Memphis VGB0001 Owner's manual

VG0970_D 3/26/12

MemphisOwner’sGuide

Elite,Pro,Advantage,Select,EliteBuilt‐In,ProBuilt‐In

VG0970_D 3/26/12

Congratulations on your purchase of the Memphis Wood Fire Grill. With proper care and maintenance, your

grill will give you years of trouble‐free operation. Please review the following information carefully for useful

tipsandinformationthatwillhelpyouutilizeyourgrill’sextensivefeaturesandbenefits.



Keep in mind

that your Memphis Wood Fired Grill is so much more than a grill. It’s a 3‐in‐1 outdoor cooking

center that provides the convenience, wood‐fire flavors and versatility of three appliances: high temperature

grill,low‘n’slowsmoker,high‐performanceconvectionoven.



Fueledbycertified100%naturalwood

pellets,theMemphishasadigitalIntelligentTemperatureControl(ITC)

that automatically maintains your desired cooking temperatures, just like you indoor oven.The result is a

simple "set it and forget it" way to cook, bake, roast, sear or low and slow smoke; just set the desired

temperature,sitbackand

enjoy.



Weallhaveourfavoriterecipesandcookingtricks.Wesuggestyouexperimentwithyournewgrill todiscover

justhowmanywaysitaddstoyouroutdoorcookingexperience.Withalittletimeandeffortyou'llamazeyour

friends andfamily with yourimpressive culinary skills.Likemany

 others,you'll find that yourMemphis Wood

FireGrill willbecomeyourcookingappliance ofchoice forbarbecuing, smoking,and asecondary ovensource

forholidaysorsocialgatherings.



Pleasecompletethe belowinformation forquick andeasy referencefor yourrecords.Additionally, complete

the online Warranty Registration using the

 below information to validate the Warranty.At the end of this

Owner’sManualisaprintedcopyoftheWarrantyRegistrationifyouchoosetomailinyourform.Yourmodel

andserialnumberarelocatedonthestickerunderthehopperlid.



Model_________________________________________________



ModelNumber:

VG____________ ____



SerialNumber:(last4‐5digits)____________________



DateofPurchase_________________________________________



PurchasedFrom_______________________________________________________________

HearthlandProducts,LLC.

9111GrandAveSouth

Bloomington,MN55420

888‐883‐2260

http://www.memphisgrills.com

VG0970_D 3/26/12

Contents

General Warning: Read all Safety Informaon Prior to Operang Grill ………………………….. 1

How Your Memphis Wood Fired Grill Works…………………………………………………………………... 2

Read Prior to Lighng! ……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 3

Intelligent Temperature Control ‐ Overview …………………………………………………………………… 4

Using Your Memphis Wood Fired Grill …………………………………………………………………………… 5

Operang Instrucons ……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 6

Informaon About BBQ Cooking Pellets …………………………………………………………………………. 9

Periodic Grill Maintenance …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 10

Recommended Grilling Accessories ……………………………………………………………………………….. 12

Food Handling and Safety ………………………………………………………………………………………………. 13

Grilling Times and Temperatures ……………………………………………………………………………………. 14

Smoking Guidelines ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 16

Smoking Suggesons …………………………………………………………………………………………………..…. 17

Limited Warranty ………………………………………………………………………………………………… 20

Warranty Registraon Form …………………………………………………………………………………….. 22

Troubleshoong …………………………………..………………………………………………………………………... 18

Memphis ITC Meat Probe ………………………………………………………………………………………………. 8

VG0970_D 3/26/12 1

 Foroutdooruseonly.Donotuseinanyenclosedarea.

 Keepgrill30”(76cm)ormorefromanycombusblesurface.

 Topreventgreaseﬁres,cleanyourgrillonaregularbasis.Thisincludestheﬂavorizerandgreasetray.

Shouldagreaseﬁreoccur,turnoﬀthegrill,removefood(use

yourjudgment),andleavethehoodclosedunltheﬁreis

out.DONOTunplugthegrillunlessabsolutelynecessary;

fanswillconnuetorununltheﬁreisexnguished.When

cookingexcep

onallygreasyfoods,putafoilpanbelowthe

foodtocatchthegrease.

 Donotputanythingﬂammableinthestorageareaunderthegrill.

 Donotleavesealedcontainersoffoodonornearthegrill.

 Alwaysoperatethegrillwiththegrillhoodintheclosedposion.

 Keepthegrill’srearvenlaonslotsclearofobstrucons.

 It’srecommendedthatyouregularlycheckyourMemphisGrillfor

burnpotobstruconstomakesureproperairﬂowismaintained.

SeePeriodicGrillMaintenanceinthismanualforcorrectprocedures.

 Accessiblepartsofthegrillareveryhot.Keepyoungchildrenawaywhileinuse.

 Exercisereasonablecarewhenoperangyourgrill.Whenchildrenarepresent,adultsupervisionis

recommended.

 Donotuselavarocksorcharcoalinyourgrill.

 Toavoidthechanceofseriousburns,neverleanoveranopengrillorplacehandsorﬁngersonthe

frontedgeofthecookingbox.

 ThegrillshouldbepluggedintoaGFCI(Ground‐FaultCircuitInterrupt)outlet.

 Whennotinusethegrillshouldbeunplugged.

 ThegrillistoremainpluggedintoaGFCIduringthecooldowncycle.

 Useheat‐resistantbarbequemisorgloveswhenoperangthisunit.

 DonotmoveorcleanyourMemphisWoodFiredGrillwhileoperangorwhilethegrillishot.Make

suretheﬁreiscompletelyout,andthatthegrilliscompletelycooledbeforetransporngor

cleaning

thegrill.

 Ifthepowercordbecomesdamaged,donotoperatethegrill.

 Donotuseaerosols,liquidsordamp‐materialsonornearthegrillwhileitishot.

