Adding fuel and white / blue smoke

[tsonka]

Playing with the new Yoder today.


I started it up and got it to 225 on lump charcoal.


After temp stabilized I added a pecan split and got strong white smoke when it ignited. I expected this and just let it burn through it. I then had good looking, barely visible smoke. An hour or so later the temp started to drop and my coal bead was burning away, time to add more wood

I had 3 Apple chunks that together were about the same area or a bit smaller then a split so I added them. As they ignited I got strong white smoke again. This concerned me because I want my smoke to be blue .. but it makes sense that freshly ignited wood will smoke.

My first thought was to close the air to smother the fire and have the wood smolder. That did not work white smoke actually got worse. I opened the air up to have the fire burn hotter and that cleared it up a bit, but was still more white than I wanted.


What should I expect when adding a split after the cook has started? Should I open the air up to burn it down faster?

 

[chef jimmyj]

Dont do anything unless you need to adjust a runaway temp. A little white for 20 minutes an hour is no issue..Closing dampers can give constant white. That would be bad. Pre heating the splits helps, either on the firebox or inside but away from the fire...JJ

 

[gr0uch0]

What JJ said. If you can keep the fire to the back of the box, you can put a split or two closer to the front--it will pre-heat the splits without you having to reach over the fire, and you can just roll it to the back when you need to add. Load another log in the front to warm and keep repeating as needed.

 

[SmokyMose]

You're going to get a bit of white when you toss in a new piece til it gets burning right. Like JJ said, a little won't really hurt. I usually open the vent a little til it gets burning, but be ready to close it back to where you had it quick!
It could also be that you're trying to keep too low a temp. Most stick burners run comfortably hotter, 240 to 280. Let your smoker find it's sweet spot. Contrary to what some say, you don't have to cook at 225 (where did that come from, anyway) to make great Q.
Just my opinion...

 

[chef jimmyj]

225 degrees F, is the USDA minimum Hot Smoking Temp. So when folks want to go LOW and Slow, 225 is as low as you should go...JJ

 

[stickyfingers]

Probably just the moisture during off at the start. No biggie.

 

[SmokinAl]

I usually leave the firebox door open a minute or two until the wood ignites well.

Al