Newbie #1

[ken386]

Hey, from SoCal, but travel to Tx quite a bit for business and fell in love with bbq. Just got a #1 for Xmas and am seasoning it today and plan to bbq a tri tip New Years eve for the family.  Thinking about smoking it to 130 and then searing it in the oven for 5 min or so. Any other tips?  Have read thru the forums quite a bit so up to speed on the basics. Thanks!

 

[Pork Belly]

That sounds about right, i pulled a pork loin at 141, after broiling at 525 I hit 144. Comparing that amount of gain you will likely end up at 135, medium rare. her is a sirloin roast I did last month, http://smokinitforums.com/index.php?topic=2442.0 I brought it up to 130 but thought the color was good and didn't sear it. I wouldn't use more than one medium size block of wood that came with your smoker (about 3 oz). Be sure to post some pics of your smokes.

 

[DivotMaker]

Love tri-tips!  Are you talking tri-tip steaks, or a whole tri-tip roast?  Either way, your plan is solid.  Go with oak to get that good Santa Maria BBQ flavor!  Reverse sear on a hot grill, instead of the oven, if possible.  What are you considering for seasoning?  Let us know how it goes!

 

[ken386]

Ok, results were mixed at best - I would probably have to say I was being kind by saying mixed - it was not that good.  The tri tip roast was one from Costco that was pre-seasoned - I don't think that was the issue.  I used 3 oz of wood and that may have been too much - the wood flavor totally overpowered the taste of the meat and the seasoning.  The meat tasted like a campfire.  Here's what I did - feedback appreciated:

1) prepared the smoker as suggested in the forums
2) Used 3 oz of hickory and apple wood and put half a can of Boddingtons in the bottom
3) Put the tri tip in the smoker and set the temp to 225
4) I watched the smoker temp get up to 252 before I turned it down to 200
5) the tri tip got to 140 in about 90 minutes - thought it would take much longer

The roast was very moist with a slightly pink center - no issues with the texture or presentation.  It was the taste that was off - again like eating a campfire.  Smoking is definitely more of an art than a science - guess I need more art classes.  Not giving up - just learning and moving on.

 

[DivotMaker]

Well, it looks good, Ken!  Here's my thoughts:  2 oz. of wood next time, as maybe you like a milder smoke flavor.  Also, oak is a mild choice for beef.  Next time, don't run the temp up so high - set it to 200 and leave it.  The time it was in that extra 50° was enough to brown the edges a lot more (notice how deep the more done meat penetrates?  You can take that medium center all the way to the edge by keeping a low temp, then reverse-sear.

Experimentation is lots of fun, and it takes doing different things to figure-out what works for you!

 

[ken386]

I just cleaned out the smoker and I think I know what happened.  I think the two chunks of apple wood that I put in there caught fire.  The piece of hickory that came with the smoker turned into nice, white ash while the apple wood chunks appeared blackened like they came out of a campfire.  These apple wood chunks had been around awhile and must have been too dry.  Also explains why I saw the temperature spike and the shortened cooking time.  Guess I should have just waited for the wood I ordered from Smokin-It to arrive.  Hopefully better luck next time - this tri tip ended up in the trash...

 

[ken386]

I see some folks put foil around the wood to keep it from catching fire.  Kinda surprised that would would catch fire given the low oxygen environment in the #1.  Do I need to foil wrap wood that is not the dowel type of wood that comes with the smoker?  Input appreciated.

 

[swthorpe]

Did you notice in the first half hour or so if the smoke coming out was a dark gray color, and did you notice a large "belch" at around 150-180F in the smoker?  If so, then your wood likely caught fire...the heavy dark smoke and belching are the typical results from combustion.    Dry wood will almost always catch fire in the first heating cycle.  I wrap the bottom and sides of my wood chunks with foil to try to minimize the exposure to air around the wood, but I still sometimes get small "puffs" of smoke coming out in the first heating cycle (usually when the smoker gets to about 180-200F).  After the first heating cycle, the wood seems to smoke along OK.

 

[ken386]

I did not notice a belch, but I was monitoring it remotely.  I did see quite a bit of smoke, but don't remember it being black.  The temperature did spike to over 250 even though I only had it set to 225.  I think the wood I used was very dry, but everyone states not to soak the wood in water.  Maybe I need to use the foil method going forward to make sure this does not happen again.

 

[swthorpe]

If you saw a spike initially in temp but not later in the smoke, then that suggests combustion...I have seen my temp jump over 300F when combustion occurs.    Keep in mind that you will see temp swings with the analog heating element, often around +-15 to 20F from the set temp.  This is not really an problem since the temp will average out at your desired set temp.

