Bad flavor - No flavor

[bewdigger]

I have had my smoker for a little over a year now. I followed the instructions and used the recommended wood chunks in small amounts for the first 2 smokes. The food (first smoke ribs, second smoke Boston butt) came out tasting like an old ashtray. Then I tried soaking the wood and using slightly less wood. Now there is no smoke flavor at all. No smoke flavor is better, but obviously not what I was going for. 

Before purchasing this smoker I smoked meat for over 30 years using a cheap $80.00 bullet smoker that I could put all the chunks I wanted in and had good results so this is kind of frustrating.

Any suggestion?
Any suggestions?

 

[SuperDave]

Ash tray taste is from combustion and not too much wood.  Solve the combustion problem and go back to suggested quantity or even a little bit more wood and you will be much happier.  Some solve the combustion issue by buying higher moisture content wood and other by insulating some of the heat from the fire box.  I'm one of the later.  I lay a piece of foil in the bottom of the box and then cover that with a chip screen.  In my model, there is just too many holes in the bottom creating too much oxygen and too much heat.  In cheap smokers fire is okay because they breathe/leak so much.  In the SI, the unit is sealed so well that fire fills the box with rancid smoke that doesn't escape. 

 

[old sarge]

Do a search for "foil boat".  That has been discussed and used by several people to control the combustion. And I also agree with SuperDave regarding using a wood with proper moisture content. Combustion is good for a smoker that relies on wood for it's heat source but in an electric it can be a demon of bad taste.  On my smokers I tinkered around with the wood placement in the box till I found the sweet spot for good thin smoke rather than thick heavy smoke.  Took some time but I haven't ruined a chunk of meat since. 

 

[bewdigger]

Thanks guys!