Ready to give up - change my mind

[heavymetalbebop]

I’ve got a Masterbuilt propane smoker. Got it about a year ago for Christmas and have been fighting with it ever since. My meat was coming out tough and nothing like what I expected so I started researching. It did not take long to figure out that the thermostat that comes with the smoker is garbage and cannot be trusted. I moved to a digital thermometer immediately. I also relaxed the chip pan and invested in a needle regulator. Now the temps are all over the place and driving me insane. I love to cook but it is to a point that this is not an enjoyable process. I have read countless posts on this website and others about how to control the temperature, and have gotten nowhere. It takes about an hour of fiddling with the regulator and dampers to get the temp somewhat steady, then it inevitably starts to drop after another 20-30 minutes. Then the process starts all over.

Yes, I am making ever so slight adjustments at the regulator. A hair too high and the temp skyrockets. Too low and temp starts dropping, sometimes the flame going out completely. I love the flavor and typically enjoy cooking (so long as I can enjoy the finished product) but I am at my wit’s end and ready to give up on this smoker. In addition to the frustration, I’m sick of throwing my money away on overcooked/unsatisfying meat. Please help - what am I doing wrong here?

 

[jcam222]

If you can afford it may be far easier and less frustrating to move to an electric smoker. Either that or a pellet cooker will likely offer you acfar more enjoyable experience and end product.

 

[pineywoods]

Are you using the water pan?

 

[jake0531]

Are you cooking to temperature of your meat? Or just going off a recommended time? If not, you need to get yourself a good probe thermometer to see when your food is done based on temp. Every piece of meat is different, every cooker is different, but meat is always done when it reaches the desired temp, no matter how high or low your temp swings are. My food instantly improved 1000% day I got a good thermometer to check temps of meat

 

[chopsaw]

.

 

[heavymetalbebop]

Are you using the water pan?

Yes, and keeping it filled. Doesn’t seem to make a difference.

 

[heavymetalbebop]

Are you cooking to temperature of your meat? Or just going off a recommended time? If not, you need to get yourself a good probe thermometer to see when your food is done based on temp. Every piece of meat is different, every cooker is different, but meat is always done when it reaches the desired temp, no matter how high or low your temp swings are. My food instantly improved 1000% day I got a good thermometer to check temps of meat

I am cooking

Yes, and keeping it filled. Doesn’t seem to make a difference.

Are you cooking to temperature of your meat? Or just going off a recommended time? If not, you need to get yourself a good probe thermometer to see when your food is done based on temp. Every piece of meat is different, every cooker is different, but meat is always done when it reaches the desired temp, no matter how high or low your temp swings are. My food instantly improved 1000% day I got a good thermometer to check temps of meat

i have done both, cook to time and cook to meat temp. The difficulty from my perspective is it’s hard to know when the meat will be done just based on the temp. I also worry with the huge temp swings that the meat will toughen if it goes too high. Maybe next time I’ll just track the internal temp and see how it goes?

 

[SlickRockStones]

Sounds like your sick up and fed with that MPS and your ready to kick it to the curb. However there’s still a few days til Christmas and maybe Santa can bring you a WSM or kettle and a couple bags of RO. Sorry I can’t give much advice on running the MPS. Maybe some one else can.

 

[jake0531]

I am cooking


i have done both, cook to time and cook to meat temp. The difficulty from my perspective is it’s hard to know when the meat will be done just based on the temp. I also worry with the huge temp swings that the meat will toughen if it goes too high. Maybe next time I’ll just track the internal temp and see how it goes?

Are you cooking to the correct temp would be next question? Also, do you let it rest after cooking or just go straight to cutting/eating. What meat(s) have you done that give you most trouble?

 

[jake0531]

Are you cooking to the correct temp would be next question? Also, do you let it rest after cooking or just go straight to cutting/eating. What meat(s) have you done that give you most trouble?

Also, with your temp swings, once your cooker thermometer says it’s at temp, do you instantly put food on then? I usually get mine up to temp and keep it there about 30 min before I put food on. Seems to help stabilize the temps, as well as makes sure the whole chamber is heated to desired temp, not just by a sensor.

 

[2008RN]

I haven't owned a Masterbuilt propane smoker, but I did own a Camp chef smoke vault that used propane. The temp gauge also sucked. I had problems keeping the temp down, and getting the meat dried out. I replaced the needle valve, the regulator to get the nice minimal flame. I did have to make covers for 3 sides of the smoker to keep the wind for blowing it out.

