Pellet smokers / ash in food

[todd wooten]

While I love the ease of cooking with my new pellet grill.  Ash in the cooking chamber and on my food isn't working for me.  The lack of smoke while I knew before purchasing it , is a lot less than I was expecting.  I guess I can hook up a smoke daddy for that.  Mid to high temp cooks result in hard crusty ash build up on grill grates, and on drip pan, and visible ash on food.  I was told this would subside, but after multiple cooks, I'm not seeing any difference. I clean the ash out every cook to try to keep it from blowing around.  I guess I'll have to do low, and slow on the pellet grill, and keep my medium, to high temp cooks to my Weber, and my offset smoker.  Very disappointed.

 

[sawinredneck]

I can't offer much help, but is the wind blowing into the intake vents when you are cooking?
Also, the make and model of your smoker will help wiser people answer your questions better.

 

[jtrainor56]

Todd, don't know what pellet smoker you have but with my Yoder I never experienced that problem, and I have smoked on windy days as well as in the rain, snow and sleet. As for more smoke, I would suggest you look into either a box for burning chips or an AMNTS or something along that line. I sometimes use either a 6" or 12" AMNTS when I am doing a brisket, otherwise I don't bother.

I have also become creative with hanging a welding blanket to act as a wind block over my hopper without blocking the vents.

 

[seenred]

Hi Todd.

I'm with jtrainor here...I've never experienced a problem with ash on the grates/food in my Rec Tec.  The ash in my RT is pretty much confined to the bottom of the barrel under the grease shield.  Whichever pellet smoker you have, if the heat diffuser and grease shield are properly installed, this shouldn't be happening.  Perhaps the fan (or fans) isn't working properly?  I'm sorry I don't have a better suggestion than contacting your grill's customer service to see if they can help.

As suggested, there are several smoke generating devices you can try...you already mentioned Smoke Daddy.  There is also the aforementioned AMNTS by A Maze N Products, and a new one the looks pretty good to me is the Blazin Smoker by Blazin Grill Works.

Hope you get this bug fixed and start enjoying your new pit...sorry you're not getting better help.

Good luck,

Red

 

[bear55]

Ditto Red....

 

[todd wooten]

Thanks guys,  It's definitely a problem with higher heat.  As long as I stay low, and slow, I'm not seeing it.  When I start going higher, for meat loaf, or steaks that's when the problem really starts.  I did a boneless prime rib roast today and kept it 225 for close to 3 hours, then bumped it up to 280 and finished it up there.  Pulled it at 129, Served it at 135.  It came out great.  I'll just use this for low, and slow.  Use my Weber for higher heat applications, and I guess I'll be OK.  I will do a bacon wrapped meatloaf on it to show you guys what I'm talking about.  Then unwrap it and give the bacon to fido.  She's not worried about a little bit of ash. Just want you to see the loose ash in the cooking chamber, and the hard crusty ash that accumulates on grates and drip pan.  It has to be something with the fan I'm guessing, being that it's only at higher temps.  Thanks again for your input.

 

[gpb11]

Not normal.  Something's wrong with your grill or with the pellets you're using, so I'd recommend a chat with your manufacturer's tech support. 

My GMG Daniel Boone cooks well and the ash stays where it's supposed to stay, which is NOT on the food or the grates.

 

[phrett]

Ditto on my DB not having ash on the food. At higher temps the fan does not blow harder, just longer or more frequently with faster times between pellet dumps. I've cooked on Ret Tec, Memphis, Yoder, Cookshack, Woodmaster, Louisiana and one or two others and never saw ash on the food.