After assembling the Pit Boss Smoker grill, you’ll be anxious to add pellets and start cooking. However, before you can start using your new electric smoker, you have to learn how to add pellets to a Pit Boss Hopper for the first time.
How To Add Pellets To A Pit Boss Hopper
Open the hopper lid and make sure there are no foreign objects blocking the auger feed system. Grab your wood smoking pellets and start filling it up.
Related: Can You Use A Pit Boss Without Pellets
Now it’s time to prime the hopper and get it ready for the first use. This is totally different than seasoning your Pit Boss aka grill burn off, which cleans the grill and gets it ready for the first use. If you’ve already used our grill a few times, then find out how often should you clean it.
Let’s take a close look at the hopper priming procedure. Be sure to read this post if you still need to season your pellet grill.
What Is The Hopper Priming Procedure?
This procedure ensures that your auger feed system is working properly. The auger feed system must be primed to allow the wood pellets to pass through the auger, and fill the burn pot.
The hopper priming system is vital to allow the ignitor to function properly and avoid timeouts before the pellets are ignited.
When To Run The Hopper Priming Procedure?
The hopper priming procedure should be performed when you get the grill and turn it on for the very first time., and each time the electric smoker runs out of pellets in the hopper.
Before First Use
After assembling your grill or turning it on for the first time, you will want to run through the steps of priming the hopper.
This helps you inspect that the auger feed system and firepot are functioning properly.
Pit Boss Ran Out Of Pellets While Cooking
Anyone who has a wood pellet grill will eventually run out of pellets, especially, if you use it a lot.
When your smoker grill runs out of pellets while cooking, you will need to prime the hopper again before you can resume cooking.
Related: Can You Leave Pellets In A Pit Boss?
This process takes about 5-10 minutes for first-time users. If you run out of pellets while cooking, it may take a little longer.
How to Prime Your Hopper To Start Using Pellets?
You will follow these steps if you're starting your Pit Boss for the first time or if you run out of pellets while using your grill.
Materials
- Wood Pellets to fill your grill.
Tools
- Shop Vac (to clean your Pit Boss if you've used it already)
Instructions
How to Prime Your Hopper To Start Using Pellets?
- Before priming the hopper, you will want to remove all the cooking components. This is only necessary if you run out of pellets while grilling.
- It's also a good time to clean your Pit Boss grill, especially, since you're going to be down inside the barrel.
Plug The Grill In
- If you've never used your Pit Boss grill before, you'll want to ensure that it is plugged into an electrical outlet.
Remove The Cooking Components
- This step is only necessary if you run out of pellets while using your smoker grill.
Turn On Your Electric Smoker Grill
- Press the Power Button to turn on the unit and turn the temperature control dial until it is on the Smoke position.
- If this is your first time using the smoker, you'll want to make