Getting too much smoke - Any suggestions

[357mag]

I just got my GOSM 34" Monday and I was really thrilled. Yesterday afternoon I got a 3# chuck roast and a 4# mini pork butt in to smoke so we could have supper for the next 2 days. I put the chips in the chip box and started up the smoker. When I went back out to check the temp to see if I could put the meat on, the thing was putting out smoke to beat the band. I mean it looked like the whole thing was on fire. There was no fire except for the gas burner, but man was there a lot of smoke. Within 40 minutes the chips had all burned out so I decided to soak some chips and try that. Well it took longer to get it smoking again, but once again there were great plumes of smoke coming out of that thing.

Well, the meat turned out great, but it had a strong smoky taste to it. Not unpleasant, but a bit more than I like. Any suggestions on how to get TBS instead of great clouds of thick smoke?

I used Hickory chips in the chip box.

 

[retread]

I don't know which GOSM you have, but if you have vents down low, at the base of the smoker, close them to the stops (about 1/4 to 1/2 inch open)

 

[culturedhick]

I also have a GOSM. I replaced the chip box with a 10" cast iron skillet. I fill it full of Hickory chunks and it works great for me. Make sure you fill the skillet. I only halfway filled the skillet once and the whole skillet caught fire.

God luck.

 

[357mag]

The one I have is the 34" single door with a single vent on the top.

 

[coffee_junkie]

Use chunks, not chips, like the size of half your fist (but small enough that you can still get the lid on your chip box), you can fill the rest of the space in there with chips if you like. Do not use the sawdust type made for lil chief smokers. I swear my soaking my chunks and chips for a bit before they go into the box. I just get a bucket and load it up with water and chips/chunks (enough for about 4 hours) and let them soak the entire time. I swear by it, if I don't I get fire. But I would start my getting the big chunks.

If you have fire you will see no smoke and hear your water boiling with temps in the 350+ range, been there done that!

 

[sqwib]

The one I have is the 34" single door with a single vent on the top.

You have the one with the small smoker box.

Are you using the smoker box lid?

Do a search for some mods others have done.

A quick fix is to use a cast iron skillet...I used a mini dutch oven

Try chunks.

I don't soak others do.

If you have chips to use up, wrap them in foil and poke several holes in the foil and lay inside the smoker box.

Here is a link I did to a TBS Post but it was for the Big Block, there may be something there to help you out.

Less is More
 

 

[jirodriguez]

Also make sure your top vent is all the way open. I know sometimes the instructions say to close it down, but that just causes creasote and stale nasty tasting smoke.

 

[mballi3011]

I have a GOSM small block and I chaged the chip pan really quick too. I used a chip pan from athe big green egg and it worke perfectly. Now I have the smoke vault 24" and it has a big chip pan. I also use alot of chunks too.