 Donotcovertheenretyofthecookingsurfacewhengrillishot.Leaveatleast2

inchesofclearance

fromthesidesandbackofthegrillbody.

 Anymodiﬁcaons(holes,screws,sheetmetalchanges)tothegrillwillvoidwarranty.

 ThegrillisnevertobeoperatedinanopenﬂamesengwithouttheoponalOpenFlameFlavorizer

Insert(VG4407).



 Thegrillisonlytobeoperatedinanopenﬂamesengwhilecookingoveranopenﬂame.

 Openﬂamecooksshouldbeperformedwiththehoodintheopenposion.Aclosedhoodduring

longeropenﬂamecooksmayresultinanER‐1

errormessage.Thiserrormessagemeansthatthegrill

hasreachedtoohighofatemperaturecausingthegrilltoshutdownavoidinganydamagetotheunit.

 Neverleaveyourgrillunaendedduringanopenﬂamecook.

GeneralWarning:ReadallSafetyInforma onPriorto

OperangGrill

WARNING!

VG0970_D 3/26/12 2



Your Memphis Wood Fire Grill represents a new way of outdoor cooking. It is a true high quality convection oven

that also has grilling and smoking capability. It combines many unique features with time‐proven pellet‐burning 

technology. Together they give you controlled, quick, savory and repeatable cooking results. The

 perfect cooking

experience starts withfillingyour  hopper withall‐natural,100%certified hardwood BBQpellets.We recommend

“NaturesWay”flavoredBBQpellets.



SimplypushingtheONButtonwillfullyigni teyourgrill.The grill will reach your desired temperature within

minutesofignition.TheITCconvectionsystemand automatic

augerfeeds thewood pelletsfromthehopperinto

theburnpot,wheretheyareignitedusingsuper‐heatedair.TheIntelligentTemperatureControlallowsyoutoset

thecookingmethodanddesiredte mperature,andwilladjustforambientconditions.Convection/circula tionfan(s)

provide combustion air to the burn pot and provides

 convective cooking air by distributing the heat evenly

throughoutthecookingarea.Thenaturalsmokeflavorproducedbytheburningpellets,thevaporproducedbythe

juices dripping on the Flavorizer, and the air circulating throughout the cooking area, combine to give you the

unique flavor that can only be

achieved using a Memphis Wood Fired Convection Grill.A video explaining this

procedureisavailableonourwebsiteorYouTube.

GrillFeatures



• EasytouseIntelligentTemperatureControl(ITC)capableofsmoking, barbecue,grilling,baking

andsearingtemperatures.

• MemphisITCMeatProbefunctionalityforhands‐off,precisiongrilling*

• Extra‐largecapacityhopper.

• Heavy‐dutystainlesssteelconstruction.

• Cookingareaisdual‐wallandovengasketsealedformaximumheatretention**.

• Attractivecraftsmanshipandhighqualityperformance.

• LowCFMFancausespelletstoburnandproducetrueconvectionovencooking. AutoStartbutton

&electricignitereliminatetheneedformatches&lighterfluids.

• SmokingModegivesyouthatsavoryflavorondemandandisprogrammablefrom180°‐295°F***.

• CookingModeallowsforgrilltemperaturesupto500°F(Select),600°F(Advantage),650°F(Pro),and

700°F(Elite).

•

Flavorizerreducesthechanceofflare‐upsandassistsinevenheatdistribution.

•

Stainlesssteelburnpotdesignedforhighperformanceandlongevity.

•

427squareinchmaincookingareathatcanbeincreasedto970(dependingonmodel)square

incheswiththeoptionalgrates.

•

Totalcookingvolumeofnearly4,000cubicinchesforlargeroastsandturkeys.

• Greasedrawerswithdisposablelinersmakefornofusscleaning.

• Large,lockingcastersthatswivelandlockforeasymaneuverability.

• Twostainlesssteelsideshelves(optionalonMemphisSelect)offeradurableeasytocleansurface.

• Steelcookinggridsforyearsofreliableservice.

• MadeintheUSA.

* Meat probe is standard with Elite, Pro and Built-In models, optional on other models

**Gasket seal only on Elite and Pro models

*** 180

°minimum set point available on Memphis Elite, Pro and Built-In models only.

HowYourMemphisWoodFiredGrillWorks:



VG0970_D 3/26/12 3



InitialBurnOff

Before cookingforthe first time, we recommend that you“burnoff”the grill to rid it of any

foreign matter used in the manufacturing process. Prior to burn‐off, completely remove the

plastic film on all stainless steel surfaces.Failure to do so will cause the

film to melt to the

metal,anditwillbeextremelydifficulttoremove.Removethecookinggratesandwashwitha

mild soapordetergent.Replace the grates, light and operate the grill at450Fwith the hood

downfor45minutes.Afterburn‐off,turnthegrillOFF.



LightingyourGrill

ItisrecommendedpracticetogothroughthePeriodicGrillMaintenance(pg.10)procedures

frequently.Thiswillensureproperignitionofthepelletsandispartofthenormalmaintenance

procedure.Lightperinstructionsfoundindetailinthismanual.Ifthegrillfailstolight,itis



mostlikelyduetoadirtyorpluggedburnpotand/oraburnpotobstructionblockingthe

igniterairpassages.(refertoUsingYourMemphisWoodFiredGrillonpage5forcleaning

instructions.)



HoodPosition

Alwayscookwiththehoodclosed.Cookingwiththehoodclosedkeepsthetemperature

even,

cooking the food faster while using less fuel. A closed hood also helps to create a smokier

flavor.Ifthehoodisleftopenforanextendedperiodoftime,itwillcausetheITCtoincrease

the fuel feed rate in an effort to increase the grill temperature.This

 could result in an

overloadedburnpot.



