Not impressed yet

Grillin and Chillin · July 06, 2005, 06:10:33 PM

I started this thread because I was disapointed with the performance of my Bradley to this point.[V]

However, this has turned out to be "All you ever wanted to know about chickens, but were afraid to ask"[:0]LOL

Really great info on poultry. Keep up the good work

Fur & Feather Outfitters
Archery Assault Team

Phone Guy · July 06, 2005, 11:32:09 PM

Sorry to go on...
About your BS, I hope you find some information that helps you have a better experience with your smoker.

Fuzzybear · July 06, 2005, 11:33:02 PM

Well, gee........I guess that answers that!

Good info on the red bone...I've notice it also but as long as blood wasn't running out and the juices were clear I didn't give it much thought. I go to 165 degrees with my yard birds.

"A mans got to know his limitations"

Grillin and Chillin · July 06, 2005, 11:52:25 PM

Am I the only one who has had the problem of the pit temp being at least 255 when cranked wide open but when putting quite a bit of meat in, the temp never got over 200 afterwards?

I thought I had read where somewhere on these forums where guys were cooking several butts at temps like 210 to 220. However, I cant' seem to reach those temps with meat in the smoker.

Am I missing something?

Fur & Feather Outfitters
Archery Assault Team

Oldman · July 07, 2005, 02:30:45 AM

I hate to say this but I have no problems hitting 275 F. before I add the meat.

Olds

Habanero Smoker · July 07, 2005, 03:10:50 AM

I smoke at 200 - 210 F; and only have problems reaching those temperatures when I have a large load of chicken. On the other hand, I have never had more then two trays full with red meat; usually consisting of 1 butt, and 1 brisket.

BigSmoker · July 07, 2005, 06:10:59 PM

I have no problem hitting 275°f either. I normally don't cook more than a couple of items at a time either.

Jeff

Some say BBQ is in your blood, if thats true my blood must be BBQ sauce.

MallardWacker · July 07, 2005, 09:15:54 PM

G and C,

Just a few of my mis-guided and somewhat boring uniformed thoughts here.

I am sorry for your disappointment, nothing worse than a bum smoke.

First I have always noticed that when doing chickens and I fill my BS up, I do notice that the temp of the BS does take a long time to come up to temp. I believe this is because of the amount of moisture that the birds give off when smoking. I know this doesn't help you out. Yes I do believe it should come up to temp faster. For some reason I don't experience this with another type meat.

Secondly, that was heck of a lot bird carcass you had going at one time and coupled with above for mentioned theory I think this where you disappointment came from.

This probably won't help your feelings at all but sometimes packing out the BS may not be the way to go. I know it seems like you should be able to but personally I wouldn't recommend it.

I don't know what to tell you but I too (and all of us on this forum) have found these type of limitations with the BS. This however doesn't nullify what the BS can do, and do very well. I love my BS. It has allowed me to enjoy things I never could before with such consistency and flavor.

SmokeOn,

mski
Perryville, Arkansas
Wooo-Pig-Soooie

If a man says he knows anything at all, he knows nothing what he aught to know. But...

Grillin and Chillin · July 07, 2005, 09:57:28 PM

Thanks Mallard, your repsonse made the most sense to me.

I'll just keep smokin' and see what happens

Thanks again

Fur & Feather Outfitters
Archery Assault Team

JJC · July 08, 2005, 03:19:48 AM

Hi G+C,

I think Mallard and Hab were saying pretty much the same thing, but I wanted to add one thing for you to consider, especially when smoking large amounts of moisture-laden items (ie, fowl). A number of use put a brick or three (brick in this case is a generic term--could be a typical red brick, or a fire brick, or even apporp[riately shaped rocks) in the bottom of the smoker to act as a heat sink. Perhaps if you pre-heated the BS with as many bricks as you can get in there, you would be able to achieve a bit more heat. It's tough, because the boiling point of water is 212, so if moisture is the culprit then it's hard to go above that temp until most of the moisture is gone, but at the very least you will get much better heat recovery when you do have to open the door at 4 hr or other times. HTH

John
Newton MA

Grillin and Chillin · July 08, 2005, 03:41:36 AM

Well prior to my chicken extravaganza, I had done only one other smoke. It was a 5 lb pork tenderloin and I didn't have any problems.

Oh well, I guess I'll just have to smoke something else and do some more research. [:D] Guess I'll have to do some more "product" testing and send up some smoke.

Thanks everyone

Work is for people who don't hunt

Chez Bubba · July 08, 2005, 04:57:42 AM

Mr. Flay, or can I call you Bobby?[:)]?,

You're not using an extention cord are you? The outlet you're plugging into isn't on the same circut as a refrigerator or a washing machine? The Bradley will heat up pretty hot with nothing inside, but when you cram in a ton of food will take very long to come up to temp.

If I smoke a butt for Anne & I, it will be done in 5-6 hours. When I do 4 at a time for the parties, it will take 12-16. (Or 26 when you accidentally position a butt on the 2nd rack so when it cooks, the bone expands out & pushes the door open.[B)])

Meat mass is a whole lot different than air & the recovery time can drastically differ. Our big smokes when we pack in 35-40# per need at least 4 hours for the cut up & smaller stuff, up to 6 hours for the pork loin.

HTH,

Kirk

http://www.chezbubba.com
Ya think next time I check into a hotel & they ask "Smoking or Non?" they would mind?

Grillin and Chillin · July 09, 2005, 01:27:54 AM

(spoken as they would say Norm! on Cheers)Cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeezzzzzzzzzzzzz!!!!!!!!!!! I thought you'd fallen off the face of the earth. Glad to see ya back.

No extension cord. It was plugged into an outside outlet, in which at the time I wired my home per the electrical code at the time in 1994, only 4 outside outlet per breaker(on a GFI). Since I wired my own home I know which four are on this breaker and nothing else was plugged into those outlets.

No it came up to temp empty fine. However as in my orignal post, After 7 hours the pit temp did not reach 200 at any time. I ONLY opened the door at the 4 hour mark to change the water. Obviously, the pit temp dropped again. The draft was left at 1/4 open and the temp slider was still all the way to the right during the whole time. I had two different thermometers (1 in one chicken and 1 in the turkey) after 7 hours the meat temps were 158 and 159.

I had left the temp wide open the whole time. I guess I thought becasue it had four racks I could use them all at the same time. This one of the main reasons I purchased the unit that AND tempature control. But I could not control the temp.

Work is for people who don't hunt

Oldman · July 09, 2005, 03:20:26 AM

EDITED OUT

I'm wrong and Grillin and Chillin is right on the money~~! I totally mis-read misunderstood what he had said. I have sent a personal E-mail to him asking him to overlook me being stupid.

Grillin and Chillin · July 09, 2005, 06:13:15 AM

Oldman is my hero once again![:D] If someone read this post before I edited it out and it offended anyone, I apologize.

I would like to thank everyone for their help. I know that I have not yet scratched the surface as to what my SSBS can do. I will have to keep smokin' so I can learn, which is a good thing[:D]. However, I will have to depend on all of the great forum members for some much needed direction.[:)]

Work is for people who don't hunt