Since the first burn in 2018, our staff has spent thousands of hours smokin’ and grillin’ with Yoder Smokers. Compiled below are a few notes to help you get the most out of your new Yoder Smoker. Welcome to the family!
Firin’ it up:
- Press the power button (it locks into position); the screen will power on and the internal fans will start running.
- Press the Start button once. The auger will start feeding pellets into the burn-pot and the igniter will power on for 4 minutes. After the igniter powers off, the temperature is controlled by the pellet flow rate. (If this is the initial burn-in, or the auger is completely empty of pellets, before you press Start, press and hold the Prime button until the auger fills up and you hear pellets dropping into the burn-pot.)
- Set the pit temperature by turning the Control Knob, clockwise to increase, counter-clockwise to decrease. If nothing is adjusted at this point, the factory default will set it to 350°F.
Shuttin’ it Down:
- Press the power button. The fans will continue to run but the auger will stop feeding pellets. DO NOT unplug the grill. The fans will keep running to ensure the fire burns out completely before shutting off.
- Once the screen is blank and blue indicator light turns off, about 15-20 minutes, unplug the grill from the source of power.
Seasoning your new smoker:
- Rub the entire inside of the smoker (except the stainless-steel parts) with cooking oil. Fire it up and smoke for 1 hour at 350°F. This helps to burn off any factory dust and adds a protective layer to the steel. This only needs to be done once, on brand new smokers.
Cleaning & Maintenance:
- Interior Maintenance: for the best performance, clean your smoker every time after you are finished smoking! After it has been cooled down properly, remove all the grates and the drip pan from the grill and use a shop-vac to clean out any ashes and unburned pellets. Use a flat scraper to remove any grease drippings or food particles from the drip pan. (Note: at the minimum, always clean out the burn-pot before every cook, so the igniter can reach the fresh pellets. The igniter only stays lit for the first 4-5 minutes, so it’s important the igniter can reach the fresh pellets right away.)
- Exterior Maintenance: once a year, check the exterior of the smoker for any rust spots. Use any fine-grit sand paper to smooth it out, then apply touch-up paint as needed.
Pro Tips
- When putting the burn grate back into the burn-pot, be sure to position it correctly; you should be able to cover the perimeter of the tip of the igniter with your finger.
- To connect to the app, download the “Fireboard” app from the app store on your mobile device. Once you have the Yoder powered on, open the app and tap Add Fireboard.
- Anytime you fire up your smoker or significantly increase the temperature while cooking, the temperature will rise above the set point, sometimes up to 50°, before dropping back down. This is the controller being designed to get fired up aggressively (with a stronger pellet-flow rate); and once it reaches the set temp, there are excess pellets that need to burn before the temperature can drop back down. For best results, start your Yoder Smoker about an hour before you begin cooking to give it time to stabilize.
- Never “chase” temperatures. Even after stabilizing, the pit temp may fluctuate up to 15° +/- or more. Adjusting the controller to compensate for the difference will only confuse it and the difference will only get worse. Keep in mind, it can always add more pellets but it cannot turn on the AC; thus, the live fire will need to run its course.
- Use only 100% all-natural hardwood pellets! Using heating pellets, or anything others made with fillers, glue, etc., will put unnecessary stress on your auger and decrease the lifetime of the motor. Beware of big-name brands that sell pellets “Made with 100% Hardwood” (read “might contain some good wood”)
- The average pellet consumption is about 10-12 hours for one hopper of pellets (20 lbs.) smoking at 250°F. There were numerous times though that we have gotten much more. There are many variables, like set temperature, weather conditions, amount of meat in smoker, humidity, pellet quality, etc. Note: it is always better to have extra pellets than to run out in the middle of a cook.
- If you know you will not be using your smoker for 6+ weeks, remove the pellets from the hopper and empty the auger. This prevents the pellets from absorbing moisture, which will cause them to swell and jam the auger. To empty the auger, Power on the grill and press and hold the Prime button until there are no more pellets dropping into the burn-pot.
- Position the Heat-Management-Plate all the way in (left) for grilling and all the way out (right) for smoking.
- Do not use a water pan in a pellet smoker; the steam generated from the liquid can interfere with the air temperature probe, potentially causing fluctuations and/or incorrect temperature readings.
- When grilling, always use the Grill Grate searing grates; they provide a more even grilling surface, prevent grease flare-ups, and prevent a lot of wear-and-tear on the standard chrome-plated rod grates.
- Never cover the smokestack; it must stay 100% open all the time! Covering it will hinder the airflow, making it possible for the fire to burn back into the auger.
- Always unplug your smoker from the source of power after finished using it, and it has been properly cooled off. There is a small power leakage that can eventually damage the controller if it is kept plugged in while not in use.
- Keep the smoker covered when not in use. If it is kept under an overhang or enclosed porch, no cover is needed as it can trap condensation underneath. The goal is to prevent direct precipitation. (rain, snow, etc.) from getting unto the smoker and reaching the electronics and pellets. If using a cover, remove it during the day after a heavy storm to let it dry it out.
- Yoder Smokers offers a 3-year warranty on electronics* and a 10-year warranty on the cooking chamber against manufacturers defects (weld breaks, cracks, etc.); paint loss and/or rust is not covered.
- Keep your receipt and/or register your smoker immediately after purchase. Though not required for warranty coverage, registering online is helpful in case you need to contact Yoder Smokers directly.
* Meat probes 90-days. Any smokers used commercially have 1-year warranty only.
Troubleshooting Tips
- If your igniter doesn’t light, as a hack until you get it replaced, you can manually light the pellets using a blowtorch. After the pellets are lit, the smoker will continue to run normally.
- Before replacing the igniter, ensure that 1.) the burn-pot is completely clean of any pellets and/or ash 2.) the burn grate is positioned correctly in the burn-pot (you should be able to cover the perimeter of the tip of the igniter with your finger.) At this point, If the igniter still does not light, perform a factory reset on the controller. To do this, power on the grill then press menu > settings > advanced > factory reset. This will cause the controller to power off then back on. Press the start button and see if the igniter gets hot; if it doesn’t, you need a new igniter. (Note: you will probably have to reconnect to Bluetooth and WIFI after the factory reset, but this has fixed a lot of igniter issues. You should not have to perform the reset more than once, it seems to be a one-time thing.)
- When replacing temperature sensors, use the Type J Thermocouple for smokers made after 1/27/15 and up to serial# 74000, and the PT1000 Probe for serial# 74001 or after.
- When repainting your smoker, use Yoder’s SKU# 46681 for an exact match. Smokers with serial# 104613 or after use Yoder’s SKU# 411571.
If you have any additional questions or problems, we are always happy to help! You can contact us at 717-355-0779 ext. 2 or info@meadowcreekbbqsupply.com
Store Hours: Mon-Thurs 8:00-4:30, Fri 8:00-6:00, Sat 8:00-12:00
Address: 140 W Main St, New Holland PA 17557
You can also contact Yoder Smokers’ customer service team directly at 877-409-6337 ext. 2. or customerservice@yodersmokers.com.
Helpful Resources
Register my new Yoder Smoker online
Shop All-Natural Cooking Pellets
Shop Yoder Smoker Accessories
3 Hacks for Pellet Smokers