Electric smokers
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Hi guys, I’m new to this forum, so therefore I don’t know the rules and regulations. I don’t want to upset the Lords of Discipline. Am allowed to leave a e-mail address on this forum.
Thanks
TommyOde -Tom If you want you can do that, you can also direct message people using the chat button at the top right of the screen next to the profile button.
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I was just on the Auber website looking at the PID controllers and saw that they also had Circulation Fan Kit for Electric Smokers and it only cost $89.00. I think a good pid controller if your smokers temp is drifting all over the place and the circulation fan would greatly improve performance.
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I was just on the Auber website looking at the PID controllers and saw that they also had Circulation Fan Kit for Electric Smokers and it only cost $89.00. I think a good pid controller if your smokers temp is drifting all over the place and the circulation fan would greatly improve performance.
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akdave I didn’t order my fans from Auber but I did build them on my own in a similar design. It made a big difference, especially when my smoker is fully loaded.
I got my fans from old convection ovens and installed one on top of my smoker and one down at the level of my water pan for sponges figuring that the moving air would help evaporate the water and increase humidity. Seems to help decrease cooking time and definitely keeps temperature more constant.
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I got my fans from old convection ovens and installed one on top of my smoker and one down at the level of my water pan for sponges figuring that the moving air would help evaporate the water and increase humidity. Seems to help decrease cooking time and definitely keeps temperature more constant.
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I got my fans from old convection ovens and installed one on top of my smoker and one down at the level of my water pan for sponges figuring that the moving air would help evaporate the water and increase humidity. Seems to help decrease cooking time and definitely keeps temperature more constant.
akdave I also run two convection oven fans but both are on the bottom of the smoker. If I had to build a new one I think I would build a down draft system. Although since adding the convection fans, fireplace fans and water trays with sponges my cook times are unbelievably consistent.
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akdave I also run two convection oven fans but both are on the bottom of the smoker. If I had to build a new one I think I would build a down draft system. Although since adding the convection fans, fireplace fans and water trays with sponges my cook times are unbelievably consistent.
hotkarl
I think the only time I will ever have to worry about temperature variations is when I do snack sticks and the long strands almost touch the bottom of my smoker and and doing the hot water bath sure makes quick work of finishing off snack sticks -
Ode -Tom lol yeah, we try to keep things really lose and don’t worry too much about rules. As we get bigger that might change but as far as Austin and I are concerned as long as everyone is behaving nicely and sharing information or asking honest questions we rarely ever step in. I am going to do a post in a few days about external links, in the meantime, if you post something and it gets removed don’t worry about it. It is not like we keep a list of who has done that or have any plans on banning anyone for such activity!
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@tmeiners82 how is the campchef doing for you? Mainly smoking at low temps for sausages? I still havent pulled the trigger yet on something new but i really like all the features on the xxl. Also how does the low smoke work? Or do u just run or at the temps? Does it put smoke out?thanks
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@tmeiners82 how is the campchef doing for you? Mainly smoking at low temps for sausages? I still havent pulled the trigger yet on something new but i really like all the features on the xxl. Also how does the low smoke work? Or do u just run or at the temps? Does it put smoke out?thanks
Stats77
I’ve used it twice so far smoking sticks both times. It held temps nicely and recovered well after I opened the door, was in the low to mid 20s both times. Plenty of smoke while cooking never used the low smoke setting.
