Stampede Convince me about the rear vents

[Marshall]

I'm new so thanks for having me. I had a PitBoss Copperhead vertical (still do) and a couple of Big Green Eggs but I'm in the NC mountains and the smokers are all in Florida.

I have decided that I am really interested in the Rt-590 as the 700 is more space than I need for just the two of us. The 700 is also more expensive and will take up more of my deck space.

My problem is that I can't get my mind around the vents on the back of the 590 instead of a traditional smoke stack. I see references to the new style vents so I am under the impression that they have changed them at least once.

Help me by convincing me that the vents instead of a smoke stack is no big deal. I want to get a good heat flow across the meat and a good smoke taste. I also not sure if putting a gasket on the lid is necessary when there is so much vent area on the rear for smoke to get out.

Thanks for your input.

 

[mdkraft99]

Welcome Marshall!

I love smoking and BBQ-ing and I've learned a lot and continue to learn, but I will readily admit that I am nowhere near an expert, and definitely not an expert on the physics of the flow of smoke in the smoker. However, to address your question about the change in vent design - I have the 590, and they did make a change, but in my opinion the change would not have resulted in a significant difference in airflow, it was more of a functional change. With the old design (when they were called RecTec), they had 3 holes for vents on the back, and they had removable "rain guards" you could attach - metal pieces the shape of the vent hole that extended out horizontally which allowed smoke flow but blocked rain/water from getting in. However, they only attached with 3 small bendable metal tabs, and it did not work well. I bought some high-heat adhesive insulation tape and taped around the openings then attached the vent guards - this provided a much better/tighter attachment.

Whether this design is better or worse for smoke flow vs. the chimney, I can't speak to that but would love to hear from others who have more knowledge.

Take care!

-Mike

 

[Nerdygrrl]

My last two Traeger timberlines had vents on the back. IMO they provided a better air/smoke circulation than the smoke stack on my 1250, but the design of the smoker and other components do factor in.

I can't speak for the 590, but vents would not scare me off. Prior to this, it was all I knew and I never had a complaint.

 

[DesertRat]

These vents allow me to smoke up all I want. Temperatures inside are reasonably even. And it's easy to cover once you cover those two knives on the hinges. But I've never had a stack, so I don't know if it's better or not.

 

[Marshall]

My last two Traeger timberlines had vents on the back. IMO they provided a better air/smoke circulation than the smoke stack on my 1250, but the design of the smoker and other components do factor in.

I can't speak for the 590, but vents would not scare me off. Prior to this, it was all I knew and I never had a complaint.

I'm just the opposite; the smokestack is all I know. The rear of the RT-590 looks like the rear of my propane grill so that kind of threw me off.

Thanks for the input. I have to go to Florida in a few weeks and I will probably order it to arrive when I get back to NC.

 

[Marshall]

These vents allow me to smoke up all I want. Temperatures inside are reasonably even. And it's easy to cover once you cover those two knives on the hinges. But I've never had a stack, so I don't know if it's better or not.

View attachment 19698

So, those are the older style?

Well, the challenge is to make good food with that you have. If the 590 has vents then I will adjust. I've looked at GMG and the PitBoss Pro series and I have eliminated them.

 

[RHEINLEIN]

My original RT 300 mini produced good and consistent cooks.
The grill had two of the previously mentioned rear vents with optional rain guards installed.
My opinion of moving up to a larger RT model was it did not cook as evenly with the smoke stack as the mini did with rear vents. Honesty I was never as happy with the results of the stack model.
I couldn’t help but wonder if the stack was added as a “wow” factor replicating a stick burner in appearance.
I briefly had a 410 , it had rear vents, we had an excellent Prime rib from it.
Now, owning the 590 which I did an initial burn -in yesterday (but have not yet cooked with) It would seem that RT’s new vent design should eliminate a water issue and with 20 Louvered vents spread across the back the cook chamber would seem to be quite even end to end.
It would be a great experiment to take an old 680 or 700 and block the smoke stack and install rear vents and decide which vent type cooks most evenly.
Maybe do a side by side cook and have a blind tasting.
I wonder if RT did such an experiment at their design shop? Or at their school?

 

[pungo]

You'd be hard pressed to tell the difference in results from food cooked on a 590 with rear vents as opposed to a 700 with a stack. On the plus side, no stack opens up much more cover options. I have the old vents, applied a nice bead of high temp grey silicone and they're leak free and tight. They work well with my insulated blanket for the dead of winter.

I assume they came out with the new vent design since the old vents allowed rain to get in the grill unless you bought/installed the optional "all weather vents" which were kinda an afterthought.

BTW For me, the lid gasket is more about keeping the outside around the lid clean than keep the smoke from leaking out.

 

[RHEINLEIN]

Nice blanket there !

 

[Motodad1776]

The 590 is the most sorted out of the RT grills, and the latest design of rear vents/louvers work like a charm.

 

[Jim6820]

From my non-scientific observations (I have a 340 with vents), the vents help equalize temperatures and smoke density in the cooking chamber. Smoke and heat exit directly above the cooking surface without creating cross-currents. Since I use my 340 almost exclusively for low and slow cooks, this is important to me.

With a stack at one end only, a cross-current is created as heat and smoke flow across the cooking surface before exiting at one end of the cooking chamber.

The only downside I can see with the vents is that you need to keep them unobstructed, so no crud buildup, spider webs, etc. That is not a big deal IME.

Given my experience with the 340, if I were to buy another Recteq (not likely, but that’s for another day), it would most definitely be a 590 or 1070 with vents!

 

[PRC]

With a stack at one end only, a cross-current is created as heat and smoke flow across the cooking surface before exiting at one end of the cooking chamber.

If you do not seal the lid with the gasket, the smoke exits all around the sides of the lid, minimizing the cross current you are talking about??

Maybe that is why RT says not to seal the lid.

 

[Jim6820]

If you do not seal the lid with the gasket, the smoke exits all around the sides of the lid, minimizing the cross current you are talking about??

Maybe that is why RT says not to seal the lid.

I suppose that might be true for grills with stacks at one end. With vents spaced across the top of the cooking chamber, it simply allows the heat/smoke to rise and exit at its natural location.

 

[Greg Jones]

That’s one theory why recteq says to not seal the lid, but given the number of high-end pellet grills that come with a sealed lid, perhaps it is because recteq is cheap.

 

[RHEINLEIN]

I suppose that might be true for grills with stacks at one end. With vents spaced across the top of the cooking chamber, it simply allows the heat/smoke to rise and exit at its natural location.

☝
My experience. When full smoke exhausts there is even pressurization at every vent as @Jim6820 mentions.