Too smoky a taste

[pantry3cow]

I have a new Bradley BS611 which replaced a metal forge propane smoker but the last 3 times I've done ribs in the Bradley they have come out too smokey or bitter. I wonder if it's because of the pucks being auto fed too much. I'm not using the water bowl. I also have the vent on the top closed and am doing them at about 235*f.
I fill the hopper with pucks. Should I use less pucks? Should I open the vents. I've read about too much smoke but the pucks auto feed. Suggestions would help me figure this out. Oh, I used both just cook 8 hours and the 321 method.
I will look around the site to try to find out more . Great site guys enjoy it a lot.

 

[JckDanls 07]

although I've not cooked with your model of smoker.. I can tell you that your top vent needs to be left WIDE OPEN... If there is an adjustment for the speed of the puck feed then by all means slow that speed down ...

 

[pc farmer]

Yes keep the vent wide open. Keeps the smoke flowing nice.

 

[chef jimmyj]

Unless the Bradley has changed in the last 5 years, there is no adjustment. New Puck about every 20 minutes and they are nowhere near burned up. Considering Bradley is the sole supplier of pucks, I am surprised they don't feed a new one every 5 minutes! They would make even more money selling pucks.

The too smokey issue...Open the vent 100%. There are good and bad tasting components in smoke. You want the smoke to KISS the meat as it passes, not build up thicker and heavier and deposit all of those components on the meat...JJ

 

[phidelt1736]

Yeah you definitely need to open the vent to 100% and there is no need to burn pucks the entire time. Two hours (six pucks) is the max you'd need, once the meat gets to about 140 it stops taking smoke flavor.

 

[SmokinAl]

I have never run my smokers without the top vent wide open. I don't even know why they put a damper on there. I guess when you are not using it you can seal it up better by closing the top & bottom vents.

 

[chef jimmyj]

Smoke flavor is a personal choice and changes over time. My family was not a fan of heavy smoke years ago and now I get a hard time if I am disorganized and start smoking late and have to finish in the oven. I had an opportunity to test smoking a Butt for 4 hours verses my usual 10+ hours. Below is the result...JJ

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/139995/it-wont-take-no-more-smoke-after-4-hours-horse-hockey