Amaze-N-Smoker and Triple Smoke

LanduytG · January 01, 2015, 08:29:32 AM

I would like to hear from those that cold smoke with the Amaze-N-Smoker. I bought this due to the expense of using pucks for 9 hours. I have 16# of bacon in now going on its second hour of smoke. Not real happy with the amount of smoke this puts out. So I light the other end as suggested in the book. Still not as mush smoke but better. I was thinking of using 4 to 5 hours since I have less smoke. Any thoughts on this approach?

Thanks
Greg

Salmonsmoker · January 01, 2015, 10:00:31 AM

I have the maze and the tube. I have only used the maze in my Bradley and have always had plenty of smoke. Only once did I ever light both ends just to see what it would do and it put out an obnoxious amount of smoke. I've only used the tube in my EDS. I use hardwood(oak) based pellets ( BBQ Delight) as softer wood(Alder) based pellets can be difficult to keep lit. A longer duration smoke won't do much good after the surface temp. of the meat hits 140F(if you're cold smoking, doesn't apply) as it seals up and won't absorb additional smoke. Are you judging the amount of smoke that's exiting the top vent? With the cold smoke attachment the smoke may be slow moving, but the smoker box may be completely full of smoke. If the pellet smoker is the only source of heat when cold smoking, you're not getting much convection flow(draw) and therefore not much smoke exiting the unit.

LanduytG · January 01, 2015, 10:06:36 AM

Using sawdust and I have had the amaz in the cold smoke box with smoke generator removed for air flow. I then moved it direct to the bottom of the smoker and had better results. Plenty of air flow and its burning OK just not much smoke.Keeping smoker at 75 deg. When I add the second day of smoke tomorrow I'm going to try something a little different.

Thanks
Greg

Jim O · January 01, 2015, 12:23:55 PM

Is that 75 deg in the oven,with only the amaz burning? I'm thinking of doing some cheese with the smoke tube in the bottom of the tower,without using the cold smoke adapter.Just wondering if the tower would get too hot for cheese.

dave01 · January 01, 2015, 12:53:15 PM

A lot depends on the outside temp that you start with

tailfeathers · January 01, 2015, 01:09:32 PM

I use my tube to cold smoke cheese all the time, I just lay it in the bottom of the tower. If it gets to warm I put a couple of frozen half gallon jugs of ice in the v tray but this time of year it isn't needed, at least in South Dakota!

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ragweed · January 01, 2015, 01:15:54 PM

X2 What TF said. I've found the 6" AMAZN tube creates about as much heat as Bradley pucks.

LanduytG · January 01, 2015, 01:18:15 PM

Its 30 deg here today so I have to have the heating element on to get to 70. Been fiddling with the amazn all afternoon. I think the biggest issue is not enough air draft across it. I need to figure something out. I thought of drilling a hole in the cold smoke box door just big enough to put a piece of 1/2 copper pipe through and insert that into the starter hole on the amazn. Not sure what I'm going to do but will get it figured out.

Greg

Salmonsmoker · January 02, 2015, 07:20:20 AM

Quote from: LanduytG on January 01, 2015, 01:18:15 PM
Its 30 deg here today so I have to have the heating element on to get to 70. Been fiddling with the amazn all afternoon. I think the biggest issue is not enough air draft across it. I need to figure something out. I thought of drilling a hole in the cold smoke box door just big enough to put a piece of 1/2 copper pipe through and insert that into the starter hole on the amazn. Not sure what I'm going to do but will get it figured out.

Greg

Greg,
When I use my cold smoke attachment I leave the smoke generator in place. There's probably enough air draw around the generator to provide for combustion air, but I pinch a toothpick in the bottom corner of the access door and the magnetic strip keeps the door otherwise closed with a small gap at the bottom. It just doesn't take that much air for the smouldering sawdust. Even when using the main heating element that creates more convection flow, I get a nice lazy upward drifting smoke with the smoking chamber completely smoke filled. Stupid question here...is your top vent open? I know, I know...... :)

LanduytG · January 02, 2015, 08:03:33 AM

Quote from: Salmonsmoker on January 02, 2015, 07:20:20 AM
Quote from: LanduytG on January 01, 2015, 01:18:15 PM
Its 30 deg here today so I have to have the heating element on to get to 70. Been fiddling with the amazn all afternoon. I think the biggest issue is not enough air draft across it. I need to figure something out. I thought of drilling a hole in the cold smoke box door just big enough to put a piece of 1/2 copper pipe through and insert that into the starter hole on the amazn. Not sure what I'm going to do but will get it figured out.

Greg

Greg,
When I use my cold smoke attachment I leave the smoke generator in place. There's probably enough air draw around the generator to provide for combustion air, but I pinch a toothpick in the bottom corner of the access door and the magnetic strip keeps the door otherwise closed with a small gap at the bottom. It just doesn't take that much air for the smouldering sawdust. Even when using the main heating element that creates more convection flow, I get a nice lazy upward drifting smoke with the smoking chamber completely smoke filled. Stupid question here...is your top vent open? I know, I know...... :)

Yes top vent is 100% open. I guess we will so how it turns out but it just does not totally fill the smoker with smoke like the smoke generator does. I'm using sawdust, I tried the pellets this morning but they just would not stay lit.

Greg

dave01 · January 02, 2015, 01:44:15 PM

You could try micro waving the pellets or sawdust before using the to make sure their dry. Also some brands of pellets work better than others.

renoman · January 02, 2015, 02:03:52 PM

Also keep your pellets in an air tight container. I left a whole bag of apple pellets in the original bag in my garage and the bag was left half open. I still have a hard time keeping them going since they absorbed moisture from the concrete floor.

LanduytG · January 02, 2015, 02:59:54 PM

Quote from: renoman on January 02, 2015, 02:03:52 PM
Also keep your pellets in an air tight container. I left a whole bag of apple pellets in the original bag in my garage and the bag was left half open. I still have a hard time keeping them going since they absorbed moisture from the concrete floor.

I have only had these a week but nothing says they aren't wet.

Greg

Salmonsmoker · January 03, 2015, 08:19:32 AM

Greg, you can mix the pellets and the sawdust together. If the pellets have too high of a moisture content for some reason, the wood dust will keep the burn going.

LanduytG · January 03, 2015, 08:54:41 AM

I thought I had it licked today. I dried out the sawdust and it took off and burnt well. Now after 4 hours it went out. I think I'm done with this. I feel is way over rated. I used it noght before last in my holland grill and it wouldn't stay going.

Greg