RSAUGE
New member
i put my 12 inch smoke tube on that small lip on the front of fire box in my PBV4PS2 smoker, i have a hexagon shaped smoker tube and I did have to bend the lip out a little bit bur it works great
Advice needed for new PBV4PS2 First cook
- Thread starter Edchad
- Start date
I found my 12 inch A-Maze-N tube at Walmart on clearance right before Christmas - 9.99. You can find them pretty cheap on Amazon, I bought my son one for about 12-13 bucks but it was a different brand but works the same. I think the 6 inch once I bought was only about 7 bucks on Amazon (my 12 inch is A-Maze-N, I have no idea what brand the 8 inch is). I use the 6 inch on shorter cooks (burgers and such).
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Edchad
Well-known member
Just got in from running errands and hunting pellets. Mike TS here does have the Bear Mountain at 8.99 I.
20 lb. but they only had their Gourmet Blend in stock. I nabbed a bag of those.
our Ace had Traeger. Picked up a hickory, mesquite, and their blend. Can’t remember this sec what they called it. Lol. It’s all out in the garage. Also went by Lowe’s And got a PB Hickory. Double checked this time. Lol.
I still want to get a PB Mesquite. And in the Bear Mtn a hickory and mesquite.
my 6” tube is suppose to be here tomorrow. The 12” probably Saturday.
I do already have an 8x5 box. Think rhat would be ok in there? Mama just got off the phone and informed me she’s stopping For groceries this afternoon and a brisket and pork loin roast and I don’t know what all else is headed this way. Lol.
Anyway. The box. If I cook before these tubes get in reckon it would be ok?
maybe put it on a rack below and left of the meat?
and while I’m at it. Was thinking. And that ain’t good. But what would be the dangers concerns or problems if I cooked without that cover/ guard over the water pan??
I mean Ive had several thru the years that the meat was on racks with water pan below. Drippings just fell in that.
I’m sitting here on my chair where it’s cool. Sure as hell I’m going to walk out and look and there may be an obvious reason. But right now this second I am just wondering.
when I cooked Sunday it was a little late (for me ) and when I washed the racks etc I pulled that thing and cleaned it as well.
but is there a reason the drippings can’t just drop in the water pan ?
And if this is a dumbass question. Uh. Just gimme the idiot award and I’ll take it like a man. Lol.
20 lb. but they only had their Gourmet Blend in stock. I nabbed a bag of those.
our Ace had Traeger. Picked up a hickory, mesquite, and their blend. Can’t remember this sec what they called it. Lol. It’s all out in the garage. Also went by Lowe’s And got a PB Hickory. Double checked this time. Lol.
I still want to get a PB Mesquite. And in the Bear Mtn a hickory and mesquite.
my 6” tube is suppose to be here tomorrow. The 12” probably Saturday.
I do already have an 8x5 box. Think rhat would be ok in there? Mama just got off the phone and informed me she’s stopping For groceries this afternoon and a brisket and pork loin roast and I don’t know what all else is headed this way. Lol.
Anyway. The box. If I cook before these tubes get in reckon it would be ok?
maybe put it on a rack below and left of the meat?
and while I’m at it. Was thinking. And that ain’t good. But what would be the dangers concerns or problems if I cooked without that cover/ guard over the water pan??
I mean Ive had several thru the years that the meat was on racks with water pan below. Drippings just fell in that.
I’m sitting here on my chair where it’s cool. Sure as hell I’m going to walk out and look and there may be an obvious reason. But right now this second I am just wondering.
when I cooked Sunday it was a little late (for me ) and when I washed the racks etc I pulled that thing and cleaned it as well.
but is there a reason the drippings can’t just drop in the water pan ?
And if this is a dumbass question. Uh. Just gimme the idiot award and I’ll take it like a man. Lol.
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Yeah, 8X5 box will work just fine. I have never used a tray but you can watch this to get an idea of how it works.
I use a butane torch to light my tubes. As he states in the video a lighter will not work.
PS: Don't light one on the COUNTER TOP unless you want to upset your wife!
