Hello all from Toronto Canada!
I just received a DBS last weekend for my birthday. Awesome!! I also began reading this forum and I have to say it is the friendliest, most helpful and supportive forum I have ever read.
Over the last three days I have smoked catfish, snapper, trout and some chedder cheese. The fish is in the freezer and the cheese is wrapped and in the fridge. It should all be good to try by this weekend from all I have read on the forum. I can't wait!!
The only negative thing I have found so far is the search engine, LOL!
Question #1: Is it common for some of the bisquettes not to completely burn before they are pushed off the burn plate into the bowl?
Question #2: How do you keep the temp constant with the DBS? I set the temp to say 160 F and it goes as high as 179F before shutting off and cooling to 156F before turning on again to get back up to 160F.
Well thats it for now. I'm going to try making Indian Candy this weekend and Kummok's hot smoke salmon receipe!
Stay safe all and keeeeeep smoke'n!
Canucklehead
I can only help on Q1, but I'm not sure what you mean by "not completely burn". The bisquettes/pucks burn until completely black (usually) before being pushed into the drink, so they won't be just a pile of ashes before the next puck takes it's place on the burner...unless you're down to the last 3 pucks that you loaded. The last 2 need a helping hand to get to the burner plate, using either "Bubba Pucks" (or similar item that won't burn), or just reach in with a gloved hand and push them ahead manually.
The dbs do tend to fluxuate temps a bit .Its just going to take a lil getting use to.Just make sure your internal temps reach the right temp and all should be ok.Remember most food only needs 4-5 hrs max of smoke.So the rest of the time its just cooking low n slow.Thats my 2 cents.Have fun. ;D
Hey Tiny,
What I mean't by not burning completely was that one or two of the pucks still had unburnt wood in them either the center or the whole top. These weren't pucks at the end but rather in the middle area of my smoke.
Thank you for your reply and help...
Ice,
Hello and thank you for your reply. I use two temp probes in addition to the oven temp guide. One for ambient air in the smoker and the other for the food. Still it all turned out really well so far. I used the DBS to cold smoke the cheese and it never got higher than 72F. ( I had to try a little bit two min ago and it was awesome!! for having sat for only about 17 hours...)
Keep safe and Keeeeep Smoke'n
Canucklehead
Okay. Advance timing is probably a little off. I don't know how to fix that, though, sorry.
I never really look at my used pucks...just dump 'em in a snowbank to make sure they're out. :D (course I've only had my Bradley since January of this year)
A couple of bubba pucks will help you on the unburnt wood. I think we have all had that little problem.
nepas
Hey canucklehead do you play hockey.If so where and how old are ya.Nothing like playing a lil rat ice in the am and then smoking some ribs that afternoon.If your problem persist with the puck advance call bradley.There customer service is great.You wont have any problems with them at all.
Welcome to the forum CanuckleHead, Happy Belated Birthday, and congradulations on the wonderful gift. :)
Thanks Tiny!
Ice, I do play but I was in a pile up on the 401 at the end of December 06 so haven't played much this season. Plus I'm a goalie and I need new pads as my old ones fell apart! That will be $2500.00 and thats not even brand new stuff! Sucks to be me... lol... Of course I do have my lovely new smoker to pick me up now... I'd play in and around Milton/Mississauga in the over 35 crowd.
I will be ordering a couple of those Bubba pucks and a drying rack from Chez Bubba asap... Though my problem isn't that the pucks aren't feeding correctly. A couple are just not burning completely before moving into the bowl.
Thanks for the info though NePa...
Thank you as well Wildcat for the B-Day wishes.
Pm me with your address and ill get some hockey pucks sent your way.I mean wood pucks.Lol Serious i have no problem helping out a old hockey smoking buddie .Even if your a goalie i understand lol.If ya want the puck pm me and ill pass them your way no charge.Welcome to the fourm and have fun smoking.ICERAT OUT.O I am a center and still play with guys in the ahl leauge and a few of the red wings on there off season.Its a good time playing with guys of that calibor ;D.OK RAT OUT...
CanuckleHead, great Bday gift! Welcome to the forum!
CanHead,
I too have a DBS and have seen unburnt pucks. I have never been able to determine which puck it was that was unburnt. I suspect on the couple of occasions that is has happened, that it was probably the first puck and I didn't preheat the BS with the puck burner on. That would make the most sense to me as the burner may take a while to heat up enough to actually start the burning process and if 20 minutes is timed on the tight side, several minutes less (while it heats up) could leave some wood left unspent.
I have never seen the DBS not drop a puck exactly on the 20 minute mark but then I have never validated the 20 minute mark is actually 20 minutes. Guess someday I'll have to break out the atomic clock if the unburnt puck problem shows up any more. :D
QuotePlus I'm a goalie and I need new pads as my old ones fell apart!
Hi CanuckleHead and welcome to the forum. I used to be a field hockey goalie as opposed to ice hockey which I presume you are talking about.
One thing was the same and that's the price of the kit, around £1000 / $2000 a time and it doesn't last that long if you are doing the job properly. Fortunately I had some sponsorship for much of my 30 years between the sticks but it still proved mighty expensive!! :-[
Of course we played with (our) balls rather than pucks! ;)
Thanks WestCoast!
