Memphis Elite User manual

VG0970_D
MemphisOwner’sGuide
Elite,Pro,Advantage,Select,EliteBuilt‐In,ProBuilt‐In

VG0970_D
CongratulationsonyourpurchaseoftheMemphisWoodFireGrill.Withpropercareandmaintenance,your
grillwillgiveyouyearsoftrouble‐freeoperation.Pleasereviewthefollowinginformationcarefullyforuseful
tipsandinformationthatwillhelpyouutilizeyourgrill’sextensivefeaturesandbenefits.
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KeepinmindthatyourMemphisWoodFiredGrillissomuchmorethanagrill.It’sa3‐in‐1outdoorcooking
centerthatprovidestheconvenience,wood‐fireflavorsandversatilityofthreeappliances:hightemperature
grill,low‘n’slowsmoker,high‐performanceconvectionoven.
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Fueledbycertified100%naturalwoodpellets,theMemphishasadigitalIntelligentTemperatureControl(ITC)
thatautomaticallymaintainsyourdesiredcookingtemperatures,justlikeyouindooroven.Theresultisa
simple"setitandforgetit"waytocook,bake,roast,searorlowandslowsmoke;justsetthedesired
temperature,sitbackandenjoy.

Weallhaveourfavoriterecipesandcookingtricks.Wesuggestyouexperimentwithyournewgrilltodiscover
justhowmanywaysitaddstoyouroutdoorcookingexperience.Withalittletimeandeffortyou'llamazeyour
friendsandfamilywithyourimpressiveculinaryskills.Likemanyothers,you'llfindthatyourMemphisWood
FireGrillwillbecomeyourcookingapplianceofchoiceforbarbecuing,smoking,andasecondaryovensource
forholidaysorsocialgatherings.
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Pleasecompletethebelowinformationforquickandeasyreferenceforyourrecords.Additionally,complete
theonlineWarrantyRegistrationusingthebelowinformationtovalidatetheWarranty.Attheendofthis
Owner’sManualisaprintedcopyoftheWarrantyRegistrationifyouchoosetomailinyourform.Yourmodel
andserialnumberarelocatedonthestickerunderthehopperlid.
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Model_________________________________________________
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ModelNumber:VG________________
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SerialNumber:(last4‐5digits)____________________
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DateofPurchase_________________________________________
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PurchasedFrom_______________________________________________________________
HearthlandProducts,LLC.
9111GrandAveSouth
Bloomington,MN55420
888‐883‐2260
http://www.memphisgrills.com

VG0970_D
Contents
GeneralWarning:ReadallSafetyInformationPriortoOperatingGrill…………………………..1
HowYourMemphisWoodFiredGrillWorks…………………………………………………………………... 2
ReadPriortoLighting!…………………………………………………………………………………………………….3
IntelligentTemperatureControl‐Overview……………………………………………………………………4
UsingYourMemphisWoodFiredGrill……………………………………………………………………………5
OperatingInstructions…………………………………………………………………………………………………….6
InformationAboutBBQCookingPellets………………………………………………………………………….9
PeriodicGrillMaintenance……………………………………………………………………………………………..10
RecommendedGrillingAccessories………………………………………………………………………………..12
FoodHandlingandSafety……………………………………………………………………………………………….13
GrillingTimesandTemperatures…………………………………………………………………………………….14
SmokingGuidelines………………………………………………………………………………………………………..16
SmokingSuggestions…………………………………………………………………………………………………..….17
LimitedWarranty…………………………………………………………………………………………………20
WarrantyRegistrationForm……………………………………………………………………………………..23
Troubleshooting…………………………………..………………………………………………………………………...18
MemphisITCMeatProbe……………………………………………………………………………………………….8

VG0970_D 1
• Foroutdooruseonly.Donotuseinanyenclosedarea.
• Keepgrill30”(76cm)ormorefromanycombustiblesurface.
• Topreventgreasefires,cleanyourgrillonaregularbasis.Thisincludestheflavorizerand
greasetray.Shouldagreasefireoccur,turnoffthe
grill,removefood(useyourjudgment),andleave
thehoodcloseduntilthefireisout.DONOTunplug
thegrillunlessabsolutelynecessary;fanswill
continuetorununtilthefireisextinguished.When
cookingexceptionallygreasyfoods,putafoilpan
belowthefoodtocatchthegrease.
• Donotputanythingflammableinthestorageareaunder
thegrill.
• Donotleavesealedcontainersoffoodonornearthegrill.
• Alwaysoperatethegrillwiththegrillhoodintheclosed
position.
• Keepthegrill’srearventilationslotsclearofobstructions.
• It’srecommendedthatyouregularlycheckyourMemphisGrillforburnpotobstructionsto
makesureproperairflowismaintained.SeePeriodicGrillMaintenanceinthismanualfor
correctprocedures.
• Accessiblepartsofthegrillareveryhot.Keepyoungchildrenawaywhileinuse.
• Exercisereasonablecarewhenoperatingyourgrill.Whenchildrenarepresent,adult
supervisionisrecommended.
• Donotuselavarocksorcharcoalinyourgrill.
• Toavoidthechanceofseriousburns,neverleanoveranopengrillorplacehandsorfingers
onthefrontedgeofthecookingbox.
• ThegrillshouldbepluggedintoaGFCI(Ground‐FaultCircuitInterrupt)outlet.
• Whennotinusethegrillshouldbeunplugged.
• Useheat‐resistantbarbequemittsorgloveswhenoperatingthisunit.
• DonotmoveorcleanyourMemphisWoodFiredGrillwhileoperatingorwhilethegrillishot.
Makesurethefireiscompletelyout,andthatthegrilliscompletelycooledbefore
transportingorcleaningthegrill.
• Ifthepowercordbecomesdamaged,donotoperatethegrill.
• Donotuseaerosols,liquidsordamp‐materialsonornearthegrillwhileitishot.
• Donotcovertheentiretyofthecookingsurfacewhengrillishot.Leaveatleast2inchesof
clearancefromthesidesandbackofthegrillbody.
• Anymodifications(holes,screws,sheetmetalchanges)tothegrillwillvoidwarranty.
GeneralWarning:ReadallSafetyInformationPriorto
OperatingGrill
WARNING!
WARNING!