I use a butane torch to light my tubes. As he states in the video a lighter will not work.
PS: Don't light one on the COUNTER TOP unless you want to upset your wife!
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Edchad
Well-known member
Lol! I hear ya about the countertop. Lol.
move for a few little torches downstairs. Would be perfect for lighting. Thanks for the vid too.
I’m dying to cook again. That sweet MILD smoke hurt my feeling. Lol. Wife made some comments about it and I’m trying to justify why I bought it when I already have two at the cabin out baxk and a couple of Weber’s. Lol. Even though of course they won’t flavor like a wood burner I’m still confident it was the Apple pellets.
I’m loaded for Bear right now. Think I may start with the PB or Traeger hickory.
not many Apple left in it as I actually did two burn offs and cooked as well. Gonna empty em and prolly use in the tray and tubes on the Weber’s. Or
Maybe even the PB S2.
rhat little thing is a great cooker. I probably shouldn’t have bought this one but. Aw hell. You know how it is. Lol. Thanks again.
I gotta mow about 4 acres of yard I’m wondering why I’m keeping up. All the kids grown. Most of the grandkids practically grown.
I’m a heart and lung patient. Openheart 3 bypasses two stents and a few more very close to needing work. And my left lung collapsed during the openheart in 2012.
anyway had to give up my motorcycles and a lot od
Other things I’ve enjoyed all my life. So the Kubota zero turn is my kicks now. Lol. Of course when it’s hot like it’s getting right now. It stinks.
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As someone else said once you get the grill seasoned that will help with flavor as well. But the bottom line is that a pellet smoker will not give as much smoke flavor as a stick burner. When you try the smoke tray and tubes start off with just pellets. Later on once you get the hang of it throw some hickory wood chips in the tube and give it a try. Light it just the same, blow torch it until it lights up, let it burn 5-8 minutes then blow it out but the chips burn up much faster but personally I think they give smoke smoke flavor than the pellets. My personal preference is I like to EAT smoke. To me there is no such thing as TOO MUCH smoke flavor but I am in a house full of girls and they like the smoke taste but don't want it to over power the meat.
The benefits of the pellet smoker is not having to feed or fan the fire to keep temps consistent. Honestly I am too lazy to have a stick burner, I like to turn on the pellet smoker and let it do its thing and kick back. But I am always close by and monitor the temps and the pellets. Something else you will see thru experience is that as the pellets fall in the hopper a "pocket" of dead area will form with no pellets. About every 2 hours I use an old stick to stir them up in the hopper to make sure they feed.
The benefits of the pellet smoker is not having to feed or fan the fire to keep temps consistent. Honestly I am too lazy to have a stick burner, I like to turn on the pellet smoker and let it do its thing and kick back. But I am always close by and monitor the temps and the pellets. Something else you will see thru experience is that as the pellets fall in the hopper a "pocket" of dead area will form with no pellets. About every 2 hours I use an old stick to stir them up in the hopper to make sure they feed.
Odoylerules
New member
Edchad,
I ran into the same issue you did. My first smoke on my new unit was ribs and my second was a pork butt this weekend. Both were light on smoke relative to my old Masterbuilt Electric smoker that used wood chips. I was also using Apple so i'm assuming this is an Apple blend issue. I already had an AMAZ-N tray so i dropped that in on my last smoke for the pork butt. The results were better but i used apple pellets as well. So i think long story short, i need to buy some Hickory
Thanks for sharing your experiance b/c i was starting to worry i wasn't going to like Pellet smokers.
I ran into the same issue you did. My first smoke on my new unit was ribs and my second was a pork butt this weekend. Both were light on smoke relative to my old Masterbuilt Electric smoker that used wood chips. I was also using Apple so i'm assuming this is an Apple blend issue. I already had an AMAZ-N tray so i dropped that in on my last smoke for the pork butt. The results were better but i used apple pellets as well. So i think long story short, i need to buy some Hickory
Thanks for sharing your experiance b/c i was starting to worry i wasn't going to like Pellet smokers.
