Pellet Fan
Pellet Fan Performance Testing & Product Tests => Product Tests => Topic started by: Bentley on March 28, 2018, 09:18:28 PM
-
(https://i.imgur.com/NsQQWuZh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/YMO2l7Jh.jpg)
-
I guess I thought it would come as a ready to use unit. Lost my mind I guess!
Just wanted everyone to know why it is not up and running. I am going out to assemble it now!
(https://i.imgur.com/vWEC21zh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/pD9lnmXh.jpg)
-
I figure +-1° is acceptable!
(https://i.imgur.com/TDwfgTuh.jpg)
-
Lets see here, on to some non official stuff. Lets see if I get this right! I did the burn in, 350 for 40 minutes as advised. I have hooked up the Tappecuse and I think folks can log in with either a smart phone, or you may even be able to go to Tappecue.net and see the session.
It is Pellet Fan I, and password is pelletfanguest. You can see where the probes are placed and we will run it till I have to leave at 6:30. Will post graph when done.
Will try and get into the serious stuff tomorrow, sorry it took all morning and afternoon to get it going!
(https://i.imgur.com/mk8OseJh.jpg)
-
That is it. Lots of chimmny adjustment I see in the future. More tomorrow obviously.
After looking at this graph from 6:30 to 9:15, I cant wait to smoke that belly and jerky, and bologna!
(https://i.imgur.com/JdsebM7h.jpg)
-
Hopefully this is the configuration? Will go hour on each temp and then move on to sschorr's & slaga's settings...
The Wind is 14mph and swilling on patio so keep that in mind. I have it in a corner, but it does not seem to matter when the wind comes out of the Southeast...I am not going to try and adjust chimney right now as I think that might take 2 days to figure out!
Maybe run bottom left, 2 middle, and top right....and then go top left, 2 middle, bottom right.
(https://i.imgur.com/ipvA7HTh.jpg)
-
2 hours @ 150° with a probe on 4 different levels in 14mph winds. The 1st 30 minutes, I moved the unit trying to get out of wind, forgetting the water pan was in, water, wood, fire...yada, yada, yada...
(https://i.imgur.com/ZQ8qA2hh.jpg)
-
Downloadable manual.
Pit Boss 5.5 cu. ft. Wood Fired Vertical Pellet Smoker (https://smedia3.webcollage.net/0e81fce4321f6c9cf0562f8807a7d398f3479306?Signature=eCj9FeQmX/Qlg509XRSk7hOKnYg%3D&AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAIIE5CHZ4PRWSLYKQ&Expires=1893480758&response-content-type=application/pdf)
-
One hour at 350, now have turned up to high, which I think is 450.
(https://i.imgur.com/OnYd6oJh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/7lC2hbuh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/zKUZqAAh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/5orlXgxh.jpg)
-
4 probes, middle shelf @ 225° coming up! Wind is calmer, but is supposed to pick up!
-
(https://i.imgur.com/MD8LGARh.jpg)
-
It has been almost an hour and a lot of ups and downs. I have never cared for water pan cooking. I know the instructions say always have it in the water pan. I believe it is to help with grease collection too! But it has been an hour, I am going to dump the water out and run for another hour without water and see if the results are the same.
(https://i.imgur.com/QAPCsQPh.jpg)
-
I think the glass hopper area is a nice addition!
(https://i.imgur.com/ojPREWmh.jpg)
-
Another very impressive feature for me. The ability to hold 5, even 4 if you wanna say bottom shelf is just to close to heat source. That is a lot of capacity folks!
(https://i.imgur.com/hgGhC0Eh.jpg)
-
And finally, what I call the sweet spot. Will post graph in about 30 minutes and then that is it for the day. Uncles get back from Florida any minute and I have some stuff I can't put off any longer.
Will start on slaga's sessions tomorrow, and maybe try and do Lew's again with no wind. Also if anyone else want to see graphs, now is the time to speak up, cuz that is coming to and end!
(https://i.imgur.com/sewQFSth.jpg)
-
The graph below was run at 225° from 1:17 to 2:15pm , with water in pan and chimney down, big spike is opening door to put aluminum pan in. From about 2:20 to 3:08 same conditions but chimney off...and from about 3:15 on I set it on smoke and had chimney at "normal" position, about half way up and down. No explanation for the 4pm spike. I would swear it went out and re-lite, but I do not believe it has that function.
It just seems to fluctuate. It seems to be more on the high then the low side. And this graph was with 3 different chimney settings, so that does not seem to matter. I don't think it really matters when it comes to cooking, that I have learned over the last 21 years of pellet cooking, but we will get into that in the coming week!
(https://i.imgur.com/C7pS0Xoh.jpg)
-
Set at 200°, 1st hour chimney at 1 finger setting. Add water, 2nd hour water pan full and chimney screwed down to 0 fingers. I simply do not understand back left.
