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Initially the door on the smokette was hard to latch, but it has gotten much easier over time. I've noticed some smoke leakage that I didn't notice before.

Have others noticed that the latching becomes easier over time (ii's several years old)?

Any suggestions? I've also been cleaning the door edges and the interior part where the door sits, and I am wondering if I should let the gook build up there a little.

Just smoked a turkey with alder wood and it was a very mild smoke flavor; not sure if it was simply because of the alder wood or if it was due to leakage.
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Cookshack smokers don't have a gasket. FE smokers have a gasket.

Alder wood is very mild. Is this the first time you've tried it?

My latch was a bit tighter and has worked itself in perfectly. On heavy smokes, I still get leakage above the door hinge...don't sweat the small stuff. Let the gook build and clean the door exterior and edge.

Happy smoking.
No- my husband has used alder many times, but perhaps not for a turkey. Should the door edge be cleaned then (which s what we've done)? What about the smoker "L" where the door fits into? I've let the gook build up in the interior, but have cleaned the door inner and outer frame, and from reading posts I'm not sure that's best.

Cal- II actually thought I discovered the problem with the small screw at the latch having loosened, which it did, but tightening it doesn't seem to make the door hard to latch like it once. was.I tried that earlier before posting, but thanks- like you, I thought that might have been the answer.
The door edge should not be cleaned, so yes, let the gook build up there. The way it's designed is that over time the seasoning will build up from the smoke escaping. Basically they can't make the door to stay perfectly fit throughout the life of the unit, so it was designed that the smoke helps "seal" the little leaks.

But in the end, even a little smoke escaping isn't bad. It's a smoker and smoke will find an easy exit. I'd only worry if you get a large gap and heat is escaping.

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