It doesn’t matter which steak you prefer as long as you cook it to perfection and respect the meat. From butter-soft fillet steaks smothered in mashed potatoes to flavor-packed sirloins with a baked potato on the side, you will need to have a quick cooking time and give the meat constant attention.
Since timing is central in this endeavor, it is important to have a good grasp on how to start your Pit Boss Pellet Grill.
How to Start a Pit Boss Pellet Grill
There are some steps that you can take to start the Pit Boss Pellet Grill so that it grills the steak to perfection. If you follow the guidelines below, you will have a delicious meal whose taste you will remember all week long.
Fill the Grill Up with Fuel
The step that you need to take is to make sure that you double-check whether you have more than enough pellets in the Pit Boss Pellet Grill. If the pellets are too less, it will mess up the temperature of the grill. This will result in a subpar steak at best. A good rule of thumb to follow is to have at least 2 lbs. of pellets on hand for every hour of smoking for a slow and low cook. If you want to grill hot and fast, you will have to stock up on 4 lbs. of pellets.
There are different types of pellets that will give your steak different tastes. It all depends on what you want as the end result. Some of the most popular types of pellets include Hardwood, Black Cherry, and Hickory wood pellets.
Set the Grill on Smoke
Once you have made sure that you are fueled up, it is now time to set the grill on the ‘smoke’ option. This is a very important step on the way to getting the perfect steak because the grill will begin to feed the pellets for around 3 ½ to 4 minutes. It will then stop so that you have the chance to light up the grill before feeding the grill with more fuel.
However, if you turn up the grill and set it to around 400°F, the grill will fill up the Pit Boss Pellet Grill until it reaches the temperature you have set. You will have to make sure that there isn’t too much fuel over the igniter or else the grill will begin to muffle. This will probably result in it never lighting up and you having to clean it out before you can use it again. If you don’t clear out the pellets that have piled up on the hopper, they will eventually begin to spill all over the place.
Start to Prep the Food
Pit Boss Pellet Grills are known to light up fairly quickly. You will have around 3 minutes to turn the grill on from the time you have it up. This is why it important to have all your meat seasoned and prepared for the grill beforehand. If you take too long, it will also impact the cooking time.
Watch Out for the Smoke
You need to look out for the thick smoky clouds coming out of the grill. This will let you know if the grill is on the right track or not. If you see thick clouds of smoke, it means that your pot has caught on fire and your pellets have begun to burn up. The smoke is often robust and full, so there is no need to be alarmed if you notice the thick smoke.
The smoke tends to billow out of the grill for around 3-4 minutes before dissipating. Once the smoke has dissipated, you can start the grilling process.
Time to Start Grilling
Once the pot catches, you will hear the unmistakable sizzle and crackle from the fire. The roaring sound of the fire is the result of the fan blowing on the fire inside the grill. Now, it is time to crank up the temperature to a suitable heat and get started with the grilling process. Within 5-6 minutes, the heat will climb up to the temperature you want, and you can slap the steak right on there for the best meal of your life.
Extra: Grilling the Perfect Steak on Your Pellet Grill
Once you know how to start the Pit Boss Pellet Grill, it will do half the work for you. However, there are some other factors that are equally important to have the perfect steak. To give your meal the best chance, do make sure to consider the following factors before you fire up the grill.
Choosing the Meat
The cut of the steak actually impacts the end-result a lot. Choosing the right meat for you is dependent on your budget and personal preference. Each cut will deliver different levels of flavor and tenderness to you. Here are some of the things you can expect from the most common pieces of meat.
- Sirloin steaks are prime steaks like fillets but pack more flavor. Experts suggest that they are best-served medium-rare.
- T-bone steaks are best for sharing. To make sure that they have cooked evenly, do make sure to finish them in the oven.
- Bavette steak is an affordable option and is great for barbequing. It shouldn’t be served more than a medium temperature.
- Fillet steaks are preferred by the steak community as the most expensive and tender steak in the market. The steaks tend to have a little fat and are best served as rare as you can cook them.
- Rib-eye steaks have two main cuts. You can get a boneless rib-eye that is great for one serving, while one cut has a bone in it. The latter is also known as côte de boeuf.
Seasoning the Steak
The type of seasoning you like is dependent on your preferences, but there are many techniques that you can try out before you decide on the one you like. Some beef purists prefer the unadulterated rich flavor that you can get from a quality cut with just a generous twist of pepper and a sprinkling of salt.
A lot of people (wrongly) believe that if you season the steak ahead of time, it will draw out the moisture. Actually, seasoning the steak will give it time to absorb the salt, which will make sure that it is evenly seasoned throughout. You can even salt the steak 2 hours for every 1cm of thickness before you have to cook it.
Some people also love the classic steak au poivre, commonly known as the peppered steak. For this, you will need to sprinkled lots of cracked pepper and sea salt on a plate. Right before placing the meat on the grill, you have to press the steak into the seasoning.
You can also try to enhance the flavor of the meat with a marinade of your choice. This will help to tenderize the meat as well. A coat of honey and mustard with balsamic vinegar that has been reduced down to a glaze can be a magical experience. Some people also like to add Asian flavors such as teriyaki or miso marinade.
Many people also like to add robust herbs like rosemary and thyme to the dish. Others like to include garlic cloves. Adding them to the hot fat can add delicious subtle background flavors without taking away the flavor of the meat itself.
Choosing the Fat
There are plenty of flavorless oils that work wonders on a steak, such as vegetable, sunflower, or groundnut. You can also add a little hint of butter for flavor. If you want to cook a thick sirloin steak with fat on the side, the best option is to first sear the fat by holding it over the grill with a pair of tongs. You can then proceed to cook the beef in the rendered fat for one of the best tastes ever.
Searing the Steak
The perfect caramelized brown crust on the steak gives it a lot of flavor. For this, your Pit Boss Pellet Grill needs to be hot enough to cook the steak well enough. The best way to build up the crust is to cook the steak for the time that is mentioned in the recipe but turn the steak every minute to build up the flavor and crust.
There isn’t anybody who doesn’t love a perfectly grilled steak, especially if you spend time cooking it in the fresh air on your patio. Now that you know how to start the Pit Boss Pellet Grill, you can have the steak of your dreams.
