM every 15 to 30 minutes (even though I've done what I can to keep it sheltered from environmental factors that can influence temp). Should I expect to have to baby sit the Pit Boss this frequently too? Even after becoming familiar with it? You don't have to babysit the Pit Boss relax

Thanks for any info at all. And thanks to all that have contributed to this thread. And if you made it this far, thanks for reading.
tarde venientibus ossa....

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