When it comes to pellet grills, many people wonder how often they should be cleaned. Cleaning a pellet grill for the first time can be daunting some of the components need to be removed in order to reach the firepot.
Some pellet grill models have a slide-out ash drawer that is easy to empty into an outdoor fire pit or trash can (if you desire). As a result, these grills typically don’t need as much cleaning as those without an ash drawer.
So how often should I clean my pellet grill?
Pellet grills should be cleaned out after every 2 to 3 cooking sessions. The firepot should be vacuumed clear of ash and the drip tray should be scraped clean of grease. Regular maintenance will ensure that the pellet grill functions properly.
Regularly cleaning a pellet grill also makes cleaning it faster and easier since there will not be a ton of sawdust and grease buildup. So clean your pellet grill regularly!
Why Is It Important to Clean Your Pellet Grill?
Pellet grills that are not regularly cleaned out or maintained will run into a variety of issues. Common issues with dirty pellet grills are:
- Grease fires and flare-ups
- Pellet grill shutting down mid-cook
- Fire expanding into auger and hopper
- Damage to pellet grill
So regular maintenance will not only keep your pellet grill in tip-top shape but regular maintenance can also prevent the grill from being damaged.
Now let’s cover the simple steps needed in order to clean a pellet grill.
Tools Needed To Clean Pellet Grill
Although cleaning a pellet grill may be intimidating the first time, the only items needed to clean a pellet grill are:
- Shop Vacuum
- Grill Brush
The grill brush will be used to clean the grill’s grates and scrape away any built-up grease on the drip tray.
While the shop vacuum will be used to vacuum out the ash, sawdust, and burnt pellets inside the firepot and grill’s drum. Avoid using a regular household vacuum as the ash and wood pellets can damage a regular vacuum.
See this article for the best shop vacuums for pellet grills.
How To Clean A Pellet Grill
Here are step-by-step instructions with photos on how to clean a pellet grill.
Below is a step-by-step photo guide of how I clean out my Traeger lil tex.
1) Remove The Grill Grate
2) Remove The Drip Tray
3) Slide The Heat Baffle Over To Uncover Firepot
4) Vacuum The Firepot And Inside Of Grill
5) Turn Pellet Grill On And Set To High
6) Turn Off Grill After 5 Pellets Fall Into Firepot
7) Put The Pellet Grill Back Together
Slide the heat baffle back over the firepot, place the drip tray over the heat baffle, and insert the grill grate back into the grill.
8) Use Regular Ignition Sequence To Fire Up Grill
On a Traeger, the pellet grill needs to be turned on and set to “smoke” in order to properly ignite. The hot rod will get hot enough to ignite the wood pellets in the firepot and smoke can be visibly seen from the pellet grill.
Final Thoughts
As wood pellets burn in a pellet grill, ash will be created which will accumulate in the firepot and the bottom of the grill’s barrel.
The firepot is where wood pellets burn but pellet grills also have fans that generally blow the ash into the grill’s barrel. However, over time, the firepot may accumulate too much ash where the fire will get smothered and the grill will shut off.
So make sure to vacuum out the ash from a pellet grill after every 2 to 3 cooking sessions.
Make sure to regularly clean the drip tray if there is a large accumulation of grease or fat after a long smoke. Smoking a brisket will create a lot of greases and if the pellet grill is then set to a high cooking temperature, a grease fire can break out.
So always make sure to regularly vacuum out the firepot and scrape the drip tray clean.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What Is the Simplest Pellet Grill to Clean?
Any pellet grill that comes with a removable ashtray is the easiest to clean. Although, regular pellet grills are not difficult to clean as long as you have a shop vacuum to clean out the firepot.
Q: How Frequently Should You Clean the Inside of a Smoker?
Generally, the inside of a smoker should be cleaned after every 2 to 3 cooking sessions. Regular maintenance will ensure that the smoker continues to operate correctly.
