New to Offset and Charcoal Smoking, Help.

[Bsrdsteve]

New to smoking and used an electric smoker for the last year. I just purchased a Dyna Glo vertical offset smoker. Did some suggested mods (sealed the seams and placed a heat diverter in the cook box). I started by seasoning it and testing with a lump hickory coal. Got a real heavy white smoke for an hour, got up to about 225 degrees and stayed for about two or three hours before starting to drop. I hated the smell of the white smoke, didn't have that great wood smell that I am used to.

Second attempt at testing, I bought some different coal, kingsford briquettes. Filled the box almost completely (four or five pounds)and used a paraffin starter. Left the dampeners open and it never got above 150 degrees and again had the same unpleasant white smoke. Stayed that way for two or three hours. Playing with the dampener and the stack I did get it up to about 200 for an hour before starting to cool. The day was a rainy day about 60 degrees. I had the smoker in my garage. I had condensation running out of the door.

I do not like the white smoke smell and do not know if I should cook on it.

Any articles or help would be appreciated, I am frustrated and ready to sell and move on to a different smoker.

 

[Winterrider]

Bump . . .

 

[noboundaries]

Don't cook in white smoke. Not good. So, just to be clear, you had white smoke on the first attempt for at least an hour (that isn't unusual), but it stayed white for the next 2-3 hours while the smoker was burning along at 225F? Did you use any wood on the seasoning run?

Some of the offset guys should be along shortly. The Dyna Glo is pretty popular around here.

 

[Bsrdsteve]

Don't cook in white smoke. Not good. So, just to be clear, you had white smoke on the first attempt for at least an hour (that isn't unusual), but it stayed white for the next 2-3 hours while the smoker was burning along at 225F? Did you use any wood on the seasoning run?

Some of the offset guys should be along shortly. The Dyna Glo is pretty popular around here.

I did use some apple wood chips that I soaked for a bit. Second run I used some apple chunks.

 

[noboundaries]

Okay. That helps. No more soaking and no more wood chips. Use only chunks or small splits. Bury the wood in the charcoal. Don't put them on top, if that's what you did. They'll carbonize more cleanly when buried (they preheat) and flavor the meat longer than putting on top where they will burn dirty (white smoke) until reaching a proper internal temp for flavor.

 

[Bsrdsteve]

Okay. That helps. No more soaking and no more wood chips. Use only chunks or small splits. Bury the wood in the charcoal. Don't put them on top, if that's what you did. They'll carbonize more cleanly when buried (they preheat) and flavor the meat longer than putting on top where they will burn dirty (white smoke) until reaching a proper internal temp for flavor.

Yep, that’s what I did.

 

[JckDanls 07]

How did you start the Lump on the first run ?? A paraffin starter as well ??

 

[Bsrdsteve]

How did you start the Lump on the first run ?? A paraffin starter as well ??

Yes

 

[Florida smokin]

I am not new to stick burners but am getting one this week for my home.

I used to cater a few events a year on a buddies tow behind made from a 300 gallon propane tank.

I used lump charcoal and either oak or applewood and sometimes both.

I used a small amount of briquettes to start my lump charcoal and that was started with a charcoal chimney. I found that fluid and parrafin starters caused a bitter smoke,

Stacked the briquettes in firebox, then the lump around and on top. Once the lump got going good I would add a few splits.

It took some time to play with the damper to find right setting but once I Found it easy to maintain temps.

Light blur smoke is what you are looking for to cook with.

 

[Bsrdsteve]

I am not new to stick burners but am getting one this week for my home.

I used to cater a few events a year on a buddies tow behind made from a 300 gallon propane tank.

I used lump charcoal and either oak or applewood and sometimes both.

I used a small amount of briquettes to start my lump charcoal and that was started with a charcoal chimney. I found that fluid and parrafin starters caused a bitter smoke,

Stacked the briquettes in firebox, then the lump around and on top. Once the lump got going good I would add a few splits.

It took some time to play with the damper to find right setting but once I Found it easy to maintain temps.

Light blur smoke is what you are looking for to cook with.

Thanks, I do not have a chimney and thought I may get one to get the coal hot before placing in my smoker.