Wood fire help for today

[saggy]

This will be my 4th attempt using just a wood fire but my previous 3 attempts have not been that great. I read somewhere on this site (can't find it now), what type of smoke you're looking for with a wood fire. I think I've been oversmoking because whenever I lower the temp of my fire I get that thick white billowing smoking because it's smoldering.
What type of smoke am I looking for? I'm using the charbroil silver smoker side firebox with sweet maple wood. When I get clean combustion I get a clear blueish smoke but my temps get too high. Ugh--need help for today's attempt. I'm thinking maybe a small fire with vents mostly open so it burns clean? Any help appreciated.

 

[capt dan]

Welcome saggy, your silver is a good smoker, I have one myself. Its not a woodburner though. I know it says it is, but it aint. I tried for almost a year to convince myself it was too, through away alot of food.

Use a good lump charcoal, with small chunks or wood chips next to the coals to get the wood flavoring.

Go to the "charcoal smokers forum" on this site and you'll see alot of us silver, chargriller and brinkman folks there. Read about the modifications you need to make to your silver to make it more efficient, and easier to maintain temps/cook good BBQ!

 

[bbq bubba]

Great advice, i hate to tell guys that they cant use wood, but that smoker is just not built for that style of smoking!

 

[capt dan]

I suppose if you pre-burned the wood, then it would work, but thats a whole new project, charcoal just seems a whole lot easier to me.

On the other end f the spectrum, with my Lang, I can't imagine anyone wanting to use charcoal in it. I would go broke keeping it fueled, and the wood burning process in that design is awesome.

 

[saggy]

That's kind of a bummer but it makes sense why I've been having so much trouble. I've been using lump charcoal with wood chunks and thought I could use this smoker for wood burning. I did read somehwere about pre-burning but I'm not sure it's worht all the effort. Maybe going back to charcoal is the way to go.

 

[capt dan]

Thats what I would do, and if you want to try the pre-burning, do it with quicker smoke items and less expensive meats first.

 

[travcoman45]

I agree with the others. Thin an blue is what yall lookin fer. Mighty tuff ta do with a side firbox burnin wood. Best bet is yall use charcoal and add a bit a wood in fer yer smoke. A bit easier ta control yer temps and ya won't build up cresote from tryin to hold the fire down. Good luck.