Question about wood

[Mindifismoke]

About 5 months ago I bought oak wood splits from a BBQ shop they say the wood is seasoned for 2 years but after a recent cook I noticed it was smoldering a lot even preheating them and splitting them to beer can size to even half a beer can size. I do store it inside my garage to avoid any rain or snow from getting on it.

Later found if you bang two pieces together it should sound like a baseball bat hitting the ball, and indeed it did not sounded more like a clunk. While smoking a sirloin roast I put some chicken on to grill closer to the fire box and it had a grey coating on it believe from incomplete combustion is this normal for oak wood or would that mean it's just not seasoned enough? It's not ash and while I had the chicken in the smoke coming out was very little to no smoke. Also I cleaned the smoker completely before winter so nothing could be dropping down on it.

It tasted good and normal but looks very ugly, also a longer cook I did before winter came using the same wood the meat had a blackish grey residue on it, when you touched it with your finger it would leave a grey imprint on it and when it was on a white plate same thing grey oil was left all over the plate.. taste was great maybe a little on the smoker side but not bitter at all

Thought it was from a dirty smoker but now seem to have the same problem with spotlessly clean one.

Could this be just from bad batch of wood or am I doing something wrong?

If anyone has this issue or heard about it advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Alphonse]

Even seasoned wood needs a flame to make good smoke. Smoldering wood makes bad smoke. An offset requires a lot of attention because of this.

 

[bill ace 350]

About 5 months ago I bought oak wood splits from a BBQ shop they say the wood is seasoned for 2 years but after a recent cook I noticed it was smoldering a lot even preheating them and splitting them to beer can size to even half a beer can size. I do store it inside my garage to avoid any rain or snow from getting on it.

Later found if you bang two pieces together it should sound like a baseball bat hitting the ball, and indeed it did not sounded more like a clunk. While smoking a sirloin roast I put some chicken on to grill closer to the fire box and it had a grey coating on it believe from incomplete combustion is this normal for oak wood or would that mean it's just not seasoned enough? It's not ash and while I had the chicken in the smoke coming out was very little to no smoke. Also I cleaned the smoker completely before winter so nothing could be dropping down on it.

It tasted good and normal but looks very ugly, also a longer cook I did before winter came using the same wood the meat had a blackish grey residue on it, when you touched it with your finger it would leave a grey imprint on it and when it was on a white plate same thing grey oil was left all over the plate.. taste was great maybe a little on the smoker side but not bitter at all

Thought it was from a dirty smoker but now seem to have the same problem with spotlessly clean one.

Could this be just from bad batch of wood or am I doing something wrong?

If anyone has this issue or heard about it advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Sounds like it just wasn't seasoned like you were told.

 

[Mindifismoke]

Even seasoned wood needs a flame to make good smoke. Smoldering wood makes bad smoke. An offset requires a lot of attention because of this.

Yes smoldering isn't good, i put one chimney of charcoal after about 5-10 minutes I add a beer can size split (recommend for this smoker) and it doesn't catch right away creates smoked but heard this is normal after that once it reduced to basically coals but still a flame I'm usually at the desire temperature in that case 275 and then put another split on most times it catches instantly but these last bags of wood do not they take a long time to catch and believe smolder if that's the right word. Since I'm still learning when I start with that first split I almost never leave it to observe what's happ and make adjustments.

 

[Mindifismoke]

Sounds like it just wasn't seasoned like you were told.

Thank you, so properly seasoned oak will catch like normal and not produce a heavier smoke? Haven't had problems from the other wood I was buying from a local guy so I suspected it might be the one from the BBQ store but he doesn't have oak only cherry apple and maple.

 

[Smokin Okie]

This meter is handy for checking the moisture content of your wood

Moisture Meter

The best way to get a true measurement is to cut a split in half and take your measure from the center. But even reading the outside will tell you something about how dry your wood is .

I take mine with me when I buy wood. At the very least , it will tell me how green the wood is. If the outside is 20% or higher, then I know its still got some seasoning to go.

 

[bill ace 350]

This meter is handy for checking the moisture content of your wood

Moisture Meter

The best way to get a true measurement is to cut a split in half and take your measure from the center. But even reading the outside will tell you something about how dry your wood is .

