Pitmaker safe lighting advice (how do I get that nice blue smoke)

Hank151 · Dec 23, 2018

Hey everyone I finally received my pitmaker safe 3 months later but I got it. Anyone on here familiar with these pits? I’m looking for some advice on the best way to maintain nice clean smoke. I’ve only had it a few days haven’t gotten a chance with working and all to really use. I’ve tested it and threw some chicken on there when it was done tasted it and was very bitter tasting and way to Smokey tasting. Then I tried some bacon just as a test and almost the same thing very bitter. I’m not really sure what I’m doing wrong. Any pitmaker users on here I would greatly appreciate some set up advice. Awesome pit btw just have to figure out how to get it dialed in.

Rockinar · Dec 23, 2018

What temp are you trying to maintain? Using briquettes? Lump charcoal? The higher temp the easier to get a cleaner smoke which should eliminate the bitter taste. Theres a BBQ joint near me that cooks using Pitmaker Vaults and they make some really good BBQ. You just need to learn the pit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPBdHm28RgA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBPbS-bbiyw

luv2smoke · Dec 24, 2018

I don't have a Pitmaker but I do have an insulated cabinet. I find that a small hot fire is the best. The smaller the fire the more air you can introduce for combustion. Try starting with a smaller amount of lit coals. Also I like to use small chunks of wood for cleaner combustion, once these things are running not much air is required to maintain temps. Without big air large chunks won't burn clean but smaller chunks will. Mine runs between a clear vapor and thin blue regularly.

K.W. · Dec 24, 2018

I run a vault and can offer a few comments on how I run mine.
Top vent 100% open ( control the temp with the inlet valve)
Preheat with a weed burner to save charcoal and speed up the heat soak time
I would suggest using only lump charcoal for a cook or two to determine if the chunks of wood are causing the bitter off flavor.
I’ve tried the minion method and running small hot fires with wood only but now just dump charcoal in the fire basket and light it. The cabinets are air tight enough to control the burn rate, at least that’s been my experience. I use royal oak (red bag) lump most of the time.
I personally don’t use water and run my longer cooks a little hotter than the low and slow standard of 225. I seldom do any cooks lower than 260, mostly settling for anything around 275.
Hope this helps.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Hank151 · Dec 24, 2018

Thanks KW I’ll give that a try. I’ve been using charcoal the two times I’ve played with it. I haven’t gotten down the weed burner thing yet first time was way to little only preheated to about 125 and second time was way to much to like 350 lol. I’m learning this thing gonna stick with it though. I’ve heard that sometimes charcoal will give off a bad flavor def gonna try the lump next time.

Hank151 · Dec 24, 2018

Rockinar said:
What temp are you trying to maintain? Using briquettes? Lump charcoal? The higher temp the easier to get a cleaner smoke which should eliminate the bitter taste. Theres a BBQ joint near me that cooks using Pitmaker Vaults and they make some really good BBQ. You just need to learn the pit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPBdHm28RgA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBPbS-bbiyw

Yea your right have to get it dialed in. I’ve been using charcoal and like 4 chunks of wood. With the chicken I was trying to get it up to 375-400. I did start to get impatient and started dumping more coal in to get it going faster because I didn’t really preheat properly. The second attempt which was better with just playing around with some bacon but still on the bitter side. Little frustrating to figure out

RangerJ · Dec 25, 2018

K.W. said:
I run a vault and can offer a few comments on how I run mine.
Top vent 100% open ( control the temp with the inlet valve)
Preheat with a weed burner to save charcoal and speed up the heat soak time
I would suggest using only lump charcoal for a cook or two to determine if the chunks of wood are causing the bitter off flavor.
I’ve tried the minion method and running small hot fires with wood only but now just dump charcoal in the fire basket and light it. The cabinets are air tight enough to control the burn rate, at least that’s been my experience. I use royal oak (red bag) lump most of the time.
I personally don’t use water and run my longer cooks a little hotter than the low and slow standard of 225. I seldom do any cooks lower than 260, mostly settling for anything around 275.
Hope this helps.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

pretty much this. We used vaults in the first restaurant, never had an issue and we cooked literally tons of bbq.

Air tight cabinet, small chamber, you need a minimum amount of wood. Stick with it, the pit will last forever!

W.I.T.W.A.G? · Dec 26, 2018

I have never cooked on a Pitmaker but I think you just have to learn the pit. Its a good pit with lots of proven results so you know it will run good. My advice would be to do as many cooks as possible, maybe short cooks so you can do 2-3 in a weekend. Lighting the pit and bringing it to temp as much as possible. It should be pretty easy to hold temps once it settles in but you need to work on lighting it and getting it to your target temp.
Once you've done that 8-10 times you should have a better handle on it and you can do a long cook and start to fine tune holding temps on it. I would also avoid adding unlit coal o top of lit coal if you can as that could snuff out the fire. More coal only means more heat if you're out of coal. If there's plenty of coal you need more air and air flow.
Good Luck and enjoy!

Pitmaker safe lighting advice (how do I get that nice blue smoke)

Hank151

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Rockinar

is Blowin Smoke!

luv2smoke

Take a breath!

K.W.

Knows what a fatty is.

Hank151

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Hank151

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RangerJ

is one Smokin' Farker

W.I.T.W.A.G?

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