Newbee dumb Question

[hayman]

How do you know when the wood chips are done smoken. I get good smoke for a while then nothing. I look in the wood box and the wood chunks (mesquite) looks charred but not ash. I even see an edge with burning embers. At this stage is the wood still adding flavor or should I change out with new wood?

Im useing a virtical smoking box from Bass Pro.
http://www.basspro.com/Landmann-Smokey-Mountain-2Drawer-Propane-Smoker/product/10213089/-1656625


TIA

[PitMattster]

One of the key things to keep in mind is you don't want a heavy white smoke, but more of a thin blue almost invisible smoke. I'm not sure how this would work exactly with an electric or propane though.

What you could try is to just refresh your chips a couple of times every hour. Depending on how they look of course, if' they're still brownish black you're still okay

Try doing it two or three times for a cook and increase or decrease depending on your flavor likes.

Btw, welcome to the ring, looking forward to some pics of your cooks
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[k.a.m.]

Welcome to the ring hayman, looking forward to seeing some pics of your cooks.
As long as your chips are still doing the slow burn they are producing flavor. Look at it like this, when an offset is burning clean you will barely see a hint of light blue smoke or just a heat signature even though they are using straight wood. Your smoke box is doing the same thing, once the moisture is cooked from the chips your burning clean smoke. I hope this helps.
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[Smoke and Mirrors]

Dear Hayman,,

I have the identical smoker and have thought of the same thing, no worries, the chips are still indeed smoking, the smoke is just hard to see, but it is there. I have done my ribs, chicken with just one heavy handfull of chips and they have always produced a nice ring. For something larger such as butts, or prime ribs I reload one time and also achieve a nice smoke ring. The one thing I have found is with the large water pan when I use it, it sometimes is hard to maintain higher then 250 degrees even on high with this smoker.
Overall I am very happy with my Landmann. I LOVE MY SMOKER ( and my wife too) .
TY

[NaughtyNurse]

Also, when an electric is up to temp the element will cycle on and off. When the element is off the chips are not getting any heat.
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