Smoking with wood chunks question

[jeostang]

I have a question about using wood chunks with charcoal. When I light my weber smokey mountain i'll light my charcoal and wait till its ashed over, then I'll add my wood chunks and wait till the smoke from them is light blue and not white. I have people tell me on different occasions that I don't need to wait on the smoke to turn and just to add the chunks then add the meat, doesn't this method make the meat taste bitter? Shouldn't the wood chunks get nice and hot before adding the meat?

Thanks

 

[motocrash]

I half bury mine in the unlit briquettes and put my starter coals on top of the unlit coals being careful to avoid the chunks.Longer cooks I will fully bury some.This also allows the surface of the meat to be dried to dry for a little while to form a pellicle (if one isn't already established) before the chunks start smoking..I never have a problem with smoke being to the point you mentioned.Yes,the white billowy smoke does give a bitter/acrid taste.

 

[gmc2003]

I'm very similar to Moto, I bury the chunks in the unlit coals. The only difference is I make a dimple in the center of the unlit coals and put the lit coals in the dimple.

Chris

 

[SmokinAl]

I do the same as the above, there are several variations of the same procedure, depending on the outside temp.
You need more lit coals if the temp is cold outside & less if it's warm. But the principal is the same mix the wood chunks & charcoal together & add a few lit coals to get it going.

Al

 

[SmokinLogs]

Burying the wood chunks down in the coals will help them heat up before the fire actually reaches them. This makes them ignite and burn a cleaner smoke much quicker. Plus you can have them evenly spaced in the charcoal basket so you know they will burn/smoke at an even rate too.

 

[Tex1911]

Nice pit bike there Moto. Do you still ride?