When to add wood

[Coach45mjp]

I've used my 2 D 3 times since getting it some results great some below avg, my question is when to add the wood to the smoker ? I've put the wood in when I start the process of pre heating the smoker. However it seems I loose a lot of smoke when I open the doors to put the meat in. Am I doing this in the proper order

Thanks Mark

 

[Grampy]

Mark, You shouldn't be pre-heating the smoker. It is not necessary with the SI's. Put your wood and meat in a cold smoker, close the door, and turn it on.

 

[Coach45mjp]

I assume then if I'm using time as a determinate for my smoke I should add 30 or so minutes to the timer since it takes at least that long for the smoker to get to the appropriate heat

 

[SuperDave]

Mark, my general practice is to start checking my meat for doneness 30 minutes before I think it should be done just in the event that a particular cut of meat was a fast cook.  Over cooking a piece of meat in a timed smoked is one of my big pet peeves.  A few hours into a smoke, there really won't be any smoke to lose so you really don't have anything to lose opening the door on the bottom end of the smoke. 

 

[old sarge]

I agree. You place the wood and food in the smoker at the same time and then turn the smoker on. At a temperature of 225 degrees for ribs I would not open the smoker until 4 1/2 hours has passed. Chances are you will need 5 hours or maybe more time. At that time checking every 30 minutes will not hurt except for the heat dump. In time you will get a feel for the different smokes and checking will not be a frequent activity.

The same holds true for cooking to an IT. Just rely on your temperature probe and get used to the stall when it seems that no cooking is taking place.

 

[DivotMaker]

...What they said, Mark.

Keep it simple...no preheating.  Wood in, meat in, power on!

 

[Limey]

+1 on all of the above except that we are all assuming that you are only cooking ribs. Ribs are the only meat that most of us cook by time alone. For everything else you need a remote meat thermometer and cook to a predetermined internal temperature-time is pretty irrelevant as any of us that have cooked a small butt will tell you. From your questions it sounds as if you have not spent a lot of time perusing this forum. I would suggest that you do-lots of great information here.

 

[Coach45mjp]

Thank you for the info. It was very helpfull and yes Limey I have read many of the pages and suggestions. Some things as vegetables etc. that I would like to do on a time factor just a personal preference

Thanks