Author Topic: Too much smoke?  (Read 4172 times)

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Offline sws6530

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Too much smoke?
« Reply #-1 on: July 27, 2015, 02:54:15 PM »
Have you ever used too much wood and oversmoked your cook?  I'm working out my cooking bugs by trial-and-error.  Made a batch of spare ribs and the flavor was overwhelmed by smoke (hickory & apple).  Used a similar amount of wood for a pulled pork, and it seemed about right.  A couple questions (knowing that everyone has there own opinion on how much smoke):
--How much smoke to you like?  (Probably hard to describe)
--Does you smoke preference (amount, not flavor) differ between different meats?
--With the PBC, do you find much difference between charcoal-only cooks and the "wood-added" cooks?
--What is your method of adding wood...large (fist-size) chunks, smaller chunks, chips?  Dry/wet?

I know I will learn by trying different variations...and enjoy the tasty process along the way...but I would like get closer to target without using too much time/money.  Thanks.

Offline Aclarke44

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Re: Too much smoke?
« on: July 27, 2015, 04:38:36 PM »
Normally the bitter "over smoked" flavor is from "bad" smoke where the wood is smoldering and not fully combusting.  This usually causes heavy white smoke.  This is caused by not having a hot enough fire.  I think you can put too much wood in the PBC and either get hotter than desired temps or bad smoke from smoldering wood.  Don't confuse the heavy white smoke with the heavier smoke you get from the juices dripping on the hot coals either.  You can tell the difference in the smell of the smoke or I can.

I like a decent amount of smoke flavor.   
I find a slight different taste between no wood and when adding wood.  Not better or worse just different and maybe milder when not using wood.
I use 3-4 medium size wood chunks in the PBC with the hot coals being poured directly over one of them.  Never use soaked wood!  That goes back to the bad smoke not full combustion issue I mentioned at the beginning.

Offline jjjonz

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Re: Too much smoke?
« Reply #1 on: July 27, 2015, 05:18:23 PM »
What Andrew said. I don't like as much smoke as I use to and I just throw a small chunk of apple or oak on a hot fire.
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Offline tlg4942

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Re: Too much smoke?
« Reply #2 on: July 27, 2015, 05:25:04 PM »
   I would tend to agree with Aclarke44. The only moisture should be the drippings.  Which brings the fact that greasy drippings on wood may ignite it. Maybe try and keep it over to the sides.?
Or maybe try a smoke box.?
  I don't have a PBC but the rule should still apply that you just want to barely see the smoke when going for several hours or more. (I don't always practice what I preach here)but I should.  My smoker leaves me a lot of room for error where a small chamber does not.
 Using good quality clean wood matters a lot! 
 
Good luck, Keep trying its part of the fun.
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Offline smokeasaurus

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Re: Too much smoke?
« Reply #3 on: July 27, 2015, 05:30:16 PM »
When I tried "Smoking" after years of grilling, I pretty much oversmoked everything. If my smoker wasn't chugging out bitter white smoke like a locomotive, I figured I wasn't "Smoking".  Now all these years later I call myself "Smokeasaurus" and others call me The Smoke  ;)

Ya gotta crawl before you can run.....and I did crawl for a while  8)
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Offline tlg4942

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Re: Too much smoke?
« Reply #4 on: July 27, 2015, 05:43:27 PM »
When I tried "Smoking" after years of grilling, I pretty much oversmoked everything. If my smoker wasn't chugging out bitter white smoke like a locomotive, I figured I wasn't "Smoking".  Now all these years later I call myself "Smokeasaurus" and others call me The Smoke  ;)

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Offline teesquare

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Re: Too much smoke?
« Reply #5 on: July 27, 2015, 05:58:50 PM »
This is my methodology, as I have learned thus far from many folks and years. ;)

When cooking "Low and Slow"...my general Rule of Thumb is that I want 4-6 hours of thin, blue line smoke. Not thick smoke, just a wisp of it coming out for 4-6 hours.

Once meat becomes surface dry, and reaches a temperature of around 160F - it will no longer adsorb more smoke, so you want to get the smoke profile right at the beginning of your cook. You may extend it a little by spritzing the meat with any moisture source that is appropriate ( beer, apple juice, water, etc...) but be careful not to wash off prior smoke with too much liquid addition to the surface of the meat.

