Hello. I made a homemade electric smoker out of a Brinkman charcoal smoker. It had four air shutters on it. I insulated the whole box with 1/4" cement board (riveted it on), then wrapped in moving blankets. I can reach 300 degrees now no problem. I only used one of the air shutters at the top however. I figured it would draw enough air through the cracks of the door. It appears to work alright. I put a pan of applewood chips on a wire rack about a 1/2" over the element.
Yesterday I did the Smoked Drunken Drumsticks recipe from that I got in a email. Pretty much followed it to a T. (no barbecue sauce at the end ) Put the drummy's in two aluminum pans that I poked holes in the bottom. (Bradley racks a little too big to fit). Put my maverick thermo in one of the legs and let her go. Took about a hour in a half before I read 165 degrees in the leg. Good smoke all the while.The problem is the drummys tasted like shit. Some where still red in the middle. They had a real heavy smoke smell. I had to eat half without the skin and the other half I threw away. Is it possible that food can get too much smoke? Should I get much air in the box while smoking? To be honest I used this smoker about a dozen times these past three years and everything I cooked in it wasn't that good. What am I missing? Is it the Smoker? Thanks!
Yesterday I did the Smoked Drunken Drumsticks recipe from that I got in a email. Pretty much followed it to a T. (no barbecue sauce at the end ) Put the drummy's in two aluminum pans that I poked holes in the bottom. (Bradley racks a little too big to fit). Put my maverick thermo in one of the legs and let her go. Took about a hour in a half before I read 165 degrees in the leg. Good smoke all the while.The problem is the drummys tasted like shit. Some where still red in the middle. They had a real heavy smoke smell. I had to eat half without the skin and the other half I threw away. Is it possible that food can get too much smoke? Should I get much air in the box while smoking? To be honest I used this smoker about a dozen times these past three years and everything I cooked in it wasn't that good. What am I missing? Is it the Smoker? Thanks!