ECB Electric, not enough smoke taste + white smoke

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yoonj

Newbie
Original poster
Nov 9, 2010
6
10
Champaign IL
Hi, I'm a bit new to smoking food! But would love to get some advice!

I've been putting 4-5 chunks of hickory (near the element) every hour, and feel that the taste is not smokey enough.

But I've also been getting a thicker white smoke. It eventually dies down to what I think is thin blue smoke. Am I getting the white smoke because I have too much wood in there? I feel that if I put less wood, then I will get even less of the smoke taste. 

I have no temperature control on my smoker.
 
Welcome to the SMF.I'm sure you'll get plenty of good feedback real soon. BTW, I moved your thread to roll cal so that others can welcome you too.

I think 4-5 chunks is a lot of wood to use every hour. The amount of smoke is not always associated with the amount of flavor imparted on meat. It is possible to get a good smokey flavor with just a whisper of smoke. I'll let the ECB guys give you more detail on the issue. Don't fret, I'm sure there is a simple fix. It's all good my friend.
 
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First off Welcome Yoonj to SMF. Now I'm now a ECB gut either so I will just say welcome and let the other guys tell you whats up with your smoker. You'll like it here for there are alot of really good folks here that would just love to help you with just about anything to do with smoking. Now there are alot of proven recipes for some amazing things here too. So if you need sign up for the E-Course it's free and it will give you the basics of smoking and some good methods to use also. So the next big thing for you to do is go out and get you something to smoke and if you happen to have any questions just post it here and we will be happy to answer them for you.

Welcome To Your New Addiction          
 
Thanks for the welcome guys! I thought I posted an introduction of myself on roll call but maybe it didn't go through yet, cause it did said it was awaiting a moderators approval.
 
ECB users - help!  That is an awful lot of wood. 2-3 (2 oz)chunks would get my electric through a full smoke, fully loaded, and then some. brinkmann's manual recommends 3-4 chunks for the whole smoke.
 
I use an electric water smoker, modified. What are you smoking? If it's been poultry, was it brined? What kind of temperature is it putting out? Maybe your cooking too hot and it's getting done before a good smoke can set in? Also if you are using an electric water smoker, it won't get a bark or even much of the red smoke ring on the meat. Then there is the whole, to soak or not to soak the wood debate. I don't soak.
 
I use an electric water smoker, modified. What are you smoking? If it's been poultry, was it brined? What kind of temperature is it putting out? Maybe your cooking too hot and it's getting done before a good smoke can set in? Also if you are using an electric water smoker, it won't get a bark or even much of the red smoke ring on the meat. Then there is the whole, to soak or not to soak the wood debate. I don't soak.


Yes, more info please. Possible some bad wood, maybe Hickory is not your flavor. Temp smoking at is also important as Nat mentioned. Poultry does not have to be brined but cooks quickly. I usually do chicken at a lower temp so it can stay in the smoke longer. What size chunks are you using?
 
No matter what you use to brine, marinade, cure, baste...it all come's down to the wood and TBS.
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 Oh and temp, 250* +-.  Low and slow is the norm round here until ya talk turkey.
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Welcome to SMF, Glad to have you with us.
 


This is the place to learn, lots of good info and helpful friendly Members.
 


For those of you new to Smoking, be sure to check out Jeff's 5 Day Smoking Basics eCourse.

Click Here it's "FREE" ... 5 Day eCourseE
 
When I used my Brinkmann electric smoker for the first time I had soaked the hickory chunks for about an hour and then put them next to, but not touching he element.  Needless to say, they caught fire and smoke was just rolling out of the thing.  Opened the side door and seen that they were all burnt up.  So I took a non-soaked chunk and wrapped it in aluminum foil and poked some holes in it like the instructions advised.  That seemed to do the trick, no more thick bellows of white smoke, just the thin blue smoke like you want.  I am thinking that this might be your problem.  Good luck, and happy smokin'!

Brian
 
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