beginner questions

[trinitystone]

Here is a picture of my smoker with a few questions.  In the bucket is a  few pcs of Apple wood that i was using to smoke a pork shoulder.  some pieces are smaller and some are a little bigger.  Should i be splitting them smaller?  How do i get a clean smoke and not the billowing white smoke?

Also, I smoked a Boston and Picnic (4 lbs each)  they took 12 hrs.  I estimated 1.5 hrs per lb but do i treat it as 1 pc of meat or two separate when figuring time?  I kept the temp at 225 to 240 with a couple spikes to 250 and a dip to 210 but just for short periods of time.  I had probes in the meat and in the smoker itself with the addition of two on the lid.  intake was closed to about 1/4" or less and the exhaust was open 1/2 way to 3/4's of the way.

I'm trying to fine tune a few things in the next few weeks to enter a friendly smoke off and could use the help

Thanks

 

[raptor700]

Here is a picture of my smoker with a few questions.  In the bucket is a  few pcs of Apple wood that i was using to smoke a pork shoulder.  some pieces are smaller and some are a little bigger.  Should i be splitting them smaller?2-3" chunks work well.   How do i get a clean smoke and not the billowing white smoke?Leave your exhaust vent 100% open, and adjust the dampers to the fire box to regulate temps.

You want to have good air flow in the cook chamber.

Also, I smoked a Boston and Picnic (4 lbs each)  they took 12 hrs.  I estimated 1.5 hrs per lb but do i treat it as 1 pc of meat or two separate when figuring time? Treat them as 2 seperate pieces. I kept the temp at 225 to 240 with a couple spikes to 250 and a dip to 210 but just for short periods of time.  I had probes in the meat and in the smoker itself with the addition of two on the lid.  intake was closed to about 1/4" or less and the exhaust was open 1/2 way to 3/4's of the way.

I'm trying to fine tune a few things in the next few weeks to enter a friendly smoke off and could use the help

Thanks

 

[adiochiro3]

X2 from OTBS #229 (Raptor is #228 -- LOL!).

Once you have a good hot bed of coals, wood size is not a big deal.  both large and small chunks/sticks will burn fine.  I lay my wood near the hot coals so it will smolder rather then flame-on burn.  Otherwise, they burst into flame and give off too much heat and billowing white smoke.

 

[SmokinAl]

What they said!

 

[meateater]

Looks like they got you covered, now lets see some meat. 

 

[jirodriguez]

Also you can pre-heat your wood by putting it on top of your firebox for an hour or so before adding it to the charcoal. This will help drive out any moisture and reduce the white smoke a bit.

 

[trinitystone]

great, thanks for the input.  will have some pics tomorrow.

 

[supercenterchef]

Here's a pretty good post on getting the smoke just right...

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/forum/thread/108315/rules-for-tbs