Wondering what P setting you should use for cold weather?
Below we have a detailed resource so you can understand the smoke setting and temperature control, for cold weather.
It might seem tricky at first, but once you read this you’ll master your Pit Boss!
Table of contents
What Is The P Setting On A Pit Boss?
The P setting button can be found on the control board screen.
It is a pause button used to control the grill’s temperature.
Pushing this button helps change the pellet feeding frequency by adding some time between the auger pellet cycle.
It is a manual mode to slow or speed up the auger pellet feeding cycles to neutralize the effects of external conditions on the grill’s firebox.
In simple terms, the P setting is an adjuster to make the feeding of pellets less frequent or more frequent.
This feature is great when using the smoke mode of your grill or when grilling with low-quality pellets.
It also makes the grill suitable for cooking during extreme temperatures such as high humidity, cold weather, direct sunlight, windy conditions, or hot temp.
How The P Setting Helps In Different Weather Conditions
The internal temperature of your grill is bound to fluctuate when it is too cold or too hot outside. This temperature swing can make cooking very challenging.
Setting the grill’s temp too low can lead to a flameout. Also, your meat can get overcooked if the temperature is set too high.
But by mastering the P setting in your Pit Boss grill, you can get everything under complete control.
This setting makes it easy to regulate the cooking and ambient temperature.
What’s more? You need to know how to use the P setting for various weather conditions. That will help you get an accurate cooking experience from your Pit Boss Grill.
How The P Setting Helps In Cold Weather Smoking
If you want your food to come out nice in cold weather, you will need to make some adjustments to your grill.
Understanding the amount of pause time for cold weather is very helpful here.
Another thing to remember is that your grill will consume more pellets when smoking during such weather.
That is so because it needs more fuel to maintain consistent temperatures.
Use A Low P Setting In Cold Weather Grilling
The default P setting on the Pit Boss grill is P4.
The temperature range for this factory setting is usually between 160° to 190° Fahrenheit. Using that is fine when you are cooking in a normal environment.
However, it is more challenging to smoke food on cold winter days. That is why is it important to get the settings right.
P2 or P3 is the best to use for grilling in cold weather.
Plus, the cooking temperature should not go beyond 225° F- especially if you want your meat to have a smoke flavor.
Using lower settings will cause the auger tube to feed less frequently, and thus the grill will become hotter. As a result, your grill will consume more pellets because of the high temperature.
So make sure you use a low P setting for smoking on cold winter days.
Pit Boss P Setting Temp Chat During Cold Weather
There might never be a need to change the factory default P4 setting of your Pit Boss grill.
If you live in an area like Florida and the temp does not fall below 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
But if you reside in colder places such as Chicago and experience average temperatures of about 52° F, the P3 setting is the best to use.
When using P3, the grill temperature will be around 170° to 195°.
The best way to master the P setting for cold weather is through experience.
You will have to watch the temperature setting from time to time and adjust the P setting accordingly.
The aim here is to achieve the right smoke level at an accurate temperature.
You can use P4 or P5 during hot weather cooks.
But to get the best grilling experience during cold-weather cooks, use the P2 or P3 setting.
Smoke On!
Charlie
Hi, I’m Charlie, I have been meat-smoking and grilling for the past 15 years. I have an array of different smokers, thermometers, and have a love for finding the right wood and charcoal combo My favourite recipes are my EXTRA CRISPY smoked pork belly, juicy pulled pork, smoked brisket, duck poppers, and ANY SEAFOOD I grill).
I loves sharing his tips with beginners, helping them navigate the world of smoking. I find it’s not just about cooking; it’s a quest for that perfect smoky flavor.
You will usually find me playing with the kids, perfecting my brisket bark, or sipping beers with boys around the fire. Can’t wait to share all my delicious smoking and grilling recipes with you!
You can read more about me on our About Us page.
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