Thank you too Gizmo! Your info lined up with what I basically thought. I think turning the burner on with the preheat might be the key! Although it has been at least two pucks that don't burn completely. One of which for sure was in the middle of my last smoke. I think I will just have to monitor it as it is still early and I have only used my DBS twice now. Thank you again and let me know how that atomic clock thing works out... Lol...
Manxman! I've read lots of your posts. I know what you mean about field hockey... I've played a game here and there. Always played out though and not in goal. Rufffffff game! Especially if you play mixed (men/women)... As to your balls I'll leave that to you... lol... Did/do you play much football? Rugby? I'm an Arsenal fan and I still play a little rugby. Take care and thanks for your post.
QuoteManxman! I've read lots of your posts. I know what you mean about field hockey... I've played a game here and there. Always played out though and not in goal. Rufffffff game! Especially if you play mixed (men/women)... As to your balls I'll leave that to you... lol... Did/do you play much football? Rugby? I'm an Arsenal fan and I still play a little rugby. Take care and thanks for your post.
Hi Canucklehead,
Yeah, played football, rugby, basketball and cricket (if anyone has heard of it on the other side of the pond!) predominantly but field hockey was the main passion and the one I was best at IMHO, played to a reasonable standard. And yes.... mixed hockey is the worst. Blimey.... I've met some scary female hockey players in my time!! :o
Don't get to do much sport nowadays, 30 years of throwing myself around has taken it's toll with injuries and aches and pains. Hope to be around for another 30 years at least so decided it was time to treat my body with a bit more respect!
Sorry to hear you are an Arsenal fan :D ;), I'm a Manchester City fan myself!! :-[ :-[
Take good care.
Wow! an Arsenal supporter from accross the pond! :o West Ham here, no jokes please they're going through a phase atm, a bad phase ::)
Played a lot of football in my younger days, also a bit of rugby, i guess rugby is similar in some ways to american football, except there's less padding in rugby, i used to have the bruises to prove it. Played a little hockey and hurling in my schooldays, remember getting pretty bashed about , definately not for the feint hearted ;)
ICE HOCKEY IS THE ONLY HOCKEY OUT THERE. ;D ;D ;D Didnt know there was another lol.Rugby haha lets see guys rolling around in mud ???.Or getting hit in the corner by a guy skating 25-30 mph :P.Hummm .Ice Ice baby.The real mans sport. ;D
CH,
For the middle puck not burning through, did you have a cabinet door opening at the middle time? Probably a streach that a door opening for rotation or a spritz of AJ would cool the plate down enough. On the other hand, maybe they are just some saw dust particles with extra binder (if it is used) or higher density that takes it longer to burn through. I haven't worried about it yet as the amount for me has been pretty slim and plenty of smoke is going through. I had been keeping my pucks vacuum sealed so I know for me it was not a moisture thing.
If the problem gets worse or persists on every smoke, I would recommend a call to the friendly Bradley Smoker help line for some assistance/advice.
QuoteWest Ham here, no jokes please they're going through a phase atm, a bad phase
Hi LS,
Mmmm .... I feel slightly better about being a MC supporter now. Only a little mind! ;)
Interestingly there was a guy who used to post here a lot called JJC from the US side of the pond. John is a massive soccer fan, we had a few interesting exchanges about it! ;)
Seem to remember him saying his son had a trial with one of the Championship teams? Also his wife played ladies soccer.
Heck of a nice bloke.
QuoteBlimey.... I've met some scary female hockey players in my time!!
QuoteThe real mans sport.
That was one of the problems! "Ball crusher" Beryl and "Nut cracker" Kate were more masculine than many of the blokes!
Gizmo,
I did check inside a couple of times (couldn't help it...) Just not very long though, only a couple of seconds. I think they might have been a little denser than the others though so that may have had something to do with it. Still, there was plenty of smoke and it all turned out great! My cheese is awesome! Thanks again brother.
Manxman... My maaaan! Manchester! Ooooooh.... I've seen a bit of banter on the forum in the past. Fun. WestHam LilSmoker?? Some people are just a glutten for punishment... LOL... I didn't really get into your football until my 20's and by then I was in the army with the artillary. So, of course I had to be an Arsenal fan. I played 14 years of NorthAmerican football too. I've played almost everything. I played alot of basketball in Highschool and the millitary as well as broomball. Have to say though Ice hockey and basketball are my passions to play and soccer/football is a close second. Although with age I find more of my time spent on the golf course and in front of the dart board with a pint in hand cursing about my skills ( or lack thereof )... Lol!
Yes Rat we all know that there is no harder, more punishing sport than ice hockey... So really though, tell us how you really feel... Lol... I can say that ice hockey is all of the above cause I have played almost every contact sport there is (even Aussi rules rugby, 3 broken noses). Like Rat said its the speed of the game on such a treacherous surface that brings into play so many skill sets and a concentration that is unreal at the higher levels (semipro, pro).
Well take care all and thanks for the help and conversations.
CanuckleHead