Yesterday, I played a little game called "it can't be that bad" with my new TSM red roof. I just wanted to see how it works 'as is'. I made a batch of Sheboygan brats with roasted Pueblo green chiles, high temp cheddar cheese, c-binder and cure #1.
I purchased this appliance knowing I would have to make some modifications to get the unit i desired. I have read all the questions, reviews, Google search results, Facebook posts and BGKYSmoker's posts here and in other groups. I knew this smoker had issues but I purchased it because of the design, top loading feature, and USA build quality with the insulated double wall construction. I knew that this unit did not come with a PID controller and had a completely separate inkbird Bluetooth thermostat.
Now, to yesterday's adventure. As soon as I woke up I started the smoker and set the temp to 170 so i could do an initial burn off and monitor the heat cycles. As i finished with my brats, everything looked really good with maintaining temps for the first few hours. I was empty but everything was looking good.
As I finished up my batch of brats, I turned the temp down to 100° to do a hour drying cycle, everything went well. After an hour, all was dry but my internal temp was still a little low so I bumped the temp to 115. Then, when my internal temp was where I liked, i added the smoke pan just as the instructions stated....let the fun begin!!! The temp shot to max the burner was maxed and everything was soaking wet from the humidity. With the smoker controller temp at 130, I was getting internal chamber temps over 160. Condensation was dripping from the roof and the brats were covered in moisture. The chimney couldn't get the moisture of fast enough so i had to pop the top and let everything air out. Before anyone asks,yes the saw dust was barely moistened, no excess water in the pan.
At this point, I'm scrambling to get water to stop dripping and trying to control the temperature spikes because not only did i have water dripping from the roof, I started to have fat dripping from the lowest sausages. I grabbed my Bella cold smoke generator from my other smoker and had to cut the insulation and drill out the inner panel through the side port that is partially prepared for a cold smoke generator. Once I get that installed, I go back to my sausages that were hanging and cut and transfer them all to the racks. I put the low hanging sausage on the top rack. I started the smoke generator, removed the sawdust pan on the burner, closed everything up and tried to stabilize everything.
Temp at 150, spikes to 180+. Some cheese and grease dripping. I rotate racks constantly. Removed ones that were done and rotated lesser cooked one's down. 10 hours of fighting this smoker to keep the sausage from over cooking. Eventually set to 165 to finish the last batch but was getting spikes into the 190s. Even though the internal temp was under 150 on some, i called it a night and shut it down. There was grease and cheese dripping from some and others were around 130 internal, all on the same rack.
Did i save the sausage, yes. The only reason is probably because this isn't my first rodeo. The temp swings were impossible to predict. This appliance is sold as an electric sausage smoker, purpose built for the sausage maker. That is what should be delivered. Again I knew what it came with but the temperature spikes are unacceptable. There is better technology out there, why not install it at the factory so you really are building an appliance that produces great sausage, consistently?
If you've made it this far you were probably looking at this smoker for a couple of years, waiting till it went on sale and you had a little extra money, just like me. Realize you will have to spend even more money after the purchase to get what you actually wanted;
Circulation Fan Kit for Electric Smokers: $90
Auber WIFI Electric Smoker Controller: $250
Bella's Cold Smoke Generator-GEN2: $190
Hope this helps someone make a more informed decision.
Michael
I purchased this appliance knowing I would have to make some modifications to get the unit i desired. I have read all the questions, reviews, Google search results, Facebook posts and BGKYSmoker's posts here and in other groups. I knew this smoker had issues but I purchased it because of the design, top loading feature, and USA build quality with the insulated double wall construction. I knew that this unit did not come with a PID controller and had a completely separate inkbird Bluetooth thermostat.
Now, to yesterday's adventure. As soon as I woke up I started the smoker and set the temp to 170 so i could do an initial burn off and monitor the heat cycles. As i finished with my brats, everything looked really good with maintaining temps for the first few hours. I was empty but everything was looking good.
As I finished up my batch of brats, I turned the temp down to 100° to do a hour drying cycle, everything went well. After an hour, all was dry but my internal temp was still a little low so I bumped the temp to 115. Then, when my internal temp was where I liked, i added the smoke pan just as the instructions stated....let the fun begin!!! The temp shot to max the burner was maxed and everything was soaking wet from the humidity. With the smoker controller temp at 130, I was getting internal chamber temps over 160. Condensation was dripping from the roof and the brats were covered in moisture. The chimney couldn't get the moisture of fast enough so i had to pop the top and let everything air out. Before anyone asks,yes the saw dust was barely moistened, no excess water in the pan.
At this point, I'm scrambling to get water to stop dripping and trying to control the temperature spikes because not only did i have water dripping from the roof, I started to have fat dripping from the lowest sausages. I grabbed my Bella cold smoke generator from my other smoker and had to cut the insulation and drill out the inner panel through the side port that is partially prepared for a cold smoke generator. Once I get that installed, I go back to my sausages that were hanging and cut and transfer them all to the racks. I put the low hanging sausage on the top rack. I started the smoke generator, removed the sawdust pan on the burner, closed everything up and tried to stabilize everything.
Temp at 150, spikes to 180+. Some cheese and grease dripping. I rotate racks constantly. Removed ones that were done and rotated lesser cooked one's down. 10 hours of fighting this smoker to keep the sausage from over cooking. Eventually set to 165 to finish the last batch but was getting spikes into the 190s. Even though the internal temp was under 150 on some, i called it a night and shut it down. There was grease and cheese dripping from some and others were around 130 internal, all on the same rack.
Did i save the sausage, yes. The only reason is probably because this isn't my first rodeo. The temp swings were impossible to predict. This appliance is sold as an electric sausage smoker, purpose built for the sausage maker. That is what should be delivered. Again I knew what it came with but the temperature spikes are unacceptable. There is better technology out there, why not install it at the factory so you really are building an appliance that produces great sausage, consistently?
If you've made it this far you were probably looking at this smoker for a couple of years, waiting till it went on sale and you had a little extra money, just like me. Realize you will have to spend even more money after the purchase to get what you actually wanted;
Circulation Fan Kit for Electric Smokers: $90
Auber WIFI Electric Smoker Controller: $250
Bella's Cold Smoke Generator-GEN2: $190
Hope this helps someone make a more informed decision.
Michael
