Quick ? from a newbie

[undrtakr24]

On my maiden voyage today!...I have a fatty and a pork butt in. The fatty is almost done, got a ways to go on the pork. But my question is, (look at pic posted below) Is this pan of wood chunks/chips done or is there some more smoking to be done with this pan? I ask because this is the point at which the TBS stopped billowin out the vent. I took it out and added a 2nd pan that was ready to go, so no time wasted. Thanks for any imput on this, just dont want to be wasting anything.

 

[ron50]

It's not done! Also the tbs shouldn't be billowing. It should be thin and almost invisible. Remember that if you smell smoke, it's reaching the meat even if you don't see it.

Look at the attached pic for an example.

IMO it's also a LOT of wood for the amount of meat you are smoking.

 

[cinnamonkc]

It looks like you still have some smoke in there. You mention that the smoke stopped billowing out of the vent...you don't want...white billowing smoke, you want thin blue smoke that you almost can't see in that daytime. If you smell smoke, then you're good. I'm going to post a pic...

 

[bwsmith_2000]

Ron is absolutely right on! If you can smell it, it's smoking. Too much or billowing smoke will most likely lead to a very bitter (creosote) taste. Remember ....... Thin Blue Smoke.

 

[cinnamonkc]

LOL...Ron you beat me to it while I was trying to take the pic!!

UndrTakr...It's hard to see in the pics, but right above the vent, you see the kind of haze in the picture...it's easier to see in real life, but you notice it's not white billowy smoke, but rather similiar looking to the steam that comes off a pot of boiling water...

Edit: Original pic was sideways...

 

[meowey]

All good advice. That wood has not yet given it's all!

Hope this helps!

Take care, have fun, and do good!

Regards,

Meowey

 

[jtribout]

Dead on Ron! If you smelt it you dealt it.

 

[jtribout]

I love the digital age. I just happened to have a butt in and smokin.

 

[undrtakr24]

Sorry for the confusion

...i guess i used the wrong word in Billowing. Here is a pic of what it looked like while smokin, then what you see in pic went away, thats when I pulled the pan out thinkin that the wood was used up, i guess not...thanks for the info on what to look for and words of encouragement...This was my very first smoke and the fatty turned out great, what a confidence builder doing something easy and hard to screw up...pork but is done smokin and in the oven finishing.

Please feel free to comment on anything you see...The knowledge from all of you will only help make me and others become better.

 

[jtribout]

Setup looks good! Nice foil job on the bottom. Good smoke