Smoking Issues

[Nivek]

So I have a upright bullet type, smoker for the time being and I have an issue.

1) the smoker puts a soot layer on the brisket. I do not use water in the water pan/grease trap. Is there a way around this? I cleaned the smoker out, and it didn't help much. Am I doing something wrong?

I smoked a piece of fish the other day without a problem.

2) Next, I noticed a few pictures which people posted their brisket after being in an off-set smoker. These briskets have a smaller smoke ring than I typically get. Is this related to the smoking time and incidentally responsible for the reason I get the soot?

 

[Jakes on Fifth]

I think you may have an issue with the grease smoking that could be avoided by putting water in the pan or I have heard of others that put playground sand in the pan. I don't know how you clean that. I might suggest a littlemore charcoal and a little less wood for fuel. FWIW

 

[Sip94]

If you don't have a pan, you are probaably getting fat that drips on the ashy coals and causes them to splash up a bit onto your food. If you don't want to put water in the water pan, you can fill it with sand. It helps moderate the temperature a bit and should collect fat so that it doesn't get on your food. I have a similar smoker and don't have problems with ash on the food.

 

[big_fat_horn]

Is the wood you are using totally dried out and has a low moistre content? If the wood is not toally dry it will tend to produce too thick a smoke. Close all the vents on the bottom of your smoker and open your flue all the way. The smoke coming out should be very light, almost white. If the smoke coming out is blue, then your fire is too big, too hot, or your wood isnt dry enough. Build your fire small, and keep your temp low. Usually go for 1 hour for pound of meet, at 220-240 degrees. Hope this helps. Every smoker is different, and you will have to experiment to get yours dialed in and produce the best barbque. Thats the fun part, having an excuse to smoke every week.

 

[NCAAFBALLROX]

You never said why you're not putting water in your pan... to me, that's your primary issue.

 

[Sip94]

Also, if you don't put in enough charcoal/wood to last a while and you keep having to open the door to tend to the fire, the draft will stir up ashes that will settle on your meat.

 

[Nivek]

I did not use water in the pan because I figured it was unnecessary as the meat is pretty moist. Will try to keep an eye out for the smoke though... thanks all for the suggestions.

 

[baboso]

The water really doesn't do anything except diffuse the heat. Same thing with the sand.

 

[NCAAFBALLROX]

Baboso is correct on 1/2 the reasons for a pan directly under the meat.

Diffuses the heat / deflects it

&

Prevents fat from collecting in the pan & thereby possibly igniting.

Put water in it. That's why it's called a "water pan" & not an "empty pan".