Smoke issue amazn pellet burns out, tips?

unoriginalusername · July 2018

i got a 6” tube pellet to try inprove the consistsncy and duration of smoke in my quest for a better smoke ring.

Issue is on low and slow settings it seems there is not enough air for the egg to hold 235 and keep thr tube pellets on fire. Every time i check in the smoke is extinguished, anyone have better luck on how to use this thing?

The_Stache · July 2018

I've only used my tube smoker for cold smokes like cheeses. In that case I only light the tube and it will burn for an hour or two without any other heat source.

Are you lighting the tube separately from the lump?

When I want to smoke meat, I usually "turbo" cook (350) and use wood chunks inter-dispersed in the lump.

unoriginalusername · July 2018

The_Stache said:

I've only used my tube smoker for cold smokes like cheeses. In that case I only light the tube and it will burn for an hour or two without any other heat source.

Are you lighting the tube separately from the lump?

When I want to smoke meat, I usually "turbo" cook (350) and use wood chunks inter-dispersed in the lump.

Yes and trying to put it on the platesetter where it can get it’s own oxygen ... but that’s not working

The_Stache · July 2018

unoriginalusername said:

The_Stache said:

I've only used my tube smoker for cold smokes like cheeses. In that case I only light the tube and it will burn for an hour or two without any other heat source.

Are you lighting the tube separately from the lump?

When I want to smoke meat, I usually "turbo" cook (350) and use wood chunks inter-dispersed in the lump.

Yes and trying to put it on the platesetter where it can get it’s own oxygen ... but that’s not working

You might try lighting at both ends... could be the low temp cook is too limited an airflow for the smoker... Good luck!!

Photo Egg · July 2018

I really thought at one time they had more "how to" stuff linked to their website but don't see it anymore. I'm sure you-tube videos are out there.

As @The_Stache said, these smoking tools are not made to add smoke to a low and slow cook in the Egg. There is not enough air flow to keep the pellets stoked. And honestly, not a need. You just need more wood chunks if you want more smoke flavor. Smoke ring is another issue. The Egg goes not produce a pretty smoke ring like an offset. You can try lighting both ends of your tube and cold smoking the brisket for an hour prior to low and slow on the Egg but I have never cared that much about the smoke ring. I knew it would be a trade off when I purchased the Egg.
Like many others have said...The ceramic cooker, BGE, is a great cooker and very versatile but not the best at everything.

blasting · July 2018

Given low air flow of an egg, that might be it. Try microwaving the pellets for a few minutes. Moisture content can also cause the pellets to go out.

jeffwit · July 2018

Smoke rings look pretty, but add nothing to the taste. Having said that, I’m still excited when I luck out and get a pretty one.

Theophan · July 2018

As others have said, smoke ring has nothing to do with smoke flavor. A fairly small but brisk fire in an offset smoker generates lots of nitrous oxide, which helps make a smoke ring. A VERY small and not so brisk fire in a kamado smoker at low-and-slow temps produces so little nitrous oxide that smoke rings are usually much less noticeable. But the smoke flavor is still there in spades (if you used enough wood to get some smoke, of course).

If you're just desperate to get a prominently visible smoke ring, you can easily get one by adding nitrites to the surface of the meat. You can either add some curing salt to the rub, or some celery seed or celery seed powder, both of which have nitrites in them.

But again, smoke ring or no smoke ring, you can get plenty of smoke FLAVOR in a Big Green Egg. Different people prefer different approaches. For me, I seem to get better results with chunks than chips. 3-4 fist-sized chunks of wood, some buried a bit, some radially around the center fire, does really well for me.

OH... and I get MUCH better smoke and smoke flavor if the dome temperature is 250° or above! You just won't do well with smoke at 235° in a BGE, at least in my experience. My "low and slow" temps are always between 250°-275°.

alaskanassasin · July 2018

My amazn pellet smoker kept going out too. I ran it alone in the grill for some salmon and lit it a dozen times over two days.

Going to get a lil chief electric smoker for fish and cheese, that is what we used for salmon when I was a kid. We would pick salmon out of it all day and re arrange the pieces to make it look like no one had been in there.

Unless some one can point me in the direction of a electric element and tray that I can put in the bottom of the egg.

