Suggestions needed

[yaboyrd]

Has anyone figured out how to keep the smoke going? I'm have to replace wood every 30 minutes. The first few smokes I did I would get a flare up. The past few smokes I've wrapped the chips in foil with the same results. Should I use chunks or soak the chips/chunks? Any help would be appreciated.

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[DivotMaker]

Yaboyrd,

Check out this thread on the flare-up issue:

http://smokinitforums.com/index.php?topic=814.msg2292#msg2292

Also, it is not necessary to have the smoke rolling throughout an entire cook, unless you want your meat over-smoked!  In most cases (like the butt you're going to cook), about 6 oz of wood is all you need (for long cooks), less for smaller/shorter cooks (like ribs).  The meat will only absorb smoke until it hits about 140-degrees internal temp, so after that you're only building up too much smoke on the surface.  Once the meats stop absorbing smoke at 140, the rest of the time is just low and slow cooking!

[UWFSAE]

Yabo,

When you say you don't have smoke, are you referring to visible smoke exiting the vent on top of the unit?  If so, understand that there sbould still be ample smoke inside the chamber.  Much like charcoal that burns hot and then smolders at an ashy gray, your wood is still releasing smoke but the color is much harder to see.  Do you smell smoke when you go near your smoker?  Then you've got smoke.  Do you see smoke when you open the door?  Same thing.  Thin blue smoke, rather than cloudy white or gray, is optimal for smoking meat so don't stress if you can't see it ... stick with 3-4oz. for ribs or 5-6oz. for brisket or butt and you should be good to go.

With regard to flareups, the linked thread Divot posted does discuss what some Smokin-It owners have expressed and, more often than not, there's a simple explanation.