2007 Genesis E310 smoker insert problems


 
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Dan Leighton

TVWBB Pro
I added the smoker/ grill insert to my Genesis this spring to do low and slow ribs. Only problem is you can only run the rear burner to keep the temps down. To start the smoker, I've run all 3 burners at full tilt. Once the smoke starts, I turn off the front 2 burners. The wood catches fire in the insert which I can knock down with a spray bottle in the smoker insert. I add more wood chips and things start great. Only problem is after awhile only the rear chips (over the burner) continue to smoke. I've tried twice with ribs with an average time of 4-5.5 hours. First was under cooked, but had smoke ring. Second batch was overcooked. Great grill, but I must be doing something wrong. Great grill for everything else. Should I just get a separate smoker?
 
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Just guessing here as I have a separate smoker:

what about using all three burners BUT also inserting a heat shield between them and the grate? Something like either an old metal (not teflon coated) cookie sheet or a non-galvanized sheet?

It would dissipate/distribute the heat without hot spots and allow more controllable temps?
 
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Thanks. Any more than one burner kicks the temp in the grill up to 300 degrees. I've thought of trying to make a deflector to put on the flavor bars to direct the heat to the full length of the smoker box on the left end which is (NtoS) to get the one burner (EtoW) that I leave on.
 
Is it Weber #7541? https://www.bbqguys.com/item_item_2071866.html
I don't have personal experience with it since I clamp wood chunks between the flavorizer bars. But just to make sure you have the smoker box on the left side of the grill over the cross over burner. It will not work on the right side of the grill.
Normally that cross over burner should always be burning no matter which burner is on since gas is flowing in there. However the flames are a little weaker to the front when only the rear burner is on.
 
Stefan H said:
Is it Weber #7541? https://www.bbqguys.com/item_item_2071866.html
I don't have personal experience with it since I clamp wood chunks between the flavorizer bars. But just to make sure you have the smoker box on the left side of the grill over the cross over burner. It will not work on the right side of the grill.
Normally that cross over burner should always be burning no matter which burner is on since gas is flowing in there. However the flames are a little weaker to the front when only the rear burner is on.
Click to expand...

Yes, that is the unit specifically for my model. It is on the left side. Yes, that is why the front half of the smoker box does not work- not enough heat to keep it going. If I used the front burner, it the problem would be reversed. I would have been better off saving my money and just doing foil bombs. Great concept by Weber, but poor execution for low temp smoking. Great grill I've been using for 10 years. I will try one more rack using the recipe in the Weber Smoker book which is higher temp and shorter time. Serious contemplating a separate smoker, but my space is limited. I did see a video on YouTube of a separate add-on pellet smoker, but that looks fraught with it's own set of problems.
 
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Those things really don't work well if at all. Just use foil packets on the front burner. Once smoke starts turn off either the center burner only and cook your food in the center or turn off rear and center and cook food in the back. The natural ventilation of that grill is out the back so any food you want to "smoke" should be to the back. I do this all the time on my Genesis E/W burner grills with fantastic results. They will hold an internal temp very nicely of just over 250 with decent smoke
 
Thank you for the tip. I'll give that a try. I have noticed that most of the smoke exits from the back when smoke is present. As usual, I was doing it backa**wards keeping the ribs to the front away from the burner! If it was something thinner that could cook at 300 degrees, the 7541 would work.
 
Dan, consider one of these. It fits between the flavorizer bars. I use mine between the front first and second flavorizer bars next to the first burner. It works great. I assume you could use it on a Genesis E3xx just as well as my Genesis 1000. And I see they are even cheaper now than they were when I bought mine last year. When doing slow cooks, i just run the front burner....You could also place the smoker box in the back and run it off just the rear burner as well, but that would limit access to it.

https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B002WJIQGW/tvwb-20

Kb8XwFb.jpg
 
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Bruce said:
Dan, consider one of these. It fits between the flavorizer bars. I use mine between the front first and second flavorizer bars next to the first burner. It works great. I assume you could use it on a Genesis E3xx just as well as my Genesis 1000. And I see they are even cheaper now than they were when I bought mine last year. When doing slow cooks, i just run the front burner....You could also place the smoker box in the back and run it off just the rear burner as well, but that would limit access to it.

https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B002WJIQGW/tvwb-20

Kb8XwFb.jpg
Click to expand...

thanks for that link. I just ordered one! I'll take the right cast iron grate out and put it on that side. Will run both smoker boxes with the front burner. That ought to generate a smoke ring while keeping the temps low and slow.
 
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