no smoke ring in my baby back ribs

[ipleaseu]

Hey thre just bought my new smoker,,  what great technology.  2 questions though, firt: i smoked my ribs for 4 hours on the middle rack ( 4 rack ) and when i took them off and cut into them,,no smoke ring whatsoever, compared to my charcoal smoker?  Second ques. I originally set the oven temperature at 200 deg. hoping the internal temp would reach 200.  But it woul only go t about 113 deg or so.  So i raised the temp to 400 max, in hopes it would elevate the internal temp. It did but to only about 147 or so.  Will my bradley produce  a smoke ring?  And will the internal temp get any higher.  what did i do wrong? 

[Tiny Tim]

A few questions for you so we can help.  First, which model of the Bradley do you have?  Next, when you say "internal temperature", do you mean the IT of the meat or that of the Smoker Box where you put the meat?  Related to the last one, are you using another thermometer, separate from the Bradley, to take your box temp and meat temps?

As for the smoke ring, it is my understanding that the ring is caused by a chemical reaction that can't be achieved in the Bradley, but also does not add any flavor.  There's a post running around on here that tells how to make a false smoke ring by using Morton Tender Quick, but I don't have time to look for it right now...maybe somebody will link to it in a little while.

Welcome to the Bradley world, hope you enjoy using this machine.

[ipleaseu]

  Thanks TinyTim, i read about not being able to obtain a smoke ring. I understand now.  I am concerned about the internal temp. of the box.  I maxed out the oven temp to 320 and the oven temp would only reach about 160.  that was even after smoking for 4 hours.  I have the digital one, i think it is the BDS.  I don't have a seperate box thermometer.  Do you recomend i get one that allows me to not open the box to read?  However i do have aa probe for the meat that will operate outside the box.  Thanks for your help and hope to get more advice!

[Mr Walleye]

Hi ipleaseu and welcome to the forum.

When you first seasoned your new smoker did you have any problems maintaining temps?
Certainly depending on your climate 160 degrees after 4 hours would indicate there is a problem of some kind. when you were running it what did the display screen show on the smoke generator. The left side buttons and display run the smoke generator. The right side buttons and display run the main cabinet heater.

Another question is... did you notice if the heating element inside the cabinet was "red" hot?

Something else you didn't indicate is how big the load was. The size of the load will effect temps and recovery of temps. You also want to preheat both your smoker and the generator (without pucks).

Tiny was right on suggesting you use something like a Maverick ET73. It has 2 temp probes, one for reading the internal temp of the meat you are smoking and another probe to read the temp inside the main cabinet, It also has a wireless display that you can carry with you.

Mike

[Gizmo]

To add what Tim and Mike have stated, the temperature you are talking about -150 deg or so- sounds like the temp you would get from just the puck burner.  Since you are not getting an error message of E1 and you are able to set the temperarture of the controler, the sensor cable is connected and that would lead me to believe you do not have the power cord between the control box/smoke generator, and the oven.  Make sure your cable is connected at both ends securely.  As Mike mentioned, you should be able to see the heating element glow red hot.

[Habanero Smoker]

Just one other thought. You stated that you maxed the temperature out at 320°F. That is around the temperature that will trip the high limit sensor. I don't have the digital, but when that happens to the OBS, I just have to wait until the unit cools down. Maybe with the digital, you may have to reset the oven temperatures. Other have had an experience that instead to the sensor tripping it has burnt out.

To add information about using a false smoke ring, though a smoke ring does not add to any additional flavor, a false one will add a flavor similar to ham because of the sodium nitrite.

[ipleaseu]

  Thanks Walleye, i know the left side of the readout displays the internal temp.  I have not preheated the box, but i will.  And will check if the coil is red hot after preheating.  The size of my load...lol...it was only 2 racks of ribs.  Used my bubba pucks tonight for the first time,worked like a charm!  However i smoked 2 pork chops tonight as well, temp of the box wasn'tmuch over 130, smoked for 2 hours and 40 mnts.  I apreciate all the help i can get, thanks.