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Below you will find answers to the most common questions we receive from our awesome community, plus important information on the use of Smokai Smoke Generators. We have carefully curated the information on this page to allow you to make the most of your Smokai Products. Can't find your answer? Send us an email to hello@smokai.com

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The length of time that a Smokai Smoke Generator will produce smoke for depends on a number of factors:

Air Pump Setting
The air pump setting dictates the amount of oxygen that is introduced to the burn inside of the hopper. The more oxygen fuelling the burn, the faster the burn and the shorter the smoking time. For example, a low pump setting would draw in less air (oxygen) through the two burner holes resulting in a slower burn and longer smoking time.

Type of Wood
Woodchip burns faster than hardwood BBQ pellets. Because of their inconsistent size and shape, more air/oxygen surrounds the chip which in turn fuels the burn. Woodchip is also less dense than hardwood BBQ pellets.

Hardwood BBQ pellets burn far slower than woodchips. They are made by compacting fine, 100% hardwood sawdust under extreme pressure (some manufacturers add soy oil and/or flavorings and these brands should be avoided). The resulting pellets are a consistent size and shape. They are also very dense, holding a significant amount of fuel in a small area. For this reason, smoking pellets, irrespectful of variety, burn more slowly than woodchips.

Variety of Wood
Different hardwood varieties come from different tree species each having their own unique qualities such as colour, flavour, aroma, density, and burn characteristics. These all have an influence when smoking food. The density of the hardwood has a significant impact on burn time. The higher the density, the longer the burn time. For example, Ironbark in Australia is one of the world's densest woods. Ironbark woodchip will burn far longer than Hickory, Maple or just about any other hardwood variety.

Woodchip Size
Woodchip of different sizes burn at different rates. The size and shape dictates how much air/oxygen surrounds the chips. The more space, the hotter the burn. It is important to only use 2-10mm sized woodchip in Smokai Smoke Generators.

Amount of Wood inside of the Hopper
Of course, a full hopper load will ensure the Smoke Generator will produce smoke for far longer than a hopper only partly filled. Always fill the hopper at least 50mm above the burner holes.

Airflow through your Smoking Chamber
All quality smokers require airflow. Your chosen smoking chamber when using a Smokai Smoke Generator is no different. Make sure your smoking chamber always has enough ventilation. Fresh smoke passing over the food and escaping is a good thing - enclosing every gap in your chamber so that no smoke escapes is not and will result in over smoked food. Inadequate airflow can also lead to back pressure into the Smoke Generator which must be avoided. If you’re using a hooded BBQ, simply propping up the hood slightly can make a big difference - this is ok! Other factors In addition, the temperature of your smoking chamber and the ambient air temperature can also have an impact on smoking time, although to a far lesser degree. We also recommend checking your hosetail and silicone tube for any blockages from time to time as well.

Maximum Smoking Times
The following are the maximum smoking times that you can expect when cold smoking, using a full hopper load of 100% Hickory pellets and operating the air pump on the lowest setting:

Smokai 1-Litre Classic Smoke Generator > 12 Hours Smokai
3-Litre Magnum Smoke Generator > 24 Hours Smokai
4-Litre Monster Smoke Generator > 32 Hours

Smokai does not provide any smoking time guidance for woodchip use. This is because there are so many variables that can affect the burn (smoking) time.

Woodchip & Pellets:

The practice of food smoking has been around for thousands of years, originating from our ancestors' realization that smoking could prolong the preservation of their precious hunted meat.

The terminology of “dirty smoke”, "blue smoke," “clean smoke” and "white smoke" has emerged relatively recently, primarily from the competitive BBQ circuit in the United States over the past 10-15 years.

Professional pitmasters and barbecue enthusiasts started to use the term "blue smoke" to refer to the smoke that is produced by burning wood logs, chunks or charcoal at high temperatures. The resulting smoke tended to be less visible and exhibit a bluish hue. This is because, at a high heat, particles within the smoke are instantly vaporized making the smoke less visible.

Smokai Smoke Generators like so many other smoking methods on the market, including many high-end commercial smoke generators, use commercially produced, kiln dried hardwood chip or 100% hardwood pellets (compressed hardwood sawdust) to produce fresh, wood-fired smoke (NOT charcoal, wood logs or wood chunks as explained above).

The smoke that is produced by Smokai Smoke Generators is perfect for "cold smoking" (where the ambient air temperature is below 30 deg.C) or applying a controllable volume (light, medium to heavy) of fresh, wood fired smoke when hot smoking. This is particularly useful when cold smoking, or hot smoking when variable smoke volumes are combined with the ramping and then holding the temperature at different levels of low-medium heat over longer periods, a method often used by professionals and referred to in the very best hot smoking recipes.

It is also important to note that the appearance of smoke doesn't necessarily indicate its quality or flavor impact on the food being smoked. Different types of smoking methods and heat levels are suitable for different types of food and the desired flavor profile.

For example, specific cuts of red meat may benefit from high heat and minimal visible smoke, whereas applying these conditions to fish, pork or poultry can result in overcooking and an unpleasant flavor.

In essence, there are various methods that can be used for hot smoking. Ultimately; determining the optimal hot smoking technique, wood type, wood flavor, heat level, and cooking time relies on the equipment available, type of food being smoked, personal preferences and budgetary considerations.

Smokai has thousands of customers around the world, including professional small goods companies, chefs and a recently retired World BBQ Champion, all who understand these contributing factors and demand the best results.

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