ANT0407
Well-known member
Glad you found the Bear mountain pellets. I really like them. Hope you have good luck with them.
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Edchad
Well-known member
Thanks for the heads up at Tractor
Supply.
They said they normally have a good supply. But hey. This is right after Memorial Day. I was lucky to get the one bag of special blend. I think I’m gonna go ahead and see if I can ship to store the mesquite and hickory.
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Edchad
Well-known member
Hey Odo. I never used the Apple chips or chunks in my other smokers because it was so light and sweet. We’ve always liked hickory and mesquite. It was dumb enough to grab the wrong bag. And plain stupid on my part to use em. lolEdchad,
I ran into the same issue you did. My first smoke on my new unit was ribs and my second was a pork butt this weekend. Both were light on smoke relative to my old Masterbuilt Electric smoker that used wood chips. I was also using Apple so i'm assuming this is an Apple blend issue. I already had an AMAZ-N tray so i dropped that in on my last smoke for the pork butt. The results were better but i used apple pellets as well. So i think long story short, i need to buy some Hickory
The funny thing. That thing was smoking like cheech n chong. Lol. But such a mild taste.
ive been smoking meat and bbq for close to 50 years. But this is my first pellet smoker. It functioned perfectly. And I’ll say this. The forum here is great. People like Mike and the others right there to help. Like the issue with the S setting Amd the manual. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.
mike and a couple of others had the info and that eased my mind. It’s just a different animal that’s gonna take getting used to. And minor mods to the way I e done things for so long.
Ans I’ve read elsewhere people upset at even the thought of adding a smoking tube or tray. Think about it. Charcoal heats. Add wood for flavor. Electric heats. Still add wood to flavor. Gas heats. Add wood to flavor.
wood pellets heat and also smokes but if ya want it stronger it don’t bug me one bit to add a tube. Lol.
next cook I’ll prob do without. I want to run the hickory with the suggested S for a couple hours to pour on the smoke. And go from there. Aw. I may use one. I don’t know. Lol. But what I DO know is. Charcoal electric gas smokers. Apple is weak. Lol.
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Edchad
Well-known member
MikeInFla
I finally used the tray today. And when the mail run the 6” tube arrived. The 12 should be here any day. Anyway you were right. The tray, tube or whatever really does the trick. I tackled a London broil (cut) today with the main purpose Seeing how much smoke I could get in that heavy pc of beef. Used Pit Boss Hickory. And also used the tray. The Smokey taste was unreal. Actually heavy just a bit. I could probably done without the tray and it would have been fine but wow did that tray do the job. My S setting for some reason was all over the place. After it was going pretty good I changed to 175. Then 200 later on.
Let it smoke like that a little over two hours.
I’m not sure the S is doing like it should. I mean heat and maintain to about 180?
acted kinda wierd. Now at the same time I was monitoring on the app. It acted a little squirrelly compared to when I watched it the first time.
But anyway the pellet tray worked great. Thanks for the tip.
Also
the hickory was much better than the Apple. Lol.
I finally used the tray today. And when the mail run the 6” tube arrived. The 12 should be here any day. Anyway you were right. The tray, tube or whatever really does the trick. I tackled a London broil (cut) today with the main purpose Seeing how much smoke I could get in that heavy pc of beef. Used Pit Boss Hickory. And also used the tray. The Smokey taste was unreal. Actually heavy just a bit. I could probably done without the tray and it would have been fine but wow did that tray do the job. My S setting for some reason was all over the place. After it was going pretty good I changed to 175. Then 200 later on.
Let it smoke like that a little over two hours.
I’m not sure the S is doing like it should. I mean heat and maintain to about 180?
acted kinda wierd. Now at the same time I was monitoring on the app. It acted a little squirrelly compared to when I watched it the first time.
But anyway the pellet tray worked great. Thanks for the tip.
Also
the hickory was much better than the Apple. Lol.
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Man that looks awesome!
