# Masterbuilt Gas Smokehouse. Help!!



## donirish70

i got the Masterbuilt Gas Smokehouse and i cant keep the temp @ 250 without the propane. am i supposed to keep it on? i thought the charcoal should keep the temperature. I dont know anything and i cant seem to find the answers anywhere. HELP!


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## pineywoods

Don welcome to SMF which model Masterbuilt do you have?


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## donirish70

20050106 vertical gas(propane) smokehouse


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## pineywoods

That model is designed to be heated by propane. In the 'Chip Pan" you should place wood chips or wood chunks. There should also be a pan to add water to. Some people soak the chips/chunks first while others do not


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## donirish70

so no charcoal at all? or its a preference?


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## pineywoods

You do not need to add any charcoal tho some people will add one or two briquettes to the chip pan (they say it adds flavor). Personally I would suggest you season the smoker then try just using the chip pan with hickory chips and the water pan full of water to smoke with. After the first smoke figure out if the flavor was too mild or too strong or about right. Once you do a couple smokes you can begin experimenting with different things to find the methods and things that suit your and your family's tastes. Keep a log of all your smokes with what you smoked, times, wood, temps, etc and what you thought of the smoke then you can compare the different smokes

The reason I say hickory is there are stronger and weaker flavors but this gives you a starting point


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## daddyzaring

Some people use very small amount of charcoal with the wood chips, but only for flovor.  Your Heat source is gas, so you will have to leave it on to cook.


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## donirish70

ok thanks! i appreciate it alot.


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## pineywoods

No problem we are here to help and share you'll find lots of good information and recipes on this site. Theres also lots of people willing to help answer questions


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## hannibal

Welcome to the site. You will find lots of good info here, I know I have.


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## rc1991

Hi and welcome! I have the same model smoker and you do indeed need to use propane as stated above. I would recommend getting an inexpensive oven thermometer to hang from one of the grates which will let you know the actual smoker temp when you open it to add wood, water, etc. since the one on the door isn't too accurate. I also have found that wood chips tend to smoke and burn up quickly on the flame pan so you may eventually want to find an 8" cast iron pan to play on top of the flame pan and add your chips or wood chunks to that. It's pretty well for me so far. Just remember to have fun and read the forums here - I have found a LOT of great information and everyone is really friendly and helpful!


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## spud27

I'm new to this forum, but I've been reading alot this past couple of weeks.  I also have the same masterbuilt model and my first smoke I had so many flare ups.  So, after reading this forum I replace the wood chip pan with a 10 inch cast iron skillet and only had one flareup.  Try a cast iron skillet for your wood.  Currently chip pan does not have a lid, but I'm looking for a cast iron lid for it, probably will be drilling some holes in the lid.


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## cardsfan

Just bought the same smoker, and have some of the same confusion. My main question was where does the wood go? The flame disk bowl doesn't seem adequate for wood chips. I'm glad I joined this sight, because the cast iron skillet seems like a good idea. (maybe covered with perferated foil to deal with the flare ups) I am using it for the first time this weekend. (spareribs) Wish me luck!


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## pineywoods

cardsfan said:


> Just bought the same smoker, and have some of the same confusion. My main question was where does the wood go? The flame disk bowl doesn't seem adequate for wood chips. I'm glad I joined this sight, because the cast iron skillet seems like a good idea. (maybe covered with perferated foil to deal with the flare ups) I am using it for the first time this weekend. (spareribs) Wish me luck!


Welcome to the site and congrats on the new smoker. Please stop by the Roll Call section and make a thread for us. You don't need a lot of chips/chunks only about a handful at a time. You want thin blue smoke (TBS) or no smoke at all just the smell of the wood. If you can smell it so can the meat. The cast iron pans work great in most smokers and the foil over the top with holes poked is a good thing too. Good luck with the rib smoke!!


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## cardsfan

Sorry dude, I'm new to this forum stuff. What is roll call, and how do I make a thread? What type of wood chips would you suggest? Do you have the same type of smoker?


