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Problem with smoke
- Thread starter paladin
- Start date
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When you say "it smokes great", do you mean lots of billowy smoke ?
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I don't have your smoker but I'll try to help.... How ya tracking temp ? A stock therm on your smoker or do ya have an alternate therm ya use ? The reason I ask is some stock therms don't work well at all.... So if your smoker isn't smoking at the lower temp it could actually be lower than ya think it is, therefore possibly not getting hot enough to "smoke".... But when ya turn it up, it may be enough there in that difference from the 225-230* to the 250* to get the smoke going.... But my main point is, it may not be the temp your thinking it is & could be lower.... Just a thought as like I say, I don't have your smoker but maybe this could be of some help to ya !
Sometimes, a barely-visible stream of smoke is just what you want. A big cloud of smoke, especially if it's white, will produce a dark and bitter result.
Ok cool, common prob with folks going with stock therms & having issues... I'd do the boiling water & ice water test to ensure the probes are reading correct.....Like I say I don't have your smoker so maybe Demos or one of the other folks can help ya out ! Good luck to ya!
red dog
Smoking Fanatic
I have never had a smoke vault but have used other vertical propane smokers. With others I have used I had the opposite problem. They produced way too much smoke and I had to do some mods to fix the problem. I don't want to presume your experience level but if you are new to smoking you may be making a common mistake and expecting too much smoke. You want thin blue smoke. What form of wood are you using, ie chips, sawdust, or chunks? Are you soaking in water before using? How do you have your vents set? How much wood are you putting in and how long did it last?
paladin
Newbie
- Sep 17, 2011
- 8
- 11
OH!!!!!!!!!!! I guess I had it right the first time, uz I was getting just a very thin, almost invisible smoke. I was judging by the smokers I see billowing outside the butcher shop, which sells smoked meats that he has done himself. Right now I'm into the 3rd hour at 225-230 on a 7 1/4 lb butt. Thought I'd try to duplicate Jeff's "mistake" and take it up to 140 degrees at around 4-5 hours of smoke, then bring it inside, double cover it in foil, and set the oven for 230 and let it go, maybe overnight, to bring the temp of the butt to 205. What say the crew?
red dog
Smoking Fanatic
You want to get it past 140 in under 4 hours to be safe. What's your internal temp now?
paladin
Newbie
- Sep 17, 2011
- 8
- 11
I'll haver to do the ice water and boiling water to test the thermometer. Thanks for the idea. I putt the butt on at approx. 3:40pm. Smoker temp right now is 239, meat is at 131. I've only been smoking meat about a year, have made pulled pork, brisket, pade pastrami, and my last go was a pork belly of which I made bacon. Everything tastes good, but this is the biggest butt I've done and I'm eworried about getting it right. I surely do appreciate the help from those more experienced than me!
paladin
Newbie
- Sep 17, 2011
- 8
- 11
Just to follow up...kept the butt in the smoker at 235 until the IT was 140. Took the butt out, placed it in a 9x12x3 disposable aluminum pan (with the temp probe still in) covered it with foil, put it in the oven at 230. At 10pm, the meat had reached 207 degrees. Took it out of the oven and let it rest for an hour. Temp had come down to 190. Took the foil off, lifted the butt out of the juices onto a cookie sheet. Took me 3 minutes to pull the whole thing...meat just falling off the bone. Tender,and oh my, DELICIOUS. put the juices into a plastic container in the fridge. Tomorrow I'll skim off the fat and make a BBQ sauce based on the pork juices. YUUUUUUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM. I'll let you know how it works out, and next time I'll try to post some pix. Thanks for all the good advice......maybe I won't be a rookie for toooooooo long!
Wait, aren't you leaving something out of your story? The part where putting it in the oven made the whole house smell like Q and you had to stand with your back to the oven and beat everyone back with a broom until the meat was done.
bobank03
Smoking Fanatic
Sounds like it all came together in the end. No shame in finishing up in the oven. The pork only takes on smoke so long and after 4-5 hours it is at it's max pretty much anyway.
red dog
Smoking Fanatic
Great job! Glad to hear it turned out well. You be eatin good today. Show us some pics next time.
Clay
Clay
addertooth
Smoking Fanatic
Consider mixing in your captured juices with the meat while you are pulling it; it adds to the overall flavor profile. Another common trick is to make use of some of your left over rub mixed in with the shredded meat. If you double wrap your meat with foil (and make sure all the seams are on the top), you won't need a pan until it is time to shred the meat. Just be careful opening the foil (while it is sitting in a roaster pan) for the shredding; the juices are quite hot. I can understand why some people don't want to mix in the juices. When the juices are used as a base for a rue, and summer sausage is added in, it makes an amazing "smoky summer sausage" gravy. When the juices are added to honey, and boiled down it makes an incredible "sweet smoky glaze".
Sounds awesome, try to post a pic or two cause..... :th_nopicsye3:
And if there is no Q view, we may have to send this guy after ya.... :police2: LOL
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