Smoke Tubes

[BobbyQ]

I usually have to let it burn for a good ten minutes before placing it in the grill. Laying on an angle is a great idea. Trying it next cook. I also use it in my Weber gas grill.

 

[HHI6818]

Yes Traeger Cherry

 

[BobbyQ]

I tried standing the tube against the upper grill in my Weber. Worked great. Plenty of smoke. Next up, the IW.

 

[Tommy]

I have two six sided tubes. See attached photo. Today I am cold smoking 19 pounds of Butt, after dry curing for 7 days. Photo shows 10 chunks of various sizes in my 575 Pro. I use a propane blow torch to lite each tube. I allow each tube to flame for about two minutes before I close the lid. Today, I am using hickory pellets (be sure your pellets are not compromised by moisture). While airflow is important, just so you know, my Traeger has a thermo-felt strip that surrounds the lid, so no heat or smoke can escape. The chimney cap is screwed down as far as it can go. Smoke comes out of the chimney and out of the grease spout. I will get a 5-7 hour smoke with this arrangement.

 

[Crs68]

Decided to give a smoke tube a try, it came with caps for each end. So after lightning with a gas torch I let it burn for a bit then put the cap on and placed in the grill, FAIL it went out OK next try leave the cap off this worked sort of I had it at the opposite end to the hopper. It had very little smoke and eventually went out. Next try I lit it again and moved to the back of the grill in the centre behind the meat this worked better as I assume there was better air flow.

To the smoke tube users out there what's your tips.

I feel like this was a grand wasted, I have tried low heat, smoke boxes, tubes (neither of which can I keep going) nothing seems to achieve that Smokey wonderful ness as our smoker that is gone. It is just an outside oven, I wish Traeger would after market the smoke option so we could get the flavor we are looking for out of our grills.

 

[Ray godwin]

I place mine just level, usually on a piece of folded heavy foil.

I light by standing the tube vertically, use a torch and really get the top burning, with flame. Let it burn a bit, then gently lay it into place. Since my Timberline exhausts out the rear, I place my tube across the front.

My smoke tube has always burned all fuel completely. Here's the remains after my last brisket smoke;View attachment 5283

Are you using the same pellets.

 

[RemE]

Are you using the same pellets.

Same as the grill? Not usually.

 

[OldMayfield]

I got smoke tubes for Christmas, getting ready to use for the first time. Please help clear up a couple points on which I'm confused.

1. On-line I read folks ignite the pellets (and chips?) in the smoke tube simply with the grill heat. I.e., they load the tube, turn on the grill, close the lid, and the heat of the grill ignites the pellets. But everyone on this thread seems to use a torch to ignite the pellets/chips. Which way works best?

2. What type of torch? I saw one video with a hugh torch with air holes connected by a hose to a propane tank the size of a gas grill's. I saw another with an ~ 1l tank (like a Coleman stove size and presumably disposable) ) connected directly to the torch head by a short metal pipe. Does it need to be that big? What about the size used to crust a creme burlee? Or the little disposable ones used to light a charcoal grill?

Thanks!

 

[RemE]

I got smoke tubes for Christmas, getting ready to use for the first time. Please help clear up a couple points on which I'm confused.

1. On-line I read folks ignite the pellets (and chips?) in the smoke tube simply with the grill heat. I.e., they load the tube, turn on the grill, close the lid, and the heat of the grill ignites the pellets. But everyone on this thread seems to use a torch to ignite the pellets/chips. Which way works best?

2. What type of torch? I saw one video with a hugh torch with air holes connected by a hose to a propane tank the size of a gas grill's. I saw another with an ~ 1l tank (like a Coleman stove size and presumably disposable) ) connected directly to the torch head by a short metal pipe. Does it need to be that big? What about the size used to crust a creme burlee? Or the little disposable ones used to light a charcoal grill?

Thanks!

I use a small "Creme Brule" type kitchen torch to light mine, works great. Maybe a gas grill would light the pellets but a smoker needs a light.

 

[BobbyQ]

I got smoke tubes for Christmas, getting ready to use for the first time. Please help clear up a couple points on which I'm confused.

1. On-line I read folks ignite the pellets (and chips?) in the smoke tube simply with the grill heat. I.e., they load the tube, turn on the grill, close the lid, and the heat of the grill ignites the pellets. But everyone on this thread seems to use a torch to ignite the pellets/chips. Which way works best?

2. What type of torch? I saw one video with a hugh torch with air holes connected by a hose to a propane tank the size of a gas grill's. I saw another with an ~ 1l tank (like a Coleman stove size and presumably disposable) ) connected directly to the torch head by a short metal pipe. Does it need to be that big? What about the size used to crust a creme burlee? Or the little disposable ones used to light a charcoal grill?

Thanks!

IMO if you try to light it using the grill temp you will be waiting a looong time. Ignition temp of wood is around 500F. Paper is 451F (Remember Fahrenheit 451?). I have one of these. Around 20 bucks at HD. The pic doesn't show it but mine has an ignition button. The flame gets hot enough to make the smoke tube glow red.

 

[YYCRed]

IMO if you try to light it using the grill temp you will be waiting a looong time. Ignition temp of wood is around 500F. Paper is 451F (Remember Fahrenheit 451?). I have one of these. Around 20 bucks at HD. The pic doesn't show it but mine has an ignition button. The flame gets hot enough to make the smoke tube glow red.

I use the same thing. Cheap and easy to find and use.

 

[HotSpringsBBQ]

I have found if you can set them near vertical they burn better, but I'm still experimenting. Has anyone else made this observation. Makes me want to design my own i think , haha ..

 

[Slimpicker]

I have found if you can set them near vertical they burn better, but I'm still experimenting. Has anyone else made this observation. Makes me want to design my own i think , haha ..

That's why I prop mine up with a wood chunk to burn at an angle, it burns way more efficient.

 

[OldMayfield]

So my first two uses of the smoke tubes went well. I use one at a time, Hickory chips so far. My tubes came with hangers, so I ignite the tube vertically and hang the open/hot end of the tube from the upper grate. It burned completely each time. Per @RemE 's suggestion I use a $7.99 propane kitchen torch from Ace Hardware to light it, so far, so good.

I'm still trying to synchronize lighting the smoke tube and igniting/heating up the grill. First time I lit the vertical tube in the open, cold grill, and once the tube flame was good, hung the tube, ignited the grill and closed its lid. Lost 20 minutes of chips/smoke waiting for the grill to light and heat. Of course the lit tube caused the grill temperature to rise about 10F even before it was lit, and tube smoke masked the grill ignition smoke. But OK in the end.

Second time I lit the tube outside the grill on a wrought iron table, lit the grill, and hung the lit tube in the grill once grill ignition was complete and pre-heat began. Seemed to work OK, but still lost 10 minutes of chips/smoke.

I suppose I can light the tube once grill ignition is complete and let it burn the few minutes of grill pre-heat and hang it in the grill when it hits temperature. But I guess that means for sure to do it outside the grill - or does it?

Advice welcome - thanks!

PS My tubes came with tube brushes. Does anyone clean their tubes? How and how often?

 

[Slimpicker]

I start my grill, get my meat ready, start my tubes, put both in at the same time. EZ

I have hangers too... only used them a couple times, mostly cuz big meat means no upper shelf.
Haven't used my brushes yet.... I wonder where they are???