Yoda the Yoder is Home!

[4ever3]

Nice cooker!

Any pics of the biscuit test results?

 

[Clay-b-que]

Nice cooker!

Any pics of the biscuit test results?

Thanks for the reminder! I had the biscuit cans in my hand and then remembered the the wife talked to the butcher to get me some beef fat and then rushed off to the grocery store to pick it up. Got back and smoke and seasoned some more and then got distracted for the rest of the day smoking a fatty and ribs. Maybe biscuits tomorrow...

 

[BKING!]

Thanks for the reminder! I had the biscuit cans in my hand and then remembered the the wife talked to the butcher to get me some beef fat and then rushed off to the grocery store to pick it up. Got back and smoke and seasoned some more and then got distracted for the rest of the day smoking a fatty and ribs. Maybe biscuits tomorrow...

Once you have the heat even do you plan on somehow marking the slider on the right so you know how far to push it in on future cooks?

 

[cowgirl]

Nice!

 

[Clay-b-que]

Once you have the heat even do you plan on somehow marking the slider on the right so you know how far to push it in on future cooks?

Yes. I have it marked with a sharpie at 5 1/2” because that’s what I was “told” was the sweet spot. Anyone else have any suggestions?

 

[Joshw]

Yes. I have it marked with a sharpie at 5 1/2” because that’s what I was “told” was the sweet spot. Anyone else have any suggestions?

I just eyeball it. 5 to 6 inches sounds right though.

 

[BKING!]

I just eyeball it. 5 to 6 inches sounds right though.

Sweet. Yoder really does have a neat design on their smokers

 

[Clay-b-que]

1st biscuit test results. Damper position was the handle was about 5 1/2” pulled out to the right if I am looking at the smoker. Smoker was set to 325 degrees and biscuits were on for 30 minutes. As you can see, closer to the fire is hotter. Lower cooks hotter than upper. Just put 20 more biscuits on but opened the damper all the way (pulled it all the way out). We will see what the difference is...

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[BKING!]

1st biscuit test results. Damper position was the handle was about 5 1/2” pulled out to the right if I am looking at the smoker. Smoker was set to 325 degrees and biscuits were on for 30 minutes. As you can see, closer to the fire is hotter. Lower cooks hotter than upper. Just put 20 more biscuits on but opened the damper all the way (pulled it all the way out). We will see what the difference is...

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Keep us posted!

 

[Clay-b-que]

Full open biscuit test. Again, the bottom is hotter and opening it up creates a hot spot on the front right hand side. I think I am going to leave it at the 5 inches closed from now on. Also notice the pretty wild differences in temps on the thermometers...

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[gtsum]

Once you get some food in there it cooks pretty evenly. Opening slider to the right definitely makes it hotter lower right side. I messed with mine for a long time and finally left it about 5-6 inches in. My best mod was a half upper shelf...that way I could reverse sear more easily (getting to the meat and flipping etc).


Memphis Elite





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[Clay-b-que]

Chicken quarters!

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[Inthewoods]

Great follow up!

-D

 

[Joshw]

Damper handle 5 to 6 inches out, is best for using the whole cooker. All the way in, is best for searing. You won't notice nearly as much difference from the top and bottom at 275 or under. At the higher temps, you get some radiant heat from the diffuser plate.

 

[Clay-b-que]

The wife is not impressed. She says she needs to taste what $1500 is worth. She’s tough but honest. So far the flavor profile is not near wood or charcoal but that could be the pellets I am using. I went though a 40 pound bag this weekend of cookinpellets perfect mix. Cooked ribs and chicken exactly as I have on charcoal and wood and both fell short to both wood and charcoal. I will say it is WAY easier and I guess that might be worth the money but better food for way less money on the stick burner and UDS might make me think again...

 

[seakuv]

Starting low and slow to get lots of good smoke?

 

[Westx]

What Seakuv said. Try 200° for an hour then raise to cooking temp or add a smoke tube in the cook chamber for more smoke. And the pellets you are using have been used to win many comps so I don’t think it is the pellets. I just think some PGs don’t put out enough smoke at higher temps.

 

[Joshw]

The wife is not impressed. She says she needs to taste what $1500 is worth. She’s tough but honest. So far the flavor profile is not near wood or charcoal but that could be the pellets I am using. I went though a 40 pound bag this weekend of cookinpellets perfect mix. Cooked ribs and chicken exactly as I have on charcoal and wood and both fell short to both wood and charcoal. I will say it is WAY easier and I guess that might be worth the money but better food for way less money on the stick burner and UDS might make me think again...

I like Lumberjack hickory. Gives you the strongest smoke flavor , of any pellet I have used, and I have used cooking pellets perfect blend, and hickory.

Also you really have to cook at lower temps, to squeeze out the optimal smoke flavor. Try going at 150 to 175 for the first hour. Then go up to 250. If you want to get close to wood flavor, you need to invest in a pellet tube. They work. I can get food to taste as good or better than on my weber kettle, using lump and wood chunks, but it will take you time to learn the cooker. The more you use it, and the more you are willing to experiment, the happier you will be with it. Don't expect offset flavor, but you can get about 90% the way there, with 1% of the work.

 

[rwalters]

This subject is really subjective as we all have different tastes/expectations. I can say this...
-Pellet girls really shine with the low n slow cooks if a gentle smoke flavor and fantastic results is what you are after.
-I love using my pellet grill as a “grill”, but I have learned that it will NOT give the same “woodsy/smoky” flavor profile that my Weber kettle will cooking directly over lump charcoal on GrillGrates. What I love about the pellet grill when it comes to grilling 1)Convenance 2)Moisture content of food 3)Ultra light smoke flavor. In many regards, I think the flavor that a pellet grill imparts at the higher (>400°) temps is more like a gas grill... but the food retains a lot more moisture.
-If you require a really strong smoke flavor in your meats, than pellet grills are probably not for you... BUT, I have found that most, including myself, gradually adjust to the smoke profile imparted by a pellet cooker and end up REALLY enjoying it. Best I can explain is that the food is smoke seasoned vs smoked. I have come to actually enjoy the “smoke seasoning” more than I thought I would.
-As mentioned, you really do need to cook at lower temps on pellet grills to realize the smoke flavor that they are capable of imparting. It’s a different kind of cooking experience, but it’s sooooo easy and relaxed
-Try a low n slow cook next... maybe ribs, a butt or even a nice reverse sear with the first extended period of low n slow being done on your Yoder. See what you think of it after allowing your protein to sit in the cooking chamber for hours and absorb the smoky goodness.
-Lastly, like most grills/smokers, the overall flavor will change/improve as the pit becomes seasoned.

Just some thoughts

 

[BKING!]

Smoke flavor is subjective. My favorite comes from all wood cookers like stick burners and pellet grills. These grills require a ton of oxygen to burn properly and the end result is a much cleaner combustion and smoke profile. I can’t really say it’s less Smokey than my charcoal or stick burner but I’ve always been one to burn very clean fires at all times anyway since that’s what I prefer.

Give it some more time. You will grow to appreciate the subtle flavors of a clean burning fire.