I have a Char-Broil H20 electric smoker that normally works great. But one fine day . . .
Getting ready to smoke up some beef jerky, I turned on the smoker to preheat it. I also poured a couple of cups of Apple wood chips over the cal-rod heating element. Went back inside to finish arranging the meat on the shelves.
I was in the kitchen about five minutes later when I thought a bomb went off outside.
Then I heard a lound CLANG! I looked out the window where the smoker was and all I saw was a cloud of smoke. I went outside, the smoke cleared and the smoker lid was about ten feet from the smoker, on the deck. Wisps of smoke were coming out of the barrel of the smoker, which was all askew.
My best guess is the chips let off enough smoke to fill the smoker, then got a whiff of fresh air and caused a backdraft. I've seen several of those during my career as a firefighter, but never heard of one in a smoker. But, come to think of it, a smoker with a tight lid is an ideal candidate for such an event.
Might be a good idea to have a couple of small vent holes, one at the top and another at the bottom to prevent backdrafts. Just sayin'.
BTW, my son in Stanwood has been building custom smokers for the last year or so. Here's pictures of one . . .
This was an early one. He's gotten a lot fancier since with wildlife scenes of trees, mountains, deer, elk, eagles, etc. He can build them with rack and/or chains hanging from the top to hold hams, roasts, etc. They are propane fired and can easily reach oven temperatures if you need to roast something, or set them low for cold smoking. Notice the pick head he used for a door handle?
