To use the vents on your smoker you simply open them up while cooking and if the smoker is getting too hot then you close them slightly.
Opening the chimney on a smoker allows proper ventilation of the smoker during the cooking process and plays a major role in the temperature consistency.
Having the chimney open at all times during the cooking process allows the stale smoke to leave the smoker instead of clinging to the meat which causes a sour taste.
You can overcook on a smoker which causes the meat to become tough and dry.
You want to cook the meat for around 1 hour per lb and not overcook it.
A smokers slow-cooking method naturally tenderizes the meat and breaks down the tough connective tissue in it.
The process converts collagen into different types of gelatin, which is a more tender product.
You may need to wait longer for tough cuts of meat, such as brisket, but the result will be worth it.
A smoker is hotter with the vent open as it allows more oxygen into the smoker which creates a hotter fire.
Closing the vent on a smoker does not make it hotter although it does hold in some heat.
When you close the vent on the smoker it prevents oxygen from getting into the smoker which in turn means less heat and slower burning wood chips or charcoal.
Opening the vent allows for a hotter burn which makes the smoker hotter.
If you don't soak wood chips before smoking it's said that it will slow combustion and create better flavored smoke than dry wood will.
However in truth soaking the wood chips before smoking is not necessary as it means that they wood chips have to dry out in the smoker before they produce any smoke which makes it take longer for the smoker to cook the meat.
For best results you don't wet wood chips before putting them in an electric smoker as wetting the wood chips before putting them in the electric smoker will cause the wood chips to take longer to start smoking as it will need to evaporate the water from the wood chips.
Adding the wood chips dry to the electric smoker is best.
To make an electric smoker hotter open the vent or the intake damper fully to generate more heat and add more wood chips.
You don't need to soak wood chips for an electric smoker and it's actually better to not soak the wood chips before smoking.
The smoker would have to evaporate the water on the wood chips before they begin smoking so it will take longer for the wood chips to begin smoking when soaked.
To get the most smoke out of your electric smoker add more wood chips or wood pellets to the electric smoker and keep the vent open 100 percent.
Continue to supply wood chips or wood pellets to your electric smoker as it cooks so it continues to smoke as it should.
Opening the vent on a smoker does make it hotter and allows air to reach the wood chips or wood chunks which creates a better burn.
You should leave the vent open on your smoker whether it's an electric smoker, charcoal smoker or other smoker.
Leaving the vent open on the smoker allows air in which helps the wood chips or wood burn hotter to smoke the meat better.
To use the vent on the electric smoker or other smoker you should keep the vent open 50 percent to 100 percent for the best results.
It's best to keep the vent on the electric smoker 100 percent open to allow more air into the smoker and allow the chips to burn better and smoke the meat better.
Opening the vent 100 percent keeps the electric smoker at it's hottest temperature.
You should add wood chips in an electric smoker every hour of cook time to get the best flavor and keep the electric smoker smoking good.
Wood chips are better for an electric smoker than wood chunks are as they provide quick smoke to the electric smoker.
Wood chunks can take a bit longer to begin smoking in an electric smoker and are best suited for non electric smokers.
An electric smoker takes between 30 minutes to 45 minutes to reach 225 F which is the ideal smoking temperature for most meats.
Once the electric smoker is preheated, fill the water pan with hot water and slide the water pan into the slot or place it at the bottom of the smoking chamber.
Electric smokers do not get hot on the outside although they do get warm to the touch on the outside but not hot enough to burn you when touching it.
The top and bottom rack in a smoker are the same temperature and neither rack is hotter than the other.
However because heat rises the meat smokes better on the top rack than it does on the bottom rack.
The easiest meat to smoke in an electric smoker is brisket, pork shoulder, pork chops and ribs.
To keep meat moist in an electric smoker you can use a water pan.
Place the water pan in the electric smoker with water, which helps to regulate the temperature and add moisture to the electric smoker and meat and prevents the meat from drying out.
Also don't open the smoker when not needed as it releases the heat and smoke and increases the cooking time.
The vent should be open on an electric smoker so the electric smoker will have a boost in smoke flow and give the food a unique flavor.
Some people prefer to have the vent on the electric smoker half open and others prefer the vent to wide open.
You should at least have the vent on the electric smoker wide open when starting the cooking process.
Another reason to run wide open is so that you don't get condensation inside the box and have the dreaded "black rain" dripping on your cook.
It's not uncommon for woodchips to catch fire in electric smokers.
To prevent this from happening, consider soaking your woodchips before using them with your electric smoker.
You can also try using the foil pouch or smokebox method to prevent heat from directly contacting the wood chips.
Also small cuts of meat will undoubtedly cook faster than larger pieces in the electric smoker.
If need be, I recommend flipping smaller cuts only once, preferably halfway through cooking.
Larger cuts will need at least more than one flip to result in tender and juicy pieces of meat.