Chubby 3400 Question

bitjglr · Apr 30, 2018

Hi Everyone

I have been doing research for a new smoker and have pretty well decided on the chubby 3400.

My question is. Do any of you Chubby owners cook with the water pan empty or filled with sand to achieve higher temperatures? The Backwoods web site indicates a temperature range of 180 to 300 degrees. Can you honestly not cook a high as 375?

umrebel26 · Apr 30, 2018

I own 2 Chubbies and I usually run them anywhere between 225 275. I only ran them once with sand in the water pan and I cooked at 325. I don't see why you couldn't get it up to 375. Maybe someone else here has.

Sid Post · May 1, 2018

What's magical about 375F (crisping chicken skins)?

Also, some of the cabinet smokers (not saying a Cubby specifically) don't do well with higher temps due to construction constraints which shouldn't be an issue with a high-quality cooker.

Gary Tomato · May 2, 2018

I've used my Chubby 3400 a handful of times, always with water. I have seen temps approach that high but don't cook at it, usually when starting up with all the dampers open. I've had a WSM for five years and never cooked without water in the pan. There's WSM folks who use sand and/or nothing in their pans and it seems all methods get good results.

The Chubby 3400 is a really good smoker I'm sure you'll be happy with it, but if you intend to smoke at 375 all the time and you have concerns about why the range is only 180-300, you might want to email them via their website or Facebook page and see what they can tell you.

I'd be interested in hearing what the say.

HTH

bitjglr · May 2, 2018

Thanks for the response people.

So I contacted Backwoods thru their web site and asked about using it as high as 400 degrees and this is their response.

"Thats starting to get high on you temperature but the cooker should be ok. Then only thing that might happen is the bottom lip might start pealing the powder coat but just in that one spot. If that don’t bother you after it does peal you can spray some high heat paint on that lip."

A temp of 350 is high enough for crispy chicken skin, it is on my Weber kettle. I have a Smokin-It #3 electric smoker that only goes to about 275 and the chicken skin always turns out like rubber.

So, I think it will fine to run it at 350.

Chubby 3400 Question

bitjglr

Found some matches.

umrebel26

Got Wood.

Sid Post

is Blowin Smoke!

Gary Tomato

is one Smokin' Farker

bitjglr

Found some matches.

Similar threads