Maybe you’re ready to try a new flavor of Pit Boss pellets? Or you might need to do a deep cleaning of the grill? If you’re trying to learn how to remove pellets from Pit Boss, you’re in the right place. I’ll walk you through step-by-step how to do it.
How to Remove Pellets From Pit Boss
Removing the pellets from the Pit Boss grill requires you to:
- Place a 5-gallon bucket under the pellet release door
- Remove the black plastic flap
- Loosen the screw on the back of the grill
- Pull out the lever
- Catch the pellets in the bucket
- Use your hand or stick to push the remaining pellets through the door
This article explains how to do remove them from the hopper, and why you’d want to. I’ve written an article on how to remove pellets from the auger, so be sure to check it out.
Before Removing The Pellets
Unplug the Pit Boss, you never want it to be plugged into the electrical outlet whenever you’re working on it.
You don’t want it to turn it on accidentally and get your fingers caught in the auger, or etc. Once the pellets are changed out, you can plug it back in.
Removing The Pit Boss Pellets From Hopper
If you’d rather watch a YouTube video walking you through how to remove the pellets, you can do so below. You can also follow my step-by-step tutorial below if you get lost.
Step 1: Place a 5-gallon bucket under the pellet release door
Before getting started, you’ll want to grab a 5-gallon bucket to catch the pellets. As soon as you open the pellet door, the pellets will start falling quickly.
Using a 5-gallon bucket makes it easy to store the pellets safely until you’re ready to use them again. The biggest issue with storing pellets is ensuring they don’t get exposed to moisture, which makes them unusable.
Step 2: Remove the Black Plastic Flap
Remove the black plastic cover on the back of the hopper. You don’t need any tools to remove it, just some fingernails.
It easily comes out and will snap back in place when you’re ready to add pellets back into the hopper.
Step 3: Loosen The Screw On The Back of The Grill
Once you’ve removed the flap, it’s time to loosen the screw above the flap.
Step 4: Pull Out The Lever
Once the screw is loose, pull out the lever. The lever is what keeps the pellets from falling out of the hopper. Put the lever to the side, as you’ll need to put it back into the slot once the pellets have been changed.
As soon as the lever is removed, the pellets will start falling out of the hopper.
Step 5: Catch the Pellets In The Bucket
Once the pellets start falling into the bucket, you can just make sure the bucket is catching all the pellets.
Once thing you’ll notice is changing out the pellets causes a lot of sawdust to come out of the pellets. This is one of the reasons I try not to change my pellets too often.
Step 6: Use Your Hand or Stick to Push the Remaining Pellets Through the Door
Once the majority of the pellets are out of the hopper, you’ll have to use a stick or your hand to help push the pellets through the slot.
The Pit Boss has safety feature, which prevents people from sticking their hand into the hopper. As you can see from the video above, I’ve removed it from my grill.
If your grill still has that safety feature, you’ll want to use a long thin stick that fits through the slots to push the pellets. You won’t be able to get all the pellets out of the grill.
You’ll also notice that some pellets stay in the hopper. This is normal and you might not be able to get all the pellets out of the hopper, especially, if your grill still has the safety cover on the hopper.
Now that you’ve removed the pellets, it’s time to add pellets back into the hopper. After all, you can’t use the grill without pellets.
Why Would You Remove Pellets From The Pit Boss?
There are several reasons you need to learn how to remove the pellets.
Testing Out Different Flavors
One of the great things about owning a Pit Boss or any pellet grill is the ability to test out different flavored hardwood pellets.
Pit Boss pellets come in several different flavors. Some pair better with certain foods. Many pellet grill owners love testing out different flavored pellets to see which ones they prefer.
If you’re considering changing out your pellets, but not sure which ones to use for your next cook. This table will show you which pellets pair with what foods, according to Pit Boss.
Doing A Deep Cleaning
A pellet grill can get dirty quickly, especially, if you’re cooking ribs, brisket, Boston butts, etc. Long slow cooks are a pellet grills specialty.
However, with all those long slow cooks can cause your grill to become dirty quickly. Pit Boss recommends cleaning your grill every few cooks.
If you’re using your grill every weekend or doing a lot of slow cooks, you’ll want to clean your grill more often. A good deep cleaning of the grill recommends removing the pellets so you can clean the dust from the hopper and auger.
Storing the Grill
Many people use their pellet grill year round, especially, if it doesn’t get really cold where you live. That said, some people choose to store their grill during the colder months and wait to pull it out in the spring.
If you’re storing your grill outside, you will want to remove the pellets to ensure they are not exposed to moisture.
The Pellets are old
Hardwood pellets don’t last forever. If left in the hopper for several months without use, the pellets will become old and unusable.
Yes, you can leave pellets in the Pit Boss, but just know that if they are left too long, they will become old.
Final Word
Removing the pellets from the Pit Boss is extremely easy. Hopefully, this step by step guide helps you change out your pellets.
As I mentioned above, most pellet grill owners change out their pellets several times during the grilling season.
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