Smoker vent question
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I am having the hardest time with my vertical pellet smoker. The ventilation cap on the top of the smoker will not completely close off is the cap supposed to be able to touch metal to metal to maintain heat when desired? Last weekend I made snack sticks. Slow smoked starting at 125 and every bumping up till hitting 175 still took 14 hours and still only got to 110 internal meat temp. By the time they were done they were wrinkly and tough collagen casing? very frustrating.
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Riley Renwick I’d be interested in seeing what the actual temps are and not just what the smoker says it is. Do you have something you could use as an ambient temp thermometer to spot check your smoker? What brand is it? Did you add any humidity? I am guessing you experienced “case hardening” which is when the outside of the stick cooks and dries too quickly and it can no longer effectively pass heat through to the middle. That, and it not actually being 175 in the cabinet are the only 2 things I can think of that would cause sticks to not surpass 110 after 14 hours of smoking!
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Thank you for replying I ordered a 3rd party thermometer and will be spot checking the smoker I am using the pit-boss 7 series vertical smoker. I do add water to the pan and maintained the pan the entire cook. I think my next cook I am going to smoke for 3 hours low and slow and try the sous vide to finish the cook time.
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Thank you for replying I ordered a 3rd party thermometer and will be spot checking the smoker I am using the pit-boss 7 series vertical smoker. I do add water to the pan and maintained the pan the entire cook. I think my next cook I am going to smoke for 3 hours low and slow and try the sous vide to finish the cook time.
Riley Renwick
You’ll be pleased with the sous vide finish. I’ll never go back. -
PapaSop did you vac seal them in portioned sized first? Did you unseal when finished and reseal or leave in sealed bag after cook?
Riley Renwick
I did not vac seal first. Right from smoker to sous vide. https://meatgistics.waltonsinc.com/topic/1949/january-meat-run
There’s a photo in this post. Then ice bathed, let air dry and then package. Had no issue with the meat leaking out and plugging the circulator. -
Thank you for replying I ordered a 3rd party thermometer and will be spot checking the smoker I am using the pit-boss 7 series vertical smoker. I do add water to the pan and maintained the pan the entire cook. I think my next cook I am going to smoke for 3 hours low and slow and try the sous vide to finish the cook time.
Riley Renwick if you take off the pit boss emblem on your 7 series smoker you can equip it with a thermometer and you will be able to get a little more dialed in with your temperatures based on the maneuvering of the vent stack.
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erich52 thank you i will look into that.
Riley Renwick it is simply held on with a threaded wing nut. You can buy a thermometer that fits exactly in the hole that is in the glass.
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The cap shouldn’t completely closed ever. It needs a gap for proper air flow and combustion.
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Tex_77 I agree, top vent open, lower vent controls air flow. Usually more flow=higher temp. Riley Renwick Use the smoker for smoke and use cooker to cook…I’ve always used a water bath, no bag, and I like the look and texture. Doesn’t dry up, stays nice and juicy! Seriously give it a try, anything that holds water can work. We use turkey fryer, some use roasters, or sous vide, you could do it on a stove top with a small pot. Use what you have, don’t try to make the smoker do more than it’s intended use.
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