Any Smokai users?

[MJBunch]

Hello Smokers,

Does anyone have experience with the Smokai product? It looks interesting, but I'd love some first-hand info before I open my checkbook. I'm running a Traeger 780. Based on photos on their website, it looks like it's been installed on Traegers. Of course, my smoke tube is a much cheaper solution to extra smoke!!

Smokai Smoke Generators for Legendary Flavour

High quality smoke generators & smoking woods for cold smoking or hot smoking fish, game and other meat. Whether crafting that perfect cold smoked salmon, cold smoked trout, home made bacon or hot smoking brisket, pork ribs on the bbq or grill, a Smokai smoke generator makes it easy to smoke food.

smokai.com

Thanks in advance,
Mike

 

[Shedd]

I also have a 780 but I get great results using an expandable smoke tube and two smoke boxes I modified, you can see them and the way I use them by searching “smoke tubes”. I’m in SC and we really like a deep smoke flavor on our meats. I grew up in a bbq family smoking in pits and offsets then I got tired of all the work and bought a Big Green Egg. I had an uncle that had one and taught me how to use it. I ended up with my 780 Pro from a generous friend and I have to admit I was ready to give it back to him for the first several months before learning how to add real smoke flavor to my meats. I attended a gathering once where a guy used a Smoke Daddy with his Traeger and he was showing me and explaining about it. Although I listened I told him he needed to try using my smoking devices. He did and although his Smoke Daddy was easier, he agreed mine was better in flavor. He ended up using two smoke tubes and loves them. However we are in South Carolina and not everyone desires a deep smoke flavor. I have switched things up over the past many months and I went back to my BGE for cooking butts. It infuses a better smoke flavor and I cook them hotter and faster (turbo mode) in half the time with a better texture. My 780 hardly has a smoke flavor cooking them fast, but I still love my 780 for ribs, chicken, pork belly and recently found I love burgers on it too and I never liked smoked beef before. The lower smoke flavor from my 780 is really good. I’m sorry I wrote a book here, just trying to give you my input. Let us know how things go!

 

[MJBunch]

I also have a 780 but I get great results using an expandable smoke tube and two smoke boxes I modified, you can see them and the way I use them by searching “smoke tubes”. I’m in SC and we really like a deep smoke flavor on our meats. I grew up in a bbq family smoking in pits and offsets then I got tired of all the work and bought a Big Green Egg. I had an uncle that had one and taught me how to use it. I ended up with my 780 Pro from a generous friend and I have to admit I was ready to give it back to him for the first several months before learning how to add real smoke flavor to my meats. I attended a gathering once where a guy used a Smoke Daddy with his Traeger and he was showing me and explaining about it. Although I listened I told him he needed to try using my smoking devices. He did and although his Smoke Daddy was easier, he agreed mine was better in flavor. He ended up using two smoke tubes and loves them. However we are in South Carolina and not everyone desires a deep smoke flavor. I have switched things up over the past many months and I went back to my BGE for cooking butts. It infuses a better smoke flavor and I cook them hotter and faster (turbo mode) in half the time with a better texture. My 780 hardly has a smoke flavor cooking them fast, but I still love my 780 for ribs, chicken, pork belly and recently found I love burgers on it too and I never liked smoked beef before. The lower smoke flavor from my 780 is really good. I’m sorry I wrote a book here, just trying to give you my input. Let us know how things go!

THANKS for the volume of information. Too much is never enough! I will say that my smoke tubes last until a good bark has formed and I'm not getting any additional smoke after that.

 

[Shedd]

That’s true that once the bark forms the meat will stop absorbing smoke but the bark will continue to absorb it. In the 60s and 70s when my family cooked butts in pits over coals, mopping the meat keeping it moist was the way smoke absorbed. However thermometers wasn’t used so temperatures varied greatly, mopping was the most effective method. As the bark hardened the fat rendered and meat started shrinking, then a wiggle of the bone was the done temperature determination. The coals were shoveled under the grates and tin was used to cover the surface.

I never really liked offsets but they were much better than a pit of course but my best smoker was my Egg. Although it took years to master it, it is still more work to get to cooking temperatures but once setup correctly it’s amazingly easy to cook without guessing about temperature as well as it holds moisture best than any other personal smoker. It still amazes me how little lump charcoal it uses in long cooks. So my Traeger makes things simpler and quicker to start cooking but it doesn’t compare to long cooks in flavor and moisture retention. That extra moisture retention is what gives it more smoke. I have also found that spiriting butts on my Traeger to keep them moist makes a difference but I don’t have the patience as I’ve gotten older to babysit smoker anymore. I also rarely cook to meet deadlines since I learned how to use my Sous vide circulator. I can vacuum seal any smoked meats, freeze for weeks or months, then put in water with the Sous Vide circulator before a gathering and every one thinks I just pulled it from the smoker.

Again I’m sorry I got long winded, lol. We all find what works best for us and it can differ from one to another. I really like this forum and learn things regularly on here.

 

[MJBunch]

That’s true that once the bark forms the meat will stop absorbing smoke but the bark will continue to absorb it. In the 60s and 70s when my family cooked butts in pits over coals, mopping the meat keeping it moist was the way smoke absorbed. However thermometers wasn’t used so temperatures varied greatly, mopping was the most effective method. As the bark hardened the fat rendered and meat started shrinking, then a wiggle of the bone was the done temperature determination. The coals were shoveled under the grates and tin was used to cover the surface.

I never really liked offsets but they were much better than a pit of course but my best smoker was my Egg. Although it took years to master it, it is still more work to get to cooking temperatures but once setup correctly it’s amazingly easy to cook without guessing about temperature as well as it holds moisture best than any other personal smoker. It still amazes me how little lump charcoal it uses in long cooks. So my Traeger makes things simpler and quicker to start cooking but it doesn’t compare to long cooks in flavor and moisture retention. That extra moisture retention is what gives it more smoke. I have also found that spiriting butts on my Traeger to keep them moist makes a difference but I don’t have the patience as I’ve gotten older to babysit smoker anymore. I also rarely cook to meet deadlines since I learned how to use my Sous vide circulator. I can vacuum seal any smoked meats, freeze for weeks or months, then put in water with the Sous Vide circulator before a gathering and every one thinks I just pulled it from the smoker.

Again I’m sorry I got long winded, lol. We all find what works best for us and it can differ from one to another. I really like this forum and learn things regularly on here.

I appreciate the time you spent in your reply. I started with a drum cooker and there were a lot of things I liked about it but temp control wasn't one of them!! Nor were LONG cooks. Thanks again.