Everything smoking...meat smoking !! Tips, tricks, and recipes + (poll added)

First smoke on the new grill. 11lb shoulder went on at 0730 when I got home from work. I need a nap but ill check it soon. Just got my new camp chef sg yesterday so I haven't used it yet, pulled pork is easy enough to start with.

 

Easy and a good item to season the grill with...good luck!

 

Great first run piece of meat. Congrats on the new smoker. Almost time for a brisket.

 

I said "Gonna make a warm bagel and smoked turkey sammich..."
She said "Eat the hard boiled eggs from Easter"

Marriage preserved...Given the Easter reference, I think this is a match made in Heaven. Everyone stand back, it's going to be messy.

 

Depending on the flavor I think next time I will start with "low smoke" which is around 180° for the first hour or so, then go up to "hi smoke" or around 220 for the rest of the cook. It seems to have more smoke and more consistent smoke on low. So far so good, temps are accurate and holding.

 

Smoke will go up/down as the auger adds pellets to the hot box. Also, check the height of your chimney; if too open you could be letting more smoke out than you want.

 

Thanks buddy. That explains the intermittent smoke. I'll tighten down my stack a bit too, maybe she's gaped a bit too much

 

When I first started I was pissed that I didn't see a ton of smoke come out like a charcoal smoker. Unfortunately it's the ebb and flow of the probe working with the auger. In summer open up the stack a bit and close more in the winter. Also, when funds allow, get yourself the blanket for the winter. Best money spend for long smokes when cold out.

 

Hey Sean, one thing about pellet smokers is they usually have a little bit of a less Smokey flavor than some traditional smokers. Like offset, gravity smokers, etc.... My wife loves it as it is not as harsh and usually smoother than some other smoking methods.

One thing I noticed is it took about 5 or 6 good long smokes to get me pellet grill fully seasoned and a good coating in it. Little grease here and there does wonders! My buddy that has a camp chef said the same thing. After about 5 or 6 good cooks more flavor starts to come in!

That is the great thing about a pellet grill is you can lay down, take a 3 hour nap and everything will be just fine! Set and forget!

 

+1 on the blanket. Especially where you live Sean it will come in handy. I know of a couple people that have them and they really make a difference in colder climates.

 

Been trying to find out how the gap of the chimney effects the smoke! Colder you want it more closed and warmer want it more open? I knew there was something when it had like 2.5" of adjustment. Thanks for the info man!

 

@COMiamiFan is the master meat smoker!

 

Uh . . . no. I've done OK but by no means am I a master. Not even a pro. I would say 1 step above noob.

 

Idk man I hear stories, all good of course. The boys all say you smoke meat like no other.

 

Actually question. I have been going at high smoke, so 220 for almost 12 hours. Meat is to 174 and looking great but from the looks of it. Im gonna burn a full pellet hopper/20 lbs of pellets!!! That seeks excessive to me. It has been 38-48°, intermittent sun and windy today. I think I may need that blanket sooner than later, it'll pay for itself quickly. Real deal smoker blanket for this unit or a welders blanket? Also maybe seal the door opening? I can see heat and smoke escaping there.

 

Not an insult, I think I do pretty good too. But @RLHOK appears to be the master of the home smoker.

 

This. I thought the smoke from my previous electrics was perfect and from my newish pellet smoker was too light. My wife thought it was good. I did notice the last time I smoked something that it had a better smoke flavor, according to me. That was after about 10 smokes. Keep in mind that I have a vertical smoker, not a grill style. One thing I did change the last time, I used the smoke setting for a bit before I cranked it to 225, I think an hour, but I'd have to check my notes to be sure. It adds to the cooking time, but might be why I got more smoke flavor.

 

I have an AMAZEN smoke tube/tray I can add for more smoke, which I will definitely do on some cooks. Its for pellets but I use dust and it can smoke for 6+ hours which is awesome. I used it in my masterbuilt electric smoker exclusively rather than having to keep load the chip tray, worked out great for that application, we will see how it does here

 

I got one, different brand, based on Rich's recommendation. I haven't used it yet. I'm trying to find the right process without it. I will use it to make cold smoked cheese when the weather is a little warmer, so that's a bonus.

 

I have cold smoked water with mine. Sounds dumb til you freeze it into cubes for your bourbon I have to try cheese one day

 

I heard about that and then forgot it. I think I might try it this weekend.

 

Wrap it and finish in oven at 300*. It’s 9PM over there. Just bring it in at this point.

I always smoke for the next day for that reason; you never know how long it would take

 

Can’t argue that.

 

Cheese is fun.

The kids love it. We did it a couple times in spring or fall, when it's cool out.

It's the perfect temp here to do it. Maybe next weekend.

This is the tutorial I used. http://www.nakedwhiz.com/smokedcheese/smokedcheese.htm

 

On a pellet smoker not much. There is a fan that is blowing air into the burn tray to control the temp. If it senses the smoker temperature is dropping, it will speed up the fan to increase air flow, then tell the auger to put pellets in the burn pot creating heat. That is why you really do not see any pellet/ electric smokers with the baffle on the exhaust. It is not there to really control smoke as much as it controls temperature which is controlled by the fan, auger, and electronic board. Pellet grills want an open exhaust as the key to them is air flow circulating so a baffle in the exhaust would be counter productive.

On a normal charcoal grill, drum smoker, offset smoker, the baffle can have a bifg effect on temps.

Let's say you have a normal Weber kettle charcoal grill or let's say a ceramic style cooker Big Green Egg. Fill up tour basket with charcoal and light it. If you run the bottom vents wide open and the top vent wide open, they will get 700 degrees plus hot. Now if you close the lower vents and top vent so just a 1/4" is open, they will sit at 225 to 250 all day long. You can run the bottom baffle barely cracked on the egg, exhaust baffle wide open and the egg will run 350+.

The baffles on both top and bottom control temp more than they do smoke.

Go out to YouTube and look up UDS or upright drum smokers. They are 55 gallon drums with two inlets at the bottom of each side, one exhaust On top. There are videos showing how guys control temps by closing and opening the intake and exhaust baffles.

 

Yeah I wrapped it at 170 and then ran outta pellets. It's in the oven now.

 

Blanket will go a long way. Sorry about now finishing first smoke on the grill. Same happened to me. I was up until 12am dealing with it.

 

I agree that 20lb. Of pellets seem a little excessive. My Yoder is suppose to be pretty high consumption wise and I go through probably 12 to maybe 15lbs. Over a 12 hour 250 to 275 smoke.

With that being said, I would try to seal it up first. I would also look into a blanket for it. Although I have to admit..... After looking at the Camp Chef blanket I am not sure how much it will help. I have seen some others with much more coverage to them.

https://www.campchef.com/smokepro-2...MIkrH23ujw6AIVD1YMCh3QUg95EAAYASAAEgJkX_D_BwE

 

Gasket and blanket ordered before I ran out of fuel lol. I'll be ready next time. And no shame in finishing in the oven.

I threw some brats on it for dinner tonight and they came out great, while the pork cooked away. I cranked up the heat for a few minutes while they cooked and I slid the heat shield over. They cooked up nicely. Once I figure this thing out I am sure I'll love it.