Why My Pit Boss Not Smoking & How To Get More Smoke [Solved]

Pit Boss Not Smoking is the result of setting the cooking temperature high, using poor quality pellets, auger not turning, and the pellet cup is filled with ash.

However, before troubleshooting these smoker issues, we want to pay your attention to these words: 

Pit Boss Pellet Grill burns the fuel extremely clean. It produces thin and bluish smoke which is almost hard to see. However, you can easily understand whether it generates smoke or not by taking your eyes to the meat.

You can find smoke rings on the meat, indicating the grill produces smoke. Now, it’s time to solve the reasons we mentioned above to solve the Pit Boss Grill smoking issues. So, stay in tune with us till the end. 

Why Is My Pit Boss Not Smoking?

Here are the culprits that are responsible for not producing smoke to gain the smokey flavor. 

1. Smoking But You Can’t See

Your Pit Boss Grill produces smoke even though you can’t see the smoke physically. Generally, wood pellet grills like the Pit Boss burn the fuel extremely clean.

The smoke the Pit Boss Pellet Grill produces is thin and bluish. So, it’s almost invisible. 

Solution:

It’s not an issue with your pellet grill. So, you don’t need to worry about it. Just make sure you cook the meat at lower temperatures. In this way, you can get more smoke out of your Pit Boss Grill. 

2. You May Set The Temperature To Higher

Every pellet grill, whether it comes from Pit Boss or others, generates more smoke at low & slow cooking temperatures.

Generally, you will gain a smokey flavor if you cook the meat under 250F. Above this temperature range, your pellet grill only produces heat- not smoke. 

Solution:

To fix this Pit Boss smoker temperature issue, make sure you set the cooking temperature below 250F. It would be best if you set it to 225F, which gives you more smoke. If you set the temperature above 270F, turn the temperature dial to the Smoke setting. 

3. Pellet Cup Is Filled With Ash

A buildup of ash in the pellet cup will block the igniter from firing up the pellets. Consequently, you will not get enough smoke from your Pit Boss Grill. A thick bed of ash just smothers the fire. 

Solution:

Ensure the pellet cup or ash cup is clean and free of ashes. If there is ash in the cup, vacuum the ash out. We also recommend you clean the ash from the cup after every cook. 

4. You Add Moist Pellets

Some wood pellets, especially soft ones have low heat output. As they have low heat output, they will also produce less smoke.

Therefore, adding wet or moist pellets to the hopper will also be responsible for not getting enough heat output or smoke. The wet pellets will just smolder but not produce the smoke you need. 

Solution:

Store the hopper with dry and fresh wood pellets. Plus, ensure you use hardwood pellets to let the fuel burn cleanly and produce smoke. You can also try out other pellets from different brands to get your desired heat output and smoky flavor. 

5. Auger Not Turning

The auger of a pellet grill is responsible for moving the wood pellets from the hopper to the fire pot.

If the smoker auger not turning, no pellets will feed to the fire pot. So, how can you expect the grill to produce smoke when no pellets are feeding? 

Solution:

Make sure there are no obstructions in the hopper. If there is any, remove the wood pellets from the hopper & clear the blockage. Therefore, wet pellets could clog the auger by sticking with the auger. 

So, ensure you add dry & fresh pellets to the hopper. If the auger is not turning still after cleaning the hopper, we bet the auger gets defective. In this case, change the auger with a new one. 

How To Get More Smoke Out Of Your Pit Boss Grill?

Take the following tips & tricks into account to gain more smoke out of your Pit Boss Grill. 

1. Cook At Low & Slow Temperature

This tip is not only eligible for Pit Boss Grill owners but also works for every pellet grill user. You will gain more smoke from a pellet grill if you cook the meat at low & slow temperatures.

Especially, set the temperature below 225 degrees to let the grill produce sufficient smoke to make that mouthwatering smoke ring on the meat. 

2. Try Different Pellet Brands

Don’t stick with only the wood pellets recommended by your pellet grill manufacturer. Try out also other pellets that come from different brands.

In this way, you can’t only find out the fuel to see which generates more smoke. But you can also discover wood pellets that last longer and provide better heat output. 

3. Use Fresh & Dry Pellets

Always, put fresh & dry wood pellets in the hopper. Dry fuel will help to generate sufficient smoke as well as provide better heat output. Never add moist or wet wood pellets to the hopper.

4. Use A Smoker’s Tube

Lastly, you can invest in a smoker tube to get more smoke out of your grill with ease. Just add the wood pellets to the smoker tube. Then, fire up the pellets.

Finally, place the smoker tube into the cooking chamber to get the smoke you need to impart a smoky flavor.

FAQ:

How do you set pit boss Lockhart in smoke mode?

Setting the Pit Boss Lockhart in smoke mode is not a daunting task. Just set your pellet grill to Smoke mode and keep the air vents open. It allows the smoke to pass through the cabinet for cold smoking. Make sure the outdoor temperature is below 90F when cold-smoking the food. 

Should meat be cold or room temp before smoking?

Yes, meat should be cold before smoking it. Cold meat keeps the myoglobin longer which helps to produce smoke to gain the smokey flavor. 

How do you keep the meat moist when smoking?

Use a high ratio of smoking chunks to the charcoal, wrap up the meat with foil, and cook the meat over indirect heat. Now, let the meat sit for three to five minutes which helps to keep the meat moist.  

Conclusion

Your Pit Boss Pellet Grill will not produce smoke due to poor pellet quality, setting the cooking temperature too high, and others. 

To get more smoke from your grill, use high-quality wood pellets. Therefore, set the temperature dial to the Smoke mode to gain more smoking output. Lastly, use a smoker tube if you are not satisfied with the smoke output you get currently. 

Still, if you don’t get enough smoke from the Pit Boss Grill, don’t hesitate to reach the Pit Boss support team.