Help with assassin smoke flavor

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Texan79423
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Help with assassin smoke flavor

Postby Texan79423 » Fri Jul 04, 2014 7:04 am

I oiled down and seasoned the new assassin yesterday. Ran it at 250 for 6 hours with the IQ120 controller. I used kingsford blue and hickory chunks. I bought a 10# bag of chicken quarter to season pit. I just seasoned the quarters with salt pepper and very light dusting of yard bird rub. I wanted to see what the pit would do as far as smoke flavor. The chicken came out yellow not the usual mahogany color I am use to and tasted like it had been cooked on a gasser.
My question is can you get the smoke flavor I get with my stick burner. Gonna cook ribs today.
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Re: Help with assassin smoke flavor

Postby txsmkmstr » Fri Jul 04, 2014 7:50 am

Two things come to mind.... not enough wood is the first place to start. You didn't say how many 'chunks' you used or how you loaded them. I've started to gravitate toward bigger (longer) chunks. I get plenty of smoke flavor but will concede the smoke ring is not as intense as with a stick burner.

The other thing.... did you use water in the pan? The water pan works great for keeping the insulated pits under control temperature wise but I found the meat appeared to be paler in color. My guess is the steam produced is causing this and have done the last several cooks without water. The color has gotten much better since, however I cannot build a huge coal base and just walk away for 8 hours. It takes a little more "tending" of the fire to keep the temps right.

One more thing... did you cook the chicken at the top or bottom? Temps are quite varied over the height of the cooking chamber.

Even though I've owned my cabinet smoker nearly a year I'm still experimenting as to what works the best. Keep practicing - cabinet smokers are nothing like offsets. Good luck and keep us posted.
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Texan79423
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Re: Help with assassin smoke flavor

Postby Texan79423 » Fri Jul 04, 2014 1:04 pm

Thanks TX SM. I am cooking ribs today. I cut up some of my own hickory into chunks. I mixed chunks with coal in the chute and a bunch in the fire box. Keeping temps steady at 250-260. I'll know more after 4 today.

I think the biggest problem is just a new pit needing some meat grease and smoke to get the "smell" and rid the pit of the burning metal smell. It has been years sense I had to season a new pit. I am a stick burner guy love my hickory/oak smoke and bark. Hoping this will give me something close.
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Re: Help with assassin smoke flavor

Postby BluDawg » Fri Jul 04, 2014 2:46 pm

A charcoal fire will never produce the flavor qualities you can get from an all wood fire in an offset. The Esters from the wood smoke that are flavor producers are not as prevalent for obvious reasons.
Never met a cow I didn't like with a little salt and pepper.
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Re: Help with assassin smoke flavor

Postby Texan79423 » Sat Jul 05, 2014 8:11 am

I am amazed with the assassin's cook times. I loaded the pit with 7 pounds of Kingsford at 8:00 yesterday morning. Kicked on the IQ120 about 9:30 and cooked until 7 last night. Pit stayed at 250 all day long. I pulled the controller and shut the pit down. This morning I still had coals and pit temp was 110. So I loaded it with another 7 pounds and she started right up again from yesterdays coals.

I think I try some wings today already got 4 racks of ribs, sausage, and a small pork roast.
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Re: Help with assassin smoke flavor

Postby BluDawg » Sat Jul 05, 2014 10:01 am

My UDS will run at 250 steady for 26 hrs on 10 lb of lump :dont:
Never met a cow I didn't like with a little salt and pepper.
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Re: Help with assassin smoke flavor

Postby Texan79423 » Sat Jul 05, 2014 11:25 am

That is amazing Bludawg. got me beat.
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Re: Help with assassin smoke flavor

Postby Big Ed » Sun Jul 06, 2014 10:00 pm

You might give lump coal a try, Mix chunks and chips through out the basket and it should give you more smoke flavor.
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Re: Help with assassin smoke flavor

Postby Freiesleben » Sun Dec 20, 2015 1:51 pm

I just got my Assassin 24 and I have the same question as it seems that the wood chunks in the fire box/ash box does not produce enough smoke, so is it best to mix chunks in lump coal or is better to use chips.

All the best
Soren

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