# soot



## smoken yankee (Nov 25, 2011)

what causes soot in a propane smoker, I do clean my smoker after 3 smokes but when I put the turkey in the smoker yesterday for about an hour the turkey was covered with a fine layer of black soot, this never has happeded to me, what should I check, is the fuel line cloged?

Had to put the turkey in the inside oven ( no smoke ) and wasen't very tasty and the family want to tar & feather me. Please help. Thank you Larry


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## mballi3011 (Nov 25, 2011)

Well first off it sounds like you have been pouring too much smoke at your meat. That will cause the sour tasting meat that you said. Also it will cause some build up and cresole on the walls of your smoker. That shouldn't hurt or harm the flavor of the meat in your smoke. I clean my propane smoker once a year and then start all over again with the seasoning process. Now to remedy the sour taste try using a smaller amount of chips in the chip pan and lesson the smoke output. That should get you your desired flavor that you want. Remember the "Thin Blue Smoke" saying if you can smell it your smoking and you don't have to see alot of smoke to be smoking.


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## smoken yankee (Nov 25, 2011)

It didn't have a sour taste to the meat, I just said it didn't have the smoke taste because it was done in the inside oven.I put a small amount of chips into the wood chip box.

What do you use to clean your smoker with and when you reseason your smoker what is the first thing you do?


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## alblancher (Nov 25, 2011)

Quite possible you have a combustion problem,  what color is the fire?  I think you need blue flame and not orange?  Can you adjust the venturi air vents where the jet is?  I am assuming propane smokers have these but I have never owned a propane smoker.  I would definety shove a piece of wire into the air jet just to make sure it isn't clogged

Al


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## chef jimmyj (Nov 25, 2011)

alblancher said:


> Quite possible you have a combustion problem,  what color is the fire?  I think you need blue flame and not orange?  Can you adjust the venturi air vents where the jet is?  I am assuming propane smokers have these but I have never owned a propane smoker.  I would definety shove a piece of wire into the air jet just to make sure it isn't clogged
> 
> Al


X2...This is the frequent cause of soot...JJ


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## Bearcarver (Nov 25, 2011)

Yup---I would check for spider nests, or other insect problems inside the venturi.

Then I would read what guys who know more about propane smokers than I do, have to say.

Good luck, Larry,

Bear


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## scarbelly (Nov 25, 2011)

I agree. Smoke will adhere to the smoker but will not normally emit soot. That is coming from the fire


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## doctord1955 (Nov 25, 2011)

Like they said u have insect or spider web problem in ur buener.  Blow it out with compressed air.


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## eman (Nov 25, 2011)

be careful when blowing out any gas fueled object as some have a fuel limiting veturi in the line and you can blow it out or damage it w/ to much pressure.


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## tjohnson (Nov 25, 2011)

alblancher said:


> Quite possible you have a combustion problem,  what color is the fire?  I think you need blue flame and not orange?  Can you adjust the venturi air vents where the jet is?  I am assuming propane smokers have these but I have never owned a propane smoker.  I would definety shove a piece of wire into the air jet just to make sure it isn't clogged
> 
> Al




X3+++

Like all the others said, soot is most likely form poor combustion

Spiders love propane orifices

Is the flame blue or orange/yellow?

Todd


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## smoken yankee (Nov 28, 2011)

Sorry i didn't get back with you all caught the bug and didn't try to work on my smoker.

The flame is yellow but I did see some spider webs on the grates and did have a couple of ( dead ) stink bugs in the connector to the propane tank.

But will try and clean every thing this weekend, I'll disconnect the fuel line to the burner and blow that out and then clean out the burner and totally clean out the smoker and see if that will fix my problem, thanks for the advise. Larry


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## Bearcarver (Nov 28, 2011)

[email protected]#$%^&*  Stink Bugs !!!!!!  @#$%^&*(

Bear


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