New FEC100 owner - Frustrated over the LACK OF SMOKE!

You don't need all that other electric stuff.

For less than $5 this will cure your lack of smoke taste....



The End Result:


1st Place Brisket with this

That looks real good.....OK I'm game to try it....What is that in the grate..Hardwood or is it something else. How do you keep it from catching fire? Cause the fire pot flames like a foundry. How long does it smoke.

1st place or not. That looks mighty tasty David. Nice job.

I've helped people with this issue for, oh probably 6 years now.

The challenge is trying to define what a smoke flavor profile.

IF, after using an FEC for 10 times, and various pellets you think it needs more smoke, then you're right.

Now, I would classifiy that as someone who likes their food heavily smoker or oversmoked (only as a term of refernece). It's our smoke we're all using so it's just subjective trying to figure out someone's "preference" for smoke.

I think there are some great suggestions here.

Make the mods as you see fit to suit your individual taste buds.

But, I wouldn't classify the smoker as bad if it doesn't put out heavily or oversmoked foods. It's not advertised that way and we certainly caution people before they buy them.

Good news?

Some inventive solutions to get THE product you want.

Daivd -

How did you attach your "basket" to the firepot area?

N

quote:

Originally posted by Nordy:
Daivd -

How did you attach your "basket" to the firepot area?

N

Yes, inquiring minds want to know!

That just gave me an idea.... I put my smoking box just on the edge of the firepot just enough to not interfere with the pellets dropping. put a piece of hickory chunk in there closed it up partially and I'm getting 2X smoke production.

Still wanna know how that grate is mounted??

Its Cherry Wood

I place just enough over the fire to ignite and its burns back off of the fire pot and smolder's and makes smoke.

I have the temp set to around 200 so the foundry flame subsides and the smoldering wood doesn't create enough heat to interfere with the temp probe and create a false heat that the system can't fix by shutting down the hopper. (I have made many test runs to ensure this)

I took a simply self tapping sheet metal screw with a 5/16th hex head, added a washer and drilled it down to the top of the SS that incorporates the firepot assembly. there is ample room for the screw and I let it hang over the firepot around 1/2 and inch just so when the wood lights it won't have a chunk of char or ash drop in the firepot and create ash that would smother the fire. (Once again I have tested that to ensure the integrity)

I use one chunk that size and it lasts about 2 1/2 hours in which I think provides ample smoke and color for my Big Meats since it is Cherry wood. If it was something else I might add another chunk after that one was burned out.

PS: Design credit goes to Scottie Johnson (Cancer Sucks BBQ Team)

So the wire mesh assemble is permanently secured to the firepot? Your verbal explanation seems to indicate that but the picture doesn't provide visual clues other than its location. I gather you open and close the mesh around the wood chunk each time it's needed?

Do you find that butts and briskets can achieve added smoke without having to 2 stage them?

Great looking turn-in box. Hope it earned you a call and cash.

1st place Max.

As the kids say, "sweet".

Max about 3 diamonds back on the bottom is the screw. (The Wood is sitting on top of the screw.

NOTE: After a couple of uses I cut off 1/2 of the side wall of the piece facing you. Where the metal was bent to look like a 4x4x4 inch U shape it is now a 4x4x2 J shape. The reason I cut it off was it was easier to vaccum out the fire pot and the 2 inch lip was more than adequate to keep the wood from falling out.

It is open this way.

I still use a two stage cook because I like to bathe my big cuts in smoke and since I have all the time I need because I don't need to tend to the FEC like a stick burner.

I would think you could just set it at a higher temp and it will still make the smoke you desire. You may need to add a new chunk every hour for two or three hours. After that I woulds think the meat wouldn't take anymore smoke anyway.

Thanks...appreciate the clarification.

Thanks David for explaining that. I'd like to get a bit more smoke flavor on the smaller meats like ribs and chicken and this looks like it should do the trick.