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Started By
Message
Made a change from a charcoal smoker to electric. Some issues.
Posted on 7/7/19 at 10:19 pm
Posted on 7/7/19 at 10:19 pm
I got into the world of smoking 2-3 years ago. It's easily one of my favorite hobbies now. I look forward to what I'm smoking that weekend all week long usually. I've gone from a small charcoal smoker to start, from a more upgraded charcoal smoker to now an electric smoker.
I've done shorter smokes on the electric smoker before, but I did my first long smoke, making pulled pork, yesterday.
The pros of the electric smoker is that it is quite literally get it on and forget about it. On scorching hot days, like Saturday, it was a blessing not to have to babysit coals. Never had to worry about getting too hot or too cool of a temp. The thing came out PERFECT, as far as tenderness goes. I couldn't pick the thing up without it crumbling.
My one issue I had was I felt I was missing the smoke taste that I got from the charcoal smoker. Going from wood chunks to the chips in this electric smoker produced a TON less smoke. I tried soaking the chips, and then not soaking them and got similar results of little smoke. Is that just something I'll have to deal with, or is there something I can do?
The smoke box is directly over the heating element. The water pan is on the side of that (not directly over heating element). The water pan is almost double the size of the smoke box. My water pan only needed to be refilled twice throughout the entire smoke. If I put chips in the water pan and water in the smoke box would that possibly help? Or would the chips not burn, not being over the heating element?
I've done shorter smokes on the electric smoker before, but I did my first long smoke, making pulled pork, yesterday.
The pros of the electric smoker is that it is quite literally get it on and forget about it. On scorching hot days, like Saturday, it was a blessing not to have to babysit coals. Never had to worry about getting too hot or too cool of a temp. The thing came out PERFECT, as far as tenderness goes. I couldn't pick the thing up without it crumbling.
My one issue I had was I felt I was missing the smoke taste that I got from the charcoal smoker. Going from wood chunks to the chips in this electric smoker produced a TON less smoke. I tried soaking the chips, and then not soaking them and got similar results of little smoke. Is that just something I'll have to deal with, or is there something I can do?
The smoke box is directly over the heating element. The water pan is on the side of that (not directly over heating element). The water pan is almost double the size of the smoke box. My water pan only needed to be refilled twice throughout the entire smoke. If I put chips in the water pan and water in the smoke box would that possibly help? Or would the chips not burn, not being over the heating element?
7
Posted on 7/7/19 at 10:23 pm to Hold That Tiger 10
On my Masterbuilt, I had to remove the bracket that holds the tray above the element to generate the heavy smoke you're looking for. Now the tray rests directly on the element, without any buffer. It smokes like crazy, but requires new chips (i.e. more attention) more regularly than it did previously.
Posted on 7/7/19 at 10:27 pm to MSMHater
quote:
On my Masterbuilt, I had to remove the bracket that holds the tray above the element to generate the heavy smoke you're looking for. Now the tray rests directly on the element, without any buffer. It smokes like crazy, but requires new chips (i.e. more attention) more regularly than it did previously
It's incredibly close to the heating element currently, but I could easily put it directly on if that would do the trick.
Posted on 7/7/19 at 10:34 pm to Hold That Tiger 10
I'm much happier with it this way. I was pretty damn frustrated for a while after first getting it. I found lots of articles and YouTube videos dealing with the same issue, and showing the remedy, but they were all specific to the Masterbuilt, so not sure if it would definitely work for you. I couldn't even generate consistent smoke at 220 with the factory design, so I felt I had to try the fix.
The downside is that it needs new chips every 3-4 hours, no matter how much I put in it at the start. Alot of chips just makes the smoke thicker, but they still burn out after 3-4 hours. Its definitely a trade off from the "forget about it" process that it was designed for, but my bark and smokiness is much improved.
The downside is that it needs new chips every 3-4 hours, no matter how much I put in it at the start. Alot of chips just makes the smoke thicker, but they still burn out after 3-4 hours. Its definitely a trade off from the "forget about it" process that it was designed for, but my bark and smokiness is much improved.
This post was edited on 7/7/19 at 10:36 pm
Posted on 7/8/19 at 7:24 am to MSMHater
Get a pellet smoke tube
Posted on 7/8/19 at 8:38 am to Hold That Tiger 10
quote:
Going from wood chunks to the chips in this electric smoker produced a TON less smoke.
I use chunks in my propane smoker. Maybe you can add a chunk or two along with the chips?
Posted on 7/8/19 at 8:48 am to Tigerpaw123
Yeah get either a tube or the A-Maze-N pellet tray. It works great in the electric smokers and you don't have to worry about adding chips all the time. 
Posted on 7/8/19 at 9:22 am to Hold That Tiger 10
quote:
Going from wood chunks to the chips in this electric smoker produced a TON less smoke. I tried soaking the chips, and then not soaking them and got similar results of little smoke.
Don't soak chips, that just extends the time before it starts smoking.
It should produce less smoke and what you want is very faint thin blue smoke. Thick white smoke is very bad in electric smoking.
Big thing in electric is regulating air, you need to figure out if you need to open it up to more air or less to get better smoke production.
I agree with the above, switch from chips to a pellet tray like AMNPS. It's a lot easier to smoke with them, as long as they stay lit, you have the right amount of air and they will produce perfect thin blue smoke.
This post was edited on 7/8/19 at 9:24 am
Posted on 7/8/19 at 9:39 am to Saskwatch
quote:
I use chunks in my propane smoker. Maybe you can add a chunk or two along with the chips?
A decent size chunk would not fit into the smoke box.
Posted on 7/8/19 at 12:26 pm to Hold That Tiger 10
Here is what I did from the start with my masterbuilt electric. Works great. Combination of the amazing pellet tray and a mod to help with airflow.
TD LINK to previous post.
TD LINK to previous post.
This post was edited on 7/8/19 at 12:27 pm
Posted on 7/8/19 at 12:57 pm to Hold That Tiger 10
(no message)
This post was edited on 10/12/22 at 7:18 am
Posted on 7/8/19 at 2:14 pm to Hold That Tiger 10
quote:prayers sent.
charcoal smoker to now an electric smoker.
Posted on 7/8/19 at 4:35 pm to Hold That Tiger 10
I had to go up to about 245-250 degrees to get my chip box hot enough to burn wood chips. Smokes just fine.
Do have to put in new chips every 2-3 hours.
Do have to put in new chips every 2-3 hours.
Posted on 7/8/19 at 7:13 pm to BayouBlitz
quote:
Do have to put in new chips every 2-3 hours
Yes.
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