Instead of frequent, visual checks of your food, the use of a  Memphis ITC Meat Probe is 

recommended.This tool can be routed through the 5/16” hole in the side of the Memphis

SelectorAdvantage,orunderthehoodgasketonthe

Elite,ProorBuilt‐Intopreventdamage

tothewires.See“MemphisITCMeatProbe”onpage8forfurtherinstructionsontheuseofa

meatprobe.

ReadPriortoLighting



VG0970_D 3/26/12 4

IntelligentTemperatureControl

‐



Overview



ControlI/O,ON/

OFFTouchPad

Thispressure‐

sensitivetouchpad

isusedtoturnthe

grillonandoff.

PelletPrimeTouchPad

Thisbuttonisusedtoprimetheauger

whenthehopperiscompletelyempty.

Inordertoprimetheauger,fillthe

hopperwithpellets,thenpressandhold

thepelletprimebuttonuntilyouhear

pelletsfallintotheburnpot.Atthis

pointtheauger

isprimedandthegrill

canbeoperatednormally.

TemperatureSetTouchPad

Bypressingeithertheupordown

arrows,thesettemperaturecanbe

movedin5degreeincrements.

DisplayTouchPad

Pressingthiswilltogglethe

displaybetweentheset

temperatureandthe

actualcurrenttemperature

ofthemeatprobe,orthe

grillitself.



ProbeDisplayPad

Pressingthiswilltogglebetween

thesettingsforthemeatprobeand

thoseforthegrillitself

LEDDisplay

Thiswilldisplaythe

temperatureofthe

grill,aswellasany

otherpertinent

information.

AbouttheITC:

TheITCperformssimilarlytothecontrolonyourkitchenoven.TheITCautomatically

compensatesfordifferentambientconditions,providingyear‐roundgrillingandmore

accuratetemperaturecontrol.Settingthecontrolissimpleandintuitive,andoffersthe

userapreciseandhighly‐customizablegrillingexperience.

IndicatorLights

TheseLED’sindicatewhichmodecooking

thegrillisin,aswellaswhetheryouare

settingthetemperatureorviewing the

currenttemperature.Theselightswill

alsoblinkwhentheigniterisactive,or

thegrillisincool‐down.

MeatProbePort

Pluggingtheoptional

probeintothisport

willallowtheuserto

accessthemeat

probefunctionalityof

theITC.

VG0970_D 3/26/12 5



Priortostarting yourcookingcenter, inspectthe burnareainsidethe grill.It'sarecommendedpracticetogo

through this procedure at initial start up and after every few uses to ensure peak performance. Actual

necessaryfrequencyvariesdependingonusageandfueltype.

1. Openthehoodandremovethecookinggrates.

2. Remove the flavorizer. The flavorizer helps distribute heat, contains fly ash, and keeps the flame from

makingdirectcontactwithcookinggrids.

3. Ifnecessary,checktheburnpotarea,removeanyforeignitems toensurethattheairholesintheburnpot

areclear.Thiswillallowaquickerandmoreefficientignition.Takeprecautionsnottodamagetheigniter

wiringconnectionsorpulltheigniteroutoftheignitertube.

4. Re‐installtheflavorizer.

5. Reinstallthecookinggrates.

6. Openthepellethopperlid,foundatthefrontofyourgrillontheSelectandAdvantage,oratthebackofthe

EliteandPro.Checkforanyforeignobjects

7. FillyourhopperwithNature’sWaycookingpellets.Closethehopperlid.Note:hopperdoesnotneedtobe

absolutelyfullforeveryuse.

8. PlugyourMemphisWoodFiredConvectionGrillinto thenearest110VoltACoutlet*.(Note:UseaGFI

Outlet.Westronglyrecommendthat ifyourhomedoesnothaveaGFIoutletthatyouinstallone,orusea

highqualityoutdoorsurgeprotector.

9. Whenyouarefinishedusingyourgrill,andthegrillhasgonethroughitscool‐down,unplugit.Itisalso

recommendedthatthegrillbecoveredwhennotinuse.



*230VoltforEuropean

**Note:YourGrillwillfunctionbestifoperatedonalevelsurface.**

UsingYourMemphisWoodFiredGrill



VG0970_D 3/26/12 6

AutomaticStartUp



1.ToStart

PresstheOn/Off touchpad.Thestartupmodewillbegin;aLEDlightwillblinktoindicatestartupmode.

Thestartupmodeistimedtolast30minutesoruntiltheappliancereachesatemperatureabove17 0°F.

Afteritreachesthis“Warm”state,theblinkingLED

lightwillbecomesolid.



2.SettheTEMPDISPLAYArrowstothedesiredtemperature(Setlightwillil luminate)Ifthegrillissettoa

temperaturelessthan300°itwillruninSmokeMode.Ifsetto300°oraboveitwillruninCookMode.The

meatprobecan

besetfrom68°to250°.Formoreinformationontheuseofthemeatprobe,consultpage8.



3.SetTEMPDISPLAYtoActual.(Actuallightwillilluminate)Temperaturenowdisplayed

willbeactualtemperatureinthecookingarea.Note:Actualtemperaturewillfluctuateupor

down.This

isnormalandrepresentsthenormalfluctuationofanyoven.



Note: 

1:Ifhopperwasjustfilled;holdPelletPrimebuttoninuntilyouhearpelletsfallingontotheburnpotand

release.ThenrestartthegrillbypressingtheI/Obutton.Thiswillallowthegrillrunitscomplete

start‐

upsequence.

2:YourGrillwillsmokeforafewminuteswhilethepelletsarelightingandcomingtofullburn.



3:Ifthefiredoesnotstartwithin30minutes,thegrillwillthenautomaticallyshutoff.Ifthishappens,

someunburnedpelletswillhavebuiltupintheburnpot.

Beforerestartingthefire,cleantheexcess

pelletsoutoftheburnpotandrepeattheabovesteps.



