vents

[dave01]

Hi all,
I see many of the recipes call for 1/8 or 1/2 to full open vent. When I did my fan mod I took my vent completely out, was that a mistake? Will I need to replace it for doing sausage ?
Thanks

[pensrock]

My vent stays wide open all the time. It does not matter if I'm doing cheese, sausage or pork butt.  :)

[ragweed]

X2

[KyNola]

You'll get lots of different answers about the vent question.

I removed the vent years ago.

[iceman]

You'll get lots of different answers about the vent question.

I removed the vent years ago.

What vent?  ;D

[smoke em if you got em]

I used to leave the vent fully open all the time. But then I bought a Con Yeager Trail Bologna kit and the instructions were different than anything I have ever tried. I followed the instructions exactly and I had good results. They were a little over smoked IMO at first and I hoped they would mellow out a little bit after sitting for a while, but they didn't.  So I cut the smoke time in half because the Bradley puts out a really intense smoke flavor.

Here is the way I smoke sausage now:

Stage       Time     Temp    smoke     damper
    1         1 hr.        140        off         open
    2         2 hrs.      140        on       1/8 open
    3         2 hrs.      160        off       1/8 open
    4    to IT of 156   180       off       closed

Then into an ice bath for about 15 minutes to get the IT down to 100.

Then hang to bloom for a couple of hours.

Here is a link with pictures. http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=35716.0


Mike

[GusRobin]

You'll get lots of different answers about the vent question.

I removed the vent years ago.

me too. Not sure I even know where it is.

[tskeeter]

Add me to the list of Bradley owners going ventless.  No vent since 2012.

[RedJada]

 There's a vent?

[WoodlawnSmoker]

Well, count me amongst the few that uses the thing, LOL.  I like to close the vent 1/2 - 3/4 while I'm smoking sausage, my misguided theory is that it gives them a bit more smoke flavour and colour.  While drying and during final cook it's fully open.  For beef roasts I'll close it a bit while smoking too.

For foods with lots of moisture like chicken I leave it fully open.  It seems to be against the grain for most forum members but I like to close it a bit if I'm looking to retain moisture in the food.

[Habanero Smoker]

I wouldn't call it a mistake, but the vent can be useful especially in colder climates.

You can count me in also, as one that finds the vent settings very beneficial. When I had a single element, when most of the moisture was expelled; especially with chicken with skin, towards the end of the cook I would begin using a smaller vent opening, and would find the heat would increase. Even now, with my second element I will still use the vent. I find that my temperature controller works a lot better with the vent 1/2 - 3/4 open. As long a condensation does not form inside the cabinet, the steam already created by the heat will not cause your cabinet temperature to drop.

[cajunboudreaux]

No Vent here... Done been gone for years.