I take mine with me when I buy wood. At the very least , it will tell me how green the wood is. If the outside is 20% or higher, then I know its still got some seasoning to go.

I have a moisture meter too.
Only use it rarely. I looked for split and cracked ends of the wood, bark falling off, sound when 2 pieces are hit together

 

[Smokin Okie]

I'll go by weight before I go dig out my meter. But sometimes I want something more exact. I've got some pecan that was cut down last April and I've been using the meter to monitor its seasoning.

Also, if someone is new to buying wood, the meter helps.

 

[bill ace 350]

Thank you, so properly seasoned oak will catch like normal and not produce a heavier smoke? Haven't had problems from the other wood I was buying from a local guy so I suspected it might be the one from the BBQ store but he doesn't have oak only cherry apple and maple.

I can't speak for a smoker, since I've only ever used pellets or chips.

I can tell you that properly seasoned wood produces little to no visible smoke if burning efficiently in a wood stove.

If you see smoke from a chimney it is an indication that it is not burning wood efficiently, or the wood is not properly seasoned.

 

[Mindifismoke]

Thank you for the advice and help. I just ordered that meter from Amazon last night! And there are no cracks in the wood and most of the bark is stuck on need to take it off with a hatchet so it must not be seasoned will confirm once the meter arrives

 

[SmokinAl]

I have used green wood before & it works fine if you have a good fire going. It won’t work if all you have is a small coal bed. The fire needs to be hot for it to ignite.
Al

 

[WildewoodBBQ]

Hey there! It sounds a bit to me like a lack of heat and complete combustion in the fire chamber. I would probably heat up more coals or for longer next time and see what that does. Another option which I’m going to try in the next several weeks, is a mixture of hardwood lump charcoal (B&B brand) and dried wood.

It very well may be a seasoned wood issue, but just wanted to put another option out there from what I’ve been doing my research on.

Good luck, let us know the improvements next round!

 

[Motorboat40]

I use 2 chimneys of charcoal bricketts in my offset when starting it up and just add 2 pieces of wood but even my old wood that I know is well seasoned puts off white smoke at 1st but after 5 or 10 mins settles down to blue smoke.

I have also smoked with just charcoal and 2 big chunks of fresh cut 1 week before maple wood and that eventual turned to blue smoke just took longer. The chicken I smoked turned great can't wait until the maple I have is seasoned all the way and see what the difference is between using seasoned wood and green wood.

 

[Alphonse]

I mostly remove bark when I am using an offset. If it's seasoned, it usually falls off when I split it anyway.

Research it a bit and you will find bark has lots of nasty compounds you don't want on your cook.

 

[Mindifismoke]

I do my best to remove the bark sometimes it comes with no bark but from the store mostly has it on and doesn't fall off so take it off with a hatchet. I'll try to put more charcoal and lighting 2 splits next time to see if that will help since it seems people can manage with green wood heat could be another issue.

 

[Mindifismoke]

The wood I was using measured at 16% in the middle of the split strange that the bark doesn't fall off some of the pieces easily. But I guess it was a problem with the fire not being big enough, thanks for the help ! Going to try with a bigger coal bed and two splits rather than one.

 

[sacedbysapp]

Black film

Wondering y I get this black look on my chicken same thing happens top Mac cheese only been in 1.5hr using lang 36 clean fire have same prob trailer reverse flow.

www.smokingmeatforums.com

Check out this thread does the soot look like this?

 

[sacedbysapp]

Help with soot....

I've been having problem for a while with soot or black film mainly on chicken or Mac cheese or beans, just when I think I have it figured out there is again.I use oak and black cherry that been seasoned for few years.Ive tried with both vents wide open and 3/4 closed cooking at temps 250 to...

www.bbq-brethren.com

Or this one? On another forum.

 

[Mindifismoke]

Yes almost identical to that! Did you solve the problem or know the cause? Read through the form about airflow issues unseasoned wood and smoker being on an angle, didn't see if any solved the problem.

 

[sacedbysapp]

I still haven’t solved it. I’ve talked with those that have the same problems they feel like it’s too hot of a fire do you notice any black smoke coming out of the stack a lot of smoke in the firebox when you add a split or two to do you smell like a bad burning smell of plastic.?