Original Bradley ? please help??

cajunboudreaux · September 11, 2011, 07:58:43 PM

Hello all, I am new to the smoker forum but i am an advid smoker. I had the bradley original for 12 years and it happened to get stolen a few weeks back. I have sold atleast 10 to my friends after they see how amazing this product is so now i am really confused. I ordered one a few weeks back. it arrives and I immediately start smoking. I smoke about twice a week. Here is my question. I am getting a wang (sour bite) kind of taste on the meats (brisket,porkshoulders,salmon,chicken)and i do not know where it is coming from. The only thing i can think where it is coming from is for some reason when i first started using it the paint on the inside door ,inside walls and on the converter(puck) box started flaking off everywhere even the drip tray seemed odd. It seems to have paint melting around the holes of the heating element as well. Has anyone seen this before? This is my 3rd Bradley original and i have never had this happen. Also, when it arrived i started it up and the heating element was bad. Bradley(great customer service) sent me one right away. In the few weeks I have had it i have smoked 6 racks of ribs,2 briskets,4 pork shoulders,salmon and chicken plus making 2 lbs of jerkey and all have had this taste and i also switched from apple,mesquite and hickory pucks. i thought it just wasn't broken in but by now it should be. So please help me figure out what this taste might be. Thanks for having me.

Bobby (rajunCajun)

NePaSmoKer · September 11, 2011, 08:21:45 PM

You need to PM Brian from Bradley or call them because there should be no paint whatsoever on the inside of the smoker.

My thoughts

Did you season the smoker before your first smoke?

A sour bite may be to much smoke? IE Using more than 3-5 pucks. Some load the puck tube thinking they need to use all the pucks... Not the case.

cajunboudreaux · September 11, 2011, 08:55:57 PM

Yes I did season the smoker first, I usually dont stack a full load of pucks except for when i did my first smoke. i am going to call first thing in the morning and email bradley pics of what is going on. Thanks for you response.
I am thinking my 12year old generator wasn't advancing pucks as fast as the new one does. My old one was perfect.

classicrockgriller · September 11, 2011, 09:00:21 PM

Just some thoughts:

Was the box Factory sealed or did it show sign of a re-tape job?

You need to talk to Brian at Bradley. Call the Canadian 800# and

ask to speak with him. I smell a fish in the wood pile.

Let us know what happened.

SouthernSmoked · September 11, 2011, 09:08:48 PM

I agree, Contact Brian at Bradley 1-(800) 665-4188

cajunboudreaux · September 11, 2011, 09:30:37 PM

seem to be factory sealed. no signs of re-tape. Something is definitley wrong. I will call brian in the morning.

KyNola · September 12, 2011, 07:28:51 AM

Quote from: NePaSmoKer on September 11, 2011, 08:21:45 PM
You need to PM Brian from Bradley or call them because there should be no paint whatsoever on the inside of the smoker.

Rick is exactly right. There should be no painted surfaces on the interior of the tower at all. If it's not too much trouble could you post a pic of the inside of your smoker? Something doesn't seem quite right. Any chance you have been using it with the vent closed?

Where did you purchase your latest Bradley?

cajunboudreaux · September 12, 2011, 08:14:44 AM

I purchased it from amazon. I am trying to upload pics but i am having a problem doing so. When i open the smoker new it was clean as a whistle, so the problem has to be coming from the generator. I need help posting pics apparently.

classicrockgriller · September 12, 2011, 08:21:24 AM

Try this link to get your pictures going.
http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showpost.php?p=768&postcount=11

cajunboudreaux · September 12, 2011, 08:55:51 AM

Just spoke with Brian and he gave me a few tips on what might be causing the problems as my damper may closed to much. Once again, GREAT customer service. Sent him the pics and he is going to look into it. I will keep you all posted. Thanks again for everyones advice. Much appreciated. Here are the pics

classicrockgriller · September 12, 2011, 09:09:21 AM

YEP!

Good snag KyNola.

That looks like smoke smut and not paint.

I know the event is needed some, But it needs to be 3/4 to full open on most cooks.

classicrockgriller · September 12, 2011, 09:10:17 AM

Are you from Louisiana?

cajunboudreaux · September 12, 2011, 09:21:03 AM

I am hoping so. I guess I got used to my 12year old Bradley Original smoker skipping and beat on the pucks and producing perfect meat. This scared the heck out of me. I am going to clean it out and re-season tonight.

Yes I am from Lake Charles Louisiana but now one mis-placed cajun living in Arizona.
www.arizonacrawfishcompany.com

classicrockgriller · September 12, 2011, 10:11:42 AM

Quote from: cajunboudreaux on September 12, 2011, 09:21:03 AM
I am hoping so. I guess I got used to my 12year old Bradley Original smoker skipping and beat on the pucks and producing perfect meat. This scared the heck out of me. I am going to clean it out and re-season tonight.

Yes I am from Lake Charles Louisiana but now one mis-placed cajun living in Arizona.
www.arizonacrawfishcompany.com

I'm from east Texas, but have relatives up and down I-10 in Louisiana.

All the way from Jennings, Welsh, Lacassine to Lake Charles.

cajunboudreaux · September 12, 2011, 10:17:35 AM

Nice, I moved backed to Houston(Conroe) a few years back and decided Phoenix is where I needed to be some came back 3years ago. Still go home quite often and do some tournament bass fishing in Texas. Rayburn,fork,conroe toledo bend res. I have learned alot about east texas. Where you at?