Smoke Tube Video

[JJP]

I ran across the video and thought there could be something there.

 

[Texas_TL]

I just got one of these tubes recently and mixed oak chips in with the pellets I added to the tube and I think it helped some. I'd say it was about a 75% pellets / 25% wood chips mix. I actually only have wood chunks right now from my Kamado Joe, so I had to make the chips and got tired of doing that.

 

[kstone113]

I do this. It works very very well and no doubt gives out more real wood smoke.

What I do is do layers. So the bottom I start with a few hand full of pellets, then wood chips, then pellets, then wood chips, then pellets. I think I usually get 3 layers of wood chips. I try to smash down to get in as much as possible. This does make the tubes go out faster, maybe like 2 to 3 hours but you get BETTER smoke flavor. I also like to use the charcoal pellets by Royal Oak when doing it. My theory is you do get a slight amount of charcoal smoke from the little pellets and those little charcoal pellets are like charcoal heating up and making the wood chips smoke.

I've tried just about every trick out there and this is my go to now. I do have a magnum PIG by smokedaddy which i do use sometimes but if you don't want to go through drilling a hole in your grill, this is by far in my humble opinion the next best thing.

 

[Newb]

What I do is do layers. So the bottom I start with a few hand full of pellets, then wood chips, then pellets, then wood chips, then pellets. I think I usually get 3 layers of wood chips. I try to smash down to get in as much as possible. This does make the tubes go out faster, maybe like 2 to 3 hours but you get BETTER smoke flavor.

I do the same. I like it much better than pellets alone.

 

[sdynak]

This is interesting.. I have only ever smoked with a pellet smoker without a smoke tube.

I have never had a cook where I felt it needed more smoke flavor but then again, not having a good reference to solid wood could be why. I guess once you adjust to something you continue to desire that.

 

[Bytor]

Definitely interesting. I will use my smoke tube for cooks above 250, smoking cheese, or on my gasser. Will have to give this a try.

 

[kstone113]

Yeah, if someone is happy with the pellet smoke itself, then that works great.

Back when I was on fb, I saw all the time the posts about "not enough smoke flavor". I unfortunately was in that boat. To be fair to others, lots were coming from the offset camp and wanted something easier.

I came from a vertical propane smoker that used wood chip trays(which I would also include wood chunks) that were heated up by propane flames and when I made the switch to the Bull, I noticed a less smoke flavor.

Like I said above, I've tried just about everything out there. I tried the meat loaf tray trick, smoke tube(only pellets at first), the smokedaddy heat diffuser where you can add wood, pellets on the heat diffuser....none of those worked to my liking.

When I finally got the smokedaddy magnum PIG cold smoker, I finally noticed a difference. However, I will say part of this process is patience and learning the grill and also letting the grill get seasoned on the inside. When the first is brand new, a lot of the smoke sticks inside the grill walls and not on the food. Overtime, the build up allows more smoke to go to the food.

But give this trick a try if you want to kick up the smoke flavor a notch.

 

[sdynak]

I tried the meat loaf tray trick, smoke tube(only pellets at first), the smokedaddy heat diffuser where you can add wood, pellets on the heat diffuser....none of those worked to my liking.

I had contemplated this Smoke Daddy Diffuser for a while but since I really never had a lack of smoke flavor I kind of abandoned the idea.

Is that the one you tried and was still not to your liking?

 

[kstone113]

I had contemplated this Smoke Daddy Diffuser for a while but since I really never had a lack of smoke flavor I kind of abandoned the idea.

Is that the one you tried and was still not to your liking?

Yes, that is the one. One reason I didn't like it also is because on my Bull, it sits lower. The diffuser is made for a side feed pellet hopper, not a rear loaded on. If I had a stampede, I would of kept using but with my Bull, it affected performance for higher temps. Also, I had to foil and poke holes in the foil where I would put wood chunks in because the wood by itself would catch fire from my experience and cause temp spikes. The foil solved that issue but it was a pain. Myself and a few others have a SUPER long thread on smokingmeats forum about that diffuser and eventually led a bunch of us getting the smokedaddy cold smoker which we all loved.

 

[sdynak]

Yes, that is the one. One reason I didn't like it also is because on my Bull, it sits lower. The diffuser is made for a side feed pellet hopper, not a rear loaded on. If I had a stampede, I would of kept using but with my Bull, it affected performance for higher temps. Also, I had to foil and poke holes in the foil where I would put wood chunks in because the wood by itself would catch fire from my experience and cause temp spikes. The foil solved that issue but it was a pain. Myself and a few others have a SUPER long thread on smokingmeats forum about that diffuser and eventually led a bunch of us getting the smokedaddy cold smoker which we all loved.

