8
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, fill the
hopper with pellets that are dry and in good condition, start the grill, and operate at
450°F with the hood down for 45 minutes. After burn-off, you are now ready to start
enjoying your Memphis Wood Fire Grill!
Starting Your Grill
It is recommended practice to go through the Periodic Grill Maintenance (pages 20-21)
procedures frequently. This will ensure proper ignition of the pellets and is part of the
normal maintenance procedure. Start the grill per the instructions found in detail in this
manual. If the grill fails to start, it is most likely due to a dirty or plugged Ignitor and/or a
burn pot obstruction blocking the igniter air passages. (Refer to Using Your Memphis
Wood Fire Grill on page 14 for cleaning instructions.)
Hood Position
Always cook with the hood CLOSED, except when using the Direct Flame insert. Cooking
with the hood closed keeps the temperature even and cooks the food faster while using less
fuel. 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 pellets
overloading the burn pot.
Instead of frequent, visual checks of your food and/or the use of a Memphis ITC Meat
Probe is recommended. This tool can be routed under the gasket. See “Memphis ITC
Meat Probe” on page 16 for further instructions on the use of a meat probe.
When using the Direct Flame mode, the hood should be closed during ignition and warm-up
to 400 degrees, with the Indirect Insert placed in the Savorizer®. Once the grill is at 400°F,
the Indirect Insert can be replaced with the Direct Flame Insert and the grill mode can be set
to Direct Flame Mode, where the lid must be left open for the duration of the cook.
Read Prior to Initial Startup