VG0970_D 2

YourMemphisWoodFireGrillrepresentsanewwayofoutdoorcooking.Itisatruehighqualityconvectionoven
thatalsohasgrillingandsmokingcapability.Itcombinesmanyuniquefeatureswithtime‐provenpellet‐burning
technology.Togethertheygiveyoucontrolled,quick,savoryandrepeatablecookingresults.Theperfectcooking
experiencestartswithfillingyourhopperwithall‐natural,100%certifiedhardwoodBBQpellets.Werecommend
“NaturesWay”flavoredBBQpellets.

SimplypushingtheONButtonwillfullyigniteyourgrill.Thegrillwillreachyourdesiredtemperaturewithin
minutesofignition.TheITCconvectionsystemandautomaticaugerfeedsthewoodpelletsfromthehopperinto
theburnpot,wheretheyareignitedusingsuper‐heatedair.TheIntelligentTemperatureControlallowsyoutoset
thecookingmethodanddesiredtemperature,andwilladjustforambientconditions.Convection/circulationfan(s)
providecombustionairtotheburnpotandprovidesconvectivecookingairbydistributingtheheatevenly
throughoutthecookingarea.Thenaturalsmokeflavorproducedbytheburningpellets,thevaporproducedbythe
juicesdrippingontheFlavorizer,andtheaircirculatingthroughoutthecookingarea,combinetogiveyouthe
uniqueflavorthatcanonlybeachievedusingaMemphisWoodFiredConvectionGrill.Avideoexplainingthis
procedureisavailableonourwebsiteorYouTube.
GrillFeatures
• EasytouseIntelligentTemperatureControl(ITC)capableofsmoking,barbecue,grilling,baking
andsearingtemperatures.
• MemphisITCMeatProbefunctionalityforhands‐off,precisiongrilling*
• Extra‐largecapacityhopper.
• Heavy‐dutystainlesssteelconstruction.
• Cookingareaisdual‐wallandovengasketsealedformaximumheatretention**.
• Attractivecraftsmanshipandhighqualityperformance.
• LowCFMFancausespelletstoburnandproducetrueconvectionovencooking. AutoStartbutton
&electricignitereliminatetheneedformatches&lighterfluids.
• SmokingModegivesyouthatsavoryflavorondemandandisprogrammablefrom180°‐295°F***.
• CookingModeallowsforgrilltemperaturesupto500°F(Select),600°F(Advantage),650°F(Pro),and
700°F(Elite).
• Flavorizerreducesthechanceofflare‐upsandassistsinevenheatdistribution.
• Stainlesssteelburnpotdesignedforhighperformanceandlongevity.
• 427squareinchmaincookingareathatcanbeincreasedto970(dependingonmodel)square
incheswiththeoptionalgrates.
• Totalcookingvolumeofnearly4,000cubicinchesforlargeroastsandturkeys.
• Greasedrawerswithdisposablelinersmakefornofusscleaning.
• Large,lockingcastersthatswivelandlockforeasymaneuverability.
• Twostainlesssteelsideshelves(optionalonMemphisSelect)offeradurableeasytocleansurface.
• Steelcookinggridsforyearsofreliableservice.
• MadeintheUSA.
* Meat probe is standard with Elite, Pro and Built-In models, optional on other models
**Gasket seal only on Elite and Pro models
*** 180°minimum set point available on Memphis Elite, Pro and Built-In models only.
HowYourMemphisWoodFiredGrillWorks:
HowYourMemphisWoodFiredGrillWorks:


VG0970_D 3

InitialBurnOff
Beforecookingforthefirsttime,werecommendthatyou“burnoff”thegrilltoriditofany
foreignmatterusedinthemanufacturingprocess.Priortoburn‐off,completelyremovethe
plasticfilmonallstainlesssteelsurfaces.Failuretodosowillcausethefilmtomelttothe
metal,anditwillbeextremelydifficulttoremove.Removethecookinggratesandwashwitha
mildsoapordetergent.Replacethegrates,lightandoperatethegrillat450Fwiththehood
downfor45minutes.Afterburn‐off,turnthegrillOFF.

LightingyourGrill
ItisrecommendedpracticetogothroughthePeriodicGrillMaintenance(pg.10)procedures
frequently.Thiswillensureproperignitionofthepelletsandispartofthenormalmaintenance
procedure.Lightperinstructionsfoundindetailinthismanual.Ifthegrillfailstolight,itis
mostlikelyduetoadirtyorpluggedburnpotand/oraburnpotobstructionblockingthe
igniterairpassages.(refertoUsingYourMemphisWoodFiredGrillonpage5forcleaning
instructions.)

HoodPosition
Alwayscookwiththehoodclosed.Cookingwiththehoodclosedkeepsthetemperatureeven,
cookingthefoodfasterwhileusinglessfuel.Aclosedhoodalsohelpstocreateasmokier
flavor.Ifthehoodisleftopenforanextendedperiodoftime,itwillcausetheITCtoincrease
thefuelfeedrateinanefforttoincreasethegrilltemperature.Thiscouldresultinan
overloadedburnpot.

