Less smoke?


 

Kelley Nelson

New member
Hey guys - I did my first stoker cook this weekend (butt and a brisket). I noticed I was getting less smoke than I am used to.

Visually there was less smoke and I think I got a bit less smoke flavor in the food.

This is on a ceramic cooker and I left the top vent only very slightly open. Will a wider top vent opening yield more smoke?
 
Reviving this old topic...Kelley is still patiently waiting for a response. Not. :D

Last weekend I cooked two butts using the new Signals + Billows ATCD from ThermoWorks. I, too, saw less visual smoke, and both my wife and I think there's really no discernible smoke flavor on the meat even though I used the same amount of apple wood I normally do.

Anyone else get less smoke flavor when using an ATCD?

The wood chunks were fully consumed, leaving behind only pieces of charcoal. I used the same chunks on ribs for July 4 and there was no issue with getting smoke flavor.
 
Since my Billows hasn't been in operation yet (doing ribs tomorrow...), I'll see if anything is different. With the Stoker, there's no lack of smoke flavor and a nice thin blue smoke. Of course, I do use fresh smoking wood ! ( Except tomorrow... wood is almost 1 yr old. Will have to make do for tomorrow... )

Tested Billows Friday, along with the firmware upgrade. Had nothing but problems... with my phone, not Billows. Had some excellent communication from ThermoWork Customer Support !!!

( note to self... order more wood... ;) )

Follow up.... That wood I thought I had... Was sent to the trash bin sometime last month. Oops. New fresh order will arrive this Thursday :)
 
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I dont have a ATCD but I have noticed when I do pork shoulder on the WSM vs snake on the 26" kettle that I get much stronger smoke flavor on the meat on the kettle. Not sure why?
 

 

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