Well, despite the weather outside still being frightful, we’re now on the home stretch for yet another winter, which means that brighter days are coming, and spring will soon be upon us.
Many people enjoy spring purely for the fact that summer will follow.
Summer offers many advantages, including warm days and short nights, but for foodies and keen grillers out there, summer signifies the start of BBQ grilling season.
There’s just something about the scent of barbequed meat in the air that warms the soul and really gets those tastebuds salivating, especially if the meat is smoked perfectly.
Of course, in order to smoke your meat perfectly, you need the right smoker, which is why the Masterbuilt Electric Smoker looks set to be THE smoker for the grilling season.
If you’re thinking of purchasing a Masterbuilt Electric Smoker or if you’ve recently bought one and you’re looking at whether Masterbuilt smoker vent should open or closed, this is the guide for you.
The adjustment of vent of your Masterbuilt smoker rely on how much temperature you need.
You have to open the bottom vent and partially close the top vent to increase the level heat.
If you want to reduce heat, you need to almost close the bottom vent and open the top vent completely.
It is ideal to allow the top vent be partially open all the time.
Let’s dive into the detail.
What is The Masterbuilt Electric Smoker?
Masterbuilt electric smokers take everyday garden BBQ smokers and bring them hurtling into the 21st century.
With a complete line of propane, electric and charcoal smokers, Masterbuilt really are upping their game in the BBQ and grilling world.
The Masterbuilt Electric Smoker really is something special and is the latest meat smoking innovation to hit the market.
Smoking is a great way to add a wonderful depth and flavour to meat, fish, vegetables, and more besides.
Once used solely as a way to preserve foods, smoking is now considered a luxury and artform.
Electric smokers like the Masterbuilt Electric Smoker, are unique in that they heat up using electricity via an electric heating element, rather than heat produced by charcoal, giving a much cleaner smoke.
The smoke is produced by placing specially created wood chips into a smoking tray which is located within the chamber.
The heat and indeed the smoke output itself, is controlled by using a vent.
What is The Vent on an Electric Smoker For?
If you have experience with using charcoal smokers, or even if you have a wood-fired stove to keep warm during the winter, chances are you’ll be familiar with using the vents to control the airflow and regulate the heat.
The more open you have the vents, the more air is allowed to flow and circulate within, meaning that the burning charcoal is provided with more oxygen, which allows it to burn faster at a higher rate, thereby increasing the temperature.
On an electric smoker, though, there is no open flame and no charcoal, so how does the vent work on there?
Well, typically the temperature on a Masterbuilt Electric Smoker is set manually just like on an oven, which means that the device maintains this temperature throughout.
So, surely then, you wouldn’t need a vent because airflow wouldn’t alter the temperature?
While it is true that the vent on an electric smoker has very little to do with the temperature, it is still very important in terms of using the smoker properly, and achieving an amazing smoke ring and fantastic smoky flavour with your foods.
You see, the vent is needed for combustion and overall smoke production.
If for example, you were to attempt to ignite your wood smoking chips with the vents closed and the smoker near airtight, you’d achieve very little other than a slight smouldering mess which would produce very little smoke.
Heat rises, which means that air is sucked in and enters the smoker through the bottom vent, before escaping via the top vent.
Needless to say, in order for the air to circulate properly, both vents need to be open as the air needs a way in and a way out again.
Why Adjusting the Vents on your Masterbuilt Electric Smoker is So Important?
You might think we’re telling you how to suck eggs here, when talking about how to adjust the vents on an electric smoker, but the truth of the matter is that using them properly is about so much more than just opening and closing them.
Nearly all of the time, whenever you are smoking you should leave both vents open, and then have them closed when storing.
The rear vent is the primary source of airflow as this is where air enters your smoker.
You need airflow for several reasons, including the fact that you need the air to blow the old smoke out of the exhaust so as to prevent an accumulation of creosote, as this would drip on your food and give it a bitter and rancid taste.
The smoky flavour should instead be achieved by continuous fresh smoke to gently flavour your food and penetrate it gradually, giving you that all-important smoke ring.
We need oxygen to ignite the woodchips to create the smoke, but just be aware that adjusting the vents will not alter the temperature as the chips are placed within a wood chip tray rather than being exposed directly to the airflow circulations.
Airflow is also essential for giving your meat that crispy, caramelized crust via the Maillard reaction.
If you have your vents closed off, less airflow is achieved, less oxygen enters the smoker and your meat will be tough, chewy, and grey on the outside, rather than juicy, tender, and nice and caramelized on the outside like it would with your vents OPEN.
As for the top vent on your smoker, when smoking meat or anything else, have the vent open, and then have it closed when storing.
The top vent is just as important as the bottom rear vent because this is your exhaust.
This vent is where the smoke escapes from, rather than accumulating and producing a bitter creosote dust.
Even though the smoke is escaping, as long as there is continuous airflow and a continuous fuel supply (wood chips) your food will be exposed to a continuous layer of smoke, giving the most incredible flavour.
Should Masterbuilt Electric Smoker Vent be Left Open or Closed While Smoking?
It is essential to allow the air work on itself to smoke your meat during the initial stages.
Later, you should close the vent of smoker to retain more heat inside the smoker.
You may feel very odd if you trap a lot of smoke with the meat inside your smoker.
So, it doesn’t need to keep it closed all the time.
However, Maserbuilt allows you a way to adjust the opening of the vent, allowing you to open the vent as per your needs and requirements.
The adjustment of vent of your Masterbuilt electric smoker totally rely on how much temperature you need.
It is ideal to allow the top vent be partially open all the time.
You should always keep the top vent open for allowing the oxygen to enter inside the smoker.
The bottom vent mainly used for the temperature control.
You can use this bottom vent for maintaining the temperature.
You have to open the bottom vent and partially close the top vent to increase the level heat.
If you want to reduce heat, you need to almost close the bottom vent and open the top vent completely.
Should Your Vents be Left Open When Seasoning or Pre-Heating Your Masterbuilt Electric Smoker?
When pre-heating your smoker, you don’t need to have your vents open because the idea is to get it up to temperature.
If you have the vents open, the heat will escape and so it will take longer to reach temperature and will use more electricity.
You only need to have your vents open when your woodchips are in the chamber and the smoker is actually producing smoke as it needs somewhere to escape.
When seasoning your smoker, you should keep the vents open because this will produce less moisture, thereby reducing the risk of mould.
Having the vents open will also help exhaust and burn off any residue from chemicals used during the manufacturing process.
Tips for Using Masterbuilt Electric Smoker Vents
You don’t need to make much adjustments as much adjusting involved with your Masterbuilt electric smokers.
It is built the with pretty much no heat leaks.
Here are some quick tips for adjustments when you cook barbecue meat and poultry on your Masterbuilt Smoker.
- If you smoke bbq meat like beef and pork on your Masterbuilt smoker at temperature between 225-275 F for 4-12 hours, you need to keep the intake vents open 1/3 of the way.
- If you smoke chicken and other birds, at 250-300 F. for 3-4 hours, keep the top vent wide open and adjust the bottom vent 1/3 way open.
Related Questions
Does closing the vents on a smoker make it hotter?
No, closing vents on smoker doesn’t make it hotter. Instead open vents mean hotter and faster-burning of fuel.
Closed vents leads to less oxygen, which in turn means less heat and slower-burning fuel in the smoker.
What does bottom vent do on smoker?
The bottom vent is the entry source of oxygen into your smoker.
So, because of bottom vent of smoker you’ll get more heat. Thus, your smoker will become hotter inside.
Source:
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/masterbuilt-smoker-vent-position.95187/
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