Smoke Tube Fire

[good eats]

Over this past weekend I tried cooking smoked chicken with Alabama White BBQ Sauce, a recipe I saw on one of the Traeger YouTube videos. The recipe calls for the chicken to be cooked at 375 degrees. For this high temp setting, I decided to use 2 smoke tubes filled with Bear Mountain Hickory pellets interspersed with chunks of hickory wood for extra smoke. About halfway through the cook I noticed a temperature spike and a decrease in smoke output. I opened the hood of my Timberline to discover both smoke tubes aflame...vigorously aflame. No damage done, but that was the first time I've ever had the smoke tubes combust. It was fun removing the flaming tubes. The tubes were lying close to one another and that combined with the high heat setting probably contributed to the combustion. Lesson learned...I think.

 

[RayClem]

If you try cooking chicken "low and slow" it tends to end up tough and dry, especially if you use boneless, skinless chicken breasts. The 375F is a good temperature to prevent that. Alabama White Sauce is great for marinating the chicken before the cook, basting the chicken during the cook, and as a sauce on the table during the meal.

Using smoke tubes is always going to be a potential problem at higher temperatures. You want the pellets and chips to smolder. However, at higher grill temperatures, the fan blows a lot of air through the grill and that can lead the smoke tubes to flame up. Putting both tubes near each other did not help. If you try this in the future, one thing you might try is partially wrapping the smoke tubes in foil so less air can get to the pellets and chips to fan the flames. If necessary, poke some holes through the foil. You need the right amount of air to support the smoldering.

 

[good eats]

If you try cooking chicken "low and slow" it tends to end up tough and dry, especially if you use boneless, skinless chicken breasts. The 375F is a good temperature to prevent that. Alabama White Sauce is great for marinating the chicken before the cook, basting the chicken during the cook, and as a sauce on the table during the meal.

Using smoke tubes is always going to be a potential problem at higher temperatures. You want the pellets and chips to smolder. However, at higher grill temperatures, the fan blows a lot of air through the grill and that can lead the smoke tubes to flame up. Putting both tubes near each other did not help. If you try this in the future, one thing you might try is partially wrapping the smoke tubes in foil so less air can get to the pellets and chips to fan the flames. If necessary, poke some holes through the foil. You need the right amount of air to support the smoldering.

Thanks Ray, I appreciate the response. I like the foil suggestion.