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HELP! No smoke.

Carol Reed

Carol Reed

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Coolidge, AZ
Brisket has been on about 75 minutes. No smoke. Can smell rub though. Soaked chips in the pan with the cover and then drained. Cover is attached to the pan. Trying to get temp down to ~220. Started too high, but watching it like a hawk.

What did I do wrong and how do I fix it? Don't want to waste $20 worth of meat. :eek:
 
I'd probably have started just the smoker for a while without the meat, until you got the temp stabilized and some burning going.

If you've got a torch, get those soaking wet chips burning with it a bit. Maybe take some dry chips and make a little aluminum foil holder for them and poke a bunch of holes in the bottom of that. Then light those chips on fire.

IF you have the water pan in there remove that, the moisture will make it hard to get any smoke going.
 
The torch idea should work. May pull the meat until you get it sorted out. I wouldn't worry too much though, it will soak in as long as the meat isn't seared and sealed up.
 
Couple of things. If there are vents on this thing, I have no clue. Even read the owners manual. Went to HD for map torch -twice. Wouldn't light or stay lit when it did. Guy said get your money back. Even tried propane. No joy.

Brisket has now been in the smoker for 4 hours. Gonna check the temp. I may get a roasted brisket but it ain't gonna be smoked. I'm bummed.
 
I doubt it has any vents since it's electric. If you've got any dry chips, try lighting those. Heck if you've got some cherry or oak in the trailer, make some saw dust and light it and get a smaller solid piece burning and add to it as needed.
 
Not enough oxygen in pahrump to keep a blowtorch running? That is bizarre.

There is a little hole int the bottom of the smoker, and another at the top back side. It allows just enough air flow to keep the smoke going, without a flame, or losing heat.

Very 'non-adjustable'.

One other thing you might want to try next time is one of these.

http://www.amazenproducts.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=AMNPS5X8

I've got one and it works pretty good. Jim Has one and has had mixed results.
 
Sounds like the blowtorch was probably really broken somehow? Dunno..

With my propane smoker I've had some problems getting the smoke to smoke sometimes with just the heat from the propane underneath - especially at low temps.

I often just start a small fire in the cast iron smokebox with it outside the smoker until I get some coals going (even maybe a few charcoal briquettes to keep things rolling) and then put it inside the smoker and layer on a bit of smoking wood (repeat adding smoking wood as needed).
 
OK Carol found this on their web site on the reviews for your smoker.

"Did the pre-season thing like the book said but got no smoke whatever. I went and put a slab of ribs and a whole chicken on thinking that I would eventually get smoke. But no smoke. Took the meat off when done and it was all just falling to pieces. Moist and tender. But no smoke. I messed around with it and found out that I needed to turn the tray around that holds the water and wood chip tray around so that they would sit back further on the burner. That's all I needed to have all the smoke that I needed. The book needs to explain that. It also needs a better temperature gauge"

 
If Don's info doesn't help, then I'd try just lighting a small fire in a firepot outside of the smoker (say a couple of briquets )and get some coals going to drop chips onto, then put it inside. You don't need a lot of smoke to get flavor. You want a thin blue smoke, may not be able to see it, but your nose will tell you it's there.

At this point you won't develop a smoke ring, but if you can flavor the outside it will carry in when sliced.
 
Brent Dowell said:
Not enough oxygen in pahrump to keep a blowtorch running? That is bizarre.

There is a little hole int the bottom of the smoker, and another at the top back side. It allows just enough air flow to keep the smoke going, without a flame, or losing heat.

Very 'non-adjustable'.

One other thing you might want to try next time is one of these.

http://www.amazenproducts.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=AMNPS5X8

I've got one and it works pretty good. Jim Has one and has had mixed results.
Click to expand...

Mixed results were operator error...It rocked it yesterday!! The MES smoke box has a bad reputation, so I'd be tempted to have a lash with dry chips and make sure the lid the box is closed. That way it won't flame...just smolder.
But do go for the Amzn smoke box...holy cow!!
 
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