(https://i.imgur.com/sewQFSth.jpg?1)
(https://i.imgur.com/j8mDaSdh.jpg)
-
Side hopper window for determining amount of pellets. Inside of hopper. Chimney fully chocked, 1 finger and fully open. Water pan shots, with temperature sensor and heat diffuser.
(https://i.imgur.com/rvQqwRsh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/qSOJYpIh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/tdOdJzKh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/yQvv3vJh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/XDQ9gOeh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/0FpISDSh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/iNYlXVXh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/JAQ3vOHh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/vp9w3aoh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/5VqUP3ph.jpg)
-
Flame tamer slots, flame tamer (only fits in one way), hole for grease, grease container and controller temperature at start up (come on Spring)!
(https://i.imgur.com/uXuuIRQh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/kzDCuDoh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/PxU56tHh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/oQUZ3t1h.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/5JGGYJ7h.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/QGRefxfh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/BGEKvigh.jpg)
-
And the final temperature session will be the way I cook. I place my food in center of rack, and if I have 5 racks, OK, maybe 4, I have more room then I will ever need for a "normal" family cook. xxxx, there is enough room for a 75 person cook! So if you cook like me, this ones for you.
Included is a 20 minute tease graph!
225° for an hour with chimney wide open...then some at Smoke and 150° to determine which is going to be the lowest long term temps for tomorrow jerk and Bologna and belly smoke!
(https://i.imgur.com/UtPNY1eh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/rhRPGAih.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/JC0dQHoh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/fx7FsmSh.jpg)
-
Right! I put the pan on lower level hoping to keep the temps down. It appears to be working as we start, but as the unit reaches heat equilibrium, I think it will be done, even 5° would help! Will pull at 155° and put them in the ice bath! And the Tappecue probes on my older Version one only went as low as 50°, so once above that temperature it will get accurate in the meat!
Pit is set on 150° and I did add some smoke ring pellets. Sorry Chris, all I got left!
The think I am the most curious about is will that fibrous casting turn that rich mahogany color like the Summer Sausage I always see!
(https://i.imgur.com/6HmFfVlh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/n79ULXah.jpg)
-
The temperatures have stayed lower for the 1st 90 minutes then I would have thought. Not sure if that is the empty pan or not. I do know I am going to freeze an aluminum pan half full of water right now for the belly and jerky cook tomorrow.
(https://i.imgur.com/zqeOEqSh.jpg)
-
Never thought of that!
I started with about 3/4 gal of water in pan, will have to go see if any left. I think I will also turn to Smoke and see if it goes to about 170°!
IT was 86° at the 2 hour mark!
So unless the temp of the grill gets up to at least 155° how will the meat get to that IT temp?
Just to clarify, you still have the water pan in the grill w/o water in it and then the sheet pan sitting on top of the water pan?
Wonder how much the heat jumps if you remove the sheet pan?
(https://i.imgur.com/evsrrgah.jpg)
-
Turned unit to 175° setting and pulled pan! Still a good amount of water in tray!
(https://i.imgur.com/P9sOz9uh.jpg)
-
I am perplexed...I am going to assume there is about 25% fat content in these chubbs. I have no idea how you get them to 155° IT without hours and hours at a low temperature so you don't melt the fat! And I am not sure that is not happening already!
We are 4 hours in and only 116° IT!
(https://i.imgur.com/2rfaosTh.jpg)
-
Fun to watch the casing change color! Got paranoid, took Thermapen out, it is within 1° of Tappecue, so that alleviates that concern! Took big log out of sarnwrap, will hope it takes on some color! No idea when theses will be done! Watch then be so over smoked they cant be eaten! :pig:
(https://i.imgur.com/EtYzOvth.jpg)
-
Fun to watch the casing change color! Got paranoid, took Thermapen out, it is within 1° of Tappecue, so that alleviates that concern! Took big log out of sarnwrap, will hope it takes on some color! No idea when theses will be done! Watch then be so over smoked they cant be eaten! :pig:
(https://i.imgur.com/EtYzOvth.jpg)
That's a really nice color. They look like smoked sausages to me. I thought you were referring more like this. I believe these would have started with those mahogany casing I posted above.
(https://i.imgur.com/vICqhyll.jpg)
-
As I said before..I get to stand on the shoulders of others and learn and look good! Will see how this works, water was 167° when the 1st batch went in and I have timer set for 15 minutes!
(https://i.imgur.com/I0elBB8h.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/e6OTfCfh.jpg)
-
The Trail Bologna cook. To many temp changes, door opens and the like to try and explain it!
(https://i.imgur.com/mqEKEgih.jpg)
-
I not only ground this, but I then ran it through the food process with the blade, so this was an emulsified product when it went into the casings. More like real bologna!
