where did the smoke go??

[old golfer guy]

Did my first brisket on my MB 900 Fri. night. Started the 900 at 7:30 pm, plenty of smoke rolling.
Put brisket in when temp. of 225 was reached. Checked about 11PM and smoke still there but had slowed down some.
At about 1:00 am very little smoke coming out ant brisket has almost no bark. kicked temp up to 275, filled hopper with lump and oak and slept for a little. Checked again at 4 AM and still very little smoke and temp of brisket around 140 ( should have taken notes) Finally at 7:00 temp got to 160 and I wrapped, put in oven at 250 degrees. It got to 205 and was tender so was wrapped in foil and put in cooler with a couple of towels. Served 4 hrs later. Quests thought it was great but I kept mumbling about no bark. Sat. afternoon I started the 900 up again to smoke beans. Same thing happened again-- plenty of smoke for about an hr. then hardly any!!! Where an I going wrong? Only 3 smokes so far and they were great, burgers, reverse sear steak and hot dogs. Quick and easy and had plenty of smoke each time. But the long smoke left something to be desired.
Looking for all the help I can get.
Thanks

 

[JLeonard]

Not a pellet user, but from what I’ve read a lot of guys will add a pellet tube into the cook camber to increase the smoke. I’m sure others wit more knowledge will weigh in soon.

Jim

 

[mike243]

I think that is a gravity fed not a pellet smoker, is the wood store bought?

 

[Smokin Okie]

Are you loading the hopper with wood or the ash bin ? Or both ?

 

[babydocsmoker]

Are you loading the hopper with wood or the ash bin ? Or both ?

the okie knows!! Hopefully you're adding chunks to the hopper with your charcoal and intermittently adding more chunks to the ash bin. You actually have to add to the ash bin fairly frequently.

 

[old golfer guy]

Jim, That's why I bought the Master Built, wanted more smoke generated by wood.
Mike, the wood is oak splits bought from a restaurant suppler. I cut it into smaller pieces and put in the hopper and the ash bin. Have the LLS mode for the bin.

 

[JLeonard]

Jim, That's why I bought the Master Built, wanted more smoke generated by wood.
Mike, the wood is oak splits bought from a restaurant suppler. I cut it into smaller pieces and put in the hopper and the ash bin. Have the LLS mode for the bin.

Well choot! Didn’t think about what you said…..posting before thinking!

Jim

 

[jcam222]

Aside from no bark was there good smoke flavor? I think bark is more temp related than it is smoke volume. If the smoker is holding consistent heat I think your getting less smoke once the thing settles in and is burning efficiently.

 

[ross77]

I have a MB 560 and have smoked many briskets. I use B&B Oak briquettes and post oak chunks in the ash bin. I smoke typically @ 275 and wrap with butcher paper around 160 internal. I've never had an issue with bark or smoke flavor.

 

[Smokin Okie]

I have to guess that you're layering the wood chunks in the hopper. Do you empty the hopper and start fresh for each cook ? What I found, is no matter where the chunks were located in the hopper, the heat in the hopper turned them to charcoal. So I would start fresh with each cook.

You said you had the LSS mod in the ash bin, I'm guessing that's the one that keeps the chunks up out of the ash ? If so, those chunks will get enough air to burn in open flame and new chunks have to be added during the cook. Maybe every 15 to 30 minutes.

Also, when wood burns in open flame, its possible to get smoke so clean its almost clear. But if you put your hand over the exhaust your hand will smell of smoke. I get that on my offset when I'm burning really dry wood, like less than 10% moisture.

Gravity Feeds do better with wood that is in the 15% to 25% moisture range. Kiln dried wood will produce little smoke.

Bark is a product of your rub, smoke, and air flow. You did not say what rub you were using ? A course rub will build more bark than a powdery rub.

I did a rib cook on my Assassin 17 GF this weekend and I was adding chunks to the ash bin about every 15 minutes. I did not put wood in the hopper. These GF are not as " set and forget " as people think, especially those MB.

 

[Smokin Okie]

Here's the only brisket I smoked on my MB560, a cute little 9 pounder from Sams. I had no trouble getting great bark .

 

[old golfer guy]

S. O, yes this wood is real dry. Must have had it in the barn for at least 10 years. I cleaned out the hopper yesterday and found no wood, just lump. Thought I had added enough wood. Will make sure I start the next long cook with fresh lump and more wood.
Thanks