OperatingInstructions:MemphisWoodFiredGrill



FahrenheitVS.Celsius:

ConvertingYourGrill’sTemperatureUnits



 YourMemphisgrilliscapableofworkinginbothMetricandEnglish

units.ToswitchbetweenFahrenheitandCelsiusontheITC,simply

pressandholdtheUPandDOWNarrowkeysatthesametimewhile

thegrillison.



VG0970_D 3/26/12 7

5.Tooperate:OncetheMemphisGrillhasstarted,operateasfollows;



UPre‐Heat:UThisisthebeginningstageofcookingorsmokinginwhichthefuelisignited,andthegrillis

broughttothesettemperatureasquicklyaspossible.Youmaynoticeinthisstagethat,initially,the

augerwillfeedfuelalmostconstantly.Thisistoprimetheburnpot

sothatitisabletomaintain

significantheat.Whenthisstageisconcluded,theIT Cwillmaintainselectedcooking/smoking

temperature,regardlessofambientweatherconditions.Thedurationofthisstagewillvarysomewhat

duetodifferingambientconditions,set

temperatures,andgrillmodels.Inmost

cases,thegrillwillbe

inthepre‐heatstage

for15to25minutes.



UCookingMode:UTemperatur ewillbe

automaticallymaintainedatyour

temperaturesetpoint.Youmaynoticesome

fluctuationupanddownduringthistime.

Thisisanormalpartofanyoven/appliance

operation.Thegrillwillautomaticallyswitch

tothismodewhenthegrillsettempis300°F

orhigher.



USmokeMode:USmokingisavariationon

grillingandisoneoftheuniqueadvantagesofyourMemphisWoodFiredGrill.Thetemperatureyou

choosewilllargelydependonwhatisbeingsmoked(seeAppendixB‐C)andyourpersonalpreferences.

Thegrillwillautomatically switchtothismode whenthegrill

settemperatureis295°Forlower.

Combustionairflowisvariedinthesmokemode.Youmayhearthefan“bellow”,repeatedlyturningon

andoff.Thisisnormaloperation.

OperatingInstructions:MemphisWoodFiredGrill



SmokeTIP:

Tovarysmokeflavorintensity,experimentwiththe

amountoftimeyouusethesmokemodeandthemix

offlavoredpelletsyouusealongwiththeallpurpose

pellets.Thisismoreimportantifyouusestronger

flavoredpelletssuchasMesquite.Switchingtosmoke

modesoonafter

puttingyourfoodonthegrillallows

thesmoketopenetratethemeatsbeforethey have

achancetosearclosed.Thesmokemodeworksbest

whenalongercookingtimeisrequired,suchaslarge

cutsofmeat,fish,orpoultry.Experimentwiththe

lengthoftimeyouleave

forsmokingbeforecooking

thoroughly.Trydifferentcombinationsofbothmodes.

AboutTheITC

TheMemphisITCisasophisticatedcontrollerthatmonitorsyourgrillandadjusts

varioussystemstomaintainyourdesiredcookingtemperature.Atemperature

probecontinuallymonitorsthecookingchamberandcommunicatesthisdatatothe

ITC.Basedonthisdata,theITCmakesappropriateadjustmentstothecombustion



system.TheITCsystem,logicandtemperatureaccuracyhasbeenvalidatedwith

manyhoursoftestingtoensurethehighestperformance.Foroptimalperformance,

cookwiththehoodclosedandkeeptheprobecleanandunobstructed.Allowthe

ITCadequatetimetoadjusttoanychangesinsettemperatures.

VG0970_D 3/26/12 8

MemphisITCMeatProbe



TheMemphisITCMeatProbe,whichcomesstandardwiththeElite,ProandBuilt‐Inmodels,andcanbepurchasedseparatelyforother

models,is a must‐haveaccessory forany griller.The ITC MeatProbe conveniently interfacesdirectlywithyour grill’sITC control and

gives you an easy way to ensure your food is cooked to your predetermined temperature.This feature ensures convenience and

delicious,repeatableresults—everytime.

UsingYourMemphisITCMeatProbe

1.PlugTheMeatProbeIn

The3.5mmaudio‐stylepluginsertsdirectlyintothejackonthefarrightsideoftheITC,labeled“MeatProbe”.Inserttheotherendofthemeatprobeinto

thethickestportionofyourmeatitem.



2.TurnTheGrillONAndSet

TheGrillTemperature,AsDescribedOnPage6.



3.ToggleThePROBEDISPLAYto“MEAT”(Meatlightwillilluminate)

Withoutthemeatprobeinserted,togglingthiswillbedisabled.



4.SetTEMPDISPLAYto“SET”AndSetYourDesiredMeatTemperature.(Setlightwillilluminate)Thisisdonemuch

thesameassettingthedesired

temperatureofthegrill‐simplybypressingtheupanddownkeys.Themeatprobecanbesetupto250°F(121°C)

.



5.Routetheprobeendthroughthelargeholeinthegrill’sleftside,justbelowthehood.Pullallthemetallicinteriorcableintothegrill,stoppingatthe

ferrule.IfusinganElite,ProorBuilt‐In,simplyplacetheprobeandinteriorcableinthegrill,then

shutthelidonthelongerendoftheferrule.Thisferrule

separatesthemeatprobe’sinteriorandexteriorcables.Thewhite,weatherproofexteriorcableshouldneverbeplacedinsideofthegrill.Doingsowill

damagethecable,andcompromiseitsweatherproofing.



6.InsertTheMeatProbeIntoFood

AsDesired.



7.SetTEMPDISPLAYto“ACTUAL”.(Actuallightwillilluminate)

TheITCwilldisplaythetemperatureofthemeatinrealtime.



8.SitBackandRelax.

