If you see smoke or heat coming back through the hopper during or after cooking, this is called burn-back or backburn. While it can be alarming, it's manageable if you take the right steps.
⚠️ If you see active flames inside the hopper — do NOT open the hopper lid. Closing the hopper lid cuts off the oxygen supply, while opening it will feed the fire.
Why It Happens: Burn-back occurs when the fire travels backward through the auger tube into the hopper. This often happens when the grill is turned off improperly — like by unplugging it instead of using the shutdown cycle — while it's still hot, leaving glowing embers in the auger tube.
What to Do:
- Keep the hopper lid closed.
- If the controller is still responsive, run the grill's normal shutdown cycle — the fan will help clear heat from the auger.
- If smoke is coming from the hopper but no flames are visible, let the grill sit closed and cool down naturally. Turn the grill knob to the highest setting and keep the auger feeding until all the pellets are used up.
- Avoid pouring water directly into the hopper. First, remove the pellets from the hopper. Then set the grill to the highest setting and burn off the pellets in the feed tube. If there's a manual feed button, press and hold it until the smoke stops.
