Yoder Smokers Community Forum

Hi y'all, I've been cooking on propane and charcoal (Kamado style eggs) most of my adult life, and I just got the Yoder pellet smoker recently. So far, I love everything about it—except how much smoke impact gets on my food. I think the smoke shouldn't overpower the taste of the food and having slightly less smoke would be the perfect winning formula where it's a subtle hint of flavor rather than the whole entire overpowering strong flavor (I really love the subtle nature of lump charcoal for that reason and I want to find that middle ground).

I'm using the highly rated pecan/cherry BBQ Delight contest mix, using the heat deflector with the lid closed, and so far have cooked at lower temps (250-350⁰). My damper is set mostly to the left. I've also vacuumed the firebox and cleaned the grates in between all cooks. What are your thoughts to bringing down smoke impact? Here's my thoughts of possibilities:

1) cook at higher temps?
2) swap out the pellets for something else that's less smoky (maybe a charcoal hybrid pellet blend?)?
3) clean the inside walls every now and then? I figure that's part of the seasoning though so I haven't touched it.

If I can perfect this, I'll be a pellet griller for life. Just want to find my level of perfection and appreciative any guidance. Thanks in advance.
Ralph

So I switched pellets to lumberjack and it's a night and day difference from bbq Delight. I also cooked at higher temps and the result was fantastic. I'm onto something here.

How do you regulate the heat in the smoker? It's the most complicated and crucial part of grilling for perfectly cooked meat. There are many nuances to be taken into account: meat, smoker, recipe, and even the quality of charcoal. Unfortunately, I possess an old smoker that doesn't have temperature regulation features. Thus, grilling becomes more challenging and complicated.
P.S. If you are curious to check some of the recipes I try to cook.