Smoke Tube!

[patstock11]

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If you are referring to my post. I was not complaining, it was a simple observation about theyre advertisements, especially as of late with the new timberline xL getting a ton of headlines

 

[Keystone]

So just read where a proud new Traeger smoker owner cannot keep his 'Smoke Tube' lit! Let me understand you pay a $1000 for a smoker, another $30 for smoker pellets, and then have to buy a smoke tube to get it to smoke! Sadly my 34 has never smoked either. Any correspondence with Traeger gets no answers to this design flaw! Had Traeger spent less on marketing and more on quality design and operation this annoying trait would never be out there.

Keep in mind that pellets are the primary heat source and secondarily the source of smoke. With this in mind I have turned to smoke tube and these really stepped up my game. Great Bark on brisket and pork butts. Proper use of a smoke tube requires
1. use dry pellets
2. lighting the pellets in the tube and allowing time to burn for about 5 minutes outside of the smoker
3. placing the smoke tube in the vertical air flow path, this is usually along the front or back of the smoker just above the edge of the drip pan.
It helps to have the drip pan centered the front and back of the smoker. Air flow is essential to the operation of a convection oven. Pellet smokers are convection ovens fueled by wood pellets.

 

[Slimpicker]

If you are referring to my post. I was not complaining, it was a simple observation about theyre advertisements, especially as of late with the new timberline xL getting a ton of headlines

NO, it wasn't referring to you at all.

 

[Big Man Dan]

I just got my Traeger and did the first cook just using the smoke from the fire pot at 225 degrees.

I have used a smoker box on my gas grill to impart a smoky flavor. Would a smoker box work on the Traeger using wood chips or wood pellets or does the smoker tube with wood pellets work better?

Has anyone tried using a different type of wood pellets in the smoker tube than in the hopper? Were you pleased with the results?

Someone may have already responded to this but just this past weekend I used cherry pellets in my Traeger and put hickory chips in my smoke tube. I don't think the mismatched wood types makes much difference at all especially since the cherry pellets give off such a mild smoke. I was going for more of a hickory flavor and the smoke tube provided it in spades (maybe a bit too much for my liking).

 

[ScorchedPorch]

Here's my two cents after owning an Ironwood 885 for a couple months now. A sawdust pellet doesn't go through the full combustion cycle like a piece of wood. It's so efficient, there is very little ash left. Because of that, you don't get the broad spectrum of flavors you get from woods that burn slowly. Period. It's a tool, that's all, so you have to keep using it to learn the best way to employ it. I have two other smokers I use for serious stuff, but I have to admit - I find the convenience and control I get from the Traeger pretty compelling.

I've run it through it's paces with everything from burgers to butts and beyond. It doesn't sear well (I expected it wouldn't at a measly 500 degrees) and it doesn't smoke particularly well, But it's better than a gasser and more convenient than lighting a fire and screwing with it for hours on end.

 

[RayClem]

Here's my two cents after owning an Ironwood 885 for a couple months now. A sawdust pellet doesn't go through the full combustion cycle like a piece of wood. It's so efficient, there is very little ash left. Because of that, you don't get the broad spectrum of flavors you get from woods that burn slowly. Period. It's a tool, that's all, so you have to keep using it to learn the best way to employ it. I have two other smokers I use for serious stuff, but I have to admit - I find the convenience and control I get from the Traeger pretty compelling.

I've run it through it's paces with everything from burgers to butts and beyond. It doesn't sear well (I expected it wouldn't at a measly 500 degrees) and it doesn't smoke particularly well, But it's better than a gasser and more convenient than lighting a fire and screwing with it for hours on end.

Your are correct about the wood pellets burning efficiently. However, minimal ash means minimal cleanup effort

Thus, packing the smoke tubes with pellets is not going to give you maximum smoke flavor. You can try using just wood chips or a mixture of wood chips and pellets if you have trouble keeping the wood chips burning. In a smoke tube, the combustion is not going to be as efficient as the burn pot, so you will get more smoke flavor with the smoke tube than without, but it still won't match that of an offset smoker.

