# Too smokey



## Mopartech9 (Feb 12, 2022)

Hey guys, I'm new to smoking, I purchased a small electric smoker, I've had OK success a couple times,  but I've found it too smokey, almost bitter tasting.  I've got ribs to do tommorrow and last time I did them used the 3-2-1 method. They were tender but over smoked., I put appleweed chips in the entire smoke,  should I not be?


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## TNJAKE (Feb 12, 2022)

I don't have an electric smoker but are you running it with the exhaust wide open?


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## 912smoker (Feb 12, 2022)

What brand do you have ?
As Jake said you need to run the exhaust wide open and most choose to use a smoke tube with pellets instead on the chip loader and tray.
Gives you the almost invisible thin blue smoke that you desire. 

Keith


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## chopsaw (Feb 12, 2022)

Don't load your chips to heavy . That will do it for sure , especially if the top vent isn't full open . 
If you're soaking your chips , don't . Use them dry . 
You don't have to see smoke to get smoke flavor on the food .


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## Bearcarver (Feb 12, 2022)

^^^^What Chopsaw said above^^^^
Also get yourself an AMNPS Amazing Smoker & some pellets & Dust.
It's hard to over smoke with one of those.
And Mopars Are #1.

Bear


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## Mopartech9 (Feb 12, 2022)

It's a great outdoors smokey mountain series.  It doesn't seem to have ant adjustable  vents on it, just a roughly 3/4 inch open hole on the back near the top.  I've never soaked the chips but always fill the  chip tray up full.  When I open the door it is full of smoke


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## TNJAKE (Feb 12, 2022)

Mopartech9 said:


> It's a great outdoors smokey mountain series.  It doesn't seem to have ant adjustable  vents on it, just a roughly 3/4 inch open hole on the back near the top.  I've never soaked the chips but always fill the  chip tray up full.  When I open the door it is full of smoke


Propane? Can you send pics of the vents?


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## normanaj (Feb 12, 2022)

An Amazen tube or tray burning dust will eliminate your issue. The only issue you may have is where to place it as I'm not familiar with your particular smoker.


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## normanaj (Feb 12, 2022)

TNJAKE said:


> Propane? Can you send pics of the vents?



It's an electric.


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## JckDanls 07 (Feb 12, 2022)

Mopartech9 said:


> always fill the chip tray up full.



Lets start here ...  Next time DO NOT fill the tray full of chips...  Instead just put a SMALL handful in the chip loader (it does have one to load from the side, correct?) ...  you'll have to do this about every 30 minutes or so (when ever it stops smoking) ... This should get you much better results to start with ...  
Also the exhaust vent issue is going to need to be solved ... (some pictures of the vents would be very helpful)

Most people will use the A MAZ N Pellet Tray in the electric smokers...  This produces a much cleaner (TBS, thin blue smoke) and can smoke for up to 10/12 hrs without reloading...  Unlike chips every 30/45 minutes ...  It makes it truly a Set n Forget unit ...


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## Mopartech9 (Feb 12, 2022)

TNJAKE said:


> Propane? Can you send pics of the vents?


. 
No,  it's electric.


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## Mopartech9 (Feb 12, 2022)

Theres no loader on the side, it's a little pan over the element that has a dish for water or juice on one surface de and chips on the other.  I looking into one of those tubes though!


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## JckDanls 07 (Feb 12, 2022)

That's strange, there is NO other air vents (intake) ??  Thinking the tube (or tray) will have a hard time staying lit without air ....

can we get some pics of the inside too ??


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## civilsmoker (Feb 12, 2022)

Chop has you covered... as an FYI the little chief brand smoker sells a fine chipped wood for that very type of smoker. Larger chips don’t work as well. Fill one (maybe a second if you want heavy smoke) pan for smoke at the start and that’s all that is needed. You don’t need to smoke the whole time.  The meat stops taking smoke when it reaches about 150 after that is just surface and bark. 

I had a big chief for a very long time and got very nice smoke flavor out of just one or two initial pans of fine chips.


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## civilsmoker (Feb 12, 2022)

here is a pic of the wood, see how it is shredded not chipped. This is what you want to use..


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## Mopartech9 (Feb 12, 2022)

OH cool, it's almost shredded wood eh?  I'm going to try and just use a little bit tommorrow and see how it comes out


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## clifish (Feb 12, 2022)

My smoky Hollow electric is similar,  I drilled bigger a vent hole on the upper back side and a bigger hole on the bottom.  I use pellets or dust exclusively now.  I also find the tube stays lit much better than the tray.


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## Mopartech9 (Feb 12, 2022)

I was thinking of drilling a hole on top and bottem side and putting a flap over it so I can adjust it?


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## Bearcarver (Feb 12, 2022)

Mopartech9 said:


> OH cool, it's almost shredded wood eh?  I'm going to try and just use a little bit tommorrow and see how it comes out




One thing I like to preach----Light thin smoke is Great for as long as you want, but Heavy "Thick" smoke is not good, even for short times.

Bear


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## Papa's Smokehouse (Feb 12, 2022)

civilsmoker said:


> here is a pic of the wood, see how it is shredded not chipped. This is what you want to use..
> View attachment 525575


I have an old unit I still use on e in a while and I use pellets in my tray with no issues.....and ua don't smoke the whole time


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## chopsaw (Feb 12, 2022)

Mopartech9 said:


> I'm going to try and just use a little bit tommorrow and see how it comes out






Mopartech9 said:


> I was thinking of drilling a hole on top and bottem side and putting a flap over it so I can adjust it?



Try using a smaller amount of chips first , and see what the results are . 
You can always start drill holes later . 
Change one thing at a time so you know what works and what doesn't .


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## civilsmoker (Feb 12, 2022)

chopsaw said:


> Try using a smaller amount of chips first , and see what the results are .
> You can always start drill holes later .
> Change one thing at a time so you know what works and what doesn't .


this!

A full pan will smoke for about 45 mins at the start and I think you will be pleased with the result


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## bigfurmn (Feb 12, 2022)

Or sell it and get a vertical pellet smoker. Most people say pellet poopers have too light a smoke profile.


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## DougE (Feb 12, 2022)

I'm not familiar with this particular smoker, but if it just has a tray over the element, what about chucking a few small chunks in it instead of chips? Entirely different setup, but with my old electric Brinkmann, I found that chunks worked much better than chips.


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## Mopartech9 (Feb 12, 2022)

Interesting advice guys thanks!   I'm going to try using les chips tommorrow then go to chunks next time!  I'll report back after I'm done!


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## SecondHandSmoker (Feb 12, 2022)

Mopartech9 said:


> too smokey, almost bitter tasting



Stale smoke is building up inside the smoker due to lack of air flow caused by the design of the smoker.  Definitely use less chips and smaller chips as suggested above. 
You might also try burping the smoker by opening the door every so often.


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## DougE (Feb 12, 2022)

Mopartech9 said:


> Interesting advice guys thanks!   I'm going to try using les chips tommorrow then go to chunks next time!  I'll report back after I'm done!


If you buy a bag of chunks, you may have to split the larger ones up, but, yea, I'd try it.


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