Anyone here own a Green Mountain pellet grill?

[four20]

 
Thanks. I'll keep that in mind.

Keep in mind no mass manufacturer can build a smoker just for you... there are mods you can make. I gotta start by asking what do you expect to get in the outcome. With wood and smoke comes variables you may not be able to answer. Consider cutting down a tree..... seasoning it.... smoking with it... Read some stoker post about how a split burns, and how it affects their overall flavor.

 

[buck1949]

I LOVE my GMG DB.  I've had it for about 8 months.  Smoked ribs and butts with set it, forget it.  I also use it for burgers.  It takes a little longer but all of my neighbors agree that it makes the best, juiciest burgers that they've ever had.  I spatched a turkey last T'giving and it came out great.  Also did a turkey breast.  I do reccomend mojo bricks for some added smoke.  I still have to keep my vertical propane smoker to do venison sausages and summer sausages but this is a great smoker/grill.  I have the wifi version and must admit that I'm not too happy with the app that goes with it.  This grill did help me conquer  my fear of ribs.  If you chose to do burgers and such, it does have hot spots.  I find mine well built and easy to use.  I'm glad that I have it.  Good luck.

Make sure you upgrade the app on your phone/iPad or similar device AND also update the controller firmware - now version 6.0. The new firmware allows you to adjust the controller variance in temperatures by + or - 20 degrees. I think that will be solving my issues.....that and the fact that I removed the Left heat shield. Thumbs Up

 

[oldpro]

I bought a Cook Shack FE PG500 about 7 months ago. I use 100% hickory pellets from cookingpellets.com that I buy from Amazon.com and we get very good smoke flavor. The amount of flavor you get from pellets is determined by your cooking temp. Cook low and slow at 200° - 225° and there is plenty of smoke from smouldering pellets. Cook hot at 350° or higher and there is less smoke flavor from a constant fire. Cooking Boston Butts or Picnics at 250° for 7, 8 9 hours gives them plenty smoke for my taste. We have great BBQ restaurants here with real log burning pits, lots of them, and my smoked meat is as good or better than most. Butts, Ribs, Brisket, Turkey, Chicken, whatever the cook is if cooked low and slow there is plenty of smoke flavor. I've been reading a member of pellets.com since before I got my cooker and there is a lot of information there about nearly any brand you want to reserch. I did a lot of reading there about all brands and did Google searches about all brands before I decided on the PG500. It seemed to give me the features and benefits I was looking for more than other brands. We are all different and may need a different set of features.

FWIW - My advice...

Join pelletsheads.com and read about all the brand tests done by them then do Google searches for other information on the brands before you make a decision.

Good luck

 

[buck1949]

OldPro......Is that pelletheads.com you are referring to? Pellets.com is a pellet fuel energy company.   

 

[oldpro]

 
OldPro......Is that pelletheads.com you are referring to? Pellets.com is a pellet fuel energy company.   

Buck1949

Good catch. My bad on the typo. Now corrected to pelletheads.com 

Thanks

 

[laflaone]

Have a GMG Daniel Boone.  Got it almost 6 yrs ago.  Love it. When I first got it, I had some trouble with the controller.  Called their customer service, talked to a fellow named Neil.  Couldn't have been more helpful.  Sent me a new controller free.  It was also the newer model with the temp probe! I have had no problems since. Don't use the heat deflectors.  I get even heat throughout without them.  Got a grate from the Box Store and made a removable upper shelf using threaded rod, self locking nuts, and fender washers. Greatly increased the cooking area. I could have spent a lot more money for a pellet grill.  Glad I didn't.

 

[buck1949]

Have a GMG Daniel Boone.  Got it almost 6 yrs ago.  Love it. When I first got it, I had some trouble with the controller.  Called their customer service, talked to a fellow named Neil.  Couldn't have been more helpful.  Sent me a new controller free.  It was also the newer model with the temp probe! I have had no problems since. Don't use the heat deflectors.  I get even heat throughout without them.  Got a grate from the Box Store and made a removable upper shelf using threaded rod, self locking nuts, and fender washers. Greatly increased the cooking area. I could have spent a lot more money for a pellet grill.  Glad I didn't.

I have had the proverbial heat problems with mine..... But seems to have settled across the grates after removing the left heat shield. BUT the overall heat is still reading about 25-30 degrees off from what the controller says. I'm hoping the brand new version 6.0 firmware upgrade will fix that problem also - what with the varying temp adjustment for the controller.

Wouldn't mind seeing some photos of your shelf, to get an idea how to do that.

Thanks for the info.

