Fired up the bull the first time with a small handful of pellets in the fire box and more in the hopper and did the burn-in @ 400F for an hour. During this time I saw no smoke. After I ran the power down I pulled the guts and looked in the firebox and there were pellets in there but also some ash. Not considerable...maybe a tablespoon or two. How would I know if I had a problem in this scenario. I did not smell any discernible smoke but did smell maybe a whisper of smoke along with probably some of the new grill smell. I'm planning a cook in two or three days but don't want to just use the grill as an oven. The directions say I should see smoke but I saw nothing. Any thoughts? Thanks for any comments.
Bull New RT-700 Bull - Not seeing smoke
- Thread starter Q-Gene
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Both a plus and a minus with pellets is they are very efficient burning, and at 400 even more so. If you set your temp at LO, typically 180ish degreesk you should see more smoke. All that being said, seeing smoke is not always a good thing. Experienced smokers look for a light bluish haze that is barely visible to indicate ideal smoke. Even though you don't see the smoke particles in the exhaust, there can still be some depositing on the food.
You've been offered sound feedback. If I were in your shoes I wouldn't be concerned and would plan my first cook and then reassess your first impressions. Although, if you bought your Bull exclusively to do 400*f then you might be discouraged. When I cruise in the upper 200's and even lower 300's I see smoke 100% of the time. Another test is to open your lid and stick your face nearby... if your eyes burn then it's smoking 
.
I'd say if your unit ran at 400f for one hour then your auger is functioning.
Good luck!
. I'd say if your unit ran at 400f for one hour then your auger is functioning.
Good luck!
Buckeye smoker
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I agree...the pellet smokers have a little bit of learning curve. You're good to go.Smoke some meat and post some pics !! Haha
Thanks bfletcher and Buckeye smoker. This is my first foray into pellet smokers so I'm so used to seeing that soot smoke when lighting charcoal on my WSM and like Uncle Bob said above I'm not seeing much when I get my meat on. I'll report back my findings. Thanks all!
Buckeye smoker
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Hey another side note there's a few people who even after getting the use of the machine down feel it needs more smoke(our personal choice) you may love the smoke flavor below 225° and not so much above...it's up to you if you don't however, I'll save you sometime by saying alot of us use Smoke tubes, or Heat deflectors with wood holding areas. Just some FYI.
But do a few good cooks before you make up your mind. Some don't change a thing*
cookingjnj
Well-known member
Hey Q, don't want to continue what others have said, about the appearance of "smoke", it is all relative. With a pellet cooker, at temps over 250-275, you will see little if any smoke coming from the pit due to how efficient it burns the pellets. At temps between lo (180 and 220) and 225 you will get the maximized amount of smoke. From 225-250 you will get decent smoke, but not as pronounced. The soot smoke you speak about with your WSM is not smoke you would ever want on your food anyway. This smoke is chalky burning wood flavor that can be very harsh and off tasting, but comes off as a strong smoke flavor.
Once you have your pit set between 180 - 250 you will have the optimal smoke level for flavoring your cook. You may not see it distinctly, but it is there. Best time to see the thin "blue" smoke is at night with the light behind the cooker. You will see it pretty well there. If you are using pellets in your Bull, it is smoking at those temps. If you are used to cooking with a big plum of white smoke during your cooks, you might think the smoke flavor on your meat from a pellet cooker is not as strong as your old cooks, but the smoke flavor is actually a better flavor. The smoke flavor from a pellet cooker is way more clean than the white smoke cooks from a non-pellet cook. Even experts who use stick burners and drum type cookers always aim for a blue smoke from those cookers as well.
I have never needed more than what my 680 produces from smoke for any of my BBQ dishes I have made. Our family enjoys the smoke profile gained from cooking with the 680. If you are looking for more, some have lined the lid with a sealer to hold more smoke in, or use an additional "smoke tube" to add additional smoke to the cook. It all depends on your smoke profile preference.
If your 700 kept the 400 temp during your burn in, then the auger and the system is fine. You just have to use that bad boy and find out what is the best for you and how you like to cook. Please share with all of us, we all love to learn from each other.
Happy cooking my friend.
Once you have your pit set between 180 - 250 you will have the optimal smoke level for flavoring your cook. You may not see it distinctly, but it is there. Best time to see the thin "blue" smoke is at night with the light behind the cooker. You will see it pretty well there. If you are using pellets in your Bull, it is smoking at those temps. If you are used to cooking with a big plum of white smoke during your cooks, you might think the smoke flavor on your meat from a pellet cooker is not as strong as your old cooks, but the smoke flavor is actually a better flavor. The smoke flavor from a pellet cooker is way more clean than the white smoke cooks from a non-pellet cook. Even experts who use stick burners and drum type cookers always aim for a blue smoke from those cookers as well.
I have never needed more than what my 680 produces from smoke for any of my BBQ dishes I have made. Our family enjoys the smoke profile gained from cooking with the 680. If you are looking for more, some have lined the lid with a sealer to hold more smoke in, or use an additional "smoke tube" to add additional smoke to the cook. It all depends on your smoke profile preference.
