SmokeHouse problem

Wetaline

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Though I've enjoyed NDA for a couple of years, this is my first post.

I built a smoke house out of an old cooler, a smaller version of the one my father built years ago. this weekend I did my fourth batch of eat and for some reason the finished, the meat continues to have this nasty black film on it. I use cold water and a cloth to wipe the meat off and it tastes fine but the stain it leaves on your hands, gloves, clothes, etc...is terrible. Anybody know what I may be doing wrong. I am using propane with a turkey fryer head as my heating element. I've tried low heat, high heat and extra ventilation.
Appreciate any helpful advice.
 


Kurtr

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when it is cold is it condensating and dripping down on it had my smoker do that once
 

fj40

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Sounds like your flame is starving for O2 creating soot. You might have to wide open your orifice or place an adjustable air vent towards the bottom of the smoker.
 

Wetaline

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Sounds like your flame is starving for O2 creating soot. You might have to wide open your orifice or place an adjustable air vent towards the bottom of the smoker.

Thanks for the suggestions. I do have a small hole cut in at the bottom of the smoker but maybe it isn't big enough for air flow. Where our big house has a nice clean flame,(solid blue) maybe two or three inches high, the new house has a bigger orange and yellow flame, maybe a foot high. If I try to turn it down much lower it wavers and goes out.
 

riverview

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sounds like fuel problems, in my smoker i use a hot plate with a cast iron pan on top of it that with sawdust and small pieces of smoking wood. never had anything like you describe and have smiked below zero.
 


Wetaline

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I'd switch to electric pan if you can

I am interested in the hot plate/electric pan idea. Do they generate enough heat? I usually get the smoker to 125 or 150 degrees before adding some sawdust. Suggestions on where I would purchase the electric pan/hot plate? Certain brand to look for?
Thx
 

KDM

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Sounds to me like your propane heat source is NOT burning clean. I had a burner that started to cover the bottom and sides of every pan I used with a black sooty and greasy ash that was a BITCH to clean off. I could sometimes see the black smoke rolling out of the flame. Put a clean pan on your burner and run for a little bit to see if you have the same issue. If you do, trash the thing and get a new one. I tried to clean the one I had, took it apart, messed with the air regulation apparatus and after all that, I ended up getting a new one anyway. Good Luck and Welcome to the DARK SIDE!!!!!
 

riverview

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I use a standard single coil hot plate that i basicly took the temp control out and wired it direct so when its plugged in its heating, I fill a 12 inch cast iron frying pan with saw dust and small chunks of wood and get the saw dust smoldering using a torch. I use apple tree wood. I have to watch my temp as it will easily get to 150 I modulate the heat by unplugging the hot plate. I try to keep it around 120 to 130. after the sawdust is smoldering good I don't use the hot plate, as long as you aren't opening the door to look. I usually smoke for 3 to 4 hours and add saw dust once when smoking fish I can get it over 250 degrees to cook the fish. My smoker is a old hospital hot cold cart the part I smoke in is 2 foot by 32 inches 4 feet tall
 

Allen

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If it's covering everything evenly in your smoker with that crud, it's most likely as KDM noted...a combustion issue.

If it's obviously concentrated in one or two areas and looks like it results from a drip, it's as KurtR suggests.

Both are yucky.
 


wslayer

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Thanks for the suggestions. I do have a small hole cut in at the bottom of the smoker but maybe it isn't big enough for air flow. Where our big house has a nice clean flame,(solid blue) maybe two or three inches high, the new house has a bigger orange and yellow flame, maybe a foot high. If I try to turn it down much lower it wavers and goes out.

If we'll insulated, you will probably need a good sized hole for fresh air. Doesn't take long for propane to burn up the oxygen.
 

Petras

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Orange/yellow flames means improper combustion due to lack of oxygen. If I were in your shoes (which I will be soon as I'm going to be making about 200 pounds of sausage in a couple weeks., I'd be checking bismanonline.com for a brinkmann smoker to use the bottom section as a heat source... once u get that set up, soak desired chunks of wood in some water for a few minutes, then place in a pie tin and cover with aluminum. Poke a few small holes in the aluminum so that smoke can escape. Not too many though and definitely don't poke any holes in the bottom of the tin as this will allow oxygen in the tin and promote combustion of the wood chunks/chips.
 

Tymurrey

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I would agree that it’s an air flow issue, even with my Masterbuilt smoker with electric element I have issues with the amazen smokers staying lit without the chip loader tray out. I would open up the hole more. Probably not getting good airflow for the smoke to escape either so it could be creosote issues, you want a thin smoke and if you are burning chips to fast you could be having issues as well I believe.
 

Wetaline

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Orange/yellow flames means improper combustion due to lack of oxygen. If I were in your shoes (which I will be soon as I'm going to be making about 200 pounds of sausage in a couple weeks., I'd be checking bismanonline.com for a brinkmann smoker to use the bottom section as a heat source... once u get that set up, soak desired chunks of wood in some water for a few minutes, then place in a pie tin and cover with aluminum. Poke a few small holes in the aluminum so that smoke can escape. Not too many though and definitely don't poke any holes in the bottom of the tin as this will allow oxygen in the tin and promote combustion of the wood chunks/chips.


Thanks for everyone's input. I will switch a few things up and either go with a new flame or a hot plate. The soot has covered everything so I think I have a few things to trouble shoot. Appreciate it and I will give an update down the road.
 

luvcatchingbass

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If you can you might want to try making a bigger draft hole and exhaust hole then install wood stove dampener on each, 3-4in or so. Then you have lots of adjustments on each to find your sweet spot of each, as I agree it is good chance of a O2 problem. I'm not a propane pro as I went from electric to an offset and do live fire so for me correct air flow is extremely important. Also do not count out KurtR's comment.
 


Ruttin

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To me the smoke is just another seasoning. I use an electric element to keep the heat around 80-100 degrees and just apply the smoke by using an AMAZN smoke box. No soot and it turns out to my liking every time. FWIW.

I also have the element plugged into a STC-1000 digital temp controller/thermostat. Makes it easy to regulate the temp.
 
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dblkluk

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If the burner burns yellow and orange while the door is open it has nothing to do with the air flow inside the smoker and cutting holes and making more ventilation will solve nothing. Get a new burner.
 

Wetaline

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If the burner burns yellow and orange while the door is open it has nothing to do with the air flow inside the smoker and cutting holes and making more ventilation will solve nothing. Get a new burner.


I think the new burner is the way to go. I did some testing last night based on the advice I received and the one thing that never changed was the flame was still orange and yellow even with more air intake, more venting and with the door open so I think i am going to scratch the turkey fryer burner and go a different direction. Thanks for helping me everyone!
 

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