I will never put cheese in again, unless I take the time to get the high heat!
If you want the cross section to have those attractive bits of white fat running throughout, my experience has been it will need at least a whole night in the fridge before you show us. It takes a long time for the fat to go back to that semi solid white state.
(https://i.imgur.com/Vf3vO3Qh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/WZsyJKXh.jpg)
-
Always ask the experts! That is 5lbs. of Eye of Round Jerky. And 8lbs of Pork Belly.
OK, specifics, set on Smoke, no water in water pan, but a full steam pan half full of frozen water. We have to go out at about 3, if it is not done, may just let it run all morning, afternoon and evening! Lets see how long we stay under 135°...That is my target!
I would think you could fit 1.5-2.0# jerky per rack.
(https://i.imgur.com/Rm2q2TRh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/qLHdD5Gh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/29s37vIh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Xku75F9h.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Iff9s9qh.jpg)
-
(https://i.imgur.com/qlW3r2Rh.jpg)
-
Would not have thought you could keep an "active" pit below 100° even for an hour set on Smoke (170°) even with a full pan of ice. Now I have to wonder, how long, and am I to low to even be working on the jerky? I guess we may have a huge cold smoker here?
(https://i.imgur.com/qlW3r2Rh.jpg)
-
Yeah, 3 hours and I have not been above 100° yet! I was thinking the same thing and am going out side to pull it right now. Will take a picture since I have to open the pit!
I would pull out the pan of water or you will have that going forever, and may be a challenge to dehydrate the jerky with the water in there. If you can keep the pit in the 150°-170° range, it should be good for the jerky.
(https://i.imgur.com/MNulK3mh.jpg)
-
(https://i.imgur.com/AMErOxbh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/9ni07Vxh.jpg)
-
I don't say this as a criticism, just an observation. Never have I had to adjust a pit cus it was running so low! :pig:
I have had to turn to 175° to see where we get to. It will be wonderfull if the 4th probe stays low, as that is the Belly shelf and 2 & 3 run hotter as that is jerky!
(https://i.imgur.com/RUmAEKIh.jpg)
-
(https://i.imgur.com/AMErOxbh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/9ni07Vxh.jpg)
This is what my wife wants, especially the jerky.
-
I am going to assume that the jerky is appx the same temperature as the Belly. But I think I will take racks out and rotate 180° just because it is so easy, and move top to bottom, bottom up one and middle to top, again, just cuz it is so easy to do! So that is why the graph is getting ready to drop!
(https://i.imgur.com/Eu3GA9th.jpg)
-
So started with 5lbs of beef, end with 2lb. 11oz or 47% loss, pleased with that. Pleased with the texture. I was always the super thin and dry jerky guy as a young man, with younger teeth. Now I like the strips much better, could be more teriyaki for me, but that all comes down to what brand you use I guess
I like the color of the bacon, and it smells a whole lot better then my last cold smoke attempt.
I am not a jerky cook, but it sure seems like a jerky machine to me!
(https://i.imgur.com/spElvOch.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/B63KmKnh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/sifr38hh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/fSWFqqvh.jpg)
-
Pretty self explanatory! I should have taken the boiling water photo to show the electric skillet...oh well, I really don't think you all think this stuff is staged!
(https://i.imgur.com/4dWiMhRh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/2GOrsych.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/z5Evua5h.jpg)
-
I have no explanation for you on the discrepancy on Controller numbers and Tappecue numbers.
I assumed it would struggle to even get to 450°...So, it looks like I will be cooking some bacon at 350° on the middle shelf, then turning up to high and cooking a burger on that lower shelf, then putting them together some cold smoked cheese...the things I have to do for this site!
(https://i.imgur.com/IrIXVush.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Pbboyieh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/NnFi6mvh.jpg)
-
I am editing a smoke output video now. It was about 35 minutes compressed into 4 minutes. The unit was set on Smoke, and it seems to cycle through about every 5-7 minutes. SO THE UNIT DOES NOT PRODUCE SMOKE LIKE THIS CONSTANTLY! As noted, this is a compellation of what it does over 35 minutes!
Pit Boss Vertical Smoke Output (https://youtu.be/-ZSu32GP5w0)
-
My suggestion to the winner and any potential owners who want to keep their glass clean. No more then 2 cooks without cleaning. I just spent an hour cleaning it, the 1st time I cleaned it took 10 minutes... I am glad there are only a couple more cooks to go!
(https://i.imgur.com/ZSXpBlQh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/cuSZxCXh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/AW6P9Uth.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/kxdWqJPh.jpg)
-
I remember Smoke, 150°, 200° and 225° it doing about the same. I did not pay attention when I did that 250° run, will have to try it tomorrow!
Looks like pretty good smoke to me... does it do ok on up towards 250F?