These things helped, but then I had problems keeping the chip tray smoking. If I turned the heat up then then chips would burn to fast and the heat would go up.

I ended up drilling 3/16 holes around the bottom of the chip tray. This allowed me to use a minimal flame, keep the temps down and still get a good smoke. I still could never get salmon to cook slow enough, but it was good enough for pork or turkey.

I also brined and marinated my meats that helped to keep them moist.

I hope that some of this helps.

 

[SmokinAl]

I think that you are too worried abut the smoker temp variations. I have a Smoke Vault too. And I can tell what temp I'll be cooking at just by looking at the flame. I just let it settle in where ever it wants & then may have to make a small adjustment on the burner control. But mine usually runs along right at 250 most of the time. Are you using wood chunks? Because chips can ignite & cause a bit of a temp spike. And is the burner producing a nice clean blue flame?
Al

 

[UGAsmokin]

Take the bite and buy a good offset reverse flow stick/charcoal smoker. You won't ever look back.

 

[hawtsauc3]

I guess i'd be wondering with smoking what do you want the most that lead you to propane. Do you want convenience of set a temp and forget it, is there a specific fuel type you prefer etc. Personally I'm not an electric fan. I committed to a WSM and i'll be honest, i chased temps for the first 2 cooks and now after using it 6 times it'll sit at 260 +or- 5 degrees for hours unattended. However i know the feeling as my first smoker an ECB was a nightmare to tend to which is why i took a break.

But I always encourage people to keep with it, I'd say figure out what type of fuel you want and that'll help you out.

 

[diezelsmoke]

A newb to the forum, but have smoked for years. I am cheap and bought a cheap returned cabinet propane smoker. My problem was getting the temp level to be @ 150, which is were I want to be most of the time when smoking the meat. I used a combo of 3 main things to get it at that temp. and keep it there: 1) I adjusted the regulator, pull the tin cap off and if you have an older one you can adjust it, the newer ones have a spring setup to maintain the pressure, pull out the spring and throw it away! 2) Go buy the aluminum tape the HVAC guys use to tape seams in your tin heat runs, and block off about 6 of the burner holes at the vey back. 3) Buy the biggest cheap cookie sheet that fits inside your cabinet and lay it across the bottom above the chip tray, preferably one that fits with no more than 1/2 space between sheet and sides of cabinet. Keep your vents mostly closed. Drill about 8 1/8" holes in your chip tray and use dry chips. If using racks move them around about every hour until done. Don't worry about the temp for the first hr., your meat is cold and will take a while to heat up so your temps maybe lower. Flat jerky and snack stick about 2 hrs. Summer sausage about 5-7 hrs. depending on outside temp. and meat temp. when starting. About the last hr. of summer sausage turn heat up to 200-225.

 

[Megacannon]

I don't have a Masterbuilt, only a Smoke Vault, so my advice may not work for you, but here are the changes I made. I get very constant temps unless it's windy or the air temp fluctuates wildly.

• I put 4 fire bricks, wrapped in foil, on the bottom shelf. These things absorb a LOT of heat and help bounce back from opening the smoker. They help maintain a more consistent temp even without opening the smoker. I got them from my local Tractor Supply Company
• Don't open up the smoker unless you need to. It introduces a lot of cold air which tanks the temp for a few minutes. After you do, give it 5-10 minutes to get back up to temp before you consider adjusting the flame.
• Which digital thermometer did you get? I use a Thermopro TP20 and it's great. It's very accurate and you can check the temp from inside the house. It's much more relaxing this way.
• When you have to adjust the flame, you need to make VERY tiny adjustments. I have to look through the vent on the side at the flame and listen to the sound of the gas in order to tell if I was able to adjust the flame at all. This amounts to only a couple degrees on the dial. This tiny change results in a 10-20 degree shift.
• I also bought some Lavalock heat resistant "tape" that I put around the edge of the door. This helps keep the smoke and heat in.
• Wind and sun and ambient air temps can all affect the temp. So far, I have a shockingly consistent temps in winter (no direct sunlight), but things get crazier over the summer. Nothing that ever came close to ruining my BBQ though.
• Did the temp problem get better or worse after installing the needle regulator? If worse, it may be best to go back to the factory defaults and hone your technique that way.

I hope this helps you. Let me know if you have any questions.

 

[forktender]

Take the bite and buy a good offset reverse flow stick/charcoal smoker. You won't ever look back.

Unless you have to buy the wood to fuel it, man they are fuel/ wood hogs.
I dumped my offset cooker after using it for two yr just for that reason.