So, you’ve just purchased your Green Mountain grill, and now you’re ready for the first cook.
But then you realize you don’t actually know how to start your Green Mountain grill.
Or maybe you have already tried but still struggle with the right process.
Don’t panic!
As this Green Mountain grill is one of the most user-friendly and typically easy-to-use grills.
Using a grill the first time may take a while, as you’ll have to learn exactly what works for your grill and what doesn’t.
But once you get used to it, you won’t have a problem at all!
Let’s get to know how to start and light your Green Mountain grill.
Supplies You Will Need to Start a Green Mountain Grill
Once you have your Green Mountain grill there isn’t much else you will need to light it.
But, before you start your grill you need to gather the following supplies.
1.Green Mountain green pellets
If you are using your grill for the first time, it is suggested that you season it before cooking for the first time.
Seasoning a grill involves running it without any food in it the first time.
You do not need the grease bucket or grilling tools to season your grill.
How to Start Green Mountain Grill?
You can follow the below steps to start your Green Mountain Grill securely.
Season a new smoker
The first step in setting up a new smoker is to season it.
It usually involves a dry run without food.
It helps to cook off any residual oils from the factory and coat the inside with a thin layer of cooking oil.
It also prevents rust and makes it easier to clean in the future.
Allow to burn in the grill at 350°F for 30 minutes to get rid of any residue from the manufacturing process.
Always let the grill reach 150°F before adjusting temperatures.
Once your smoker is seasoned properly, your smoker is ready for cooking.
Make sure your GMG grill is clean
If you are using your grill for the first time, it should be clean already.
Nobody likes the taste of their last meal burned into their food the next time they cook on the grill.
So, clean your Green Mountain grill after each use, so you don’t get any unwanted flavors in your meal.
Plug in your Green Mountain Grill
You can’t cook anything on your pellet grill without plugging in the grill.
Don’t use an extension cord to plug in your grill.
Instead, plug it directly into an outlet for best results.
Your grill turns on when you depress the switch to the side with the line (-).
It turns off when you depress the switch to the side with the (o).
Fill the hopper with Pellets
Add wood pellets to the hopper on the side of the grill.
Use green Mountain grill pellets for the best results.
You should fill enough pellets to last you for the entire cook.
Otherwise, your grill will shut down halfway through due to insufficient fuel.
Green Mountain grill is designed to burn only food-safe hardwood pellets.
So don’t use softwood pellets or any other type of fuel.
Don’t add pellets to the fire pot directly while the grill is running.
Preheat your pellet grill
Preheating your Green Mountain grill is an essential step to ensure that your food cooks evenly.
Flip the power switch to turn the unit on, so it shows “off” on the digital screen.
Press the up-arrow button to start the grill. It will show 0 on the screen.
Now – press the up-arrow button once again to start the grill again.
The grill will go through the 0, 1, 2, 3 process and default to 150°F.
It will heat up to 150°F to preheat.
Always let the grill reach 150°F before adjusting to your desired temperature.
Add your meat to grill
Once your pellet grill has reached the right temperature, you can add your meat.
You have to wait for the initial burst of smoke to clear.
Don’t overfill the grill by adding meat.
Leave some space between the pieces of meat.
It allows the heat and smoke can circulate properly and cook your food evenly.
Ensure that the drip pan or grease bucket is secured in its place before you put the meat on the grill to catch the drippings.
Insert a temperature probe
Precise temperature control is key to getting the best cooking results from your pellet grill.
Insert a temperature probe into the thickest part of your meat to ensure that your meat is cooked perfectly.
You can use the Thermopro Smoke temperature probe for precise results.
By using a temperature probe, you can constantly monitor the temperature of your meat while cooking.
You can also make any necessary adjustments to ensure that it is cooked perfectly.
Instead of time, temperature is the best indicator of ‘doneness’ while cooking with a pellet grill.
Lower temperature is the key to maximizing smoke
Lower temperatures yield more smoke, so try to cook your food at around 165f.
This will give you the best results for smoking, and produce a delicious smoky flavor.
If you want to cook hot and fast, you can always start at 165f and then knock the temp up after the first one or two hours.
Shut down your grill properly
Shutting your Green Mountain grill down is essential for safety reasons.
Press the red power button to shift the grill into fan mode.
Do not unplug the unit till it has completed fan mode and the display reads off.
Fan mode is essential as it cools down the grill precisely and blows ash out of the firebox for your next cook.
Once the grill is cooled down, disconnect the power supply.
Store the grill in a safe place where it will not be damaged or come into direct contact with rain or snow
Below are a few of the steps to shutting down the Green Mountain pellet grill:
- Ensure all the pellets have been extinguished and the grill is cool to the touch.
- Remove the pellets from the hopper and store them in an airtight container.
- Clean your grill using a grill brush and soapy water and remove residue if any.
First Start-up of Green Mountain Grill
This process is a method to ensure the auger feeds pellets and primes the firebox.
You should perform these steps only on the very first startup or to fill the auger and recharge the firebox if the grill runs out of pellets during the time of cooking.
1.When you plug in the grill, the display will read off.
Press the red power button to turn on the grill, so it reads 0.
2. When the unit hits number 1 on the display, unplug the grill from the back and plug it in once again. The grill will read “off” on the display.
3. Press the red power button again to restart your GMG.
The unit will run through the 0-1-2-3 process and will heat up to 150°F.
4. Once your grill has reached the temperature of 150°F, you can adjust your grill to your desired temperature.
Understanding the Start-up Cycle
Start-Up Cycle of Daniel Boone, Jim Bowie, and Davy Crockett Green Mountain grill,
0 – It means the auger turns on and starts pushing pellets to the firepot.
1 – It means the igniter is turned on and begins to heat pellets.
2 – The combustion fan turns on to ignite pellets.
3 – The fan and igniter both establish proof of fire.
Green Mountain Grill Controller Functions
Daniel Boone and Jim Bowie
Display | Time | Auger | Igniter | Fan |
0 | 45 Seconds | X | ||
1 | 90 Seconds | X | ||
2 | 30 Seconds | X | X | |
3 | 30 Seconds | X | X |
Davy Crockett
Display | Time | Auger | Igniter | Fan |
0 | 60 seconds | X | ||
1 | 90 seconds | X | ||
2 | 30 seconds | X | X | |
3 | 30 seconds | X | X |
Green Mountain Grill Operating Tips
Setting the Temperature of the grill
Do not push any buttons on the grill until the computer completes the 0-1-2-3 cycles and automatically goes to 150°F.
When it reaches 150°F (66°C), you can change to your desired setting.
Time to reach temperature
When you first turn on the grill it will take about 15–20 minutes until it achieves the temperature you set.
Do not adjust the temperature until it reaches 150°F first.
The time to heat up of grill will differ based on the temperature of the climate you live in.
Grill temperature Control
You can set the temperature on the grill as low as 150°F or as high as 550°F.
Grill ready to cook
You have to wait until the grill heats up before cooking.
Aside from the soot contained in previous smokes, the grill will not cook evenly till it gets hot.
A slowly blinking light on the digital control panel specifies that the grill has attained the target temperature.
If there is no light it means the grill is still heating or cooling.
Heat Distribution
If you are experiencing larger left-to-right temperature differences, the heat shield can be moved along the belly of the grill left or right to assist with these differences.
The grill temperature will rise fairly quickly. The temperature falls much more gradually.
This happens because the fire should be kept going at all costs, which results in a fairly slow fall in the inside temperature of the grill.
Here, you can open the lid to let excess heat escape to speed up the process.