My husband is ready to throw out his smoker!

[lbbls]

Hi everyone,

Last year I bought a Masterbuilt Vertical gas smokehouse 20050106 for my husband on Father's Day.  We've tried it a few times and all the meats have turned out black.  Now that it's BBQ season again, we once again tried it and nothing has changed - still black meat, not very appetizing like the photos on this forum.  I'm sure someone can easily help us.  Do we need to close vents?  Open vents?  We usually soak wood chips and then put them in foil packets.  We also use apple juice for the liquid.  Any advice will be much appreciated! 

 

[whistlepig]

Hi everyone,

Last year I bought a Masterbuilt Vertical gas smokehouse 20050106 for my husband on Father's Day.  We've tried it a few times and all the meats have turned out black.  Now that it's BBQ season again, we once again tried it and nothing has changed - still black meat, not very appetizing like the photos on this forum.  I'm sure someone can easily help us.  Do we need to close vents?  Open vents?  We usually soak wood chips and then put them in foil packets.  We also use apple juice for the liquid.  Any advice will be much appreciated! 

What temps are you smoking at?

 

[ironhorse07]

X2 also what kind of meats. Don't soak your chips for one. There are alot of good folks and info on here, we'll figure it out.

 

[bama bbq]

Don't give up...we learn from our failure.  They call it experience.  Once you get it you'll LOVE it and it will be worth it.  Details matter so let's hear all the variable so opinions and advice can be offerd.

 

[s2k9k]

 to SMF!!! You came to the right place, the people here are great and are very willing to help and share what they know, I see a few are already helping you.

Would you please update your profile with your location, it helps when people know where you for them to tailor their advice to your climate.

Thanks!

 

[pineywoods]

Welcome to SMF glad you joined us. Don't give up yet spend a little time around here first. I would also recommend signing up for Jeff's 5 Day Ecourse it has some great info and is free. Here is a link where to sign up for it  http://www.smoking-meat.com/smoking-basics-ecourse.html     Before long y'all will be producing all kind of great smoked goodies

 

[smokinhusker]

Welcome to SMF glad you joined us. Don't give up yet spend a little time around here first. I would also recommend signing up for Jeff's 5 Day Ecourse it has some great info and is free. Here is a link where to sign up for it  http://www.smoking-meat.com/smoking-basics-ecourse.html     Before long y'all will be producing all kind of great smoked goodies

Good evening and welcome to SMF! 

I have to agree with Pineywoods...hang in there and by all means ask any and all questions you have. Someone will come up with answers, advice or suggestions to get you on the road to smokey goodness!

 

[timleo]

When I first started smoking I turned out the most inedible crap you can imagine.  After half a dozen attempts I was ready to sledgehammer the smoker...I had no idea what I was doing, or what I was doing wrong.  Then one day it clicked...I was in BBQ heaven.

I discovered you need to use quality charcoal, control the temps carefully, and gain success with easier cuts of pork and beef.

Once you 'get it', it will be easy.  'Getting it' was a tough start for me, but worth every minute.  Don't stop now...it sounds like you know what doesn't work.

 

[whistlepig]

Smoked meat is pretty good. Both my wife and I now love smoked meats. It has been trail and error for us. Still, at the worst, my smoked meat is much better than anything prepared in a restaurant. Hang in there. My smoked stuff turned out pretty awful at first. It took me six tries and six weeks to hit my baby backs just right. The recipes are endless. The tastes are endless. But if you start out with a nice piece of meat and some hickory wood and take it from there you won't be that far off course.   
 

 

[jirodriguez]

First of all welcome to the forum!

Now couple of things:

• as others stated.... don't soak the chips.
• don't use or trust the factory thermometer in the door of your smoker! Those factory therms can be off by up to 100° - thus leading to black inedible meat!
• buy at least two if not 3 digital probe type thermometers - the ones with the probe attached to a long wire that lets you read the temps without opening your smoker.
• before doing any more smokes, put a hole through a small block of wood, get your smoker up to temp, put a probe through hole in the wood and place the wood in the middle of the top grate. Top vents should be full open, try to dial in the temp. and hold it steady at 250°, now move the block down one grate at a time and read the temps. in the middle of each one, make notes of any differances, and on where your temp. controll settings are at. This is important so you have an understanding of what the temps. are at various points in the smoker.