Amazon Pegboard Hooks
Bentley, when you get a chance, can you post a pic of the hook that goes into the side walls to hold the racks?
(https://i.imgur.com/WJXxSxUh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/9rdvQtbh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/dwL9FZzh.jpg)
-
Right! Let me get the business out of the way 1st incase anyone follows the Tappecue. Ribs on top rack, probe one in rack nearest front, aslo probe 3 on that slelf. Chicken on 2nd shelf, with probe 2 in large piece and probe 4 on that rack! Water in water pan, just to make clean up easier. Pit set on 300° Want to see where it settles in 1st hour, may adjust!
OK, questions...10 racks will fit easy, assuming that it cooks as evenly from top to bottom as you like...but as I say and did on the jerkey cook...to change rack heights and rotate rack 180°, it only takes seconds!
I'm thinking this smoker at $400 is a really good value... jit seems you could very easily get 10 racks of ribs on it (without rib racks, which I never liked using )
Difficult to tell right now, water in pan and food on, so I do not want to move around. I can't tell by these photos, so if I don't answer this afternoon when cook is done rattle cage again and we will try and get definitive answer. For me, the caster would be one concern for competitions, but I would have to put braces around all of the legs to stiffen!
Bentley, does it look as though it would be easy to replace the castors with larger ones from a big box store? You know, does it have sort of a standard way of mounting them?
(https://i.imgur.com/HYpiKI2h.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/d6YaVxFh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/UHwypJQh.jpg)
-
Controller is set on 300° right now. Gonna go turn to 325° on controller and see if we can get to that 275° range!
(https://i.imgur.com/GXf4p2Lh.jpg)
-
Decided to leave temperature at 300° and move rack probes to dead center to give better idea of center temperatures.
(https://i.imgur.com/57razYph.jpg)
-
Obviously not exact, as the grate in the pit is larger then the tray. But the chicken sits on the tray just like it did on the 2nd shelf in the pit! About a 75 minute cook to get the large pieces to 160°.
(https://i.imgur.com/xm0yAaIh.jpg)
-
As you can see, the meat towards the back cooked faster then the front. No burn, no issues, easy enough to rotate 180° if you so desire. I choose to cook this way so you all could see. Pit has been turned to smoke.
As soon as it get there, these will be sauces and vac sealed for the Volunteer Fireman, let me thank all of you who bought a ticket for this PR right now, as I know they will want that passed along as soon as we tell them who they are from!
(https://i.imgur.com/OfAH4ZBh.jpg)
Sausage is up in about an hour. FMT has asked for 170° till IT of sausage is 155°!
-
Here they are and no I did not try them.
(https://i.imgur.com/hq3wCm6h.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ABUH3Jah.jpg)
-
Right!
1st time I have ever had sausage go up and down on temperatures at the end. Got tired of it and just pulled them, they seemed OK at 153°!
1st shot is a 60/40% Beef/Pork, Jap & Onion, 2nd was a modified all pork Polish with excessive amounts of minced garlic, which I nor Kristin can even taste. I will have some of both tonight with my salted, purple sauerkraut! Cant for the life of me figure out what the red in the Polish is...all I can think is I put Red Pepper Flakes in, but I sure don't remember doing that!
Both ground the same way, but textures completely different, I don't get that either!
(https://i.imgur.com/Fa0GzZmh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/lCzEeuGh.jpg)
-
Yes. Not on these, I did use powdered milk in the Trail Bologna!
Was the casing the same on both? Do you use a binder?
(https://i.imgur.com/UfpOzaZh.jpg)
-
Tappecue is going for anyone interested!
(https://i.imgur.com/lVRuHOih.jpg?1)
-
The pit is set on Smoke, I forgot that. And the best I can tell, that ranges from about 130-160°. As we can see early on, the outer walls are warmer then the inner sweet spot, which is OK for now! Lets see if that is the max for awhile...
(https://i.imgur.com/4NLnQ4dh.jpg)
-
I went out and sat through 5 up and down controller cycles. I have revised my earlier post. The range was 130°-160°.
(https://i.imgur.com/HH89rYeh.jpg)
-
(https://i.imgur.com/Az5cF6Wh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/jOZ4knOh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/uIUOhWDh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/4de2FMHh.jpg)
-
I found out long ago that I was not into smoking cheese. Not because it does not work, just that it needed to be parted into such small section to have enough smoke on the cheese. I never saw a huge penetration! But to be honest, I don't think I have ever aged it. That was the amount of ice left after appx 2 1/2 hours. You can see in the close up it was starting to (or had been for awhile?) sweat!
Will see. I will mark this to open on May 1st, my anniversary and see!
(https://i.imgur.com/DQAAmPwh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/WydpiJIh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Rdu4osFh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/RGJimyNh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/cY3UQ3Xh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/yHL16Tbh.jpg)