How to tell you maximized your wood potential.

tank

Smoke Blower

Original poster

Dec 19, 2009

138

14

Pittsburgh

• Jan 21, 2010

• #1

Well another thread here got me thinking. What does wood look like after it is spent from smoking. I have a vertical propane smoker so was wandering what chips and chunks would look like after they were done producing smoke. I am new to the art but after using chunks for the first time they looked a lot like charcoal. Not sure if they should have looked like this or should they have turned to ash? What about chips? Anyone have pictures? I am assuming that based on what your wood looks like after a smoke you can tell the quality of smoke that you produced? Accurate? Thoughts? Opinions?

 

tlzimmerman

Meat Mopper

Jan 7, 2010

155

10

Hays, KS

• Jan 21, 2010

• #2

I am a noob too, but I can tell you when I get extended tbs with my gosm, I get some ash and some charcoal type stuff myself.

 

richoso1

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

OTBS Member

SMF Premier Member

Jun 21, 2007

8,432

41

• Jan 21, 2010

• #3

You should get ashes from burnt wood, with maybe some residual charcoal bits. If you're ending up with a lot of charcoal, it might be that some ash is starving off the air needed for a complete burn, I own a GOSM and I use a coffee can, when the can has cooled off enough to handle, there is nothing but white/gray ash. I do use RO lump along with chunks, sorry I have never taken any pics of the final burning.

 

Dutch

Smoking Guru

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Jul 7, 2005

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498

Midvale, UT

• Jan 21, 2010

• #4

^^What Rich said^^
I use a GOSM and a Lang and the resulting wood burn looks the same-All ash with some charred wood bits.

 

tank

Smoke Blower

Original poster

Thread starter

Dec 19, 2009

138

14

Pittsburgh

• Jan 21, 2010

• #5

So if I am understanding it right then with chunks of wood they should turn to white ash? I tried it with chunks of wood about the size of a golf ball and they pretty much turned to charcoal. On your GOSM do you keep the bottom vents open or closed? Do you cover the coffee can with foil or let it open? I guess I am trying to find the best way to maximize the wood and smoke in my smoker without it catching on fire. Thanks for the help

 

vince

StickBurners

SMF Premier Member

Jun 14, 2008

361

10

Denham springs, LA

• Jan 22, 2010

• #6

I agree on the wood turning to ash, 99% of it. The wood is also the heat source for me and some lump charcoal

 

travcoman45

Master of the Pit

OTBS Member

Jan 19, 2008

4,118

34

A Holler in North Iowa

• Jan 22, 2010

• #7

I use a 6x6 cake pan in the gosm, covered with foil ta prevent flare ups an a couple a charcoal briqs tossed in fer good measure. I poke bout 5 er 6 holes in the foil. Ever now an again, give the pan a shake, keeps yer wook in contact with the hot surface an shakes off some a the ash. I always have some bits an pieces of homemade charcoal when I'm done, add them ta a bucket an toss em in the UDS when usin that!

 

igolf2

Meat Mopper

Feb 19, 2009

152

11

Huntsburg, Ohio ( snowbelt!)

• Jan 22, 2010

• #8

If the chunks are turning to ash in a propane smoker with chip/wood box it would mean the wood is completely burning as opposed to smoldering doesn't it?

I get quality TBS from my GOSM but take care to not have my wood catch fire and burn.

 

jd08

Fire Starter

Feb 17, 2010

52

10

• Feb 18, 2010

• #9

Unless the wood chunks are actually catching fire and burning, the end result resembles lump charcoal.

Using the coffee can method with a relatively small amount of airflow out of the can, the chunks should not catch fire and will smoke like crazy as long as possible.

This is the same way they produced wood gas during WW2 to power farm tractors. It's also similar to how they make lump charcoal.

Here's an example.