New to me Memphis Advantage Plus Pellet Grill/Smoker

[timothy]

How often does the fly ash need to be vacuumed?

On my EX6 I use a small brush every other cook and once or twice a month I'll vac.'
The flavorizer bars are like a gasser and SS so I'll scrape them off once a month. Clean out the support brackets and check under the hood for flakes.

 

[LMichaels]

Depending on length and type of cooks I'll vacuum my grills out either every cook (if they've been doing really low and slow for many hours) or every other if I've only done shorter higher temp cooks. Maintaining a pellet grill is IMO easier than a gasser but it needs it more often. But quite honestly I pretty much dread cleaning gas grill while even pretty deep clean on my pellet grills MAYBE takes 10 min

 

[timothy]

Someone mentioned using a leaf blower to blow out the ash.
I dunno about that but in all fairness have never tried it.

 

[LMichaels]

Someone mentioned using a leaf blower to blow out the ash.
I dunno about that but in all fairness have never tried it.

Sorry to laugh but realistically who wants to stick a leaf blower in a tub of ash and then have it all blow in their face? Darwin award

 

[timothy]

Just blame tik tok lol.

 

[R Chin]

Party Wingz on sale at Costco for $2/lb
Loaded Memphis with Kirkland pellets and spread them out (6lbs worth) on main grate but thought it was a little crowded so put some on upper rack

Running @375f for 45min or so

I noticed the grease tray has a gap about 1in from all sides. On the E-W end - no problem cuz the grease trough is there. But on the front and back - any grease drippings would fall into chamber around burn pot where ash settles.

Question: I need to avoid cooking on the front and back edges to avoid greasy ash sludge cement, right?

 

[LMichaels]

Party Wingz on sale at Costco for $2/lb
Loaded Memphis with Kirkland pellets and spread them out (6lbs worth) on main grate but thought it was a little crowded so put some on upper rack

Running @375f for 45min or so

I noticed the grease tray has a gap about 1in from all sides. On the E-W end - no problem cuz the grease trough is there. But on the front and back - any grease drippings would fall into chamber around burn pot where ash settles.

Question: I need to avoid cooking on the front and back edges to avoid greasy ash sludge cement, right?


View attachment 116116

Yeah, I kind of keep anything more toward the center so grease doesn't get down into the actual "barrel" portion

 

[R Chin]

Here is the finished product (along with leftover ribs and rotisserie chicken)

Heat seemed fairly even across the main and even upper grates. Exception was along the edges of the grease tray where the heat shoots up.

I noticed the fan is intermittent up until 300f then stays on continuously. Memphis says under 300f is smoking mode.

Question about pellets: seems like woods other than oak or alder are considered “flavor” woods. Would I want to use something without oak or alder for low and slow where I want a more prominent, smokey and flavorful bark?

 

[LMichaels]

IDK about the woods thing. Everything I've read and been told is maple is the "filler" wood. Making heat but not much flavors. Oak, Hickory, Pecan, Cherry, Apple, Alder, (other fruit woods as well) all seem to indicate sweeter flavors. Oddly if you've ever tasted an acorn (so terribly bitter and astringent) yet oak seems to have a very sweet smell while burning. Go figure. IIRC Walnut is not considered a good smoking wood though.
Anyway that's how I understand it I've really been wanting to try Smoking Pecan pellets. TH swears by them but YIKES are hey expen$ive. Nearly $1 per pound. Heck using those an overnight brisket will cost more in smoke than meat!