Thegrillwillcookthemeatuntilthemeatreachesthedesiredsetpoint.Thegrillthenautomaticallyreducesto

itslowestsetting(180°F(80°C)forElite,Pro

andBuilt‐In,200°F(90°C)forSelectandAdvantage),anddisplays“Done”.Atanypointduringthecook,youcanmodifythesettemperatureofboththe

meatprobeandthegrill itself.



Notes: 

1:Whilesettingthemeatprobesettemperature,iftheuserpressestheup‐arrowuntil250°F(121°C)isdisplayed,andthenpressesitonemoretime,

theITCwilldisplay“NOPR”.Onthissetting,theITCwilldisplaythetemperatureofthemeat,butwillnot

enterthe“Done”modeatanymeat

temperature.

2:WhennotinuseDONOTleavethemeatprobeinsideofthegrill

3:Keepthemeatprobeascleananddryaspossible.Cleanwithadampsponge,oraclothwithasmallamountofrubbingalcohol.Ifexposed

to

liquidsforextendedperiodsoftime,themeatprobemaydisplayanerroneousreading.InextremecasestheITCwillconstantlylisttheactual

meatprobetemperatureas“32°F”or“0°C”.Toremedythis,allowtheprobecordtodrycompletelybeforeusingitagain.Oncedry,thisaccessory

willbefullyfunctional.



DONOTsubmergethemeatprobewhencleaningorplaceindishwasher.

Meat

probe

Interior

Cable

Separator

Ferrule

Exterior

Cable

3.5mm Plug

VG0970_D 3/26/12 9

Flavored pellets come in a variety of flavors such as Mesquite, Alder,

Apple, Hickory, Maple and Cherry. They contain approximately 8,200

BTU’sof heatperpound andhave verylittle ashandmoisture content.

AlwaysusePremiumBBQPelletsinyourgrill.PremiumBBQpelletshave

a maximum length of 1.5”

 and are uniform in size and shape.This

shorter length and uniformity ensures a higher efficiency and a more

consistent, even temperature.Premium pellets are made of certified

100% hardwood.Cooking with pellets made from soft woods, such as

pine,shouldbeavoided,asityieldsaturpentine‐liketaste.



Wood pellets have been in

existence for many years,

and there are currently

more than 125 active pellet

milloperationsintheUnited

States and Canada,

producing millions of pounds of pellet each year. "Natures Way"

100% hardwood BBQ pellets are producedinthe same manner as

wood pellet heating

fuel is produced. Sawdust and clean wood

chipsarepulverizedanddried.Thedriedmaterialisthenprocessed

under heat and pressure. This material is forced through a hard

steeldierotatingagainstrollerswithpressureover3,000PSI.Once

the pellets are forced through the final die they are cooled,



screened, vacuumed, and then bagged or boxed. No extra adhesives  or bonding materials are used in the

production of these pellets.Hardwoods  contain naturally‐occurring compounds called “lignins” that, when

heated,actasabondingmaterial.Storepelletsinadrylocationforoptimalperformance.Flavorpreferenceis

anindividual

tasteandwesuggest youtrythedifferentflavorsormixtures offlavorstofindthecombinations

thatsuityourneedsandtastes.(Seeyoulocaldealertoorderindividualpelletflavors)

InformationAboutBBQCookingPellets



CAUTION:somewoodpelletsproducedforheating

fuelhaveahighcontentofsoftwoodoreven

recycledwoodfurniturewhichcanincludepitch,

chemicalsorgluesandshouldnotbeusedfor

cooking.Foroptimumperformanceandtoensure

youareusingcleanburningpelletsmanufactured

forcooking,purchase"NaturesWay"certified100%

hardwoodBBQpellets.UsinglowqualityBBQ

pelletsmayalsoadverselyaffectyourgrilling

temperatureperformance–especiallyatlow

temperatures.HearthlandProductsassumesno

responsibilityforproblemsassociatedwiththe

useoflowerqualityorheatingpellets.Store

pelletsinadrylocationforoptimalperformance.

• Apple:Sweet,fruitysmokeyflavor.Strongest

ofthefruitwoods.Idealforbeef,pork,ham,

poultryandwildgame.



• Cherry:Mild,sweetfruitysmokeflavorthat

givesarosytinttolightmeats.Idealforbeef,

pork,poultry,fishandwildgame.



• Hickory:Strong,bacon ‐flavor.Idealforbeef,

pork,poultry,fishandwildgame.



• Maple:Verymild,asweetlightsmokeyflavor.

Idealforpork,ham,poultry,cheese,game

birdsandbaking.

• Mesquite:Strong,spicyflavor.Distinctive

smokeyflavorofSouthwestcooking.Idealfor

beef,pork,poultry,fishandwildgame.



• Oak:Mild,wood‐fireflavor.Idealforroasting,

grilling,smokingandbaking.



• Pecan:Mildflavorsimilartohickorybut

milderandsweeterwithanutafter‐taste.

Idealforbeef,pork,poultry,fish,wildgame

andbaking.

FlavoredPelletGuidelines

*Please contact your dealer to purchase additional wood pellets, or call us at 888.883.2260*

VG0970_D 3/26/12 10

StainlessSteelSurfaces

ALWAYS clean dirt and dust off all stainless steel sur‐

facesbefore youbegintocook.Thedirtcancook  into

the metal and discolor it. Dirt can be easily cleaned

with hot,soapywater and a softclot h. There are also

manycommercial productsmadetoclean

andprotect

your stainless steel surfaces.If the stainless  steel be‐

comes severely discolored,  this discoloration can be

removed with stainless steel cleaner or mild oven

cleanerandanabrasive(non‐metallic)scrubpad.



Flavorizer

It is recommended that you remove any build up of

food or grease from the

 flavorizer before every cook.

A clean flavorizer further reduces flare ups.Brush or

scrape any build up off of the flavorizer with a grill

brushorputtyknife.Nevercleantheflavorizerwhileit

ishot.



