First ECB pork loin roast, disaster, I think!!!

[smokindummy]

ECB won't stay above 200 unless you keep adding wood and keep the door open so it gets air. ECB instructions say not to let wood touch element. Well I have been feeding that thing all day just to keep it going. Is it alright to let the wood touch element? Another thing is I have gone through a big bag of misquite wood chunks. Put this 3.5lb roast on at noon and took it off at 5 at 170 degrees (internal)and it is in the cooler as we speak in foil. Is a person better off just using charcoal and taking the element out? The element sits on all that lava rock which is going to be really dirty now that I have piled wood on the element all day. Please help!!!

 

[sumosmoke]

You've mentioned "element" several times in your post. Did you have an element in there that wasn't being used, or was it hooked up and being used and still not maintaining the temp?

If you were using the element as a heating source and couldn't get the temp to go above 220 then it sounds like there is a problem with the heating element itself. Are the lava rocks under there as a heat source?

You want to add enough wood to generate the thin blue smoke (picture of it in my sig line) that is the sweet cream of smoking meat. Just because you don't see puffy white plumes of smoke doesn't mean you don't have enough wood on the fire. Last question - did you soak the wood before using? If so it may have taken longer to heat up and also may have reduced smoke from being produced ...

 

[flash]

I am assuming this is an Electric ECB. Most I heard of were capable of 250º smoking temps, but alot depends on ambient conditions, length of cord, diameter of cord used. I would look at some of the mods, a rheostat is a must. I have taken my charcoal ECB up to 450º

 

[pineywoods]

I like Flash am assuming this is an Electric ECB and I would think it should produce more heat than that unless the ambient temp is low in which case a welders blanket may be needed. You shouldn't need to heat it with wood only produce smoke with wood and suggest after figuring out the heat you use a cake pan with chips set on the element

 

[bbq bubba]

Is this electric??
Your temp gage is WRONG....get a probe on the grate if you want the temp but i'll tell ya right now, they run about 240* all day long.
Small wood chunks go between the element rings, 2 or 3 at a time will work fine.
Put hot water in the pan to start or just use sand, better for heat loss.

P.S., this unit doesn't eat wood, sounds like your using the element to burn wood??? Doesn't work that way!

 

[smokindummy]

SO JUST THE LAVA ROCKS AND THE ELECTRIC ELEMENT WILL RUN AT 240? I PUT A THERMOSTAT IN THE LID(DRILLED AND PUT ONE IN) AND IT IS WHAT I AM READING. I WILL TRY SOME MORE SMOKING TOMARROW, IT JUST SEEMED I USED A LOT OF WOOD FOR A 3.5LB ROAST TODAY! THANKS FOR INPUT

 

[smokindummy]

NEW ECB, ELECTRIC, LAVA ROCKS FOR A HEAT SOURCE, IT WAS A WINDY DAY TODAY ALSO. I DID NOT SOAK THE WOOD BEFORE SMOKING. PROBABLY WIND FACTOR TODAY, WILL TRY MORE TOMARROW. I WAS USING THE WOOD AS A HEAT SOURCE TODAY SO I HAVE A MESS TO CLEAN TOMARROW. THANKS

 

[bbq bubba]

Dude.....read the instructions!!

 

[notaregift]

the instruction says not to let it touch the element so you shouldn't let it touch.

 

[crockadale]

There should not be a need for Lava Rocks.

1. Read the instructions.

2. Read BBQ Bubbas post

3. Read the instructions.

4 Read BBQ Bubbas post.

 

[jakesmith]

Seems to me you got a couple things you can do. I'd take out the lava rocks, those are for grill'n not smoki'n. I understand what they are used for (keep temps more constant) but use a water pan. You can get temp consistancy and keep moisture in your smoker so the meat dont dry out. Electric heating elements will definately dry out the air inside your smoker.

Next try a run without any meat in it. Try to get the smoker up to 220-230 range without any wood in it. Just the element going (for the heat source) and a water pan. If you cant get the smoker up to 220-230 range and keep the temp constant you've got a problem somewhere. Could be your thermometer. Good way to check is put in a pot of boiling water. The thermometer should read 212 (give or take a few degrees depending on your elevation above sea level). If that is ok, then you've got a heating element problem and hopefully its still under warranty and you can take it back and get a replacement.

Key to remember in an electric smoker is the electric element provides the heat. The wood provides the flavor. Put small pieces in a cake pan on top of the element is all you need.

Good luck

 

[smokindummy]

EXTENTION CORD I WAS USING WAS A PIECE OF JUNK, THERMOSTAT I PUT IN SMOKER IS OFF, CLEANED UP THE SOOT FROM YESTERDAY DISASTER, PUT CAKE PAN WITH CHUNKS ON ELEMENT AND IT IS SMOKING AS WE SPEAK. MY PORK ROAST TURNED OUT PRETTY GOOD YESTERDAY THOUGH, JUST USED A BAG OF WOOD IS ALL. I WILL GET THIS FIGURED OUT, THANKS FOR THE REPLIES THOUGH.

 

[pineywoods]

Remember you don't need alot of smoke Thin Blue Smoke is the best if you can't see it but you can smell it thats enough. To much wood can give you a creosote taste
Glad you got it figured out

 

[orlandocreative]

And meat really only absorbs "smoke" for the first few hours. If you are cooking with electric heat, no need to add more "flavor" wood after that.

 

[SmokinAl]