New toy on the way

[bbqchef]

Have a new toy on the way and need whatever advice and suggestions anyone has. I've never used a pellet pooper before so this should be interesting!



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[smokeasaurus]

I have the YS-480, but Tee has the 640 and I believe a couple other do as well.  Congratulations! 

[teesquare]

Mossy Mo and Tatonka have one - and Hornzbee has a Yoder too...

I like to season a new pit with peanut oil. There will be instructions from Yoder on the "break-in" or seasoning process. You will find there are 3 basic ways to use the pit - with many variations.

1. With the drip pan in place ( some foil it - some do not )

2. Without the heat shield/drip pan in place

3. No drip pan, and the Grill Grates for a great sear. The Yoder wil sear without the Grill Grates, but it will sear fast with them. Nice tool to have.

Get some in-oven thermometers and play with the sliding baffle and check temps thru-out the pit at different temperature settings on your control panel. Now you will get sense of where the pit will cooke hotter or cooler.
A lot of folks like to get a couple pounds of bacon, and space the slices out evenly - to watch how the pit cooks, to accomplisht he same thing as the thermometers will do. Plus...you have some great bacon to eat when you are finished!

[Keymaster]

Someday I will have a pellet grill, Nice choice!!

[ACW3]

In Pellet Poopers it is really important to break them in right.  You must start with "good Ju Ju" (according to the rib master Sparky and followed by the rest of the PP owners).  Your first "break-in cook" should involve Pig Candy, preferrably with some of Mr. T's Super Pig on the bacon.  (Sorry for the shamless plug).  After that, only good things will come from your grill.

Art

[TMB]

Congrqats!

[squirtthecat]

Congrats, that's a beast!

Ditto to what the others have said.   I've been cooking over pellets for about 3 years now.

Break it in.
Learn the temperature variances.  (biscuit test is good here)
Don't fixate on any temperature swings.
This isn't a stick burner/offset/Green Egg.  The smoke flavor will be mild.   That's a good thing!  You can control that...
Rinse.
Repeat.

[sparky]

congrats on the new yoder.  pellet smokers are great and produce some fantastic food. 

[Hub]

Welcome to the pellet cooker world.  Lots of good advice here already so I won't add any other than to say don't be shy -- ask questions if you need to.

Hub