GreaseTrays

Always be sure the grease trays are clean and free

of

debris. During the warmer months empty any grease

build‐up onamore frequent basistokeep it fromgo‐

ingrancid.



BurnPotandIgniter 

Periodically check the air holes found in the burn pot

for any blockages or build‐ups.Using a wire brush,

scrape off any

build up or blockage. For thorough

cleaning, the burn pot can be removed completely by

removing four Phillips head screws and lock‐washers.

When reinstalling, confir m the proper positioning in

theburnpot.Theburnpotshouldbe levelfromsideto

sideandfromfronttobackandshouldhave

asnugbut

nottightfit.Youwillalsowanttovisually checktheair

holesintheignitertube,asisdisplayedinthefigureto

theright.  Cleanany debrisor blockageout ofbothar‐

eastoensureaperfectstart.

RTD

Yourgrill’sabilitytoaccurately

sensetemperatureand

adjustitsperformanceaccordinglyiswhatmakesit

uniqueandvaluable.TheRTD,atemperaturesensor

locatedtowardstherearofthecookingareashouldbe

wipeddownwithwaterandmilddetergenttoensure

properperformance.



GrillInterior

Though BBQ pellets burn efficiently, they do create

someamountofash.Thegrill’sinteriorwallsandfloor

don’tneedtobespotless,butperiodicallyclearingout

accumulatedashisagoodpractice.



Airbox

Because the Airbox is used to channel the fan‐forced

airintotheburnpot,thereisverylittlemaintenanceto

bedonein

thisarea.Occasionally,youmayeithervac‐

uum or brush out any build‐up of ash or burn debris 

thathasfallen  below the burnpot.Remove any accu‐

mulationofgreaseordebrisontheinsidesurfaces.



GrillCover

We recommend that you cover your Memphis Grill

when not

in use.Ensure that your  grill is completely

offandcooledbeforecovering.

PeriodicGrillMaintenance



Igniter Hole Cleaning Location

VG0970_D 3/26/12 11

PeriodicGrillMaintenance



EveryUse Every3Uses Once AWeek

OnceA

Month OnceAYear

ScrapeCook ing

Grates

Checkgrease

pan/bucket

Wipedown

exteriorsurfaces

Scrapeoff

flavori zer

CleanGrease

Trays

WipeOffRTD

ClearBurnPot

ClearIgniter

Holes

Scrape/ Vacuum

AshFromInterior

Vacuumfine

pelletdustfrom

hopper

Wipedown,

vacuum outAir

Box

Frequency

MaintenanceTask

VG0970_D 3/26/12 12

MeatProbe/Thermometer

The outside temperature, wind conditions,  pellet fuel

variety and the altitude at which youliveaffectcooking

times.Thebestwaytoensureyourmeathasreachedthe

propertemperatureandisreadytoeatisto

utilize a good quality meat thermometer.

We recommend the Memphis ITC Meat



Probe,whichcaninterfacedirectlywithyour

grill’sITC.



DisposableGreaseTrays

Your Memphis grill utilizes at least one grease tray that

hasbeenspeciallydesignedto accommodate disposable

aluminum pans for easy and convenient clean‐up.The

Select and Advantage trays are compatible with any

8”x8” aluminum pan, and

 the Pro and Built‐In trays are

designedtoholdtwoofany9”X13”aluminumfoilpans.



Tongs

Use tongs rather than a fork for turning and handling

meatstoavoidlosing thenaturaljuices.Extralargeones

with long handles allow you to grip a variety of

 delicate

foods.



GrillBaskets

Perfect for cooking foods that are difficult to handle on 

the grill, such asvegetables, seafood, fish and certain

cuts of meats. Usually made out of nickel‐plated steel

these baskets are made of two identical halves being

heldtogetherwithhinges.Notonlydothey

protectfood,

and make handling easier, but also allow for different

foods to be combined and grilled together without

piercingthefood.



Drip/RoastPans

Used to prevent flare‐ups, keep food from drying out,

eliminate basting, and catch those flavorful juices that

drip from the meat.Various  juices can

 also beaddedto

thepantoimpartadesiredflavor,suchasapple,lemon,

cranberry,pineapple,anycola,etc.

Griddle

One of the most used accessories for those grill

enthusiasts that enjoy cooking any foods outdoors. Use

to grill complete breakfasts, grill sandwiches, and toast

fajitas. Griddles allow you

to cook all your bacon and

sausages outdoors, and they’re great for grilling

vegetables,stir‐frying,andsearing.



Spatulas

Amustforturningthosedeliciousburgersandfishfilets.

Again, look for a long, sturdy handle and the widest

bladepossible.Theholesinthebladepreventthe build‐

up

ofsteam,whichcouldmakeyourfoodsoggy.



CookingRacks

Nickel‐plated roast racks and rib racks

areagreatwaytoincreaseyourcooking

pleasure. Roast racks can be used to

enhance the convective cooking

capabilities of your grill by allowing the

smoke flavored air to move around the

entireroastevenly.Ribracksareagreat

way to increase your capacity of your

grillforthoselargegatheri ngs.Theycan

also be used for chops and chicken

pieces.(Additional small grates are available for

purchaseandwillallowyoutosignificantlyincreaseyour

totalcookingsurface.)



RecommendedGrillingAccessories



VG0970_D 3/26/12 13

BastingBrush

Youmayneedaselectionofthese, asyoushouldnotusethesamebrushintwodifferentm a rinades.Useto

applyyourfavoritesaucesandmarinadestofoodsonthegrill.Againlookforonewithalonghandletokeep

youhandsawayfromtheheat.



Skewers(woodormetal)

Whenusingthewoodskewers,remembertosoaktheminwaterforatleast30minutesbeforeusingtopre‐

ventthemfromburningintheheatofthegrill.Anotherwaytoprotectthemwouldbetowraptheexposed

endswithaluminumfoil.Skewerscome

inavarietyofshapesandmaterials.



