Author Topic: New Smoker/conundrum (Read 268 times)

Gunslinger · « **on:** June 12, 2005, 04:40:03 PM »

Got me a new smoker for my birthday (as a gift from my mom) and I have a decision to make wether to take it back or not.

I got one of these:

It went together well and is well built but while smoking a 5lb whole chicken yesturday I ran into a problem.

While smoking the chicken the smoker itself smoked well BUT it ran WAY to hot the whole time. (around 275 to 300 degrees) I had the burner on low the whole time. I even added ALOT of water to the pan the whole time to keep it cool.

would a bigger water pan lower the internal temp?

I was thinking that maybe I did not have enough meat in the thing and that's why it ran hot. I had the vent on the top open full the whole time and it was in the wind but it ran hot.

NOW, here's the funny part. I checked ALL of my thermometers in a glass of hot water and ALL of them were close. The thermometer on the door was reading 275-300 while an oven thermometer inside was reading 200-225 (perfect). WICH ONE IS RIGHT? Was the door mounted thermometer fudged up by being on the metal door??????

The chicken turned out ok. The breast was a little dry but the rest was good. Am I going to have the same problems when I just want to smoke ONE rack of ribs?

Should I try and mod this thing to work better or just take it back and get something else.

The reason I like it is because it is one of the few smoker varients that run off of propane vrs. charcol

The reason I don't like it is listed above (running too hot)

what to do?

Lizking · « **Reply #1 on:** June 12, 2005, 04:46:11 PM »

Wind + open vent = more heat.

Gunslinger · « **Reply #2 on:** June 12, 2005, 04:49:08 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Lizking
Wind + open vent = more heat.

Even for the top vent?

Silat · « **Reply #3 on:** June 12, 2005, 04:57:35 PM »

Yes.

Open is more air hence more heat

But get your self a polder style therm and check the interior temps on each level. The door therm isnt accurate.

Gunslinger · « **Reply #4 on:** June 12, 2005, 05:05:01 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Silat
Yes.

Open is more air hence more heat

But get your self a polder style therm and check the interior temps on each level. The door therm isnt accurate.

question:

Can Install a thermomter on the OUTSIDE that is accurate that way I don't have to keep opening the door to check?

Waffle · « **Reply #5 on:** June 12, 2005, 05:39:26 PM »

how do you smoke with propane?

Gunslinger · « **Reply #6 on:** June 12, 2005, 05:54:53 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Waffle BAS
how do you smoke with propane?

it's quite easy actually. The burner on the bottom heats up the smoker tin (big metal box) at the bottom. The wood inside starts to smoke.

Chairboy · « **Reply #7 on:** June 12, 2005, 05:58:39 PM »

You need a remote probe thermometer, kinda like this:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00046YFHE?v=glance&vi=manual-submit

You can put the thermocouple inside, run the wire through the door and read the display outside.

Toad · « **Reply #8 on:** June 12, 2005, 06:14:05 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Silat

But get your self a polder style therm and check the interior temps on each level. The door therm isnt accurate.

Silat's got it.

I'd even say the door thermometers are notoriously inaccurate.

There's great Polders out there. I think the even have one with a wireless probe now.

Lizking · « **Reply #9 on:** June 12, 2005, 06:17:02 PM »

I smoke on a regular gas grill. Did today in fact, jalapenos, onions, tomatos and corn. You use only a portion of the burners, and make a "smoke-pak" from tinfoil filled with soaked wood chips. 5 hours at 200 degrees, with moderate smoke, um-um good.

Gunslinger · « **Reply #10 on:** June 12, 2005, 07:28:55 PM »

hmph.....well then it's settled I'm keeping it.

Aside from the temp. thing it performed very well. My wife is ordering me this tomorrow
http://www.hsn.com/cnt/prod/default.aspx?pfid=273137&club_id=273137&sz=10&sf=RW001&rdr=1&cm_mmc=ShoppingEngine*Froogle*rw001*273137

got it from the brisket thread. Figured $17 can't go wrong.

Thanks for the help though.

PS

Would it hurt to put a bigger water pan in this? The one in there isn't all that big, it only holds about an inch of water.

Toad · « **Reply #11 on:** June 12, 2005, 07:32:42 PM »

That'll do nicely, Guns.

Just don't crimp the cable, that's the weak spot. Consider feeding it in through the vent up top and keeping the unit itself as far from the heat as possible.

Oh, yeah.. don't soak the cable either. Ask me how I know.

Silat · « **Reply #12 on:** June 12, 2005, 07:34:44 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Gunslinger
hmph.....well then it's settled I'm keeping it.

Would it hurt to put a bigger water pan in this? The one in there isn't all that big, it only holds about an inch of water.

I use a pan filled with sand then covered with foil. Great heat sink it is:) No muss no fuss. But Im using a wood burning smoker.
YMMV!