Pit Boss · Accessories
Pit Boss Cold Smoker Attachment: Install and First Cold Smoke
The cold smoker attachment generates smoke without heating the cook box above 100 to 120F, unlocking salmon, cheese, bacon, and jerky. Install runs 30 to 45 minutes, uses the side cutout on compatible models. The one install mistake to avoid: oriented the flue tube wrong, which backs smoke into the hopper instead of the cook box.
By Reed · Updated November 9, 2026
What you need
- Phillips and flat-head screwdrivers
- The cold smoker kit with mounting hardware
- High-temperature silicone sealant
- Dry wood pellets or wood chips (varies by cold smoker model)
Step by step
Verify model compatibility and locate the side cutout
Open the cold smoker kit, hold the mounting plate against the grill's side. It should align with the factory cutout. If there's no cutout on your model, the attachment doesn't fit.
Remove the side cutout plug
The factory plug is secured with two Phillips screws. Keep it — you'll reinstall if you ever sell the grill.
Mount the cold smoker plate with gasket
Apply the included gasket between the plate and the grill wall. Hand-tighten four bolts first, then torque in a cross pattern to prevent warp.
Install the flue tube with the correct orientation
The flue tube routes smoke from the cold smoker into the cook box. One end has a chamfer — that chamfered end goes INTO the cook box, not into the smoker. Reversed orientation pushes smoke back into the hopper.
Seal the perimeter with high-temp silicone
Run a bead of high-temp silicone around the mounting plate perimeter. Let cure per the silicone's instructions (typically 1 hour) before first use.
First cold smoke test
Load the cold smoker with dry pellets or chips per your model. Light per the attachment's instructions. Within 10 minutes, smoke should visibly fill the cook box without the controller showing any temp rise.
Common mistakes
- Skipping the gasket. Without the gasket, smoke leaks at the mounting plate and never reaches the cook box efficiently. The gasket is mandatory.
- Running the main grill at the same time. Cold smoking is incompatible with active main-grill cooking. The cold smoker provides smoke; the main grill is passive (powered off).
Hands-on tips
- Pellet-cold-smoker attachments produce lighter smoke than wood-chip variants — pick based on flavor intensity you want.
- Cold smoking in ambient above 75F raises the cook-box interior into the "warm smoke" zone, which still works for bacon but not for cheese.
- Cheese cold-smokes in 2 to 4 hours; bacon in 6 to 12; jerky in 4 to 8 depending on strip thickness.
Questions people ask
Can I use the cold smoker attachment on a Navigator 850?
Not with the standard kit — the Navigator's side cutout is different. Pit Boss sells a model-specific variant; verify the part number before buying.
Does cold smoking void the warranty?
No, as long as you use the official Pit Boss cold smoker attachment on a compatible model. Third-party side-cut modifications would void warranty.
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