Key Takeaways
- One grill for the smoke and the finish: The Pit Boss 150 pellet grill runs from 180°F to 500°F and is #11 in its bestseller category. It’s the only full grill in this week’s pool.
- Best sear surface: The Camp Chef 14 x 16 cast iron griddle has a grill side and a griddle side, which gives you a hard crust on a lean backstrap.
- Weber hand tools are the top sellers: The Weber Precision spatula and the Weber barbecue mitt both rank inside the top 25 of their categories.
- Cover the pellet grill before winter: The Traeger Pro 780 full-length cover is made for that one grill, and that tight fit keeps out the wind and the wet pellets.
In a lot of West Virginia houses, the freezer talk starts around the third week of October. Bow season has been open since late September, somebody in the family has already filled a tag, and now the backstrap is in the fridge and nobody wants to ruin it in a pan that’s too hot. Backstrap is so lean that a few extra minutes take it from rosy to gray.
That’s why a pellet grill works so well for it. You smoke it low until the middle hits the low 120s, then sear it hot over cast iron to finish. Reviewing this week’s garden and grill deals for WV Finds, I saw a clear pattern: Pit Boss and Weber filled most of the pool, mostly with covers and small tools, and the Pit Boss 150 was the one full grill that was selling hard.
So this week’s list follows the backstrap cook from start to finish: one grill, a probe, two ways to sear, the hand tools, and two covers for when the November rain shows up. Prices verified October 20, 2026.
Which pellet grill handles a venison backstrap?
A small pellet grill is enough for a venison backstrap, because a backstrap cut in half fits on almost any grate. The Pit Boss 150 is the grill in this week’s pool, and it’s also the size I’d want for a WVU tailgate grill setup.
Pit Boss 150 Pellet Grill
The Pit Boss 150 runs from 180°F to 500°F, so it covers both ends of a backstrap cook, and its flame broiler handles the hot finish. With 256 square inches of grate you’ll probably cut a whole backstrap in half, and on long smokes you’ll be refilling the 7 lb hopper. It’s #11 in its bestseller category, and it’s the grill I’d send a hunting buddy with a small porch to.
- 180°F to 500°F temperature range
- 256 sq in cooking space
- 7 lb pellet hopper with flame broiler
Pit Boss RTD Temperature Probe
This is the genuine Pit Boss RTD probe with a push connector. It’s the sensor the controller reads to hold the grill’s temperature. If your Pit Boss has started swinging wide or throwing temperature errors, check this probe first, and make sure your model uses the push connector before you order.
- Genuine Pit Boss part
- Push connector
- Grill temperature sensor
What’s the best way to sear a backstrap after smoking?
Use a very hot cast iron surface and give each side about a minute once the inside reads in the low 120s. You can sear on the pellet grill at full heat, but a griddle or a dedicated sear grate gives a harder crust.
Camp Chef Cast Iron Griddle
The Camp Chef CGG16B is pre-seasoned cast iron, 14 x 16 inches, with a grill side and a griddle side and 224 square inches of cooking area. Put the griddle side up on a cranked grill or a camp stove and the backstrap browns edge to edge. The molded handles help, but this is heavy iron, so wear a real glove to move it hot.
- 14 x 16 inch, 224 sq in
- Grill side and griddle side
- Pre-seasoned with molded handles
Weber Gourmet BBQ System Sear Grate
This Weber sear grate fits the Gourmet BBQ System on Weber charcoal grills. It’s for people who smoke on pellets and finish on a kettle. A sear grate over a full load of charcoal gets hotter than most pellet grills, but check that your kettle grate takes the Gourmet BBQ System inserts before you order.
- Gourmet BBQ System insert
- For Weber charcoal grills
- Black finish
Which grill tools help when handling venison?
A wide spatula and a meat hook do most of the work, because a whole backstrap is long and sags when you lift it from one end. Weber has the two best-ranked tools in this week’s pool. Our mountain cabin gift guide with grill tools has more ideas if you’re shopping for a hunter.
Weber Precision Spatula
The Weber Precision spatula is stainless steel with a beveled edge on three sides, so it slides under a seared backstrap without tearing the crust. It has a non-slip soft-touch handle and a hanging loop, and it goes in the dishwasher, which helps once venison fat sets up on it. At #25 in its category, it’s the most practical tool on this list.