If your 700 kept the 400 temp during your burn in, then the auger and the system is fine. You just have to use that bad boy and find out what is the best for you and how you like to cook. Please share with all of us, we all love to learn from each other.
Happy cooking my friend.
Thanks, will do. Looking forward to it. Hope to get out on Saturday!!!
Same with me. WSM is still in my plans...just branching out.
That's about where the visible smoke goes away with the variety of pellets I use. I haven't consciously compared different wood species pellets for visible smoke output vs. temperature setting, but I'd guess they vary some.
Most of my smokes start at LO/180F for a while, then step up to higher temps.
ALso if you listen closely you will HEAR the auger kicking on - My 700 has a very disctinct whirrr from the auger.
soazsun
Member
All good advice here but let me emphasize something Roaniecowpony added at the end of his post. Try starting your cooks at Lo/180º to get a nice dose of smoke then turn up the grill to your desired cooking temperature. If I'm doing a long slow cook at 225º or so (pork butt, brisket) I just set it at 225º and leave it and to our tastes the smoke level is fine. On shorter cooks on smaller meats I'll do Lo/180º for 30 or 45 minutes and then turn up to the higher temps. I've retrofitted my 680 with the wifi controller and that makes it even easier to do. I'm doing chicken thighs today, so it will be 30 min on Lo and then up to 300º (for the crispy skin we like) until my desired internal temp is reached. As others have said, keep experimenting and find what you like. Good luck and welcome to the Rec Tec family!
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Agree with all replies. One added note... pellet type/quality can also make a difference. I purchased a very expensive 20 pound bag of some 100% post oak pellets (more like very small chunks). I bought them because they were compared to an expensive steak restaurant I love in Florida (who cooks on wood - Charlies). When i used them, I could not see smoke. at 225 or at the high temps for searing.
They made by far the best steaks ever for us! i haven't used them again as i haven't seen them locally (or on Amazon) and also was a little worried their size was different than normal pellets and it might gum up my system. They were almost like saw dust chunks from a chain saw versus pellets.
On the flip side i have had some cheaper pellets i used that i picked up from Aco in a pinch. Yes they generated mega smoke. BUT... the food tasted like an ash tray versus smoked. That obviously wasn't my goal. ha. My kids even complained those cooks "burned their throat". Ha. I used that 40 lbs up making high heat items like pizza and bacon.
I generally use Lumber Jack or RecTec brand pellets and at under 325 they provide the right balance of flavor and some visible smoke. I do find it important to add though that (as everyone has said)... visible smoke isn't the test! Let the flavor decide for you... not the smoke out of the stack.
They made by far the best steaks ever for us! i haven't used them again as i haven't seen them locally (or on Amazon) and also was a little worried their size was different than normal pellets and it might gum up my system. They were almost like saw dust chunks from a chain saw versus pellets.
On the flip side i have had some cheaper pellets i used that i picked up from Aco in a pinch. Yes they generated mega smoke. BUT... the food tasted like an ash tray versus smoked. That obviously wasn't my goal. ha. My kids even complained those cooks "burned their throat". Ha. I used that 40 lbs up making high heat items like pizza and bacon.
I generally use Lumber Jack or RecTec brand pellets and at under 325 they provide the right balance of flavor and some visible smoke. I do find it important to add though that (as everyone has said)... visible smoke isn't the test! Let the flavor decide for you... not the smoke out of the stack.
Casadetrevino
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Hello Q,
I have been a die hard Weber guy for years and still love Weber. Up until recently, I smoked exclusively on my kettle with the Slow n sear or smokenator and in my WSM. I too decided to branch out and got a 590 a little over a month ago. I haven’t been impressed with the smoke signature from my Rec Tec yet. It did cook some good pork butts though, yet not with that much smoke as far as I could taste. I am still in that learning curve and experimenting.
The grill itself is made very well and I love the WiFi. I decided to keep the Rec Tec grill due to the convenience of set it and forget it. It has allowed me to cook out when other otherwise I wouldn’t be able to take time and watch over my charcoal.
It has been noted in other places that you will not get as much smoke flavor with a pellet grill as with a WSM. So I would encourage you not to compare the two on that factor alone. Again, amount of smoke flavor is relative but coming from WSM I would imagine you like a good smoke signature on your meat.
Today, I am smoking baby backs. I am going to cook two racks on WSM and one on my Rec Tec. I’ll be using same cook times and recipe. I’ll let you know the results.
FYI - I’ve only used Lumberjack Pellets so far.
Happy smoking!
Casadetrevino
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Hi Q, Didn't want to hijack your thread, so here is the link to the results of WSM and RecTec smokeoff.
https://www.rectecforum.com/threads/rectec-stampede-and-wsm-18-smoke-off.1150/
ifican
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Something slightly off topic but relavent. You will have at one time or another your auger get jammed and not spin. This is apparent when the temp doesnt go up or hold. While the power is off reach around under the back and feel for the fan so you know where it is located. When this happens give the blade a little flick and it will start to spin again. Just had to do this again last cook so its fresh in my mind at the moment.
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