Oh... great info.. I was real close to pulling the trigger on that. Thanks for sharing that experience. I guess if I ever really want more smoke flavor the tube is the way to go for cost to benefit. I just never saw it work until this video and thought it might not make much difference but that thing really puts out smoke.

 

[Jim6820]

I use a Napoleon smoke tube on my natural gas grill (also Napoleon), but haven’t tried it with the pellet grill. I get a reasonable smoke flavor from the pellet grill without it, though it is subtle.

I think “smoke flavor” is very much a personal taste. Some like a heavier smoke and others seem to prefer a more subtle smoke flavor. I guess I fall into the latter category on most things, though with brisket I like it a bit heavier. With that in mind, I think I will try my smoke tube on the RT-340 the next time I do a brisket.

 

[JJP]

another video.

 

[JJP]

Kind of cool that both were using REC TEQ grills.

 

[Jim6820]

another video.

Ol’ Uncle George sure knows how to abuse a heat gun! I’ve found that a small propane torch does it faster and more efficiently. To each their own.

 

[kstone113]

another video.

He ends up kind of doing it like me but the mixing the chips and pellets together is not necessary step in my opinion. Just alternate like I said. A couple handfulls of pellets, hand full of chips and so on. One thing I do because of the space that happens with wood chips, I have a bbq wood handle that will fit inside the tube and I try to smash down everything. It doesn't make a huge difference but will go down a few inches or so. More room for fuel.

@sdynak - no doubt this trick is the cheapest way by far to get that extra smoke flavor in a pellet or even gas grill or whatever. If I knew before my journey of trying everything under the sun, I honestly would not of gotten the smokedaddy cold smoker even though I do like it and it is a nice option to have. It just isn't not super cheap. I think I got mine on discount from a RTGOOA facebook group which Smokedaddy was offering like 15% off. I'm lucky that I live about 45 minutes from the Smokedaddy head quarters and drove up there myself to meet all the owners and shoot the shit.

No doubt "smoke flavor" is a personal preference. I do like the deeper smoke flavor but a clean smoke flavor, just a little stronger than the pellets themselves do but also again, like I mentioned above, the grills are you use them more, do get more smoke flavor from the pellets alone. I just still like that little extra.

I LOVE both of my RecTeq's. It was below zero last night and I cook some burgers on my Bullseye. I grill ALL year round. One reason why I'm interested in an upgrade rotor motor for my Bull. I am hoping that Savannah Stoker get back to me and gives an update about the out of stock 2.5 rpm motor.

 

[Roaniecowpony]

I will say that my taste preference for smoke has continuously changed over the years. When first starting, more smoke was the goal for me. Later, learning that there was bad smoke (and experiencing it many times), I sought lots of "good" smoke flavor. After getting the pellet grill, I've further reduced my preference for smoke flavor. I've used the smoke tube a number of times and it does add smoke. My last ribs, I did without a smoke tube on the Bull. Still very pleased with the flavor.

 

[chadinsc]

when i first started i also wanted my smoked meat to taste SMOKED! more the better i thought. now days i want the smoke to definitely be a flavor but i also want to taste my seasonings injections and the natural goodness of decent meat cuts. but i definitely like to use my tube on butts and brisket. not on smaller cuts like ribs and such. i like that the pellet grills give us so many options for smoke flavor by selecting temps and having the option of a tube when desired. some of my early cooks tasted like i was eating a charred log and i loved it lol

 

[C. Keeper]

I still enjoy a good smoke while grilling. So far, I have never had too much smoke.

 

[Jim6820]

And, that’s the beauty of this thing we call “BBQ;” it can be done in so many ways and with so many different flavor profiless. I’ve never had “BBQ” that I didn’t like, though I did like some better than others.

I’ve been fortunate to have lived in or visited a variety of regions where BBQ was done and the regional differences have always interested me. This includes “barbacoa” in Spain, which was both different and delicious.

I really like that folks share their preferences and experiences here on the forum. It gives us all an opportunity to consider different approaches that broaden our appreciation of “BBQ.”

 

[Roaniecowpony]

Jim,
I managed to make some bbq that I really didn't like. My recollection of one, was a chicken breast rolled around some sun dried tomatos, cheese and mushrooms, wrapped with bacon. Sounds good, right? I put so much sooty white smoke on them, they were gray colored and tasted like a scoop of ash from the bottom of the pit. I literally gagged.