I did my first cook on baby back ribs yesterday using competition blend and noticed that I wasn't seeing a lot of smoke. P setting is on 4. Today I have a brisket going at 225 and again not seeing a lot or any smoke. Every now and then I see it but nothing like I saw in the multiple You Tube videos. Am I doing something wrong?
smoke generation
- Thread starter atimes2
- Start date
DaveXDm9
Retired Moderator
The P setting only works when you are set on Smoke. What Pit Boss model do you have? If it is windy that will impair your grill to see smoke. Yor chimeny cap if you have one where is set at? I normally have mine at 1 to 1.5 inch gap. I am using a aftermarket controller and it produces a lot of smoke, but when I did use the original Pit Boss controller it a decent job.
biffhero
Member
Last night we smoked some chicken legs. Smoked 2 hours on "smoke", and then put it to 250F until the internal temperature hit 165F.
However, we noticed that during the cooking that the auger was following the on/off cycle as shown in the table for the P4 setting. On for 18 seconds, off for 115 seconds. This suggested that the P settings are used even when not turned to "smoke". (I did not test it by setting to a different P setting and then pulling out the stopwatch)
However, this causes some confusion. The fan speed didn't change at all during the cook. If the P setting was controlling the pellet drop, and the fan wasn't changing speeds, how was it controlling the temperature? The only variable remaining is the igniter, but I cannot imagine that they use the igniter to change the temperature.
Thoughts?
However, we noticed that during the cooking that the auger was following the on/off cycle as shown in the table for the P4 setting. On for 18 seconds, off for 115 seconds. This suggested that the P settings are used even when not turned to "smoke". (I did not test it by setting to a different P setting and then pulling out the stopwatch)
However, this causes some confusion. The fan speed didn't change at all during the cook. If the P setting was controlling the pellet drop, and the fan wasn't changing speeds, how was it controlling the temperature? The only variable remaining is the igniter, but I cannot imagine that they use the igniter to change the temperature.
Thoughts?
Last edited:
Hectorbribiesca
Member
5. Avoid Dense, White Smoke
If you see a large amount of dense, white smoke billowing from your grill, then you are not achieving the type of smoke you need for amazing smoke flavor. The whitish-grey smoke, also known as creosote , is the result of incomplete combustion of wood and can make your food taste burnt or bitter.
What you DO want is a nice, almost clear “blue” smoke emanating from your grill. Over time this is the type of smoke that will give your food that amazing smoke flavor. Also keep in mind that your pellet grill doesn’t need to be smoking the entire time it is cooking. There should be a nice, casual dance between smoke and air that kisses your meat and seasons it as it cooks. Just like with too much spice, too much smoke can ruin your food.
If you see a large amount of dense, white smoke billowing from your grill, then you are not achieving the type of smoke you need for amazing smoke flavor. The whitish-grey smoke, also known as creosote , is the result of incomplete combustion of wood and can make your food taste burnt or bitter.
What you DO want is a nice, almost clear “blue” smoke emanating from your grill. Over time this is the type of smoke that will give your food that amazing smoke flavor. Also keep in mind that your pellet grill doesn’t need to be smoking the entire time it is cooking. There should be a nice, casual dance between smoke and air that kisses your meat and seasons it as it cooks. Just like with too much spice, too much smoke can ruin your food.
I believe the igniter is only on for the first couple of minutes to get the fire going. Once it starts burning the igniter remains off for the rest of the cook. I have seen videos where igniters went out and blow torches were used at start up to get the fire going. Once it is lit the fan and pellets keep it burning.
Atimes2, how did the ribs turn out? Sometimes you don't really see the smoke but it is there and you can taste it.
From the Pit Boss website:
“P settings” are designed to be used in the “SMOKE” mode because the “SMOKE” mode is the only setting on your Pit Boss that is completely controlled by timing. They can affect some of the lower temperature settings between 200-250, but again are designed for “SMOKE”.
DaveXDm9
Retired Moderator
The Auger controls the temp that is why you get this temp swings and you will see that variable with the auger. You do not get the P setting timing outside of the smoke setting on which you think you do. You have to remember that your controller is not a PID controller. There are aftermarket PID controllers that will work with Pit Boss that will provide the control on the fan and the auger on which the temp will be manage by the fan and the auger. My Savannah controller I installed on my PB 1100 I can hear my fan speed up and speed down and it produces that blue smoke every time.
