Food Smokers and Smoking Tips/Tricks/Techniques

Its sounds ass backwards but I find it works great. The skin gets that slight chew texture and the inside is soft. You can cut them in half and eat em like potato tacos

 

Instant Pot!

 

I like good potatoes done quick so usually a compromise is in order :
Microwave on high till they’re just about done then leave whole or section, finish on grill or in oven or in skillet with some kinda fat. Works for wedges and whole potatoes.
Very important to not let them get cold between microwave and finishing or it changes texture.
Creamy inside, crispy outside

Or budget more time to do “right”

But never microwave to plate lol

 

Got the smoker goin up... on a Tuesday


Hopefully it will cooperate this time and not have Wild temp fluctuations and I can smoke my butt in ease

 

Having tried a potato from the oven after 70 minutes last night, I retract the statement. It really is much better. I don't know how crazy I am about trying to foil a 400 degree potato, but I will have to try his method.

 

Does anyone know of a heat diverter for the Akorn Jr line of grills? I am thinking if I can keep the direct heat off the food, I could easily smoke stuff
Also,, how about a method to center the direct heat under the middle of the grill, similar to the vortex the gent posted about for the Weber Kettle couple pages back? I had a few flare ups resulting in blackened wings last weekend, would be easy to avoid if I had a vortex, but I'm not sure it will fit, also, 40 bucks for a piece of flashing is ridiculous.

 

Oven mitt should make it easier. I use the Bbq gloves my wife and daughter bought me for my bday. They keep my hands nice and cool.

 

This or some tongs.

 

Sadly still having shit luck with my Traeger. Just got off the phone with customer service and they're going to send me a new temp probe. Hopefully that fixes the issues but I have plenty of doubts that it will not solve the issues.

Here’s pictures of where my thermopro probe is and where the Traeger pro is and then a pic of the readings. The thermopro is definitely working as I plunged it in ice water this morning and got a proper reading.

 

I think as long as your ThermoPro stays in the right temp your cook should be good. If it was swinging as bad I would be a little more worried about it.

 

It still swings from 190-300 per the thermopro reading. I had to turn the high/low warning beeps off because they would go off every 5 mins. First high then low then high...

 

I'll add in FDA approved/food safe as well. Most are fine for being in proximity of food - even at cooking temps - but worth confirming before you buy.

Something like this:

$16 Food Grade NSF FDA RTV Silicone Sealant Adhesive Red High Temp 10.3oz (Standard Version) (Standard Version)

https://www.amazon.com/Grade-Silico...ocphy=9027263&hvtargid=pla-349796768365&psc=1

 

Part of that could also be that the TP probe is right over one of the pathways for the heat to come up. Hopefully they get it fixed up for you. If not that’s it for them. Don’t like when people don’t stand behind their products.

 

I would say yes to that, except for the fact that the thermopro reading is lower than the Traeger probe. By over 100* at that. If the TP was higher than the Traeger, sure.

I'm now down to 128* yay..... Fuck this.

 

how often are you opening the lid? try not to, as little as possible. mine fluctuates, but stabilizes after 10-15 mins or so (not a traeger, a z grill, similar)

edit....i cook based on the temp of my thermopro, not the grill number. they are in the ballpark, never the same though.

 

I am opening the lid zero times. I opened it to put the butt on, and then once more about 1.5 hours later to snap that probe picture and readjust the meat probe location.

 

gotcha, ruling out the obvious

 

Aaaaaand ordered!
Thanks!

 

@Kanyon71 has been helping me troubleshoot since my first issues with it the day before NYE. Neither of us can figure out what the hell is wrong other than guesses at perhaps a bad batch of probes or PID controllers. I should have the new probe in about a week, I'll run it to test it but likely won't smoke anything as I have the same temp fluctuations with or without meat in there.

 

You'll want the Char Griller Smoking Stone for the Akorn Jr. As a temporary stone, you can use the base of a clay flower pot.