 

[laflaone]

I have had the proverbial heat problems with mine..... But seems to have settled across the grates after removing the left heat shield. BUT the overall heat is still reading about 25-30 degrees off from what the controller says. I'm hoping the brand new version 6.0 firmware upgrade will fix that problem also - what with the varying temp adjustment for the controller.

Wouldn't mind seeing some photos of your shelf, to get an idea how to do that.

Thanks for the info.

Will get out in the morning and take a couple of photos and post it.  As far as the temp, mine is always within +/- 5 degrees of where I set it,which is almost always between 220-240.  Maybe I'm just lucky with my controller.

 

[laflaone]

 
Will get out in the morning and take a couple of photos and post it.  As far as the temp, mine is always within +/- 5 degrees of where I set it,which is almost always between 220-240.  Maybe I'm just lucky with my controller.

Buck, here are photos of the shelf.  11"x22".  Threaded rod is 5/16", 9" long.  Find a stainless grate if you can.  Use a hacksaw or a dremel tool with the cutoff wheel. (Which I did) to cut the grate to the size you want.

Several comments about your grill being 25-30 degrees off.  First I would get another thermometer to double check.  If in fact it is that far off, and the software update doesn't solve the problem, I would call GMG customer service.  They are great.  I wouldn't be at all surprised if they sent you a new controller.

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• laflaone
• Feb 15, 2016

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• laflaone
• Feb 15, 2016

 

[buck1949]

 
Buck, here are photos of the shelf.  11"x22".  Threaded rod is 5/16", 9" long.  Find a stainless grate if you can.  Use a hacksaw or a dremel tool with the cutoff wheel. (Which I did) to cut the grate to the size you want.

Several comments about your grill being 25-30 degrees off.  First I would get another thermometer to double check.  If in fact it is that far off, and the software update doesn't solve the problem, I would call GMG customer service.  They are great.  I wouldn't be at all surprised if they sent you a new controller.

SAM_1571.JPG

• laflaone
• Feb 15, 2016

SAM_1572.JPG

• laflaone
• Feb 15, 2016

Hi there...thanks for the photos....GRATE idea !!! GRIN.... I showed my buddy and he is thinking of doing something similar to his Traeger.

With the GMG Daniel Boone the company just put out a new firmware update for the controller that allows you to calibrate the controller up to + or - 20 degrees.  I did the update....and things have improved a lot.

I had called support at GMG and gotten 2 very nice guys to chat with.... however, both say that the tolerances allowed across the smoker are up to 50 degrees variances - this was before the firmware update.  I also updated my ipad and iphone application.

Here is what I have done...after calling tech support and after uploading the new firmware:

I am using a Maverick 733 thermometer which I checked both probes with boiling water and they were both within 2 degrees of each other at around 209 degrees.  (I am approx 1100 feet above sea level)

- I have taken out the left baffle/heat shield - leaving the center one over the firepot and the right one.....Now grates right and left are pretty stable at anywhere from 3 to 10 degrees difference which  I can easily live with and I am VERY happy with..... (before taking out the left heat shield - there was a 15 to 25 degree difference all the time)

- Yesterday I started at 225 degrees on the controller and after about 20 minutes (controller reached goal in 12 minutes)..the grates were nearly 35 degrees below the target temp  (190 on both)

- at 35 minutes I recalibrated the controller with the ipad app to MINUS 20 degrees from the controller  (shows 225 but in reality should be at 245)

- at one hour I had temps on the grates at 201 left and 221 right...but soon settled down to around 210 on right 

- at this time I moved the controller up to 230 (should be cooking at 250) and the grates showed 201 and 203 a few minutes later

- at two hours and 30 minutes I set the controller for 245 degrees (should now be 265) and got 210 on the left and 216 on the right.

- at three hours the grates showed 216 left and 237 right (but this was right after the blower and auger ran for about 3 or 4 minutes.

Anyway...this is still within the tolerances that both the GMG techs have advised are ok.......and quite frankly if I can get the grates at around 220 pretty consistantly by setting the controller at 245 or 250 I guess that will just have to work.

As I mentioned I am pretty sure the Maverick is spot on......and even the meat probe that comes with the Daniel Boone seems accurate, as I did a pork loin yesterday during my trial run....and when I pulled it...(probe said 145)... I checked it with a pen and it read 145.5 .  I wrapped it and set it aside in a cooler for 25 minutes and the internal meat temp rose to 147.8.  

As long as I can keep making some favorble adjustments I don't feel like I bought a piece of metal with a firepot.......  (by the way.. I Did not open the lid on the smoker until approx 2 1/2 hours)

I have a Masterbuilt Dual Pro - gasser and never have had these kind of temp problems.  My biggest issue with it was small space on the grates, and once in a while temperature variables with the wood igniting etc.

I really appreciate your passing along the photos and the thoughts......