Insteadoffrequent,visualchecksofyourfood,theuseofaMemphisITCMeatProbeis
recommended.Thistoolcanberoutedthroughthe5/16”holeinthesideoftheMemphis
SelectorAdvantage,orunderthehoodgasketontheElite,ProorBuilt‐Intopreventdamage
tothewires.See“MemphisITCMeatProbe”onpage8forfurtherinstructionsontheuseofa
meatprobe.
ReadPriortoLighting
ReadPriortoLighting


VG0970_D 4
IntelligentTemperatureControl
IntelligentTemperatureControl‐ ‐ Overview Overview 
ControlI/O,ON/
OFFTouchPad
Thispressure‐
sensitivetouchpad
isusedtoturnthe
grillonandoff.
PelletPrimeTouchPad
Pressingthiswillfeedmorewoodpel‐
letstotheburnpot. Thiscanbeused
toaddmorefueljustbeforeopening
thegrillhoodtohelpwithquickerheat
recovery,ortoprimetheaugerduring
thegrill’sfirststartup

TemperatureSetTouchPad
Bypressingeithertheupordown
arrows,thesettemperaturecanbe
movedin5degreeincrements.
DisplayTouchPad
Pressingthiswilltogglethe
displaybetweentheset
temperatureandthe
actualcurrenttemperature
ofthemeatprobe,orthe
grillitself.

ProbeDisplayPad
Pressingthiswilltogglebetween
thesettingsforthemeatprobeand
thoseforthegrillitself
LEDDisplay
Thiswilldisplaythe
temperatureofthe
grill,aswellasany
otherpertinent
information.
AbouttheITC:
TheITCperformssimilarlytothecontrolonyourkitchenoven.TheITCautomatically
compensatesfordifferentambientconditions,providingyear‐roundgrillingandmore
accuratetemperaturecontrol.Settingthecontrolissimpleandintuitive,andoffersthe
userapreciseandhighly‐customizablegrillingexperience.
IndicatorLights
TheseLED’sindicatewhichmodecooking
thegrillisin,aswellaswhetheryouare
settingthetemperatureorviewingthe
currenttemperature.Theselightswill
alsoblinkwhentheigniterisactive,or
thegrillisincool‐down.
MeatProbePort
Pluggingtheoptional
probeintothisport
willallowtheuserto
accessthemeat
probefunctionalityof
theITC.

VG0970_D 5

Priortostartingyourcookingcenter,inspecttheburnareainsidethegrill.It'sarecommendedpracticetogo
throughthisprocedureatinitialstartupandaftereveryfewusestoensurepeakperformance.Actual
necessaryfrequencyvariesdependingonusageandfueltype.
1. Openthehoodandremovethecookinggrates.
2. Removetheflavorizer.Theflavorizerhelpsdistributeheat,containsflyash,andkeepstheflamefrom
makingdirectcontactwithcookinggrids.
3. Ifnecessary,checktheburnpotarea,removeanyforeignitemstoensurethattheairholesintheburnpot
areclear.Thiswillallowaquickerandmoreefficientignition.Takeprecautionsnottodamagetheigniter
wiringconnectionsorpulltheigniteroutoftheignitertube.
4. Re‐installtheflavorizer.
5. Reinstallthecookinggrates.
6. Openthepellethopperlid,foundatthefrontofyourgrillontheSelectandAdvantage,oratthebackofthe
EliteandPro.Checkforanyforeignobjects
7. FillyourhopperwithNature’sWaycookingpellets.Closethehopperlid.Note:hopperdoesnotneedtobe
absolutelyfullforeveryuse.
8. PlugyourMemphisWoodFiredConvectionGrillintothenearest110VoltACoutlet*.(Note:UseaGFI
Outlet.WestronglyrecommendthatifyourhomedoesnothaveaGFIoutletthatyouinstallone,orusea
highqualityoutdoorsurgeprotector.
9. Whenyouarefinishedusingyourgrill,andthegrillhasgonethroughitscool‐down,unplugit.Itisalso
recommendedthatthegrillbecoveredwhennotinuse.

*230VoltforEuropean
**Note:YourGrillwillfunctionbestifoperatedonalevelsurface.**
UsingYourMemphisWoodFiredGrill
UsingYourMemphisWoodFiredGrill 

VG0970_D 6
AutomaticStartUp

1.ToStart
PresstheOn/Off touchpad.Thestartupmodewillbegin;aLEDlightwillblinktoindicatestartupmode.
Thestartupmodeistimedtolast30minutesoruntiltheappliancereachesatemperatureabove170°F.
Afteritreachesthis“Warm”state,theblinkingLEDlightwillbecomesolid.

2.SettheTEMPDISPLAYArrowstothedesiredtemperature(Setlightwillilluminate)Ifthegrillissettoa
temperaturelessthan300°itwillruninSmokeMode.Ifsetto300°oraboveitwillruninCookMode.The
meatprobecanbesetfrom68°to250°.Formoreinformationontheuseofthemeatprobe,consultpage8.

3.SetTEMPDISPLAYtoActual.(Actuallightwillilluminate)Temperaturenowdisplayed
willbeactualtemperatureinthecookingarea.Note:Actualtemperaturewillfluctuateupor
down.Thisisnormalandrepresentsthenormalfluctuationofanyoven.

Note: 
1:Ifhopperwasjustfilled;holdPelletPrimebuttoninuntilyouhearpelletsfallingontotheburnpotand
release.ThenrestartthegrillbypressingtheI/Obutton.Thiswillallowthegrillrunitscompletestart‐
upsequence.
2:YourGrillwillsmokeforafewminuteswhilethepelletsarelightingandcomingtofullburn.

3:Ifthefiredoesnotstartwithin30minutes,thegrillwillthenautomaticallyshutoff.Ifthishappens,
someunburnedpelletswillhavebuiltupintheburnpot.Beforerestartingthefire,cleantheexcess
pelletsoutoftheburnpotandrepeattheabovesteps. 
OperatingInstructions:MemphisWoodFiredGrill
OperatingInstructions:MemphisWoodFiredGrill 
FahrenheitVS.Celsius:
ConvertingYourGrill’sTemperatureUnits

YourMemphisgrilliscapableofworkinginbothMetricandEnglish
units.ToswitchbetweenFahrenheitandCelsiusontheITC,simply
pressandholdtheUPandDOWNarrowkeysatthesametimewhile
thegrillison.


