How much smoke is too much?

chef jimmyj · May 9, 2014

If you want to go all wood, this is a good read...JJ

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/a/stickburning101

brooksy · May 9, 2014

Chef JimmyJ said:
If you want to go all wood, this is a good read...JJ

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/a/stickburning101

That was a good read. I don't go by all those rules but it could work. Definitely don't start your fire and then throw the meat on your whole cooker has got to come to temp. Mine takes about an hour to heat up. I guess it's just second nature to me since I've been smoking for a while. Like I said I don't heat my wood up. I'll grab it straight from my pile if I run out if the stack I made near the smoker. I do agree with the past about having well seasoned wood. How old is your wood?

0509141819.jpg

brooksy
May 9, 2014

my wood varies in size from water bottle size to two liter size about a foot long

brooksy · May 9, 2014

0412140826.jpg

brooksy
May 9, 2014

Just so it's clear this is what I'm working with now. The smoke coming out of it is in the warm up stage

brooksy · May 9, 2014

Well having technical difficulties. Trying to load a pic of my original smoker minus burned off firebox. I cooked the same way on it. It is a direct flow offset.

wood river bbq · May 9, 2014

Just trying to help you out mate with as much info as possible. I think you've answered you question with your original post -- you said you were "basically snuffing out the fire by trying to get temps that low" and you thought "trying to maintain a low temp is impossible". You're right , it's impossible. The fire you're trying to build is smoldering like a camp fire that about to die out. No matter how much wood you throw on it the fire doesn't have enough energy to ignite the added wood. Low temps with all wood and no smoke won't work. Cook at 250F- 275F and your problems with creosote are over.

cliffcarter · May 9, 2014

Damnthatsgood said:
... I'm trying to achieve low temps and no smoke with wood.

Why? If your pit cooks at X° when burning wood splits then let it cook at X°. There is no harm in that. If you want to burn wood in your pit, then it is apparent that you will be cooking at a temperature higher than 225°.

chef jimmyj · May 9, 2014

Brooksy, that Article is from a long time member, Oldschoolbbq, and not mine so I don't no how big his splits are. He is a really cool guy and very helpful. Shoot him a PM for more info.

As far as low temps and getting TBS, it can be done, you just have to learn your smoker. A "small" hot fire will burn clean and because of the large volume of the smoker, the heat generated will cool to 225° by the time it reaches the meat. Watch BBQ Pitmasters and other shows, there are guys with 60" Lang's and other Offsets running at 225-250° all day long burning only sticks. There are members here doing the same. A fire does not have to be big to burn hot and clean...JJ

damnthatsgood · May 9, 2014

Chef JimmyJ said:
If you want to go all wood, this is a good read...JJ

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/a/stickburning101

I have read that. Thanks, it is a good place to start.

Brooksy said:
That was a good read. I don't go by all those rules but it could work. Definitely don't start your fire and then throw the meat on your whole cooker has got to come to temp. Mine takes about an hour to heat up. I guess it's just second nature to me since I've been smoking for a while. Like I said I don't heat my wood up. I'll grab it straight from my pile if I run out if the stack I made near the smoker. I do agree with the past about having well seasoned wood. How old is your wood?

0509141819.jpg

brooksy

May 9, 2014

my wood varies in size from water bottle size to two liter size about a foot long

Well, you've proven that the wood doesn't have to be anything special. Big, small, dry wet. So I should be fine in that department. Mine is smaller, dry, and about two or three years old.

Brooksy said:
0412140826.jpg

brooksy

May 9, 2014

Just so it's clear this is what I'm working with now. The smoke coming out of it is in the warm up stage

Nice looking grill !!

Wood River BBQ said:
Just trying to help you out mate with as much info as possible. I think you've answered you question with your original post -- you said you were "basically snuffing out the fire by trying to get temps that low" and you thought "trying to maintain a low temp is impossible". You're right , it's impossible. The fire you're trying to build is smoldering like a camp fire that about to die out. No matter how much wood you throw on it the fire doesn't have enough energy to ignite the added wood. Low temps with all wood and no smoke won't work. Cook at 250F- 275F and your problems with creosote are over.

cliffcarter said:
Why? If your pit cooks at X° when burning wood splits then let it cook at X°. There is no harm in that. If you want to burn wood in your pit, then it is apparent that you will be cooking at a temperature higher than 225°.

You two have pretty much convinced me to just go higher.

Chef JimmyJ said:
Brooksy, that Article is from a long time member, Oldschoolbbq, and not mine so I don't no how big his splits are. He is a really cool guy and very helpful. Shoot him a PM for more info.

As far as low temps and getting TBS, it can be done, you just have to learn your smoker. A "small" hot fire will burn clean and because of the large volume of the smoker, the heat generated will cool to 225° by the time it reaches the meat. Watch BBQ Pitmasters and other shows, there are guys with 60" Lang's and other Offsets running at 225-250° all day long burning only sticks. There are members here doing the same. A fire does not have to be big to burn hot and clean...JJ

I can do a small hot fire, if I can get the sticks small enough. I'm going to raise my temps and try to go with all wood next time. I'll link this thread with the next smoke and we can do some experimenting.

Thanks for all your help guys!!

noboundaries · May 10, 2014

DTsG, are you still planning on using the snake setup but using only wood?

damnthatsgood · May 10, 2014

Noboundaries said:
DTsG, are you still planning on using the snake setup but using only wood?

Well, not really. I'm going to make another firebox for just wood, or maybe use the stock grate that came with the smoker.

wood river bbq · May 10, 2014

Damnthatsgood said:
Well, not really. I'm going to make another firebox for just wood, or maybe use the stock grate that came with the smoker.

I think that "snake Box" could be made to work. I liked the idea when I first saw it. It's an improvement to the "minion system". I'm not sure but I think the problem is that the sides and interior sides are not high enough for the minion system to work effectively. I use a homemade fire basket in my Lang 36 smoker, which I fill 1/2 to 3/4 depending on the cook temp I'm after, but it ends up being a pile of wood (coke can size)/lump that burns down even though I try to start front to back. I might try inserting a short baffle in my fire basket to see if I could make it work.

damnthatsgood · May 10, 2014

Wood River BBQ said:
I think that "snake Box" could be made to work. I liked the idea when I first saw it. It's an improvement to the "minion system". I'm not sure but I think the problem is that the sides and interior sides are not high enough for the minion system to work effectively. I use a homemade fire basket in my Lang 36 smoker, which I fill 1/2 to 3/4 depending on the cook temp I'm after, but it ends up being a pile of wood (coke can size)/lump that burns down even though I try to start front to back. I might try inserting a short baffle in my fire basket to see if I could make it work.

Oh, my snake is a piece of crap. It only took about fifteen minutes to fab up. I need to build a better one with heavier gauge expanded steel. And double wall dividers separated by about 1/2" or so is a MUST. Otherwise it doesn't follow the path. It just heats the steel until it ignites the charcoal on the other side.

brooksy · May 10, 2014

You don't need a snake!! Start with a chimney of coals then go to wood. That's what this whole thread was all about in the first place. Im telling you it can work. When I get a chance I will heat up my girl and show you tbs with pure wood and low temp.

damnthatsgood · May 10, 2014

Brooksy said:
You don't need a snake!! Start with a chimney of coals then go to wood. That's what this whole thread was all about in the first place. Im telling you it can work. When I get a chance I will heat up my girl and show you tbs with pure wood and low temp.

That sounds good. But my snake is for charcoal. I'll just use a basket or the stock grate for wood.

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