The Cen-Tex Smoker · July 2018

Theophan said:

As others have said, smoke ring has nothing to do with smoke flavor. A fairly small but brisk fire in an offset smoker generates lots of nitrous oxide, which helps make a smoke ring. A VERY small and not so brisk fire in a kamado smoker at low-and-slow temps produces so little nitrous oxide that smoke rings are usually much less noticeable. But the smoke flavor is still there in spades (if you used enough wood to get some smoke, of course).

If you're just desperate to get a prominently visible smoke ring, you can easily get one by adding nitrites to the surface of the meat. You can either add some curing salt to the rub, or some celery seed or celery seed powder, both of which have nitrites in them.

But again, smoke ring or no smoke ring, you can get plenty of smoke FLAVOR in a Big Green Egg. Different people prefer different approaches. For me, I seem to get better results with chunks than chips. 3-4 fist-sized chunks of wood, some buried a bit, some radially around the center fire, does really well for me.

OH... and I get MUCH better smoke and smoke flavor if the dome temperature is 250° or above! You just won't do well with smoke at 235° in a BGE, at least in my experience. My "low and slow" temps are always between 250°-275°.

Well said. I will add that it's actually "Nitric" oxide (not Nitrous Oxide) that causes smoke ring. Unless you are doing whippets while cooking and that's a whole other thing

Nitric Oxide is a compound produced when burning wood. It is not found in lump. When it mixes with the water remaining in the wood and Carbon Monoxide, it reacts with myoglobin in the muscle. Myoglobin is what makes muscle meat pink, not blood. When the compounds hit the meat, they set the pink color of the muscle in a thin ring as the rest turns brown during the cook. That is a "smoke" ring.

This is why you get a smoke ring almost 100% of the time you cook with 100% wood and can be hit and miss when using lump with wood chips/chunks. There is rarely enough wood burning, or moisture for that matter, in a kamado to get enough of the compounds you need to get a good ring.

GrateEggspectations · July 2018

Just wondering - are y’all letting your pellets flame for 5 to 10 minutes before sniffing them out, or before letting the flame extinguish naturally?

For me, this was the difference between constantly having to relight and having the thing smoke away with not a single problem.

Process detailed using links available here:
http://www.amazenproducts.com/Articles.asp?ID=238

alaskanassasin · July 2018

Tried it both ways

The Cen-Tex Smoker · July 2018

also, use traeger pellets. The AMS pellets suck. Once i switched, I never had a problem again.

SSQUAL612 · July 2018

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

Theophan said:

As others have said, smoke ring has nothing to do with smoke flavor. A fairly small but brisk fire in an offset smoker generates lots of nitrous oxide, which helps make a smoke ring. A VERY small and not so brisk fire in a kamado smoker at low-and-slow temps produces so little nitrous oxide that smoke rings are usually much less noticeable. But the smoke flavor is still there in spades (if you used enough wood to get some smoke, of course).

If you're just desperate to get a prominently visible smoke ring, you can easily get one by adding nitrites to the surface of the meat. You can either add some curing salt to the rub, or some celery seed or celery seed powder, both of which have nitrites in them.

But again, smoke ring or no smoke ring, you can get plenty of smoke FLAVOR in a Big Green Egg. Different people prefer different approaches. For me, I seem to get better results with chunks than chips. 3-4 fist-sized chunks of wood, some buried a bit, some radially around the center fire, does really well for me.

OH... and I get MUCH better smoke and smoke flavor if the dome temperature is 250° or above! You just won't do well with smoke at 235° in a BGE, at least in my experience. My "low and slow" temps are always between 250°-275°.

Well said. I will add that it's actually "Nitric" oxide (not Nitrous Oxide) that causes smoke ring. Unless you are doing whippets while cooking and that's a whole other thing

alaskanassasin · July 2018

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

also, use traeger pellets. The AMS pellets suck. Once i switched, I never had a problem again.

I will try that before abandoning

The Cen-Tex Smoker · July 2018

alaskanassasin said:

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

also, use traeger pellets. The AMS pellets suck. Once i switched, I never had a problem again.