VG0970_D 7
5.Tooperate:OncetheMemphisGrillhasstarted,operateasfollows;

UPre‐Heat:UThisisthebeginningstageofcookingorsmokinginwhichthefuelisignited,andthegrillis
broughttothesettemperatureasquicklyaspossible.Youmaynoticeinthisstagethat,initially,the
augerwillfeedfuelalmostconstantly.Thisistoprimetheburnpotsothatitisabletomaintain
significantheat.Whenthisstageisconcluded,theITCwillmaintainselectedcooking/smoking
temperature,regardlessofambientweatherconditions.Thedurationofthisstagewillvarysomewhat
duetodifferingambientconditions,set
temperatures,andgrillmodels.Inmost
cases,thegrillwillbeinthepre‐heatstage
for15to25minutes.

UCookingMode:UTemperaturewillbe
automaticallymaintainedatyour
temperaturesetpoint.Youmaynoticesome
fluctuationupanddownduringthistime.
Thisisanormalpartofanyoven/appliance
operation.Thegrillwillautomaticallyswitch
tothismodewhenthegrillsettempis300°F
orhigher.

USmokeMode:USmokingisavariationon
grillingandisoneoftheuniqueadvantagesofyourMemphisWoodFiredGrill.Thetemperatureyou
choosewilllargelydependonwhatisbeingsmoked(seeAppendixB‐C)andyourpersonalpreferences.
Thegrillwillautomaticallyswitchtothismodewhenthegrillsettemperatureis295°Forlower.
Combustionairflowisvariedinthesmokemode.Youmayhearthefan“bellow”,repeatedlyturningon
andoff.Thisisnormaloperation.
OperatingInstructions:MemphisWoodFiredGrill
OperatingInstructions:MemphisWoodFiredGrill 
SmokeTIP:
Tovarysmokeflavorintensity,experimentwiththe
amountoftimeyouusethesmokemodeandthemix
offlavoredpelletsyouusealongwiththeallpurpose
pellets.Thisismoreimportantifyouusestronger
flavoredpelletssuchasMesquite.Switchingtosmoke
modesoonafterputtingyourfoodonthegrillallows
thesmoketopenetratethemeatsbeforethey have
achancetosearclosed.Thesmokemodeworksbest
whenalongercookingtimeisrequired,suchaslarge
cutsofmeat,fish,orpoultry.Experimentwiththe
lengthoftimeyouleaveforsmokingbeforecooking
thoroughly.Trydifferentcombinationsofbothmodes.
AboutTheITC
TheMemphisITCisasophisticatedcontrollerthatmonitorsyourgrillandadjusts
varioussystemstomaintainyourdesiredcookingtemperature.Atemperature
probecontinuallymonitorsthecookingchamberandcommunicatesthisdatatothe
ITC.Basedonthisdata,theITCmakesappropriateadjustmentstothecombustion
system.TheITCsystem,logicandtemperatureaccuracyhasbeenvalidatedwith
manyhoursoftestingtoensurethehighestperformance.Foroptimalperformance,
cookwiththehoodclosedandkeeptheprobecleanandunobstructed.Allowthe
ITCadequatetimetoadjusttoanychangesinsettemperatures.

VG0970_D 8
MemphisITCMeatProbe
MemphisITCMeatProbe 

TheMemphisITCMeatProbe,whichcomesstandardwiththeElite,ProandBuilt‐Inmodels,andcanbepurchasedseparatelyforother
models,isamust‐haveaccessoryforanygriller.TheITCMeatProbeconvenientlyinterfacesdirectlywithyourgrill’sITCcontroland
givesyouaneasywaytoensureyourfoodiscookedtoyourpredeterminedtemperature.Thisfeatureensuresconvenienceand
delicious,repeatableresults—everytime.
UsingYourMemphisITCMeatProbe
1.PlugTheMeatProbeIn
The3.5mmaudio‐stylepluginsertsdirectlyintothejackonthefarrightsideoftheITC,labeled“MeatProbe”.Inserttheotherendofthemeatprobeinto
thethickestportionofyourmeatitem.

2.TurnTheGrillONAndSetTheGrillTemperature,AsDescribedOnPage6.

3.ToggleThePROBEDISPLAYto“MEAT”(Meatlightwillilluminate)
Withoutthemeatprobeinserted,togglingthiswillbedisabled.

4.SetTEMPDISPLAYto“SET”AndSetYourDesiredMeatTemperature.(Setlightwillilluminate)Thisisdonemuchthesameassettingthedesired
temperatureofthegrill‐simplybypressingtheupanddownkeys.Themeatprobecanbesetupto250°F(121°C)1.

5.Routetheprobeendthroughthelargeholeinthegrill’sleftside,justbelowthehood.Pullallthemetallicinteriorcableintothegrill,stoppingatthe
ferrule.IfusinganElite,ProorBuilt‐In,simplyplacetheprobeandinteriorcableinthegrill,thenshutthelidonthelongerendoftheferrule.Thisferrule
separatesthemeatprobe’sinteriorandexteriorcables.Thewhite,weatherproofexteriorcableshouldneverbeplacedinsideofthegrill.Doingsowill
damagethecable,andcompromiseitsweatherproofing.

6.InsertTheMeatProbeIntoFoodAsDesired.

7.SetTEMPDISPLAYto“ACTUAL”.(Actuallightwillilluminate)
TheITCwilldisplaythetemperatureofthemeatinrealtime.

8.SitBackandRelax.
Thegrillwillcookthemeatuntilthemeatreachesthedesiredsetpoint.Thegrillthenautomaticallyreducestoitslowestsetting(180°F(80°C)forElite,Pro
andBuilt‐In,200°F(90°C)forSelectandAdvantage),anddisplays“Done”.Atanypointduringthecook,youcanmodifythesettemperatureofboththe
meatprobeandthegrillitself.















