Pellet Tray -vs- Pellet Tube ~ How Do Smoke Amounts Compare?

[thirdeye]

If you would like a comprehensive review of the tube and how I use it click on the link in my signature.

I read that shortly after you published it, and used a vintage meat grinder, then found a $10 blender and have it. All very good info indeed.

 

[zwiller]

And even though I like to cold smoke hams, I will do a couple of hours of hot smoke so I can finish to a ready-to-eat temperature. My bacon is a true cold smoked product, and some batches never even see 55°F.

Mind if I ask how much smoke time on your hams and bacon? Curious if you go beyond 12hrs.

 

[indaswamp]

I have the tube, but only use it for cold smoking And I use wood dust packed in tight for a 10-12 hour burn overnight in my smokehouse. I have tried it with pellets and the smoke was too white and would not burn down to a thin blue smoke. I love the tube with dust though.

I hot smoke with fist size wood chunks. I use the propane burner to moderate the temps.....I am basically cooking with wood though.

 

[thirdeye]

Mind if I ask how much smoke time on your hams and bacon? Curious if you go beyond 12hrs.

I cold smoke bacon from 8 to 12 hours on day 1, then wrap and refrigerate overnight, then repeat on day 2. I have done 3X cold smoked bacon at 8 hours each day for 3 days.

I usually do hams over two days, the first day is at least 8 hours of cold smoking, then a refrigerated rest overnight. The next day is closer to 4 hours of cold smoke, than 2 or 3 hours of hot smoke. If I can't get 150°ish during the hot smoke I move them to a 200° oven on convection. I want the hams to be ready-to-eat even though I generally do a light fry on it.

 

[zwiller]

Many thanks Wayne. I will have to try longer next time. I have not been impressed with the results of my bacon or hams. Looks pretty and all but fall short in taste.

 

[indaswamp]

I cold smoke bacon from 8 to 12 hours on day 1, then wrap and refrigerate overnight, then repeat on day 2. I have done 3X cold smoked bacon at 8 hours each day for 3 days.

I cold smoke my bacon 32 hours with dust in the tube....8 hours X4 nights. The rest in the refrigerator really pulls the smoke in deep into the slab.

 

[normanaj]

I love the tube with dust though.

Works like a charm with dust.

 

[thirdeye]

I had to hold off a couple of days because the Mountain West is having a heat wave. We've been in the mid-60's the last couple of days.

So I lit the new pellet tray at 1:30 am when the temp was 34° and it's chugging along just fine on it's first burn smoking some loin hams. I do believe it is making less smoke than my tube, and I'm getting good burn time. I'll probably pull the hams before noon, then put them back in the smoker this evening for round two.

 

[chopsaw]

Mountain West is having a heat wave. We've been in the mid-60's the last couple of days.

I was wondering where these mid 70 temps came from .
Be watching to see what color you get .

 

[zwiller]

Looks good! Warm front hit here too but mostly gone. Next run probably a loin is gonna be 3 x 8hr pellets and bump to cook on last day.

 

[thirdeye]

Looks good! Warm front hit here too but mostly gone. Next run probably a loin is gonna be 3 x 8hr pellets and bump to cook on last day.

If everything works as planned, after the Friday night smoke, I'll go into my Big Chief for a couple of hours Saturday morning. That will bring my internal to over 100°, so I'll need a little oven time to hit 145° ish.

 

[thirdeye]

I may have spoken too soon....

Between 7am and noon, my pellets died 3 or 4 times. A re-light was no big deal but I don't know if the 'altitude' problems I've read about got me, or my drum did not have enough draft. We had no wind, which is rare. So..., since I'm doing another overnight smoke on the loin hams, I'm going back to my tube and will experiment with the tray another day. I got 10 hours of smoke time today, and will shoot for another 8 to 10 hours of cold smoke tomorrow, then a hot smoke in my box smoker.