smoke times vs. pucks

[kfancy]

Hi all,

have a question about smoke times. So far, my process when following recipes has been to get enough pucks that match the smoke time, so if a recipe calls for 2.5 hrs of smoke, then I get 7 pucks. Usually results in over-smoked meat....

So, the question is, when a recipe calls for 2.5 hrs of smoke, do I match that up with pucks? or just make sure that smoke is in the chamber for 2.5 hrs by keeping the vent fairly tight and only dropping a puck every hour or so?

Let me know, gonna fire my smoker back up for the holidays and don't wanna over-smoke!

:)

[tailfeathers]

I'm far from any kind of expert, but I always leave my vent all the way open, even when smoking in freezing temps. If you are getting too strong of a smoke flavor you could just run smoke for part of the time, or depending on what pucks you are using go to a milder wood. For example I seldom use any mesquite (only for brisket) and even then I use one mesquite puck to every two hickory. Mesquite is just to harsh for me. Alder and pecan are very mild, try them if you are getting overpowered by the smoke flavor. Just experiment and keep track of what you are doing so when you hit that "home run" (and you will) you can duplicate it next time. Happy smoking!

[tskeeter]

The smoke flavor you get is a combination of the type of wood you are using, the amount of time you are applying smoke, and the size of the product you are smoking.  So, if it's too smokey for your taste, use a milder wood, reduce the amount of time you are applying smoke, or a bit of both.  If you are smoking smaller pieces of food, with more surface area (say a 1/2 pound pieces of cheese vs. a 5 pound block), a shorter application of smoke is appropriate.

So, use a light hand.  Start with milder woods and a shorter period of time and work your way up to the optimum smoke application.  Remember, you can always put the food back in the smoker and apply a bit more smoke.  But, you can't take out smoke you've already applied.

Let me jump on tailfeathers band wagon for a second and repeat his advice to keep your vent pretty open.  A closed vent will trap moisture in your smoker.  That's a bad thing.  The moisture can condense on the top of the smoker and drip back onto what you are smoking (the dreaded black rain).  I'm told it tastes really nasty.  The other thing that can happen when you close the vent too far is the smoke can be forced out around the smoke generator.  The smoke can then get into the electronics and cause problems.  After forgetting to open the vent when I started a sausage smoke, and creating a batch of sooty tasting sausage, I took tailfeathers open the vent all the way advice a step further.  I removed the adjustable portion of the vent assembly so I can't forget it closed again.  It's been wide open for over a year and it works just fine.

[pokermeister]

Apple is another mild wood- if the smoke is too strong, then don't smoke as long. Example: if the recipe calls for 2.5 hours of smoke, only use 5 pucks (1' 40") and try that. Keep good notes, and soon you will find the "sweet spot" that you like. It might take a couple of times to find the percentage (your smoke time to suggested smoke time).

[pondee]

I place the right number of pucks in the tube for the amount to time I want to apply smoke.  i.e. 8 pucks = two hours of smoke.  Two pucks are left over after pushing the last used puck onto the heating pad. This way I include the smoke generator heating pad to help keep the box hot.  I set a timer, or just keep the time in my head to push the last used puck into the water bowl. (using a stick) this is when I trade the water bowl for a bigger alum pan with nearly boiling water for the rest of the cook.  At this time I retreive the last two un-used pucks from the smoke gererator for later use.  Following the directions of almost everyone here, the vent is always left wide open.  Timers for both the box and smoke generator are set for more than the cook time I plan.  They are shut off manually once everything is done.  Trial and error are, unfortunately, the only way to establish the proper amount of smoke for your personal preferences.  I like to start slow with smoke and increase it for future cooks if necessary,  The wife really hates over smoked food which then makes future tries more of a trial.  Learned this the hard way with an over smoked (mesquite 4 hours) and under cooked chuck roast.

Just my 2 cents, it its worth that much.  Above all, have fun and enjoy.  Merry Christmas

[pokermeister]

Get 3 bubba pucks and use those as the last 3 bisquettes. Will pay for themselves in just a few smokes.

[dman4505]

Get 3 bubba pucks and use those as the last 3 bisquettes. Will pay for themselves in just a few smokes.

x2
also the bubba puck setting on the heat plate will act as a heat sink of sorts.

Don

[pondee]

Get 3 bubba pucks and use those as the last 3 bisquettes. Will pay for themselves in just a few smokes.

x2
also the bubba puck setting on the heat plate will act as a heat sink of sorts.

Don

The unused pucks are retreived and used at a later date. The last used puck is manually removed from the hot plate when the water bowl is switched out. I don't see the cost savings in bubba pucks.  The heat sink idea of the bubba pucks is interesting.  Does anyone know if this really is effective?  Thanks
'

[tailfeathers]

The heat element in the Bradley is 500 watts, the puck heater is 150, so it stands to reason that if you leave a bubba puck on the puck heater you are increasing your heat output by about a third. (From 500 to 650 watts)


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[tailfeathers]

Plus it will save you from having to manually push a puck into the water bowl and retrieve two from the rail.


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[tailfeathers]

I have my own question regarding bubba pucks. A machinist friend is making some for me out of aircraft grade aluminum. The prototype he gave me weighs in at 40 grams, exactly twice the weight of a hickory puck. Will this cause problems with motor in the SG that moves the pucks?


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[tailfeathers]

And yea, I know that the time he's spending doing this borders on ridiculous for the end result but he loves playing with his tools as much as I love playing with my smoker.


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[Saber 4]

I've got a couple of steel ring's machined down by a friend and haven't had any trouble with them or the light weight ones I made with some leftover muffler pipe from another project.

[Tiny Tim]

Only problem I have with my set of solid aluminum with only the 1/4 inch arbor hole from the hole saw, is that I've lost 2 of the 3.

[pokermeister]

I have found that the last wooden puck (closest to the puck burner) will char on the closest edge. For me, this wasted a bisquette. No, I use undrilled bubba pucks and have no problem.