 

[BobbyQ]

It took me a while to get past the no visible smoke issue. I did a weekday brisket around Labor Day fully intending to use my smoke tube but the propane torch failed on me. So I went without just using oak pellets and cooking at 190 until wrapped. Came out fine with lots of smoke flavor.

See post #442

What's cooking today? 🔥 Pics are necessary!

Big day tomorrow: smoking 4 tri-tips and 4 racks of baby back ribs; 2 with Meat Church Honey Hog and 2 with a chili rub and Traegar Blacken Rib. Interestingly, the ladder came out so Tanger that they were falling off the bone which is not perfect. But these were the better of the tasting too...

www.traegerforum.com

 

[jersmith26]

About how long does it take to get smoke from the tubes, say at 250, using wood chips? Do the chips start burning fairly quickly? Thinking of experimenting with burgers, I have a 5 year-old TX Elite.

 

[BobbyQ]

250 is too low to ignite wood. You will need to light the chips or pellets with a good heat source. Most members use a propane torch. Fairly inexpensive ($25-$30 at Home Depot). Let the flame burn outside the grill for at least ten minutes then place it inside. Propping it up at an angle usually helps the fire keep burning.

 

[jersmith26]

250 is too low to ignite wood. You will need to light the chips or pellets with a good heat source. Most members use a propane torch. Fairly inexpensive ($25-$30 at Home Depot). Let the flame burn outside the grill for at least ten minutes then place it inside. Propping it up at an angle usually helps the fire keep burning.

That makes sense, thanks for the quick reply.

 

[Tommy]

So just read where a proud new Traeger smoker owner cannot keep his 'Smoke Tube' lit! Let me understand you pay a $1000 for a smoker, another $30 for smoker pellets, and then have to buy a smoke tube to get it to smoke! Sadly my 34 has never smoked either. Any correspondence with Traeger gets no answers to this design flaw! Had Traeger spent less on marketing and more on quality design and operation this annoying trait would never be out there.

I love my smoke tubes! Want to keep them lit??? buy a blow torch (propane). I use the automatic push button torch. Fill your tube, place tube on a concrete block or somewhere not in your grill, and torch the open end for about ten seconds or until it stays lit with a flame. let it flame on its own for about a minute, blow it out and place inside your smoker. That's it. Should give you about 5 hours of really good smoke. Don't fret about our Traeger not generating a lot of smoke. It is what it is. I have owned a lot of different types of grills. I have always had to create my own smoke apart from what the manufacturer said was part of the deal.

 

[Tommy]

Although my method produced a lot of smoke, I was not pleased with the flavor of the smoke when consuming the meat. There was an off-flavor. It was not sufficient to ruin the meat, but I did not enjoy the taste. A little BBQ sauce took care of the problem.

The combination of charcoal blend pellets and Mesquite blend pellets did not produce the results I hoped for. Next time, I will try a milder pellet in the smoke tubes.

Too much smoke is a bad thing. If you generate creosote, it can give you a bitter taste.

 

[jersmith26]

I love my smoke tubes! Want to keep them lit??? buy a blow torch (propane). I use the automatic push button torch. Fill your tube, place tube on a concrete block or somewhere not in your grill, and torch the open end for about ten seconds or until it stays lit with a flame. let it flame on its own for about a minute, blow it out and place inside your smoker. That's it. Should give you about 5 hours of really good smoke. Don't fret about our Traeger not generating a lot of smoke. It is what it is. I have owned a lot of different types of grills. I have always had to create my own smoke apart from what the manufacturer said was part of the deal.

Tommy, Do you prefer to use pellets or wood chips in your smoke tube?

 

[Torstenlaw]

Wood chips work best

 

[jersmith26]

I load a Smoke Tube, I've used both pellets and wood chips, light it and let it burn for several minutes, smoke billowing out of the tube. Lay the tube horizontal on the grill, let it burn for a few more minutes and then close the lid. I see smoke coming from the Traeger, but only for a few short minutes. I don't think the tube is getting enough oxygen to continue to burn and produce smoke. I have an insulated grill cover which may also limit the amount of oxygen needed for the tube to burn.

Bottom line, smoke tube doesn't really seem to work.