Notes: 
1:Whilesettingthemeatprobesettemperature,iftheuserpressestheup‐arrowuntil250°F(121°C)isdisplayed,andthenpressesitonemoretime,
theITCwilldisplay“NOPR”.Onthissetting,theITCwilldisplaythetemperatureofthemeat,butwillnotenterthe“Done”modeatanymeat
temperature.
2:WhennotinuseDONOTleavethemeatprobeinsideofthegrill
3:Keepthemeatprobeascleananddryaspossible.Cleanwithadampsponge,oraclothwithasmallamountofrubbingalcohol.Ifexposedto
liquidsforextendedperiodsoftime,themeatprobemaydisplayanerroneousreading.InextremecasestheITCwillconstantlylisttheactual
meatprobetemperatureas“32°F”or“0°C”.Toremedythis,allowtheprobecordtodrycompletelybeforeusingitagain.Oncedry,thisaccessory
willbefullyfunctional.

DONOTsubmergethemeatprobewhencleaningorplaceindishwasher.
Meat
probe Interior
Cable
Separator
Ferrule
Exterior
Cable
3.5mm Plug

VG0970_D 9
FlavoredpelletscomeinavarietyofflavorssuchasMesquite,Alder,
Apple,Hickory,MapleandCherry.Theycontainapproximately8,200
BTU’sofheatperpoundandhaveverylittleashandmoisturecontent.
AlwaysusePremiumBBQPelletsinyourgrill.PremiumBBQpelletshave
amaximumlengthof1.5”andareuniforminsizeandshape.This
shorterlengthanduniformityensuresahigherefficiencyandamore
consistent,eventemperature.Premiumpelletsaremadeofcertified
100%hardwood.Cookingwithpelletsmadefromsoftwoods,suchas
pine,shouldbeavoided,asityieldsaturpentine‐liketaste.

Woodpelletshavebeenin
existenceformanyyears,
andtherearecurrently
morethan125activepellet
milloperationsintheUnited
StatesandCanada,
producingmillionsofpoundsofpelleteachyear."NaturesWay"
100%hardwoodBBQpelletsareproducedinthesamemanneras
woodpelletheatingfuelisproduced.Sawdustandcleanwood
chipsarepulverizedanddried.Thedriedmaterialisthenprocessed
underheatandpressure.Thismaterialisforcedthroughahard
steeldierotatingagainstrollerswithpressureover3,000PSI.Once
thepelletsareforcedthroughthefinaldietheyarecooled,
screened,vacuumed,andthenbaggedorboxed.Noextraadhesivesorbondingmaterialsareusedinthe
productionofthesepellets.Hardwoodscontainnaturally‐occurringcompoundscalled“lignins”that,when
heated,actasabondingmaterial.Storepelletsinadrylocationforoptimalperformance.Flavorpreferenceis
anindividualtasteandwesuggestyoutrythedifferentflavorsormixturesofflavorstofindthecombinations
thatsuityourneedsandtastes.(Seeyoulocaldealertoorderindividualpelletflavors)
InformationAboutBBQCookingPellets
InformationAboutBBQCookingPellets 
CAUTION:somewoodpelletsproducedforheating
fuelhaveahighcontentofsoftwoodoreven
recycledwoodfurniturewhichcanincludepitch,
chemicalsorgluesandshouldnotbeusedfor
cooking.Foroptimumperformanceandtoensure
youareusingcleanburningpelletsmanufactured
forcooking,purchase"NaturesWay"certified100%
hardwoodBBQpellets.UsinglowqualityBBQ
pelletsmayalsoadverselyaffectyourgrilling
temperatureperformance–especiallyatlow
temperatures.HearthlandProductsassumesno
responsibilityforproblemsassociatedwiththe
useoflowerqualityorheatingpellets.Store
pelletsinadrylocationforoptimalperformance.
• Apple:Sweet,fruitysmokeyflavor.Strongest
ofthefruitwoods.Idealforbeef,pork,ham,
poultryandwildgame.

• Cherry:Mild,sweetfruitysmokeflavorthat
givesarosytinttolightmeats.Idealforbeef,
pork,poultry,fishandwildgame.

• Hickory:Strong,bacon‐flavor.Idealforbeef,
pork,poultry,fishandwildgame.

• Maple:Verymild,asweetlightsmokeyflavor.
Idealforpork,ham,poultry,cheese,game
birdsandbaking.
• Mesquite:Strong,spicyflavor.Distinctive
smokeyflavorofSouthwestcooking.Idealfor
beef,pork,poultry,fishandwildgame.

• Oak:Mild,wood‐fireflavor.Idealforroasting,
grilling,smokingandbaking.

• Pecan:Mildflavorsimilartohickorybut
milderandsweeterwithanutafter‐taste.
Idealforbeef,pork,poultry,fish,wildgame
andbaking.
FlavoredPelletGuidelines
*Please contact your dealer to purchase additional wood pellets, or call us at 888.883.2260*

VG0970_D 10
StainlessSteelSurfaces
ALWAYScleandirtanddustoffallstainlesssteelsur‐
facesbeforeyoubegintocook.Thedirtcancookinto
themetalanddiscolorit.Dirtcanbeeasilycleaned
withhot,soapywaterandasoftcloth.Therearealso
manycommercialproductsmadetocleanandprotect
yourstainlesssteelsurfaces.Ifthestainlesssteelbe‐
comesseverelydiscolored,thisdiscolorationcanbe
removedwithstainlesssteelcleanerormildoven
cleanerandanabrasive(non‐metallic)scrubpad.

Flavorizer
Itisrecommendedthatyouremoveanybuildupof
foodorgreasefromtheflavorizerbeforeeverycook.
Acleanflavorizerfurtherreducesflareups.Brushor
scrapeanybuildupoffoftheflavorizerwithagrill
brushorputtyknife.Nevercleantheflavorizerwhileit
ishot.







GreaseTrays
Alwaysbesurethegreasetraysarecleanandfreeof
debris.Duringthewarmermonthsemptyanygrease
build‐uponamorefrequentbasistokeepitfromgo‐
ingrancid.