AluminumFoil

Extra‐strengthfoilisalwaysusefulforgrilling.Usedtomakefoilpackages,coverfood, ortofoldupintoa

flatdishtoactasadrippan.Alsousedtospeedupcooking,protectbonesfromburning,andto

keepfoods

warm.



MetalBrush

Itisimportanttocleanyourgrillthoroughlybeforeeachuse.Along‐handledbrushwithmetalbristlesisthe

besttoolforthejob.



SkilletsandWoks

Thesekitchenfavoritesallowyoutostir‐grillvegetables,seafood,andothersmallpiecesoffoodthe

same

wayyouwouldifyouwereindoors.



RecommendedGrillingAccessories(Con’t)



FoodHandlingandSafety



• Makesuretowashyourhandsbeforeandafterhandlingfood.

• Prevent bacteria  contamination by using separate platters and utensils for raw and cooked

foods.

• Marinades should never be saved and reused. If you are going to serve a marinade with your

food,besuretobringittoaboilbeforeserving.

• Keephotfoo dshot(above140ºF)andcoldfoodscold(below37ºF).

• Don'tdefrostmeatatroomtemperatureoronacountertop.

• Marinatemeatintherefrigerator.

• Useofameatthermometertodeterminetheinternaltemperaturesisrecommended.

VG0970_D 3/26/12 14

GrillingTimesandTemperatures



ApproximateCooking/GrillingTimesfor

MemphisWood‐FiredConvectionGrill

Alwaysuseameatthermometertobesuremeatsandpoultryarecookedtoasafeinternaltemperature.SeriousHealthrisks

mayexistwithundercookedmeat!.Approximatecookingtimesarefromvarioussources,andarebasedonmeatatrefrigerator

temperatures.Wesuggestthatwhengrillingathighertemperatures,you

applybarbecuesauceonlyduringthelast15to30min‐

utesofgrillingtopreventexcessbrowningorburning.

ITEM SIZE

CONTROL

SETPOINT

APPROXIMATE

GRILLINGTIME

INTERNAL

TEMP=°F

BEEF    

Steaks 3/4"thick 

450°‐700°

3to4min./side

4to

5min./side

5to7min./side

Mediumrare145

Medium160

MedWell170

Kabobs 1‐inchcubes 450°‐700° 3to4min./side 145to160

Hamburgerpatties

1/2"thick 

450°‐700°

3min./side

4to5min./side

5to7min./side

Medium160

MedWell170



WellDone180

Roast,

rolledrump(indirectheat)

sirlointip(indirectheat)

4to6lbs.

31/2to4lbs.



350°

18to22min./lb.

20to25min./lb.

145to160

Tenderloin Half,2to3lbs.

Whole,4to6lbs.

350° 10to12min./side

12to15min./side

Mediumrare145

Medium160

HAM    

Fullycooked(indirectheat) anysize 350°‐375° 8to10min./lb. 140

Cook‐before‐eating(indirect

heat)

Whole,10to14lbs.

Half,5to7lbs.

Portion,3to4lbs.

350°‐375° 10to

15min./lb.

12to18min./lb.

30to35min./lb.



160‐170

LAMB    

Chops,shoulder,loin,orrib 1"thick 350°‐375° 5min./side 145to160

Steaks,sirloin,orleg 1"thick 350°‐375° 5min./side 145to160

Kabobs 1"cubes 350°‐375°

4min./side 145to160

Patties,ground 4oz.,1/2"thick 450°‐700° 3min./side Medium160

PORK,Fresh    

Chops,bone‐inorboneless 3/4"thick

11/2"thick

450°‐700° 3to4min./side

7to8min./side

Medium160

Tenderloin 1/2to11/2lbs.

450°‐700° 15to25min.total Medium160

Ribs

Patties,ground 1/2"thick 450°‐700° 4to5min./side Medium160

*SeeSmokingGuidelinesForPorkRibs*

VG0970_D 3/26/12 15

GrillingTimesandTemperatures



ITEM SIZE

CONTROL

SETPOINT

APPROXIMATE

GRILLINGTIME

INTERNAL

TEMP=°F

VEAL    

Chops,steaks 1"thick 450°‐700° 5to7min./side 145to160

Roast,boneless(indirectheat) 2to3lbs. 350°‐375° 18to20min./lb. 145to160

VENISON  

 

Roast,saddle,orleg 6to7lbs. 350°‐375° 25to30min./lb. 145to160

Steaks 3/4"thick 450°‐700° 4to5min./side

6to7min./side

Mediumrare145

Medium160

CHICKEN    

Whole(indirectheat),not

stuffed

broilerfryer

roasting

hen

Capon

Cornishhens



3to4lbs.

5to7lbs.

4to8lbs.

18to24oz.

325°F,160°c 

60to75min.

18to25min./lb.

15to20min./lb.

45to55min.



180asmeasuredin

thethigh

Breasthalves,bone‐in

boneless

6

to8oz.each

4oz.each

325°F,160°c 10to15min./side

6to8min./side

170

Otherparts:Legsorthighs

Drumsticks

Wings,wingettes

4to8oz.

4oz.

2to3oz.

325°F,160°c

c 10to15min./side

8to12min./side

8to12min./side

180

DUCKorGOOSE    

Duckling,whole(indirectheat)

Quartered(indirectheat)

41/2lbs.(notstuffed) 325°F,160°c 21/2hrs.

1hr.,25min.

180to185

Goose,whole(indirectheat) 8to12

lbs. 325°F,160°c 18to20min./lb. 180to185

TURKEY    

Wholeturkey(indirectheat) 8to12lbs.

12to16lbs.

16to24lbs.

325°F,160°c 2to3hrs.

3to4hrs.

Notrecommended

180asmeasuredin

thethigh

Breast,bone‐in

boneless

4to7lbs.