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## pineywoods

Heres a link to the Roll Call section and you can find the place to start a new thread at the top or bottom of the page.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/forum/list/133  

I don't have the Masterbuilt I have a different type propane smoker. If you want a light smoke flavor look for apple, medium flavor oak, pecan. hickory, strong flavor mesquite


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## cardsfan

Do you rotate what your smoking to different racks, or do you just leave it be?


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## chadpole

I have the same smoker. I use an 8" cast iron skillet on my fire. I found to help with flare ups just put some foil over the chips to seal the pan then  I take my knife and just poke two holes in the foil. You are limiting the amount of air so there is no combustion in the wood chips.That little bit of smoke is all you need to smoke up your meat. I do not rotate my meat,I leave it alone. If you see a hot spot that is cooking too fast you may put on an upper rack.


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## bestbuy002

I also have this smokers, the first time I used the smokers i did chicken halves, and got a burnt smoked flavor due to flare ups, I was just putting the wood chips in the pan and I went through an entire bag of chips. The second time I put a handful of chips into high heat aluminum foil packed tight with fork holes and it worked great, I was thinking of a cast iron pan but the foil works great and you can remove easier and place a new packet of chips easier and less likely to burn yourself, I am doing about 12 pounds of spare ribs and 10 pounds of chicken on the 4th of july, I am using hickory and very simply paprika, onion powder garlic powder sugar rub and the questions I have is how do you know you need more chips? When they are grey and dissengrated or black or when? also for chicken should the chicken skin be pulled off? and lastly the ribs I use the 3 hours smoke and then wrap for 2 what or how is the best way to get the barbeque sauce layers on the ribs? Thanks this forum seems great!!!!


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## hfactor

I purchased the same Masterbuilt propane smoker, while I don't have any temperature issues, I am having problems generating smoke when running the smoker below 200 degrees.  I have a 8" cast iron pan I place on top of the OEM chip pan, at 230 to 240 degrees, this pan works fine, and I'm able to get smoke.  But at the lower temperature (<200 degrees) it seems the wood chunks or chips don't what to smolder...

Any suggestions?


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## donirish70

i got the Masterbuilt Gas Smokehouse and i cant keep the temp @ 250 without the propane. am i supposed to keep it on? i thought the charcoal should keep the temperature. I dont know anything and i cant seem to find the answers anywhere. HELP!


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## pineywoods

Don welcome to SMF which model Masterbuilt do you have?


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## donirish70

20050106 vertical gas(propane) smokehouse


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## pineywoods

That model is designed to be heated by propane. In the 'Chip Pan" you should place wood chips or wood chunks. There should also be a pan to add water to. Some people soak the chips/chunks first while others do not


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## donirish70

so no charcoal at all? or its a preference?


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## pineywoods

You do not need to add any charcoal tho some people will add one or two briquettes to the chip pan (they say it adds flavor). Personally I would suggest you season the smoker then try just using the chip pan with hickory chips and the water pan full of water to smoke with. After the first smoke figure out if the flavor was too mild or too strong or about right. Once you do a couple smokes you can begin experimenting with different things to find the methods and things that suit your and your family's tastes. Keep a log of all your smokes with what you smoked, times, wood, temps, etc and what you thought of the smoke then you can compare the different smokes

The reason I say hickory is there are stronger and weaker flavors but this gives you a starting point


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## daddyzaring

Some people use very small amount of charcoal with the wood chips, but only for flovor.  Your Heat source is gas, so you will have to leave it on to cook.


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## donirish70

ok thanks! i appreciate it alot.


----------



## pineywoods

No problem we are here to help and share you'll find lots of good information and recipes on this site. Theres also lots of people willing to help answer questions


----------



## hannibal

Welcome to the site. You will find lots of good info here, I know I have.


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## rc1991

Hi and welcome! I have the same model smoker and you do indeed need to use propane as stated above. I would recommend getting an inexpensive oven thermometer to hang from one of the grates which will let you know the actual smoker temp when you open it to add wood, water, etc. since the one on the door isn't too accurate. I also have found that wood chips tend to smoke and burn up quickly on the flame pan so you may eventually want to find an 8" cast iron pan to play on top of the flame pan and add your chips or wood chunks to that. It's pretty well for me so far. Just remember to have fun and read the forums here - I have found a LOT of great information and everyone is really friendly and helpful!


