Smoker Jerky Rack Stand

Smoker Rack Jerky Loading Stand

Updated July 2025 with a few added photos!

A great help to assist in loading hanging jerky strips for your Vertical Pit Boss Smoker

For that traditional Local Butcher smoke house Jerky Strips

After my first couple smoking attempts at creating beef jerky, I decided I needed something to help manage and make loading the smoker grates a bit easier.  I fought with arranging the skewers on the grates while while flat on a sheet pan and trying to feed the strips thru, space the skewers and keep things from a tangled mess.  Then I had the brainstorms of what if I could suspend the rack while loading.

I searched online for anything that I could use to no avail and frustration … 

So I created my own!

After hours of work, the Jerky Hanging Grate Stand was Born!

!!! CAUTION: These are grate loading aids and NOT meant to be used as stands in the smoker itself !!!

I printed mine in PETG to make it more food safe and stand up better for cleaning,  but I'm sure PLA would be plenty strong enough and would work fine.

It is only an accessory and not used for storing or serving so should stand up fine to normal hand dish soap cleaning.

This is created specifically for my Pit Boss Pro series 4 Vertical Smoker Grill Grates size

 made from 5mm +/-  enameled welded rods so I sized for that with a bit of slack figured in.

I included an extender spacer that should enable the stands to work with the 

Pit Boss Series 6 Pro Elite grates too.  

They add and additional 1.175 " to account for the slightly wider depth size of the series 6 grate.

The Original smaller leg clips fits my grate that is 13.125" in depth.

Profiles for both X1C and H2D 

Parts for this stand was printed on both the H2D and X1C

Sorry for those with the A1mini, but the bed size is just too small as printed.

However you could slice the legs shorter to fit your bed size

Stay Tuned for more photos in a couple weeks then next time I smoke more jerky!

Changing out the Bamboo Skewers for Stainless Steel 1/8" Rods was a game changer to add

Added Smoking capacity. The Bamboo was able to hold 13 strips, the Rods were able to hold 24.

at 6 skewers per rack that is a difference from 156 pieces to 288 pieces.

I happen to get a good deal on some 308 tig welding rods that I cut, bent to shape and pointed the ends.

The ones I found on amazon were just not sized nor shaped Ideally for my smoker needs.

With the wire rods, there is no added length to the handles and minimal cross-section while maintaining good strength. 

Maximizing the amount of strips you can load.

Everyone has different needs so find a style or create those to suite your requirements.