Pellets and Beyond

[mr t 59874]

While helping individuals with their cold smokers, the following questions became commonplace. Hopefully the following will help in answering some questions.

Question: How can one get a fifteen to twenty hour burn using a tray-type smoke generator?

Answer: Powder is used as the fuel; this is used when a very light, thin smoke is desired for long periods. Examples are when smoking cheese or when continuously smoking dry cured bacon for days.

Question: How does powder differ from sawdust?

Answer: Powder is much finer than sawdust and burns slower, which is desirable when long cold smokes are required.

Question: How do you make the powder from pellets?

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• mr t 59874
• Apr 3, 2017

Answer:  I use a retired food blender. Blend one-quarter cup of pellets at a time starting on low speed and increase the speed as the pellets begin to break down.

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• mr t 59874
• Apr 3, 2017

 After blending on high speed for ± one minute, place the contents into a strainer and sift over a bowl. The fine powder will be in the bowl and a sawdust type product will remain in the strainer.

Question: What are the different pellet mediums do you use?

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• mr t 59874
• Apr 3, 2017

Answer: Pictured left to right, one teaspoon of ultra-fine powder, one tablespoon of a sawdust type medium, crushed pellets, pellet bits, and whole pellets.

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• mr t 59874
• Apr 3, 2017

Pictured left to right, one tsp. of ultra-fine powder, one TBS.of sawdust type medium, one quarter cup of crushed pellets.

Question: What is the burn rate of each?

Answer:  The finer the smoking medium the slower it burns. The actual time each burns depends on the device and setup used.

Question: With what devices do you use the different pellet mediums?

Answer:

Poly Science - Smoking Gun =  powder, dust, crushed pellets

Char-Broil - Smoker Tube =  dust, crushed pellets, pellet bits, pellets

Smoke Daddy - Big Kahuna and Magnum =  pellets

Tray  = powder, dust, crushed pellets, pellet bits, pellets

Mr. T

 

[lovethemeats]

This is what more people should be trying. Anyone can throw a hunk of meat into a smoker and smoke it. The art comes from knowing how to handle each piece of food going into the smoker and having it come back out at its best. His methods are true. It helps the people that want to gain more knowledge of what their units can do. It's helped me out alot. No harm in learning new ways. It only makes you a better person.

Rob

 

[crazymoon]

Mr.T, Great advice, thanks for the post !

 

[mr t 59874]

This is what more people should be trying. Anyone can throw a hunk of meat into a smoker and smoke it. The art comes from knowing how to handle each piece of food going into the smoker and having it come back out at its best. His methods are true. It helps the people that want to gain more knowledge of what their units can do. It's helped me out alot. No harm in learning new ways. It only makes you a better person.

Rob

Proud you feel that way Rob.

T

 
Mr.T, Great advice, thanks for the post !

Thank you, CM.

T