how to get that blue smoke

[timmyt509]

So I was wondering when I smoke why is the smoke white? Even when you throw a few wood chucnks on why is it thick white smoke? Can anyone give me some advice? thanks.

 

[pineywoods]

If your wood has been properly seasoned then its usually a matter of too much wood. It doesn't take a lot of wood. If the wood is not seasoned that can cause it as well

 

[rbranstner]

Give us a bit more information. What kind of smoker are you using propane, electric etc.????? If its propane you may have your chip pan too close to your flame which will cause you to get white smoke. Also if you are using chips vs. chunks can make a big difference. I switched to chunks with a small handful of chips and it works great. Give us more info and you will get lots of helpful ideas to try.

 

[timmyt509]

i have a bar-b-chef smoker and use chunks. what I usually do is start a chimney starter of lump and when that is ready i throw that on top of dry lump that is in a charcoal basket and at that time I throw 4-6 chunks on. Then it seems to get like a thick white smoke.

 

[mballi3011]

I would ahve to say that you probably using too much wood. Now you don't need much wood. If you can smell the smoke you are smoking. I would try using some chunks for wood and see if this works better for you.

 

[cliffcarter]

Try using just 1 chunk(2 if the chunks are small), 4-6 is too much IMO.

 

[pineywoods]

It would depend on the size of the chunks. Is the white smoke just for a few minutes then clears or does it stay? Are you putting the chunks right on the hot coals or off to the side just a bit? Are the chunks seasoned or still green?

 

[timmyt509]

the chunks are seasoned. The white smoke stays for like 20-30 minutes, I do put the chunks right on the hot coals. The chunks sizes are around 2" X 2" . Maybe I am doing it all wrong lol. So is it right for me to fill my charcoal basket with unlit lump and make a hole for the hot coals that comes from the chimney starter? When I put the hot coals on top of the unlit lump I put my wood chunks directly on the hot coals at the time.

 

[cliffcarter]

Try 1 chunk cut into three pieces or 1 whole chunk and open the air intake a little. What kind of wood is it?

 

[eman]

allso you might try just setting the chunk(s) against one side of your hot coals.

that way only one side of the chunk catches and it burns slower.

 

[richoso1]

If your wood has been properly seasoned then its usually a matter of too much wood. It doesn't take a lot of wood. If the wood is not seasoned that can cause it as well

That has also been my observation.

 

[timmyt509]

thank you everybody I tried it on Sunday using less wood and putting it to the side and worked alot better.

 

[pdx210]

restricting O2 to the fire (damped the firebox down)  can do it too if so? make a smaller fire and run the vents open 

 

[placud]

recently have had the same problem..I'm a whole newbie in doing this...we with my wife decided that we should purchase a smoker...

till now I was the only one smoke-machine, because of my favourite cuban cigars...lol

 

[graystratcat]

The guys above have  you covered regarding the wood issue.  My only other observation would be, are you sure it's not the unlit lump pumping out all the white smoke?  You might want to try starting your minion method with no wood chunks, let that go for about 20 minutes and see if you still get all the white smoke.... you can toss some chunks on after the 20 minutes test period with little impact to your total smoke.  Just a thought.

-Salt