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## spud27

I'm new to this forum, but I've been reading alot this past couple of weeks.  I also have the same masterbuilt model and my first smoke I had so many flare ups.  So, after reading this forum I replace the wood chip pan with a 10 inch cast iron skillet and only had one flareup.  Try a cast iron skillet for your wood.  Currently chip pan does not have a lid, but I'm looking for a cast iron lid for it, probably will be drilling some holes in the lid.


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## cardsfan

Just bought the same smoker, and have some of the same confusion. My main question was where does the wood go? The flame disk bowl doesn't seem adequate for wood chips. I'm glad I joined this sight, because the cast iron skillet seems like a good idea. (maybe covered with perferated foil to deal with the flare ups) I am using it for the first time this weekend. (spareribs) Wish me luck!


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## pineywoods

cardsfan said:


> Just bought the same smoker, and have some of the same confusion. My main question was where does the wood go? The flame disk bowl doesn't seem adequate for wood chips. I'm glad I joined this sight, because the cast iron skillet seems like a good idea. (maybe covered with perferated foil to deal with the flare ups) I am using it for the first time this weekend. (spareribs) Wish me luck!


Welcome to the site and congrats on the new smoker. Please stop by the Roll Call section and make a thread for us. You don't need a lot of chips/chunks only about a handful at a time. You want thin blue smoke (TBS) or no smoke at all just the smell of the wood. If you can smell it so can the meat. The cast iron pans work great in most smokers and the foil over the top with holes poked is a good thing too. Good luck with the rib smoke!!


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## cardsfan

Sorry dude, I'm new to this forum stuff. What is roll call, and how do I make a thread? What type of wood chips would you suggest? Do you have the same type of smoker?


----------



## pineywoods

Heres a link to the Roll Call section and you can find the place to start a new thread at the top or bottom of the page.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/forum/list/133  

I don't have the Masterbuilt I have a different type propane smoker. If you want a light smoke flavor look for apple, medium flavor oak, pecan. hickory, strong flavor mesquite


----------



## cardsfan

Do you rotate what your smoking to different racks, or do you just leave it be?


----------



## chadpole

I have the same smoker. I use an 8" cast iron skillet on my fire. I found to help with flare ups just put some foil over the chips to seal the pan then  I take my knife and just poke two holes in the foil. You are limiting the amount of air so there is no combustion in the wood chips.That little bit of smoke is all you need to smoke up your meat. I do not rotate my meat,I leave it alone. If you see a hot spot that is cooking too fast you may put on an upper rack.


----------



## bestbuy002

I also have this smokers, the first time I used the smokers i did chicken halves, and got a burnt smoked flavor due to flare ups, I was just putting the wood chips in the pan and I went through an entire bag of chips. The second time I put a handful of chips into high heat aluminum foil packed tight with fork holes and it worked great, I was thinking of a cast iron pan but the foil works great and you can remove easier and place a new packet of chips easier and less likely to burn yourself, I am doing about 12 pounds of spare ribs and 10 pounds of chicken on the 4th of july, I am using hickory and very simply paprika, onion powder garlic powder sugar rub and the questions I have is how do you know you need more chips? When they are grey and dissengrated or black or when? also for chicken should the chicken skin be pulled off? and lastly the ribs I use the 3 hours smoke and then wrap for 2 what or how is the best way to get the barbeque sauce layers on the ribs? Thanks this forum seems great!!!!


----------



## hfactor

I purchased the same Masterbuilt propane smoker, while I don't have any temperature issues, I am having problems generating smoke when running the smoker below 200 degrees.  I have a 8" cast iron pan I place on top of the OEM chip pan, at 230 to 240 degrees, this pan works fine, and I'm able to get smoke.  But at the lower temperature (<200 degrees) it seems the wood chunks or chips don't what to smolder...

Any suggestions?


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