For your next smoke, hang out for the first 45 minutes or so to observe whether you are experiencing the "belch"...this usually happens around 180F or so in the first heating cycle. After that, all will be well.  I use the foil method for my wood and I have avoided  the belch!  Let us know how you make out.  Cheers

 

[Pork Belly]

I think the two chunks of apple wood that I put in there caught fire.  The piece of hickory that came with the smoker turned into nice, white ash

That is likely nearly six oz. of wood, that is pretty heavy for that small and short of a smoke. The color of the beef is not bad but it indicates a heavy smoke load. I do not foil or soak the chunks, just use less than one chunk on your next smoke and work your way up progressively until you find your preferred taste.

 

[swthorpe]

I have a couple of Tupperware containers to hold my wood chunks.  I put a wet cloth in a baggie inside of the container.  I think this helps to keep the wood moist.

 

[ken386]

Lots of good feedback - thank you.  I measured out the wood to 3 oz, but still trying to figure out how to make sure combustion does not happen again.  If I use foil, aren't I reducing the amount of smoke that's generated?  Maybe it doesn't matter and I just need to try it.  Is there a disadvantage to soaking the wood with these smokers?  As always, appreciate the insights.

 

[Walt]

Don't get hung up on the foil business.  I doubt a spike to 250 from a 225 setting was combustion.  Sounds like the norm before it drops to 200.  If you said 275 or 300 then I would think you had combustion.  I had the belch once in the beginning but not since.  I believe the more you cook, the more the smoke builds up on the inside of the unit.  This causes less seepage from around the compression door causeing an even lower o2 level inside.  Observe for awhile & determine if it is an issue for you.  It is not one for me.  I don't foil or ramp up temps.  Possibly the guys who NEED to foil have more seepage.  Just a guess. I know of others who don't find a need to foil either.  This is not a universal problem.

 

[NDKoze]

I don't bother with foiling the wood. But I do ramp up my smoker temps and do not have any combustion issues.

I run at 140 for 45 minutes, and then go up to my desired smoking temperature.

Using this method, I do not have any belch issues.

Foiling the wood works as long as you are doing 200+ degree smokes. For cold or low temperature smokes, you won't get enough or any smoke when the wood is foiled.

 

[swthorpe]

I have been doing the foil method for months now, and I get plenty of smoke.  I think the ramp up method works as well, but if the wood is really dry, then I think combustion is going to happen, foil or not.  For the smokes that I have done so far this week (ribs, BB, turkey breast), the foil method has worked well, but I may try the ramp up method again.

 

[ken386]

How does the ramp up method prevent combustion?  Not looking for a scientific explanation, but going to try another tri tip tomorrow and want to understand the pros and cons of both methods.  Thx.

 

[DivotMaker]

Ken,

I never experienced combustion in my #1.  But, when I started using the #2, I had the infamous "belch!"  Even using good-quality wood, I would get combustion.  So, to counter this, I started promoting the "ramp up" method, but have since gone to a little piece of foil on the bottom of the wood as a much easier solution.  The slow ramp-up method was a solution to a problem (I was determined to counter the "belch"), but it wasn't the best solution, in my opinion.

Here's what I was thinking:  By ramping the temp up slowly, you allow the wood to start to smolder, and then "relax," or cool a bit, before blasting it with the element again.  Going straight to 225, with the bigger element of the #2, I would almost always have wood combust.  So, the "ramp up" method was born.  During winter months, this worked well, because it seems to take about 75° of temp rise (from ambient) to start getting smoke.  Once the weather warmed up, and the smoker started at a higher ambient temp, it didn't work as well.  Taking the smoker to 140, when it started at 70+, wouldn't get the wood smoking soon enough for me.  Que the foil...

I tried the little piece of foil on the bottom of the chunks in hot weather, cranked that baby up to cooking temp (225), and let 'er rip!  No bad smoke, no belch, just thin blue smoke! 

Bottom line - some folks don't ever encounter this phenomenon, but I do, so I found one solution, and copied another.  To me, ramping up the temp is time-consuming, and prolongs the smoke.  The foil works well, and that's all I do now.

Hope this helps clear it up!

 

[NDKoze]

I think Tony is right in that the larger elements in the #2, #3, #4 smokers is what generally cause the problem.

The foil method definitely works as long as you aren't doing low temp smokes. I tried smoking jerky at 125 one time with some foiled chips and even they didn't start smoking until I gave the heat a bump.

I think the reason that the ramp up method works is that you aren't going full blast at the wood for that long at a time. About the time the wood would get close to combustion, the analog controller cycles off and kills the heat. This breather from the heat allows the wood to cool off a bit and smolder before it gets hit with full throttle again.

I think the amount of time this adds to the smoke is relatively low. Plus it gives you a little longer time in that pre-140 internal temp range where the meat can absorb the smoke. But to each his own on this.

 

[DivotMaker]

Good point, Gregg!  The foil is definitely not needed for low or intermittent smokes, just for the full-blast runs up to 225+.