The Texas BBQ Forum

I bought a used Smokey Hollow vertical smoker, 38", in good condition. I fired it up for the first time today and am doing a pork butt. At first it was generating enough smoke to burn my eyes as I put the meat in, but now, nothing. It is cooking at about 225, and I have added fresh, moist chips, but still no smoke. In fact, after about 2.5 hours, about oa third of the original chips were still looking good. Others were ash though.

What gives? Is it a flu draw issue?

Thanks!

Is it that you can't see the smoke or can't smell the smoke.

With BGEs it's preferrable to not see smoke or see light smoke to ensure there is no acrid smelling smoke from the lump but you can still smell the smoke.

If you can smell the smoke from the stack or exhaust (I have no idea what a Smokey Hollow Vertical smoker looks like), you are still good.

Egghead,

Thank you for your response. I saw light smoke at the beginning and smell smoke still, so I feel better now. I am concerned that the chips are going so slowly, but I can certainly smell smoke.

For what it's worth, my smoker is essentially the same as this model, just a few years older. http://tinyurl.com/289794r" target="_blank

Thank you,

Brian

Sounds like you are the right track

Good luck with it

I know on my electric it smokes more at first, because the heating element is on longer. Once it comes up to temp, it doesn't smoke near as much.

brianlbaker sounds like your pit is running perfect. A clean burning fire produces little visible smoke but still imparts a good clean smoke flavor in the meat.

Edit; just clicked on the link to your pit see that it's not wood fired but the principle remains the same.