Another newbie: Questions after my first smoke

[DTAggie]

Welcome Ants, good to have another Texan on here.  ALWAYS preheat the smoker with the smoke generator on.  You should have no problem hitting 265* or higher within 30 minutes.  I place boiling water in a foil pan (do not use bowl that came with smoker) when I start my preheating.

When I do two slabs of baby backs, after the 2 to 3 hours they have already pulled back a bit and are ready to be wrapped in foil with  small amount of apple juice and back in OBS for 1 hour.  After that sauce them up and back in again for 1 hour.

After this they should be good to go.

Keep vent at least 3/4 open if not all the way.  No peeking during cook times as that adds time each time you open.  I have not modified my OBS and love it.

[Ants]

DTAggie: I didn't think about preheating with the smoke generator on... for some reason I linked the smoke generator to immediately generating heat...silly me.  I've already switched to foil pan and boiling water a la these forums :)

Maybe my thinking is flawed here but why open the vent on the OBS?  I understand it when we're dealing with fuel spark and air...but does the vent affect temperatures on an electric smoker?  I actually had it close to closed maybe 1/5th open.  When I freaked out about the heat coming back up too slow.. I closed it completely.

[Ants]

BTW Anyone using foil pan in tandem with the bricks?  I dont think theres space for that.

[TestRocket]

This is my setup from this weekend. I cooked my butt on the second shelf from the top and that's all I had in the smoker.

If I'm not using the foil pan I have one brick to the left of the small water boil and the second on the right side of the v-tray:

[Ants]

TestRocket does that mena you never use the lowest rack?

[GusRobin]

When you keep the vent closed you are retaining moisture, thus keeping the temperature lower. I always cook with mine wide open. Others go anywhere from 1/2 to 3/4 to full

[squirtthecat]

When you keep the vent closed you are retaining moisture, thus keeping the temperature lower. I always cook with mine wide open. Others go anywhere from 1/2 to 3/4 to full

Mine is fused 100% open...   Would take a jackhammer to move it.

[DTAggie]

Ants, Gus answered your vent question perfectly.  Contrary to what would seem logical, closing the vent leads to lower temp.  Another advantage of turning on the SG to preheat, when you do load your pucks after putting meat in (hit advance button three times to get a puck on the burner), the first puck will burn completely.  If you do not preheat, you will notice the first puck does not burn like the others.

[TestRocket]

TestRocket does that mena you never use the lowest rack?

I haven't used it yet only because I haven't had more then three racks of meat it at one time.

[GusRobin]

TestRocket- I notice the extra switch so I assume that you have the second element. Do you still need to use the foiled bricks as a heat sink? How much does it improve things? The reason I ask is that I have the 2nd element and have minimal recovery times and was wondering if the bricks provide any further value in that area.

[mow_delon]

Looks like most of your questions have already been answered, but I will still throw in my two cents.  I have been smoking for about 2 years and have made loads of assorted smoked meats.  I do not have a pid, though I can sure see advantages to having one, esspecially for smoking sausage sticks.  Ribs, however, are not very hard without a pid.  the key is to remember that the meat will tell you when it is done.  Ribs are done when they pull back from the bone.  I think that for a newbie to a Bradley, the 3-2-1 (which is always 3-2-2 for me) is the easiest way until one gets a feel for the smoker.  That is 7 hours and I have had really meaty spare ribs that took longer than that. 

As for the vent, open it!  As already stated, the moisture retention will keep the cabinet from getting to max temp and if the moisture is great enough, it will back up into your smoke generator and swell the pucks, which then won't advance and will burn up the push arm motor (actually strips the gear).  This happened to my smoker the first time I used it (THANKS AGAIN Bradley customer service!!!).

[TestRocket]

GusRobin, yes the switch is for the second element and I can't say if the bricks do or do not make a difference as I have been using them from the beginning. But I would guess that any added mass holding heat would be beneficial.  But I also would say that I would remove them it that were in the way.

[ArnieM]

Hi Ants,

Just a couple of comments.  I have a stock OBS.

My two foil-wrapped bricks are parked on the lowest rack.  I never use the lowest rack anyway.  They lean on the sidewall and slant inward so drippings are directed into the V pan.

I tried the foil pan for water and went back to the bowl.  My opinion is that the extra water provides additional heat sink but also provides additional moisture.  If you use the pan make sure you keep the vent wide open.

Try not to use an extension cord if possible.  If you must, make sure it's for outdoor use and is at least 16 gauge wire.  Keep it as short as possible.  Between the house wiring and an extension cord, you can easily go from 120 volts to 105 or so at the smoker.  That will definitely keep the heat down.

If adding a second heating element, the above goes double.  Make sure you're on a 20 Amp breaker.  It simply means the house wiring will be heavier, probably 14 gauge.  That means less voltage drop.

Don't be afraid to finish in the house oven or the grill once the smoke is done.

If you put everyone's comments together, you should be good to go.

[Ants]

Agreed! The wealth of knowledge from just a day has been amazing!

I plan on cold smoking some rib eyes tomorrow for grilling on wednesday.

I'd like to give ribs another go.  Do you guys think spares might be easier since they have more fat?

[classicrockgriller]

Ants, you need to make plans to come to the Texas Smoke Out.

Would love to have you be there.