Pulled Pork - Missing Smoke Flavor -Bad Bisquits ???

[Indy Smoker]

Ok here's the scenario. . . .

Last Tuesday I started a smoke of 2 boston butts for work.  I did the usual rub (Brown sugar, paprika, pepper, salt, dyry mustard, cayenne pepper) and fridged them over night.  The ONLY change I did was add a little extra rub before placing in a preheated smoker (225) with a pre-hrates generator and started the smoke/cook process.  When they hit 190 I FTC'd them for 4 hours.  They both lacked the smokey flavor I am used to when I have prepared these in the past. 
Thinking it may be the extra rub added (preventing penetration) I went and got 2 more butts and repeated the process and and had the same results.  While the pork was good and everyone at work enjoyed it - they had no idea how much BETTER it should have been with having that unique (restaruant quality) smokey flavor. 

Thinking things through the only variable that is different than when I had excellent results are the smoker biscuits I used.  I used some from a (Hickory) 120 pack purchased at Gander Mountain.  I keep them stored inside to keep moisture away from them. . . is it possible these are junk and need to be discarded and replaced with biscuits I purchase from my 'normal supplier' in the smallet packs ???????

[FLBentRider]

Are you saying that the bark was not smoky, or the interior meat?

Were the pucks charred in the bowl?


I've seen where in the center of the roast, there is not a lot of smoke flavor, but once you pull it and mix the bark in with it, it "mingles" and gets happy.

[Indy Smoker]

Yep, that's what I'm saying!

Neither the bark or meat was smokey.
The pucks were charred.  Also when I stepped outside during the 4 hour smoke process there was not a strong smell, or much smoke coming from the tower.  That's what makes me beleive bad pucks.

Any suggestions ???

[squirtthecat]

Maybe they weren't hickory?   Mistakenly packaged Alder, perhaps?

[Quarlow]

I am with squirt on this. If they have given you say Alder or Apple by mistake it would be very subtle. Look at the pucks. Are they darker in colour or light. Hickory and Mesquite are darker than Apple and Alder.

[Habanero Smoker]

The lack of smoke may mean your bisquette burner is not heating properly. If it is dirty, it may only need a cleaning.

I would make sure the burner is clean, preheat it and place a bisquette from another box and flavor to see if it produces adequate smoke. If it does try one of the bisquette from the questionable hickory batch and see if that now burns properly.

If neither bisquette burns properly, you may need to replace the burner.