Memphis VGB0001S4 Owner's manual

Brand: Memphis

Model: VGB0001S4

Category: Barbecues & grills

Type: Owner's manual

VG0970_C5_SN_01501_ACTIVE 9/29/2011

MemphisOwner’sGuide

Pro,Advantage,Select,ProBuilt‐In

VG0970_C5_SN_01501_ACTIVE 9/29/2011

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.



Fueld bycertified 100% natural wood

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

that automatically maintains your desired temperatures from 180 to 650 degrees, 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

Fired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Man ual 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_C5_SN_01501_ACTIVE 9/29/2011

Contents

GeneralWarning:ReadallSafetyInformationPriortoOperatingGrill………………………….. 1

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

ReadPriortoLighting!……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 3

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

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

OperatingInstructions……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 6

Information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Suggestions…………………………………………………………………………………………………..…. 17

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

WarrantyRegistrationForm…………………………………………………………………………………….. 23

Troubleshooting…………………………………..………………………………………………………………………... 18

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

G0970_C5_SN_01501_ACTIVE 9/29/2011 1

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

• Keepgrill30”(76cm)ormorefromanycombustiblesurface.

• Topreventgreasefires,cleanyourgrillonaregularbasis.ThisincludestheSavorizer®and

greasetray.Shouldagreasefireoccur,turnoffthe

grill,removefood(useyourjudgment),andleave

thehoodcloseduntilthefireisout.DONOTunplug

thegrillunlessabsolutelynecessary;fanswill

continuetorununtilthefireisextinguished.When

cookingexceptionally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

position.

• Keepthegrill’srearventilationslotsclearofobstructions.

• It’srecommendedthatyouregularlycheckyourMemphisGrillforburnpotobstructions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operating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orinthecool‐downcyclethegrillshouldbeunplugged.

• Useheat‐resistantbarbequemittsorgloveswhenoperatingthisunit.

• DonotmoveorcleanyourMemphisWoodFiredGrillwhileoperatingorwhilethegrillishot.

Makesurethefireiscompletelyout,andthatthegrilliscompletelycooledbefore

transportingorcleaningthegrill.

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

• GrillshouldbeoperatedONLYOUTDOORS.

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

• Donotcovertheentirety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modifications(holes,screws,sheetmetalchanges)tothegrillwillvoidwarranty.

GeneralWarning:ReadallSafetyInformationPriorto

OperatingGrill

WARNING!

G0970_C5_SN_01501_ACTIVE 9/29/2011 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ignite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‐hea tedair. TheIntelligentTemperatureControlallowsyoutoset

thecookingmethodanddesiredtemperature,andwilladjustforambientconditions.Conv ecti on/circulation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 Savorizer®, 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),and650°F(Pro).

• Savorizer®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 Pro and Built-In, optional on other models

**Gasket seal only on Pro model

*** 180

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

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



VG0970_C5_SN_01501_ACTIVE 9/29/2011 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(in cookmode)

withthehooddownfor20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 an 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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_C5_SN_01501_ACTIVE 9/29/2011 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

Pressingthiswillfeedmorewoodpel‐

letstotheburnpot.

Thiscanbeused

toaddmorefueljustbeforeopening

thegrillhoodtohelpwithquickerheat

recovery,ortoprimetheaugerduring

thegrill’sfirststartup



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.

G0970_C5_SN_01501_ACTIVE 9/29/2011 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 Savorizer®. The Savorizer® 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Savorizer®.

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

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_C5_SN_01501_ACTIVE 9/29/2011 6

AutomaticStartUp



1.ToStart

PresstheOn/Off touchpad. Theshutdown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

170°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130°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holetheUPandDOWNarrowkeysatthesametimewhile

thegrillison.



VG0970_C5_SN_01501_ACTIVE 9/29/2011 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ITC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_C5_SN_01501_ACTIVE 9/29/2011 8

MemphisITCMeatProbe



The Memphis ITC Meat Probe, which comes standard with the 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a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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_C5_SN_01501_ACTIVE 9/29/2011 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.

• AllPurpose:Idealforbaking,roasting,

grillingandsmoking.



• Alder:Idealwithsalmonandother

strongly‐flavoredfish.



• Apple:Idealforporkandchicken,ora

fruityflavorwhenbaking.



• Cherry:Idealforroastchickenandpork.



• Hickory:Idealforsmokingribs,ham,

turkey,porkandwildgame.



• Maple:Idealforlow‘n’slowsmoking.



• Mesquite:Idealforchickenandwild

game.

FlavoredPelletGuidelines

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

G0970_C5_SN_01501_ACTIVE 9/29/2011 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cloth.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 and an abrasive

(non‐metallic)scrubpad.

Savorizer®

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

food or grease from the Savorizer® before every cook.

A clean Savorizer® further reduces flare ups. Brush

or scrape any build up off of the Savorizer® with a

grillbrushorputtyknife.NevercleantheSavorizer®

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, confirm 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. Re move 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

G0970_C5_SN_01501_ACTIVE 9/29/2011 11

PeriodicGrillMaintenance

EveryUse Every3Uses OnceAWeek

OnceA

Month OnceAYear

ScrapeCooking

Grates

Checkgrease

pan/bucket

Wipedown

exteriorsurfaces

Scrapeoff

Savorizer®

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_C5_SN_01501_ACTIVE 9/29/2011 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‐up s,  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blad e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gatherings.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_C5_SN_01501_ACTIVE 9/29/2011 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_C5_SN_01501_ACTIVE 9/29/2011 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°‐650°

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°‐650° 3to4min./side 145to160

Hamburgerpatties

1/2"thick 

450°‐650°

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°‐650° 3min./side Medium160

PORK,Fresh    

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

11/2"thick

450°‐650° 3to4min./side

7to8min./side

Medium160

Tenderloin 1/2to11/2lbs.

450°‐650° 15to25min.total Medium160

Ribs

Patties,ground 1/2"thick 450°‐650° 4to5min./side Medium160

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

VG0970_C5_SN_01501_ACTIVE 9/29/2011 15

GrillingTimesandTemperatures



ITEM SIZE

CONTROL

SETPOINT

APPROXIMATE

GRILLINGTIME

INTERNAL

TEMP=°F

VEAL    

Chops,steaks 1"thick 450°‐650° 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°‐650° 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_C5_SN_01501_ACTIVE 9/29/2011 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

ProandBuilt‐InModels.

VG0970_C5_SN_01501_ACTIVE 9/29/2011 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.



• Grillcansmokeunattendedcontinuallyforupto48hours



• IfyouwishtosmokeatlowertemperaturestheMemphisProiscalibratedtoallowyoutogoaslowas180°.

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

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



 http://www.memphisgrills.com/recipesorourblogsite.



*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 VGB0001S4 Owner's manual

Brand: Memphis

Model: VGB0001S4

Category: Barbecues & grills

Type: Owner's manual

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Memphis VGB0001S4 Owner's manual

Memphis VGB0001S4 Owner's manual

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