Little Chief Help

[spring fever]

I am down in Baja and have a little chief smoker. I have big smokers/ propane and electric at home but I am not that familiar with little chiefs. The element heats up but unless I put wood directly on the burner it has difficulty
making smoke out of the little pan. I plugged it directly into a wall socket thinking line drop might be the answer but no. The element and smoker have only been used 8 or 10 times since new but it never has really performed. I am reluctant to order a new element because I think the 250 watt element is just too light and I can't get it until next year anyway. Anything I can do to increase the heat of the element ? Will a 400 watt Big chief element work? Thanks

 

[Rotten Ronnie]

Go to the Recipes, Storage, and Preperation of Seafood sub forum. From here go to the thread that starts with I'm fixing to get a new smoker advice please. The fourth entry down is my answer to your question.

 

[spring fever]

Might give that a try thanks!!

 

[bones]

Still have the box? We cut the bottom of the box out to change the chips. Keeps the breeze from blowing it empty or cooling it off.

 

[spring fever]

Still have the box? We cut the bottom of the box out to change the chips. Keeps the breeze from blowing it empty or cooling it off.

No I don't-but didn't think it would matter much since it is rarely less than 65 degrees here in Baja

 

[Reeltime]

[QUOTE="spring fever, post: 819315, member
Anything I can do to increase the heat of the element ? Will a 400 watt Big chief element work? Thanks[/QUOTE]

A big chief element would work , if your in a bind you will probably have to put it on a timer or plug n un plug to keep it from getting to hot
when i smoke in the summer i see how hot it is out and set a timer on for 2-3 hours then off for 1-2hrs ...

 

[spring fever]

[QUOTE="spring fever, post: 819315, member
Anything I can do to increase the heat of the element ? Will a 400 watt Big chief element work? Thanks

A big chief element would work , if your in a bind you will probably have to put it on a timer or plug n un plug to keep it from getting to hot
when i smoke in the summer i see how hot it is out and set a timer on for 2-3 hours then off for 1-2hrs ...[/QUOTE]
Thanks I'll get one when I get home!

 

[jeffywestcoast]

I ruined a whole batch of white spring by trying to smoke it on to windy of a day , big/little chief smokers do a great job but i found without the box or insulating wrap they take way to long to get up to temperature and 14-16hrs seemed to be the norm for me.. , think i will be upgrading to a bradly so i can have better control of the finished products moisture content.. , i think my element has also worn out and not getting hot enough.. maybe one of us could mail you a replacement element.. goodluck

 

[spring fever]

I ruined a whole batch of white spring by trying to smoke it on to windy of a day , big/little chief smokers do a great job but i found without the box or insulating wrap they take way to long to get up to temperature and 14-16hrs seemed to be the norm for me.. , think i will be upgrading to a bradly so i can have better control of the finished products moisture content.. , i think my element has also worn out and not getting hot enough.. maybe one of us could mail you a replacement element.. goodluck

Thank you for the offer but I think my smoking season down here is finished=I have enough so I will just release better for all concerned!! LOL

 

[Aces]

You smoking tuna??

 

[spring fever]

You smoking tuna??

No my wife would never let me do that!! Sierra only! Tuna only used for sashimi at our house!!

 

[Clint r]

If it's not too late you could try painting the outside of the smoker black. That would raise the internal temp quite a bit I would think.

If it was in the sun.

 

[saltydawg]

Here's what I do
1)clean bottom of pan to ensure heat transfer
2)chips give me better smoke than shreds and don,t wet them down
3)put cardboard box overtop to retain smoke
4)the pan door sometimes rests on the pan handle resulting in the pan lifting clear of the element. I prop a little pc of wood under the handle to ensure pan remains in contact with element.

 

[bones]

No I don't-but didn't think it would matter much since it is rarely less than 65 degrees here in Baja

The wind blows the smoke out