It did flame out a hand full of times but was there to restart it, so I wouldn’t trust it to do long unattended cooks yet. I’ve called Camp Chef and they say it’s due to a “pellet bridge” where there is a gap of pellets in the auger and the flame goes out. I plan on doing some summer sausage next weekend, I’m going to drain the pellets I have in there and try a different variety to see if that fixes the flame outs. I’m not sure if other XXLs are having an issue the review’s seem good. I hope I answered your questions I will let you know how the summer sausage goes. -
@tmeiners82 how is the campchef doing for you? Mainly smoking at low temps for sausages? I still havent pulled the trigger yet on something new but i really like all the features on the xxl. Also how does the low smoke work? Or do u just run or at the temps? Does it put smoke out?thanks
Stats77
I switched out the pellets today and ran it for 2hrs with nothing in it. 1hr at 150 and 1hr on low smoke with no issues. The low smoke setting ran at 154 degrees, would probably be at lower temp if the smoker was full of meat. I plan on doing 25lbs of summer sausage this weekend, hopefully no more flame outs! -
@tmeiners82 how is the campchef doing for you? Mainly smoking at low temps for sausages? I still havent pulled the trigger yet on something new but i really like all the features on the xxl. Also how does the low smoke work? Or do u just run or at the temps? Does it put smoke out?thanks
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@tmeiners82 awesome thanks for the update! Let me know how it works for a long smoke. I’m pretty new to the idea of pellet grills. When I do pork shoulder or brisket I only add smoke for the first three or four hours. Doesn’t sound like you can manage the smoke for long cooks. Would think it would be to much for a 12 hour cook.
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Stats77 “low smoke” Yeah, I’d say you are gonna get some nice smoke flavor from that thing!
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Stats77 “low smoke” Yeah, I’d say you are gonna get some nice smoke flavor from that thing!
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I just purchased a PK100 it looks very well built. I have a couple questions.
The unit keeps shooting way past the set temp by 20+ deg it does not drop that far below the temp. I run a Meater when I did my bacons it really rendered out.
Second is that in book it says only saw dust. Right on the face it says chips and saw dust? -
mosales Been jamming on the PK100 for about a year now. I don’t seem to have issues with overshooting the temp. I’d put a second wire probe in and double check it. As for the chips vs dust, I like the dust. I got the 20# box of hickory-wayyyyyy too much. Get the 5# bags, Walton’s has the best price including shipping. I really like pecan and alder, very smooth and mild great for chicken/turkey/fish. I have tried the shredded wood, I’m concerned it will catch on fire so I’m sticking with the dust but it did work just fine. Easy to replenish, I keep a metal bucket with a lid I use for charcoal out when I’m smoking just dump the leftover in there and refill. I’d also make sure you are soaking the gasket with mineral oil. I have it in a spray bottle and wipe it down after each use keeps it from sticking.
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mosales Any electric smoker is going to be on a wave. If you set for 120 it will shoot for a little over that and then turn off the heating coil, it will wait until the temp is just below the target temp and then kick back on and go over again. 20°F sounds like too much though. I assume you are on the high wattage mode?
Dust/chips are okay, what it should say is do not use with pellets.
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I had a 20 year old electric smoker, and the rack for the chip pan was so high above the element, I couldn’t get it to start smoking until it got to about 300 degrees (and the bottom was starting to rust out, so it was time to be replaced). I picked up a Masterbuilt Pro online for under 150 w/free shipping. I haven’t used it yet, but assembled and seasoned it yesterday. Dual source heating (propane/charcoal). Took the huge vented chip/charcoal pan out, and went with an old 10" cast iron skillet to put my chips in (used a couple of small metal stakes across the burner hole and under the skillet, to give it room to breath above the flame (no problem getting chips to smolder/smoke now). With the flame turned way down, top vent open, and the door cracked it looks like get it down to 120 - 125 for the start temperature step for making snack sticks.
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@tmeiners82 awesome thanks for the update! Let me know how it works for a long smoke. I’m pretty new to the idea of pellet grills. When I do pork shoulder or brisket I only add smoke for the first three or four hours. Doesn’t sound like you can manage the smoke for long cooks. Would think it would be to much for a 12 hour cook.
Stats77

Hey Stats77 I made some H Summer Sausage 50/50 pork and venison on the Camp Chef yesterday. The smoker had no issues, and the sausage turned out great! It took 6hrs for the meat temp to get to 160 with the smoker started at 150 for 2hrs then to 175 for 2hrs and 185 2hrs. The meat wasn’t over smoked at all if you are worried about that. Thanks for all the great info everyone!
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