Aluminum Foil

[Little Bear Game Farm]

Hi All!  I've searched on the forum some and read in a couple places that you may not need to wrap in Aluminum Foil when smoking in a Bradley.  Things I've read elsewhere have said to and I always have wrapped in aluminum foil for about the last couple hours or so on things I smoked in the past with my MasterCraft.  How do you guys and gals do it?

Also, searched all over the Minneapolis to Eau Claire, WI area to try to find someone that would have bisquettes for sale and everyone is out.  Called Yard and Pool and I guess there was a switch of plants.  When my buddy gave me the smoker, he had about a dozen oak pucks that are probably a year or so old.  When I got the DBS fixed last night and tried it, it charred the bottom of it but that was it.  Will these be OK to smoke a venison roast this weekend?

Thanks!

[KyNola]

Do you "need" to wrap meat in foil in a Bradley?  The answer is no.  But then again, you didn't "need" to wrap meat in foil in your Mastercraft either.  Foiling is a method to speed up the cooking process by steaming the meat in it's own juices along with any other liquid you may put in the foil.  You will find that the Bradley manual says not to use foil in the Bradley but what they mean is to not wrap one of the racks in foil where the heat and smoke can't rise.

Yes, those bisquettes are ok to use.

[beefmann]

x2.. could have not said it better

[Ka Honu]

That Paducah boy is one erudite sumgum!

[Habanero Smoker]

It is best to try to get those bisquettes to fully burn as intended. They will be alright to smoke with if they are in good shape. What I mean by that, make sure they are not swollen and will easily fit in the feeder tube and feed correctly. There are several things that can cause the bisquettes not to burn properly. First check and make sure the bisquette burner is clean. If not give it a good cleaning; that may resolve your problem. Isopropyl alcohol 70%, and a scrubbing pad works well. When cleaning don't use too much downward force.

If the bisquettes were not stored properly, the moisture content could be high. Some bisquettes such as the Jim Beam will often only burn at the bottom to mid center. Brian reported that at one point Bradley was compressing the bisquettes more, which may have caused the bisquettes to burn like that. Often if you are cold smoking, or the element is set at a very low heat, the bisquettes will not burn properly (especially if the ambient temperature is low).

[mow_delon]

Oak pucks always only half burn for me, too.  That why I don't use them, just seems like too much of a waste.  Oh, and I like Hickory smoke a whole lot better!

[Little Bear Game Farm]

I doubt they have been stored correctly but I need to see if the auto feed works correctly.  So, OU812's venison roast and some pheasant breasts will go in the MasterCraft ad I am going to put a turkey breast in the DBS.  Company coming over so I need to make sure the venison turns out.  Turkey breast is mostly going to go in soup so not as important.  I've never smoked with oak either, wouldn't be my first choice of flavor. But, maybe I'll be surprised and it'll become my favorite  ;D

FYI.. upon further inspection, the oak puck was charred most of the way up and some on the top.  I guess I was expecting a pile of ashes instead of a charred puck, but I'm thinking that is not the case with a DBS.  Maybe next time I grill I can throw the charred pucks on the coals

[Habanero Smoker]

Sounds like a good meal to serve.

A well burnt bisquette should be charred all the way through, and still hold together.

[seemore]

little bear. try scheels or Gander mountain  they should have pucks
seemore

[Little Bear Game Farm]

Never called those guys, good idea.  Think there is a Gander on the way to my sisters tomorrow.  Now I have a reason to stop there.  Thanks! ;)

[Tenpoint5]

If your in West Central Wis just hop over to Prairie Du Chein and stop in at Cabela's if they don't have it on the shelf they are a warehouse distribution point so they can bring you anything out of the catalog or online straight from the warehouse

[Pachanga]

Some of us prefer to smoke naked.

http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?775-I-Prefer-to-Smoke-Totally-Naked&p=1176#post1176

Pachanga

[watchdog56]

Gander mountain carry the pucks and here in Minnesota Mills Fleet Farm on Hadley Ave carry some pucks.

[Little Bear Game Farm]

Found some at the Gander in Woodbury.  Got apple and hickory.  Smoked a turkey breast with hickory yesterday and then made soup with it.  Really good, especially with the crusty bread  ;)