Home made smoker questions

[leadpillproductions]

Ok im starting a new thread . When do u change wood chips how burnt do u let them get ?

[Ghengis Khandrey]

Try getting some bigger lumps of hardwood if you can and get it to a nice smolder. No changing, just take out the ashes. If you want more smoke, throw in another lump

Aim for thin blue smoke, not puffy white

[leadpillproductions]

Im just using pre packaged wood chips the kind for those big chiefs , My unit is 4 ft high 2 ft wide 2 ft deep. How much chips should I put in at one time , and do I just let them get black or cook them longer?

[Blacktail]

prepackaged stuff should be OK
if you want a nice smolder on them have them slightly damp
Don't let them get to the point where you have white ash or you will get a bitter smoke taste on the meat
change them out before that happens

[IronNoggin]

Chips just faded to black. As Blacktail notes, go beyond that and the smoke gets quite bitter and "off tasting".
I never add any moisture to the chips, as I view the smoking to be a drying process as much as anything. Others may differ in this regard.

Using a hotplate with a cast iron frying pan to hold the chips, I generally get ~ 2 - 2.5 hours per burn.
That is in a smoker 4.5 feet wide by 2.5 feet deep, and 3' 10" high - well insulated double wall stainless.



Thermostats are THE Way to go! Ran remote thermometers for years, and wish I had stumbled on smoker controls MUCH sooner! Just ordered one of these: http://www.auberins.com/index.php?ma...roducts_id=381 and expect it to be The Answer for Plug & Play operations. Also ordered a new heavy duty Stainless hotplate to accompany that, although the cast pan will continue to be my Go-To for holding the chips.

Cheers,
Nog

[leadpillproductions]

Do u guys every just use chucks of wood and what type of wood do u use. Instead of those chips

[Blacktail]

alder for most applications
apple for pork

[leadpillproductions]

Going to try a roast out see if its editable lol

[hoochie]

when using a big or little chief, fill the pan so its level. don't change it until the entire thing turns to ashes. let it burn itself out, then add more.
I use hickory for almost everything, but apple for chicken.
The longer you let something sit in the smoker, the closer to jerky it will become. I left some fish in there one time to see what it would do, and it turned into a really nice jerky style. I kind of did it by accident, but now that's how I always do it.
Fart around with it a bit to get the desired smoke taste you like.
Once you get something you like, then write it down so you don't forget in a year or so.
If the bagged chips seem too dry, you can always wet them a little, this will slow the burn/smolder down, and still create great smoke.

[leadpillproductions]

OH MAN tasty stuff had to finish roast off in oven at 250deg for 1 hr but man was that tasty. Ill have to upgrade burner to get temp up in smoker