23/4to31/2lbs.

325°F,160°c 1to13/4hrs.

Notrecommended

170

Thighs,drumsticks(indirect

heat)

Directheat(pre‐cook1hr.)

8to16oz. 325°F,160°c 11/2to2hrs.

8to10min./side

180

Bonelessturkeyroll(indirect

heat)

to5lbs.

5to10lbs.

325°F,160°c 11/2to2hrs.

2to31/2hrs.

170to175

VG0970_D 3/26/12 16

SmokingGuidelines



ApproximateSmokingTimesfor

MemphisWood‐FiredGrill



Alwaysuseameatthermometertobesuremeatsandpoultryarecookedtoasafeinternaltemperatureanddoneness.Serious

Healthrisksmayexistwithundercookedmeat!.Approximatecookingtimesare,fromvarioussourcesandarebasedonmeatat

refrigeratortemperatures.Use

agoodqualitytemperatureprobetoassurebestresults.Wesuggestthatwhengrillingathigher

temperatures,youapplybarbecuesauceonlyduringthelast15to30minutesofgrillingtopreventexcessbrowningorburning.

NOTE:KeephoodclosedwhenusingSmokeMode.



Smokingtimesarelargelydependentonpersonalpreferenceandthequalityofthemeatbeingsmoked.Ingeneralthelonger

yousmokethemeatatalowertemperaturethemoretenderthemeatwillbecome.Youwillalsoneedtoconsiderhowmuch

ofasmoketasteyouwantandwhatflavorofsmoke.Oak,Hickory,Apple,Alder,Cherry,Mesquitetonamethemostcommon.

Here

againthatislargelyamatterofpersonalpreference.



Forbestresultswerecommendthatyousmokeatasetpointtemperatureof225‐275°formostmeats.Ifyouwishtohavea

smokierflavorandhavethetime,youcangoaslowas180°,butyouusuallydon’tgainmuchbydoingthat.



Itshouldalso

benotedthat,whensmokinginaverywarmenvironment(sunnyweatherinexcessof90°F),itmaybedifficultfor

yourgrilltomaintaintemperatureslowerthan200°F.Ifnecessary,thiscanberemediedbyleavingthehoodslightlyajar.



Thefollowingisageneralguide,andwerecommendyouexperimenttofindwhattemperatureandflavorbestsuitesyour

personaltaste.Ifyouwanttofinishfasterusehighertemperature.Note:thiswillinmostcasesresultinalesstenderproduct.

Whenyouhavethetime,lowertemperaturefor

alongerdurationwillgiveyouthebestresults.Foradditionaltips,andtoview

andsharerecipesgotowww.memphisgrills.com/recipe.

ITEM

Control

SetPoint*

INTERNALTEMP=°F

BEEF 180°‐275° 145to160

HAM 180°‐275° 140‐170

LAMB 180°‐275° 145to160

PORK,Fresh 180°‐275° 160‐180

VEAL 180°‐275° 145to160

VENISON 180°‐275° 145to160

CHICKEN 180°‐275° 170to180

DUCK

orGOOSE 180°‐275° 180to185

TURKEY 180°‐275° 180asmeasuredinthethigh

*Notethat180°set‐pointisonlyavailableonthe

Elite,ProandBuilt‐InModels.

VG0970_D 3/26/12 17



Thefollowingareafewimportantfacts,tipsandtechniquestoachievegreatsmokingresults.Thereare

probablyasmanytheoriesonthebestsmokingmethodastherearechefsusingthem.Withthatinmind,

considerthefollowingfactorswhendeciding whichmethodbestfitsyourneeds.



• TheMemphisGrill’ssmokingmoderangeis180°to295°F.(*minimumtemperaturevariesbymodel)



• MemphisGrillscansmokeunattendedcontinuallyforupto62hou rs,dependinguponthemodel.



• IfyouwishtosmokeatlowertemperaturesboththeMemphisEliteandProarecalibratedtoallowyouto

goaslowas180°F.Whensmokingatthelowertemperaturesit’scriticalthatyouuseapremiumfood

gradepelletsuchasNaturesWayflavoredBBQPellets.Nature’sWay

premiumpelletsarespecially

formulatedtoallowformoreevenfeedingandtemperatures.Forbestresults,alwaysuseNaturesWay

premiumpellets.



• Itisstronglyrecommendedthattheburnpotbecleanedbeforeandaftersmokingforasignificantperiod.

Uncheckedashbuild‐upcouldeventuallyprohibi t thegrillfrommaintainingsmokingtemperatures.



• Caution:Wedon’trecommendthatyouusethelowertemperatures whensmokingincoolandorwindy

conditions.Attemperatureslessthan225°thepossibilityofcreosote*developingfromsmoke

condensationarises.Asalwaysuseyourbestjudgment,cleanyourgrilloften,andproceedonthesideof

safetyandcaution.



• Thebestwaytodeterminewhereyougetthebestresultsistoexperiment.Weallhavedifferenttastesand

thebestwaytodeterminewhat’srightforyouistotrydifferentflavorsandtechniques.Weencourageyou

toshareyourcookingexperienceswithotherMemphisownersbygoingto

ourwebsite

 http://www.memphisgrills.com/recipes,ourblogsite,oronourfacebookpage.



*Creosoteisagummy,foulsmelling,corrosiveandflammablesubstancethat,ifnoprecautionsaretaken,willcoatthe

insidesofeverythingitpassesthrough.Itisformedwhengasesgivenoffintheburningprocesscombineandcondense.

Typicallythegasesleavetheburnchamberwiththe

smoke.HoweverifrestrictedtoomuchorIfthesmokeiscooledbelow

225°,thegasescanliquefy,formingcreosote.

SmokingSuggestions

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Memphis VGB0001, VGB0002 ELITE BUILT-IN Owner's manual

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