SmokeVault 24 - Smoking Times

[endo129]

Does anyone out there with a smoke vault (or any other vertical propane smoker without a separate door for the trays) find that it take a lot longer to smoke that "it should.?" I know there are many variables, but it seems to me that every time I smoke it takes a lot longer than it should, and I theorize that that is because I have to open the door every 45 minutes to an hour to add more wood, which the consensus here is each time I do that it adds 20 minutes to my time.

So, let's say I have a 5 lb butt. It should take, up to 10 hours. But If I open the door every hour to add more wood, it would take me around 14 hours or so.

Does anyone else find this to be true? I get frustrated and don't want to do it b/c I can't even get up at 6:00 am and get dinner ready for my family.

I did a 2.5 lb cut of brisket to test my chops and I had to pull it early after 7 or 8 hours on the smoker.

Am I paranoid, how do you make your smoke last more than 45 minutes to an hour?

 

[SmokinAl]

I use big wood chunks & they last about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

You could get an Amazen tube & use it instead of the chunks.

http://www.amazenproducts.com/Default.asp

Here is a photo of the chunks I use. I cut them out of splits with a chop saw.

2-23-16 5.JPG

• SmokinAl
• Jun 22, 2016

Hope this helps.

Al

 

[redrocker65200]

I have a smoke vault 18 and it does seem to take a bit longer. But i have not done any long smokes yet. I did a pork butt that I ended up having to finish in the oven due to running short on time. I buy wood chunks from the local hardware store, and they usually last between an hour and an hour and a half. My biggest problem is temp control. I try and get it at 250, but the temp will go from 220 to 260 if I don't watch it