Help me please

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ou11bb

Newbie
Original poster
Mar 18, 2010
5
10
Hi, i am in the process right now of smoking a pheasant. The big problem is my smoker "vertical charcoal" will not get above 140 degrees. all vents are open and the water pan above is where it should be. Please a need so expert advise, this is my first attempt and i dont want to waste the pheasant!!
Thanks for your prompt responses
 
Where are you reading this temp from? Sometimes the default thermos on the unit are not great / accurate.

If you dont get anywhere soon, I suggest getting the bird in an oven to not waste it. You can always tinker with the smoker while it cooks in the oven to determine your issues.
 
ok thermometer is located around the top third of the smoker. i guess there could be an issue w/a faulty thermometer. do you know of anyway to get the charcoal hotter during the smoking process, other than just adding more coals? I thought about adding dry mesquite wood instead of adding additional coal?
 
Ok i will start my oven now and will give the smoker 20-30 more minutes to show increase and if no results i will pull it.
 
Is there sufficient air flow under the coals? If you have a chimney starter you could get some really hot and add those.

I'd repost quick in the Charcoal section below and those guys should be around quick to help. Add Make / model and you'll have an expert answer in no time.
 
Keeping coals in a pile as opposed to spread out will generate some more heat but increasing the air intake is what you want to do.
I wouldn't recommend adding a bunch of mesquite, it is really a strong wood and adding a bunch could ruin the meat as well.
 
haha ya dont want to waste the fuel! what if i open the lower charcoal door to increase the air. right now its closed, but if a cracked it open that may help. what do you think? again thanks for your time and as of right now smoker is at 150 F.
 
That should help to get things going for sure! Usually it takes me 20 min or so to get a chimney of coals ready, and another 10 minutes to get my load of charcoal in the smoker heated up to the right temp.
 
Don't forget about ashes...they'll kill the fire if the ashes are trapped at the bottom of the coal pan...if this is an unmodified brinkmann, that is a likely cause to low temps, next to a lack of intake/exhaust ventilation.

Eric
 
Welcome to the SMF. Glad to have you here. Lots of good folks here and knowledge. Looking forward to your first qview.
icon_smile.gif
 
next time get your smoker good and hot first. throw on some wood and let it start smoking for a min. before you put the meat in.
 
I have also a vertical water smoker

Almost every time I start with hot water in the water pan.
That makes soon 30 minutes min difference
all vents open,after every smoke remove ash
 
First off welcome to SMF. It sounds like you are well on your way to be an outstanding new member of this fine site. You'll like it here cause there are abunch of good folks here that would just love to help you out with just about anything to do with smoking. We really like to have newbies here because they can bring in a new propective to how things are done. There's nothing like a new set of eyes to give and new way to make things that little differant to make things alittle better. So I hope you know about the Qview here.
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...ad.php?t=58920
Here's a link to photobucket it's free and easy to download pictures. Then if your really new to smoking Look up the E-course.
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...play.php?f=127
It's also free and it will give you the basics of smoking. So after all of that you just need to go grab something to smoke and if you have any question just post them here and we will answer it quickly so you don't have any mishaps with your smoke.
Welcome To Your New Addiction
 
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