- Stainless steel, 3-sided beveled edge
- Non-slip soft-touch handle
- Dishwasher safe with hanging loop
Cave Tools Meat Hooks
The Cave Tools set has two right-handed food flipper hooks, one 17 inches and one 12 inches. The long one keeps your hand farther from a 500°F grate when you turn the thin tail end of a backstrap. Left-handed cooks should skip it, but it’s #26 in its category, so plenty of right-handed folks are buying it.
- 17 inch and 12 inch hooks
- Right-handed design
- Pack of 2
Weber Barbecue Mitt
The Weber barbecue mitt is black cotton with a foldable cuff, a hanging loop and the red kettle stitched on, in one size that fits most hands. Cotton is fine for lifting a lid or pulling a grate for a second. I wouldn’t use it to move a hot cast iron griddle, so get something heavier if you plan to do the Camp Chef sear.
- Black cotton with kettle embroidery
- Foldable cuff
- One size fits most, hanging loop
Pit Boss Folding Side Shelf
The Pit Boss Deluxe folding side shelf gives you prep and tool space next to the grill and folds down when you don’t need it. A backstrap needs five or ten minutes of rest off the heat, and a shelf right beside the grate is the right spot for that. The name points to the Pit Boss Deluxe line, so check that it fits your model before you buy.
- Folding design
- Grill prep space
- Tool storage
Pellet grill covers for a West Virginia winter
A pellet grill needs a cover more than a gas grill does, because wet pellets swell in the auger and turn to mush. Traeger and Weber both have model-specific covers in the pool this week. If your grill sits on a ridge, our post on grill covers that stay put in the wind goes into more detail.
Traeger Pro 780 Cover
This is Traeger’s own full-length cover, model BAC504, made for the Pro 780. A cover cut for one grill fits closer than a universal one, and that close fit keeps a hard wind from getting under it and lifting it off. It’s #293 in its category, which is good for a cover that fits only one grill.
- Model BAC504
- Full-length coverage
- Made for the Pro 780
Weber SmokeFire 36 Inch Cover
Frequently asked questions
What temperature should I smoke a venison backstrap at on a pellet grill?
Most cooks run the pellet grill at 225°F to 250°F and pull the backstrap at 120°F to 125°F inside before searing. After the sear and a short rest it usually lands around 130°F to 135°F, which is medium rare. The USDA’s safe minimum for whole cuts is 145°F, so decide where you want to land.
How long does it take to smoke a venison backstrap?
At 225°F, a backstrap usually takes 45 minutes to an hour and a half, depending on how thick it is. Cook to internal temperature, not to the clock. An instant-read thermometer or a meat probe tells you when to pull it.
Should I wrap a venison backstrap in bacon before smoking?
Bacon keeps the outside of a lean backstrap from drying out, but it covers up some of the smoke flavor. Bacon also won’t crisp at 225°F. If you wrap it, finish on a hot griddle or sear grate so the bacon cooks through.
Do I need a cover for a pellet grill in West Virginia?
Yes, if the grill lives outside. Moisture swells the pellets in the hopper and auger, and that can jam the feed. A model-specific cover like Traeger’s BAC504 fits closer than a universal cover and stays on better in the wind.
Discounts this week ran from 30% to 57% across the ten picks. The Cave Tools hook set was at the top of that range, and most of the Pit Boss items sat right at 30%. Among the trusted brands, the deepest cuts were the Weber mitt at 45% and the Traeger Pro 780 cover at 43%, and none of the original prices in this group looked padded to me.
My honest take: a good week for accessories and a thin one for grills. The Pit Boss 150 is the standout, because it’s the only full grill in the pool and it’s in the top dozen of its category. The Weber Precision spatula is the small buy I’d make whatever grill you own, and the Weber sear grate is fine but narrow, so I’d only get it if your kettle already takes the Gourmet BBQ System inserts.
Rifle buck season opens the Monday of Thanksgiving week, and after that the grill gets more use than it did all summer. Covers usually drop again before Black Friday, so waiting a few weeks on one is fine, but if your Pit Boss is already throwing errors, don’t wait on the probe. You can browse all deals anytime, and if somebody hands you a backstrap this year, cook it low, pull it early, and don’t walk off and leave it on the grate.