When I use the "S" setting I get temps anywhere from 135-190. I just let it do its thing. Mine has smoke, 150, 175, 200 and so on. Occasionally I will mess with it (mine has the older, non-PID controller) and try different temps but most of the time I will use 225 or 250.
I am still trying to master chicken wings. I can never get them right. Skin is either too rubbery or completely dried out. I think I in the last 10 tries on wings I have gotten it right 2 times.
Anyway, the smaller 6 inch tube will be good for shorter cooks. I had always used pellets in mine and then a few months ago I found a few bags of wood chips in the shed and decided to try and out and see what would happen. So i put some chips in the tube then a few pellets. More chips, more pellets. Just kind put them in together and mixed the around. It burns up a lot faster with the chips but it has a better smoke flavor from the chips (in my opinion).
When I use the "S" setting I get temps anywhere from 135-190. I just let it do its thing. Mine has smoke, 150, 175, 200 and so on. Occasionally I will mess with it (mine has the older, non-PID controller) and try different temps but most of the time I will use 225 or 250.
I am still trying to master chicken wings. I can never get them right. Skin is either too rubbery or completely dried out. I think I in the last 10 tries on wings I have gotten it right 2 times.
Anyway, the smaller 6 inch tube will be good for shorter cooks. I had always used pellets in mine and then a few months ago I found a few bags of wood chips in the shed and decided to try and out and see what would happen. So i put some chips in the tube then a few pellets. More chips, more pellets. Just kind put them in together and mixed the around. It burns up a lot faster with the chips but it has a better smoke flavor from the chips (in my opinion).
So which way is the right way?
1. Set S on mode, remain the door open until smoke disappeared and close the door, and let it run 20 min. Then change the temp what you want.
2. Set S on mode, remain the door open until smoke disappeared and closed the door. Skip 20min run, just change the temp what you want.
I am so confusing.
Mike From R.I.
Well-known member
I do step @2. At start up it is automatically in smoke mode. You have to raise the temperature up to what you need, once the flame is established and you close the door.
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Edchad
Well-known member
I hope I don’t confuse you even more. Lol. And the manual is very confusing itself. At least mine was. What I’ve wound up doing after getting a little educated here is…….
It automatically starts on S. I leave it alone. I’ll leave the door open till I see the smoke starting and know the pellets are feeding etc. Then I’ll close the door maybe 20 mins and let it heat up a little in there and then put the meat in. After that I leave it alone. Still on the S setting. I use two probes for the temp. One rear left on rack. One front and right on rack. I’m watching the temps. What I’ve found is the thing will settle on about 130 for awhile and then climb slowly to 180-190. Btw the control will still show S. If I’m watching the app on my phone it will show a temp number. Very very wierd. Lol. But I KNOW my two probes are correct. So again, I just leave it be u til I have my desired ‘smoke session’ depending on what I’m cooking. For like a big pork butt maybe 2 hours or a little better. This sounds crazy maybe but I get the absolute best smoke session by letting it do it’s thing in the S setting. When I’m satisfied with the initial smoke I then raise to my desired temp. Usually starting at 250 on the control which normally yields about 225 on my probes.
And from there just run it like any other smoker. I’m convinced there’s some logic to that S setting in the control but honestly I’m tired of trying to figure it out. I believe the engineers have it acting in some manner. But I’ll be darn if I e figured it out.
But I know from experience now that is the best way MY cooker will give the best smoke.
I fought that thing quite awhile. Starting it. Immediately raising to 225-250 and trying to smoke and it was a no go. That S setting has become my buddy. Lol.
Ye this sounds like some voodoo for sure but for my absolute best smoke session I leave it be and then and only then take over the control and start running the temp myself.
And also just while I’m running my mouth. A smoke tube during the S session and also early into the cook helps tremendously if you really want a smoky taste. That’s something else I kinda fought. But it works.
Trust me. These guys in here , all the Mikes and the other guys lol are a huge help.
I went from almost returning it to using it at least one or two times a week. The manual concerning this and a couple of other things is awful. I think some things changed and wasn’t updated.
Try letting that S mode work for ya. I don’t know your machine but it works great on mine.