Thanks again !!!!

 

[backyardsmokin]

I have had my Jim Bowie for about 3 years (pre-wifi model).  Unfortunately,  I have not smoked as much as I would have like to in the past year due to family, work and other hobbies, but starting to fire the ol JB back up.  My first few smokes I had issues cause some moisture got in the hopper and screw with the pellets even though I had the cover on and I live in sunny California.  Unfortunately I found this problem out when I fired it up to do the turkey for Thanksgiving last year.

The only other problem that I have been having is that it periodically trips the GFI circuit it is on (all of of my outside circuits are on GFI.  Does anyone else have this issue?

I have been running +/- 10-15 degrees from side to side at the grate, which runs about +20 degrees over set temp.  I am using the left and right baffle with all of the holes plugged.  I also run an AMPS tray so I get get extra smoke at the higher temps.

The only mods have have made are:

 - added on/off switch to low pellet alarm (don't want to piss off the neighbors in the middle of the night)

 - put a 15 amp GFI inline between the JB and the extension cord (only did this because the reset button for the outside GFI is on the other side of the house in the garage)

 - using a sonar detector on a raspberry pi to send a message to my phone to let me know when pellets are low

 - working on expanding the raspberry pi to handle up to 32 temp probes (yes excessive and may only use a few probes now, but circuit parts wise it is $5 to go from 4 to 32 probes).

 

[gmgrillgal84]

Well I know this reply is a bit late, it looks as if you posted in 2010, so I sincerely hope youve found the solution to your question. I personally own a DB, and I have 100% no regrets. It is the best grill Ive ever owned and will ever own. Green Mountain has their game together and its only going up from here!!

 

[baja traveler]

Agreed - bought a Davey Crockett for the RV, and I am definitely the hit at the RV parks when I'm on the road! Amazing how 2 racks of ribs can draw a crowd far and wide.

Last Thanksgiving I picked up a Daniel Boone to do the turkey in. Major hit with the family, everyone agreed that I would be doing the turkey every year from now on.

The Green Mountain grills are just put together so much better than the Tragers, even though they both come from China (which is unfortunate)...

 

[thomps]

I have a GMG DB - only have run one bag of pellets thru it so far and it was a blend of hickory, apple, hard maple, and cherry so as far as different flavors I don't how the food will taste as I haven't tried it.  That being said...to me it has more of a flavor like you cooked over a wood fire/campfire...I love that flavor.  I can get a much heavier smoke when I'm using one of my smokers but that would be just for personal preference and more so when I make sausage or something of the sort.  I highly recommend Green Mountain brand...the company I purchased it from sold both GMG and Traeger...they sold me on GMG.  Ease of use is great and the ribs and whole chickens I've done on it have been wonderful.

 

[buck1949]

How have your temperatures been ?  I have had variables across the grates....as well as the controller being more than 20 cooler than what it shows on the controller screen.  Just curious of your thoughts?

 

[thomps]

I do have some variables across the grate...right side is hotter than the left side...have not confirmed box temps yet compared to controller read out but plan to...still a new toy so working thru some of the bugs but overall very happy w/ purchase...as w/ anything need to perhaps modify some to your liking.

 

[joes bbq ribs]

Buck1949, you have the DB on the heat shield you have cut the notches another 1" wider so you can slide the heat shield over the fire pit want to make sure your fire out of the fire pit is hitting dead center on the inverted V" under the heat shield, make sure you have your 2 piece drip tray in the closed position only have it opened if your searing meats or cooking over 400 degrees. Feel free to ask me any questions I'll do my best to answer them and help you in any way possible.

-Joe

 

[joes bbq ribs]

Buck1949,
Here is a illustrated picture of what I'm talking about on how to notch out your DB heat shield

image.jpeg

• joes bbq ribs
• Mar 18, 2016

 

[smokin monkey]

Posted a thread up in General Discussion, but will ask on this thread.

I have a non Wifi controlled JB

I have a big variance on my temperature read out to actual 72'C (172'F).

Contacted our dealer in the UK and they are going to send me a new control board, plus a new sensor.

But, they have offered me the Wifi upgrade for £60.00 ($83.00).

So the question is, is this upgrade worth the money, I have heard some problems with the Wifi unit.

Have until Monday to make a decission!!!

 

[joes bbq ribs]

SmokingMonkey, The Wi-Fi is nice! it allows you fire up your smoker while your inside your house and you can adjust the temperature all while on your phone, you can set up your cook times for how long you would like it to cook for certain temperature and for a certain amount of hours it's just really a nice added feature to have the Wi-Fi. It's a shame customer service wouldn't just give you a Wi-Fi controller. Happy Smokin'