BurnPotandIgniter
Periodicallychecktheairholesfoundintheburnpot
foranyblockagesorbuild‐ups.Usingawirebrush,
scrapeoffanybuilduporblockage.Forthorough
cleaning,theburnpotcanberemovedcompletelyby
removingfourPhillipsheadscrewsandlock‐washers.
Whenreinstalling,confirmtheproperpositioningin
theburnpot.Theburnpotshouldbelevelfromsideto
sideandfromfronttobackandshouldhaveasnugbut
nottightfit.Youwillalsowanttovisuallychecktheair
holesintheignitertube,asisdisplayedinthefigureto
theright.Cleananydebrisorblockageoutofbothar‐
eastoensureaperfectstart.
RTD
Yourgrill’sabilitytoaccuratelysensetemperatureand
adjustitsperformanceaccordinglyiswhatmakesit
uniqueandvaluable.TheRTD,atemperaturesensor
locatedtowardstherearofthecookingareashouldbe
wipeddownwithwaterandmilddetergenttoensure
properperformance.

GrillInterior
ThoughBBQpelletsburnefficiently,theydocreate
someamountofash.Thegrill’sinteriorwallsandfloor
don’tneedtobespotless,butperiodicallyclearingout
accumulatedashisagoodpractice.

Airbox
BecausetheAirboxisusedtochannelthefan‐forced
airintotheburnpot,thereisverylittlemaintenanceto
bedoneinthisarea.Occasionally,youmayeithervac‐
uumorbrushoutanybuild‐upofashorburndebris
thathasfallenbelowtheburnpot.Removeanyaccu‐
mulationofgreaseordebrisontheinsidesurfaces.

GrillCover
WerecommendthatyoucoveryourMemphisGrill
whennotinuse.Ensurethatyourgrilliscompletely
offandcooledbeforecovering.
PeriodicGrillMaintenance
PeriodicGrillMaintenance 
Igniter Hole Cleaning Location

VG0970_D 11
PeriodicGrillMaintenance
PeriodicGrillMaintenance 
EveryUse Every3Uses OnceAWeek
OnceA
Month OnceAYear
ScrapeCooking
Grates x
Checkgrease
pan/bucket x
Wipedown
exteriorsurfaces x
Scrapeoff
flavorizer x
CleanGrease
Trays x
WipeOffRTD x
ClearBurnPot x
ClearIgniter
Holes x
Scrape/Vacuum
AshFromInterior x
Vacuumfine
pelletdustfrom
hopper
x
Wipedown,
vacuumoutAir
Box
x
Frequency
MaintenanceTask

VG0970_D 12
MeatProbe/Thermometer
Theoutsidetemperature,windconditions,pelletfuel
varietyandthealtitudeatwhichyouliveaffectcooking
times.Thebestwaytoensureyourmeathasreachedthe
propertemperatureandisreadytoeatisto
utilizeagoodqualitymeatthermometer.
WerecommendtheMemphisITCMeat
Probe,whichcaninterfacedirectlywithyour
grill’sITC.


DisposableGreaseTrays
YourMemphisgrillutilizesatleastonegreasetraythat
hasbeenspeciallydesignedtoaccommodatedisposable
aluminumpansforeasyandconvenientclean‐up.The
SelectandAdvantagetraysarecompatiblewithany
8”x8”aluminumpan,andtheProandBuilt‐Intraysare
designedtoholdtwoofany9”X13”aluminumfoilpans.

Tongs
Usetongsratherthanaforkforturningandhandling
meatstoavoidlosingthenaturaljuices.Extralargeones
withlonghandlesallowyoutogripavarietyofdelicate
foods.

GrillBaskets
Perfectforcookingfoodsthataredifficulttohandleon
thegrill,suchasvegetables,seafood,fishandcertain
cutsofmeats.Usuallymadeoutofnickel‐platedsteel
thesebasketsaremadeoftwoidenticalhalvesbeing
heldtogetherwithhinges.Notonlydotheyprotectfood,
andmakehandlingeasier,butalsoallowfordifferent
foodstobecombinedandgrilledtogetherwithout
piercingthefood.

Drip/RoastPans
Usedtopreventflare‐ups,keepfoodfromdryingout,
eliminatebasting,andcatchthoseflavorfuljuicesthat
dripfromthemeat.Variousjuicescanalsobeaddedto
thepantoimpartadesiredflavor,suchasapple,lemon,
cranberry,pineapple,anycola,etc.
Griddle
Oneofthemostusedaccessoriesforthosegrill
enthusiaststhatenjoycookinganyfoodsoutdoors.Use
togrillcompletebreakfasts,grillsandwiches,andtoast
fajitas.Griddlesallowyoutocookallyourbaconand
sausagesoutdoors,andthey’regreatforgrilling
vegetables,stir‐frying,andsearing.

Spatulas
Amustforturningthosedeliciousburgersandfishfilets.
Again,lookforalong,sturdyhandleandthewidest
bladepossible.Theholesinthebladepreventthebuild‐
upofsteam,whichcouldmakeyourfoodsoggy.

CookingRacks
Nickel‐platedroastracksandribracks
areagreatwaytoincreaseyourcooking
pleasure.Roastrackscanbeusedto
enhancetheconvectivecooking
capabilitiesofyourgrillbyallowingthe
smokeflavoredairtomovearoundthe
entireroastevenly.Ribracksareagreat
waytoincreaseyourcapacityofyour
grillforthoselargegatherings.Theycan
alsobeusedforchopsandchicken
pieces.(Additionalsmallgratesareavailablefor
purchaseandwillallowyoutosignificantlyincreaseyour
totalcookingsurface.)

RecommendedGrillingAccessories
RecommendedGrillingAccessories 

VG0970_D 13
BastingBrush
Youmayneedaselectionofthese,asyoushouldnotusethesamebrushintwodifferentmarinades.Useto
applyyourfavoritesaucesandmarinadestofoodsonthegrill.Againlookforonewithalonghandletokeep
youhandsawayfromtheheat.

