Propane smokehouse help.

[oklahomajoe]

Ok, so I built a smokehouse a few weeks ago. I am using a low pressure propane burner with a black iron pot on top, with the chips inside. I put a lid on the pot and barely crack the lid. This allows for great smoke flow through my smokehouse.

So yesterday I lit the house to smoke for the first time. I had a hard time keeping my smoke make up. Temps were no prob, but I tried wood chips, wood chunks, soaked chips, or soaked chunks. The dry chips or chunks kept catching fire in the pot. But using any of the chips or chunks, it was like it would char the outside of the wood and then quit smoking. I know there was plenty of wood left to those chunks, but they would smoke no more. So I had to keep adding chips and chunks, which wasnt a problem, but that meant I had to keep opening the door.

So Im looking for a solution. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Another forum member, I think "Tha Doc" told me before I finished my smoker, I would need a smoke daddy, and that might be my best bet.

So let me know what Im doin wrong.

THanks,

Oklahoma joe

 

[scpatterson]

I have the same set up and had that happen myself but not so much that it was an issue. I did like you and used wet, and dry.....

I found that whenit woudl stop smoking and I had wood left then it was only the top wood and if I cranked up the heat a bit it would finish the wood. I bought a stanless steel smoke box at lows yeterday to try. Its long and metal thinner so Im thinking it will help. Im gonna try it out again tomorrow and let you know

 

[mballi3011]

I hope you guys get this worked out so I can build my plywood smoker. Now I have tried to low temp smoke in my Smoke Vault and I had a heck of a time getting the chips even to light and start smoking. I ended up using a plumber's torch to light the chips and chunks to get any smoke at all.

 

[hounds51]

Just a thought either you are not getting enough draft, or a negative draft (i.e blow back)
My smoke house unfortunally is built backwards (can't help the design of the hillside). Any way when I try to cold smoke, and the wind is comming from the west, its almost impossible to get a positive draft. Sometimes if I put a heat source to it I can achive a positive draft, but if I would turn the heat up too much it would not be a cold smoke.
There is a great book that gives you design info and tips I think its called something like Great smoke house designs I think its written by the Morianiski brothers.
Sorry I can't help more
Dennis