I will try that before abandoning

here is a tutorial I did on the maze. I have not used to tube but I need to order one for the dishwasher (Karubecue). Hope this helps. The AMS pellets really do suck. People were drying them in the oven for an hour and stuff like that. My Traeger pellets are a year old and light like a candle.

https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1158809/a-maze-n-smoker-tutorial/p1

Photo Egg · July 2018

alaskanassasin said:

My amazn pellet smoker kept going out too. I ran it alone in the grill for some salmon and lit it a dozen times over two days.
Going to get a lil chief electric smoker for fish and cheese, that is what we used for salmon when I was a kid. We would pick salmon out of it all day and re arrange the pieces to make it look like no one had been in there.
Unless some one can point me in the direction of a electric element and tray that I can put in the bottom of the egg.

Humidity is a killer of wood pellets.

alaskanassasin · July 2018

Cool thanks for the advice! I hade the amazn pellets in ziplock in the box they came in. I bought some traeger pellets for my bee bellows so I will try those out!

unoriginalusername · July 2018

They are in a open bag in the garage and it’s been hot and humid outside.... didn’t even think about that

nolaegghead · July 2018

if you want a good smoke ring on food cooked in the egg, ever so lightly dust it with celery powder or something with nitrites in it.

Theophan · July 2018

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:
... it's actually "Nitric" oxide (not Nitrous Oxide) that causes smoke ring. Unless you are doing whippets while cooking and that's a whole other thing

Nitric Oxide is a compound produced when burning wood. It is not found in lump...

Thanks for correcting me so gently!

Good to know.

HeavyG · July 2018

When doing a low and slow in your Egg throw a handful or two of pellets spread over your pile of lump. Since pellets are real wood and as the fire moves thru your lump it will ignite a few pellets now and then - might give a better shot at a smoke ring.

I've known folks that have electric smokers that would light up a few Kingsford bricks and place them in their smoker to help generate a smoke ring. Kingsford blue bag bricks have sodium nitrate as one of their ingredients.

I have both Traeger and Amazen pellets and can't say I've noticed any significant differences between them when used for cold smoking. The microwave trick does help to light them up if they have absorbed a bit of moisture but I don't usually bother. For long term storage in humid climate I don't think the ziploc bags are the best at keeping moisture out. I use one of these as it has a silicone ring seal:

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/4g/v93hu1rpyhcv.png

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000QSMWRK/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The Cen-Tex Smoker · July 2018

HeavyG said:

When doing a low and slow in your Egg throw a handful or two of pellets spread over your pile of lump. Since pellets are real wood and as the fire moves thru your lump it will ignite a few pellets now and then - might give a better shot at a smoke ring.

I've known folks that have electric smokers that would light up a few Kingsford bricks and place them in their smoker to help generate a smoke ring. Kingsford blue bag bricks have sodium nitrate as one of their ingredients.

I have both Traeger and Amazen pellets and can't say I've noticed any significant differences between them when used for cold smoking. The microwave trick does help to light them up if they have absorbed a bit of moisture but I don't usually bother. For long term storage in humid climate I don't think the ziploc bags are the best at keeping moisture out. I use one of these as it has a silicone ring seal:

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000QSMWRK/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I was going to mention the blue bag but I couldn't find the source. i think it was naked whiz but I have definitely read that they add Sodium Nitrite (pink salt) to their briques.

I use the ziploc weather shield boxes for my pellets. It's humid as hell here and they have been held in an outdoor storage area for a year. When I had them in the ziploc bags, for whatever reason they turned to powder after a few months.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/l7/tm7lzmhkknwd.jpeg

SGH · July 2018

nolaegghead said:

if you want a good smoke ring on food cooked in the egg, ever so lightly dust it with celery powder or something with nitrites in it.

I’m willing to bet a dollar against a dog biscuit that folks who take shortcuts like that shave with disposable razors

DMW · July 2018

SGH said:

nolaegghead said:

if you want a good smoke ring on food cooked in the egg, ever so lightly dust it with celery powder or something with nitrites in it.

I’m willing to bet a dollar against a dog biscuit that folks who take shortcuts like that shave with disposable razors

Or don't shave at all, just trim...

Canugghead · July 2018

When I want smoke ring I start smoking in Traeger, then transfer to Egg.
https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1211873/brisket-traeger-and-bge-teamwork

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/99/j04ifo4w8lwz.jpg

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/1b/f9tq6ytx52ix.jpg

jtcBoynton · July 2018

If you are wanting more smoke ring, switch to charcoal briquets and a higher temp (upper 200's).

Smoke issue amazn pellet burns out, tips?

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