Skewers(woodormetal)
Whenusingthewoodskewers,remembertosoaktheminwaterforatleast30minutesbeforeusingtopre‐
ventthemfromburningintheheatofthegrill.Anotherwaytoprotectthemwouldbetowraptheexposed
endswithaluminumfoil.Skewerscomeinavarietyofshapesandmaterials.

AluminumFoil
Extra‐strengthfoilisalwaysusefulforgrilling.Usedtomakefoilpackages,coverfood,ortofoldupintoa
flatdishtoactasadrippan.Alsousedtospeedupcooking,protectbonesfromburning,andtokeepfoods
warm.

MetalBrush
Itisimportanttocleanyourgrillthoroughlybeforeeachuse.Along‐handledbrushwithmetalbristlesisthe
besttoolforthejob.

SkilletsandWoks
Thesekitchenfavoritesallowyoutostir‐grillvegetables,seafood,andothersmallpiecesoffoodthesame
wayyouwouldifyouwereindoors.



RecommendedGrillingAccessories(Con’t)
RecommendedGrillingAccessories(Con’t) 
FoodHandlingandSafety
FoodHandlingandSafety 
• Makesuretowashyourhandsbeforeandafterhandlingfood.
• Preventbacteriacontaminationbyusingseparateplattersandutensilsforrawandcooked
foods.
• Marinadesshouldneverbesavedandreused.Ifyouaregoingtoserveamarinadewithyour
food,besuretobringittoaboilbeforeserving.
• Keephotfoodshot(above140ºF)andcoldfoodscold(below37ºF).
• Don'tdefrostmeatatroomtemperatureoronacountertop.
• Marinatemeatintherefrigerator.
• Useofameatthermometertodeterminetheinternaltemperaturesisrecommended.

VG0970_D 14
GrillingTimesandTemperatures
GrillingTimesandTemperatures 
ApproximateCooking/GrillingTimesfor
MemphisWood‐FiredConvectionGrill
Alwaysuseameatthermometertobesuremeatsandpoultryarecookedtoasafeinternaltemperature.SeriousHealthrisks
mayexistwithundercookedmeat!.Approximatecookingtimesarefromvarioussources,andarebasedonmeatatrefrigerator
temperatures.Wesuggestthatwhengrillingathighertemperatures,youapplybarbecuesauceonlyduringthelast15to30min‐
utesofgrillingtopreventexcessbrowningorburning.
ITEM SIZE CONTROL
SETPOINT
APPROXIMATE
GRILLINGTIME
INTERNAL
TEMP=°F
BEEF 
Steaks 3/4"thick 
450°‐700°
3to4min./side
4to5min./side
5to7min./side
Mediumrare145
Medium160
MedWell170
Kabobs 1‐inchcubes 450°‐700° 3to4min./side 145to160
Hamburgerpatties 1/2"thick 
450°‐700°
3min./side
4to5min./side
5to7min./side
Medium160
MedWell170
WellDone180
Roast,
rolledrump(indirectheat)
sirlointip(indirectheat)
4to6lbs.
31/2to4lbs.

350°
18to22min./lb.
20to25min./lb.
145to160
Tenderloin Half,2to3lbs.
Whole,4to6lbs.
350° 10to12min./side
12to15min./side
Mediumrare145
Medium160
HAM 
Fullycooked(indirectheat) anysize 350°‐375° 8to10min./lb. 140
Cook‐before‐eating(indirect
heat)
Whole,10to14lbs.
Half,5to7lbs.
Portion,3to4lbs.
350°‐375° 10to15min./lb.
12to18min./lb.
30to35min./lb.


160‐170
LAMB 
Chops,shoulder,loin,orrib 1"thick 350°‐375° 5min./side 145to160
Steaks,sirloin,orleg 1"thick 350°‐375° 5min./side 145to160
Kabobs 1"cubes 350°‐375° 4min./side 145to160
Patties,ground 4oz.,1/2"thick 450°‐700° 3min./side Medium160
PORK,Fresh 
Chops,bone‐inorboneless 3/4"thick
11/2"thick
450°‐700° 3to4min./side
7to8min./side
Medium160
Tenderloin 1/2to11/2lbs. 450°‐700° 15to25min.total Medium160
Ribs
Patties,ground 1/2"thick 450°‐700° 4to5min./side Medium160
*SeeSmokingGuidelinesForPorkRibs*

VG0970_D 15
GrillingTimesandTemperatures
GrillingTimesandTemperatures 
ITEM SIZE CONTROL
SETPOINT
APPROXIMATE
GRILLINGTIME
INTERNAL
TEMP=°F
VEAL 
Chops,steaks 1"thick 450°‐700° 5to7min./side 145to160
Roast,boneless(indirectheat) 2to3lbs. 350°‐375° 18to20min./lb. 145to160
VENISON 
Roast,saddle,orleg 6to7lbs. 350°‐375° 25to30min./lb. 145to160
Steaks 3/4"thick 450°‐700° 4to5min./side
6to7min./side
Mediumrare145
Medium160
CHICKEN 
Whole(indirectheat),not
stuffed
broilerfryer
roastinghen
Capon
Cornishhens

3to4lbs.
5to7lbs.
4to8lbs.
18to24oz.
325°F,160°c 
60to75min.
18to25min./lb.
15to20min./lb.
45to55min.

