Sorry if this has been asked/answered, I did a search and no luck. I followed my instructions for my SM020 to the letter, 2 chunks of wood at 200f for 4 hours. The wood barely charred at all. Thoughts??
Original Post
Replies sorted oldest to newest
Check your heating element and see if it's touching the bottom of the wood box. May have to bend it up just bit. Also, I'd season at a higher temp 250 or so.
If you're like some of us, it's pretty hot out and the starting temp of your smoker may have been pretty high. I have found that if it's hot out, the heating element doesn't have to work very hard to get up to 200*. The result is minimal burn to the wood and less smoke.
You might want to bump up the temp a bit as Andy suggests.
You might want to bump up the temp a bit as Andy suggests.
Thanks guys, will try these suggestions out
With the temps hovering in high 90's here in Central VA I found that I needed to cool down my 040 with a cake pan full of ice for an hour or so before starting to ensure a good burn. When I checked the internal temp of the smoker it was at 115, and I had it in the shade! After an hour "on ice" the internaltemp dropped to 78.
I smoked some jerky and as you all know this requires a low temp. Even set to 195 I got a very good burn on 2oz of hickory and there was a very nice smoke flavor to the finished product.
Like Bitdigger said, when the internal temp is that warm the element isn't working very hard getting up to 200. This results in minimal burning of the wood.
I smoked some jerky and as you all know this requires a low temp. Even set to 195 I got a very good burn on 2oz of hickory and there was a very nice smoke flavor to the finished product.
Like Bitdigger said, when the internal temp is that warm the element isn't working very hard getting up to 200. This results in minimal burning of the wood.
According to the Manual you have to go to 275 for seasoning the unit. 200 will not get it done.
Hi, my documents indicate 200 F, is that an error?
quote:Originally posted by Bobby Hull:
Hi, my documents indicate 200 F, is that an error?
For whatever reason, I'm pretty sure they are publishing different temps for seasoning on different models. The SM020/SM025 manual here (page 7) states 200*.
Yeah, same thing happened when I seasoned my 020, oh well! I can get smoke now at around 120* with NO wood...guess things change with a little seasoning, not just one smoke with no meat.
I'd say your ready for some real smoking...Congrats!
I'd say your ready for some real smoking...Congrats!
Ok! 275 is working the amount of smoke is fantastic!
Isn't this smoker, Qing, and the forum simply a blast?
quote:Originally posted by Bobby Hull:
Ok! 275 is working the amount of smoke is fantastic!
Fantastic! Glad you're off and running.
Welcome Bobby, now go get yourself a nice pork butt and have some fun!