Once you know how your smoker runs and have therms to verify it is running where you want it at, you are now ready to produce some good Que! Always use one therm. to keep track of your chamber temps. and the others to keep track of the internal temp of the meat(s). Top vents will always stay at least 50% open if not 100% open, bottom vents adjust as needed to maintain good air flow in the chamber.

Take some time to poke around the forums and see  how other folks are setting up and using their Master Builts, ask questions, and good luck!

 

[venture]

Don't blame that smoker.

I am not a gasser, but be sure your flame is burning clean.  That means mostly blue flame with just a touch of yellow or orange at the tip.

Know what your temps are at all times, both in your pit and the internal temp of your meat.

Beyond that, stick with the experienced folks on this forum.

You will do fine!

Good luck and good smoking.

 

[lbbls]

My husband has the temperature between 180-200 and yes, he used the gauge that came with the smoker. I'll go buy him those types that you recommended.  So far we have tried ribs and a turkey. I should say that the food was not burned.  It just had something like black soot on it and a black turkey is not very appetizing!  I've signed up for Jeff's e-class and the newsletter.  We will try your suggestions with the thermometers and not soaking the chips and I will report back.  Thank you again! 

 

[yankee in ua]

Not an experienced smoker here, but "Black Soot" means you have a flame problem or those wet chips are throwing soot up.  

Like Venture said, you should a nice blue flame with a touch of orange/yellow at the tips for a clean burn.

And use dry chips.  Wet chips are for grills not smokers.

 

[jirodriguez]

My husband has the temperature between 180-200 and yes, he used the gauge that came with the smoker. I'll go buy him those types that you recommended.  So far we have tried ribs and a turkey. I should say that the food was not burned.  It just had something like black soot on it and a black turkey is not very appetizing!  I've signed up for Jeff's e-class and the newsletter.  We will try your suggestions with the thermometers and not soaking the chips and I will report back.  Thank you again! 

OK... black soot is a whole nother ball game, that is creasote, nasty, nasty stuff! Before doing any other smokes clean out the entire inside of the smoker racks and all, spray it down with some simple green and give it a good scrub. Creasote will cling to all the surfaces and make future smokes taste off so you just have to clean it.

Couple of things come to mind:

• top vents need to be open, you want the smoke to move through the smoker, not stall and get stale.
• instead of wrapping the chips in foil try buying wood chunks and placing them in a soup can with holes poked in the side. Move the can so it is next to the burner but not in the flame, wait a few minutes and see what your smoke looks like. You want what is called Thin Blue Smoke (TBS), not billowy white smoke - billowy white smoke means you are making creasote, TBS or Ninja Smoke as some of us call it is the good stuff. Also keep in mind... if you smell the smoke you are getting smoke, even if you can't see it.
• If you can't quite get the hang of the wood chunks then take a look at one of these: http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/products/a-maze-n-pellet-smoker  they are made by Todd Johnson who is a SMF member and has many, many, many happy customers on this site. Plus he has outstanding customer service! Heck  buy one regardless, they are awesome for cold smoking things like cheese!

Don't get discouraged, we will get you through this... lol. I would suggest doing something simple like some chicken pieces, take notes of exactly how you set up your smoker, and all your step-by-steps, take pictures, and then let us know how it goes. Once we have a better idea of how you are starting and all the steps you go through inbetween we will be able to help you make any necissary corrections to produce some great Que!

 

[scarbelly]

Hello and 

to SMF - glad you joined in 

We will do our best to get you thru the learning process. JR has you pointed in the right direction.  There lots of us here to help you.

We also have a So Cal Smokers group - please join in. We are looking to have a gathering in September somewhere here in So Cal

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/groups/show/23/so-cal-smokers

 

[pineywoods]

First after getting the thermometers to make sure of the temps run the smoker at 225 for most things. Black Soot?? What does the smoke coming out the exhaust look like what your looking for is Thin Blue Smoke (TBS) or no smoke and just the smell of the wood burning. Many new smokers think they need lots of smoke and that is incorrect we like to say if you can smell the wood so can the meat.

 

[frosty]

I agree with the consensus, all vents must be fully open.  Get your thermos calibrated, and DON'T GIVE UP.  You can improve rapidly with the help here on the forum.

We all learn, and the forum evolves! Tons of help here to get you up to speed!!!

I had a gasser, and the chips were not soaked.  The trapped smoke caused the cresosote, and I set it free!  Great food after that.

A gasser is a great way to go, once you get over the difficulties, you will both be turning out great food!