180asmeasuredin
thethigh
Breasthalves,bone‐in
boneless
6to8oz.each
4oz.each
325°F,160°c 10to15min./side
6to8min./side
170
Otherparts:Legsorthighs
Drumsticks
Wings,wingettes
4to8oz.
4oz.
2to3oz.
325°F,160°cc10to15min./side
8to12min./side
8to12min./side
180
DUCKorGOOSE 
Duckling,whole(indirectheat)
Quartered(indirectheat)
41/2lbs.(notstuffed) 325°F,160°c 21/2hrs.
1hr.,25min.
180to185
Goose,whole(indirectheat) 8to12lbs. 325°F,160°c 18to20min./lb. 180to185
TURKEY 
Wholeturkey(indirectheat) 8to12lbs.
12to16lbs.
16to24lbs.
325°F,160°c 2to3hrs.
3to4hrs.
Notrecommended
180asmeasuredin
thethigh
Breast,bone‐in
boneless
4to7lbs.
23/4to31/2lbs.
325°F,160°c 1to13/4hrs.
Notrecommended
170
Thighs,drumsticks(indirect
heat)
Directheat(pre‐cook1hr.)
8to16oz. 325°F,160°c 11/2to2hrs.
8to10min./side
180
Bonelessturkeyroll(indirect
heat)
2to5lbs.
5to10lbs.
325°F,160°c 11/2to2hrs.
2to31/2hrs.
170to175

VG0970_D 16
SmokingGuidelines
SmokingGuidelines 
ApproximateSmokingTimesfor
MemphisWood‐FiredGrill

Alwaysuseameatthermometertobesuremeatsandpoultryarecookedtoasafeinternaltemperatureanddoneness.Serious
Healthrisksmayexistwithundercookedmeat!.Approximatecookingtimesare,fromvarioussourcesandarebasedonmeatat
refrigeratortemperatures.Useagoodqualitytemperatureprobetoassurebestresults.Wesuggestthatwhengrillingathigher
temperatures,youapplybarbecuesauceonlyduringthelast15to30minutesofgrillingtopreventexcessbrowningorburning.
NOTE:KeephoodclosedwhenusingSmokeMode.

Smokingtimesarelargelydependentonpersonalpreferenceandthequalityofthemeatbeingsmoked.Ingeneralthelonger
yousmokethemeatatalowertemperaturethemoretenderthemeatwillbecome.Youwillalsoneedtoconsiderhowmuch
ofasmoketasteyouwantandwhatflavorofsmoke.Oak,Hickory,Apple,Alder,Cherry,Mesquitetonamethemostcommon.
Hereagainthatislargelyamatterofpersonalpreference.

Forbestresultswerecommendthatyousmokeatasetpointtemperatureof225‐275°formostmeats.Ifyouwishtohavea
smokierflavorandhavethetime,youcangoaslowas180°,butyouusuallydon’tgainmuchbydoingthat.

Itshouldalsobenotedthat,whensmokinginaverywarmenvironment(sunnyweatherinexcessof90°F),itmaybedifficultfor
yourgrilltomaintaintemperatureslowerthan200°F.Ifnecessary,thiscanberemediedbyleavingthehoodslightlyajar.

Thefollowingisageneralguide,andwerecommendyouexperimenttofindwhattemperatureandflavorbestsuitesyour
personaltaste.Ifyouwanttofinishfasterusehighertemperature.Note:thiswillinmostcasesresultinalesstenderproduct.
Whenyouhavethetime,lowertemperatureforalongerdurationwillgiveyouthebestresults.Foradditionaltips,andtoview
andsharerecipesgotowww.memphisgrills.com/recipe.
ITEM Control
SetPoint* INTERNALTEMP=°F
BEEF 180°‐275° 145to160
HAM 180°‐275° 140‐170
LAMB 180°‐275° 145to160
PORK,Fresh 180°‐275° 160‐180
VEAL 180°‐275° 145to160
VENISON 180°‐275° 145to160
CHICKEN 180°‐275° 170to180
DUCKorGOOSE 180°‐275° 180to185
TURKEY 180°‐275° 180asmeasuredinthethigh
*Notethat180°set‐pointisonlyavailableonthe
Elite,ProandBuilt‐InModels.

VG0970_D 17

Thefollowingareafewimportantfacts,tipsandtechniquestoachievegreatsmokingresults.Thereare
probablyasmanytheoriesonthebestsmokingmethodastherearechefsusingthem.Withthatinmind,
considerthefollowingfactorswhendecidingwhichmethodbestfitsyourneeds.

• TheMemphisGrill’ssmokingmoderangeis180°to295°F.(*minimumtemperaturevariesbymodel)

• MemphisGrillscansmokeunattendedcontinuallyforupto62hours,dependinguponthemodel.

• IfyouwishtosmokeatlowertemperaturesboththeMemphisEliteandProarecalibratedtoallowyouto
goaslowas180°F.Whensmokingatthelowertemperaturesit’scriticalthatyouuseapremiumfood
gradepelletsuchasNaturesWayflavoredBBQPellets.Nature’sWaypremiumpelletsarespecially
formulatedtoallowformoreevenfeedingandtemperatures.Forbestresults,alwaysuseNaturesWay
premiumpellets.
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• Itisstronglyrecommendedthattheburnpotbecleanedbeforeandaftersmokingforasignificantperiod.
Uncheckedashbuild‐upcouldeventuallyprohibitthegrillfrommaintainingsmokingtemperatures.
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• Caution:Wedon’trecommendthatyouusethelowertemperatureswhensmokingincoolandorwindy
conditions.Attemperatureslessthan225°thepossibilityofcreosote*developingfromsmoke
condensationarises.Asalwaysuseyourbestjudgment,cleanyourgrilloften,andproceedonthesideof
safetyandcaution.
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• Thebestwaytodeterminewhereyougetthebestresultsistoexperiment.Weallhavedifferenttastesand
thebestwaytodeterminewhat’srightforyouistotrydifferentflavorsandtechniques.Weencourageyou
toshareyourcookingexperienceswithotherMemphisownersbygoingtoourwebsite
http://www.memphisgrills.com/recipes,ourblogsite,oronourfacebookpage.
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*Creosoteisagummy,foulsmelling,corrosiveandflammablesubstancethat,ifnoprecautionsaretaken,willcoatthe
insidesofeverythingitpassesthrough.Itisformedwhengasesgivenoffintheburningprocesscombineandcondense.
Typicallythegasesleavetheburnchamberwiththesmoke.HoweverifrestrictedtoomuchorIfthesmokeiscooledbelow
225°,thegasescanliquefy,formingcreosote.
SmokingSuggestions
SmokingSuggestions 