Pre - cold smoking your meat may also allow you to create the flavor profile you desire, without as much problem. Try the Amazen Tube Smoker - prior to lighting the charcoal.....
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Offline smokeasaurus

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Re: Too much smoke?
« Reply #6 on: July 27, 2015, 06:23:37 PM »
This is my methodology, as I have learned thus far from many folks and years. ;)

When cooking "Low and Slow"...my general Rule of Thumb is that I want 4-6 hours of thin, blue line smoke. Not thick smoke, just a wisp of it coming out for 4-6 hours.

Once meat becomes surface dry, and reaches a temperature of around 160F - it will no longer adsorb more smoke, so you want to get the smoke profile right at the beginning of your cook. You may extend it a little by spritzing the meat with any moisture source that is appropriate ( beer, apple juice, water, etc...) but be careful not to wash off prior smoke with too much liquid addition to the surface of the meat.

Pre - cold smoking your meat may also allow you to create the flavor profile you desire, without as much problem. Try the Amazen Tube Smoker - prior to lighting the charcoal.....

It sure does....until you take a bite  :(
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Offline Aclarke44

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Re: Too much smoke?
« Reply #7 on: July 27, 2015, 10:12:37 PM »
Just remember with the PBC you'll get a slightly thicker smoke than what's described as "thin blue" because of the drippings on the coals when cooking fattier cuts of meat (pork butts, ribs when doing more than one rack, etc).  It's not overly thick.  I was use to smoking indirect on my kettle and freaked out the first cook in the PBC when I saw the smoke.  My first cook was a butt though.

Offline Chief Mac

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Re: Too much smoke?
« Reply #8 on: July 27, 2015, 11:25:58 PM »
I use small pieces of wood and not many, tucked into the coal bed. My preference is making a pellet pack with about 1/2 cup of pellets wrapped in foil. I put 1 small hole in the pack and toss it on the hot coals just before the meat is put on the PBC. I have just purchased a 6" AMZ Tube smoker which I will be experimenting with in the PBC and my gas smoker. I have a 12" tube and it is just too big for hot smoking in both the PBC and the gas smoker. I will use the 12" for cold smoking only. I will be running a test smoke with the 6" tube without meat this week to test the smoke conditions, burn time, and placement in the PBC. I burn only dry wood and I have not experienced any over smoke or poor taste with the PBC as I have had learning how to use my gas smoker. With gas smoker I learned that less wood is better and 4 hours is about max amount of time for smoke.   ;)  ;)
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Offline amshepar

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Re: Too much smoke?
« Reply #9 on: July 28, 2015, 09:55:04 AM »
For my longer cooks I just throw 2 medium size chunks of wood right on top of the coals, just before I hang the meat.  I will add a 3rd one about 2 hours into a long cook.  That's about it.  I've not had an issue with anything too smoky, except one time I added a big wood chunk for just a piece of tri tip and it was too smoky tasting, but that was a short cook.  For the longer cooks it's never been an issue.

I use predominately apple and hickory wood chips. 






Offline smokeasaurus

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Re: Too much smoke?
« Reply #10 on: July 28, 2015, 10:18:52 AM »
I have also buried chips in with the charcoal and have had a nice flavor profile. Chunks placed on top can cause the risk of too much drippings hit them and stop the smoke. I have had good luck with chips in the PBC..........
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Offline sws6530

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Re: Too much smoke?
« Reply #11 on: July 29, 2015, 02:30:45 PM »
Thanks to everyone for their replies and information.  I am happy to hear that I shouldn't expect massive amounts of blue smoke...like I've seen (and expected) at commercial BBQ setups.  Seeing minimal smoke from the PBC made me think I should add more wood.  I also never thought of the problems created with drippings falling on the wood, creating heavy white smoke.  I will definitely work on where I locate the meat in relation to the wood, as well as give wood chips a try.  I was under the impression that wood chips were for short cooks and chunks for long. 

So much to learn, so much to eat.  Thanks again.

Offline Aclarke44

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Re: Too much smoke?
« Reply #12 on: July 29, 2015, 06:59:49 PM »
The smoke you get from the drippings in the coals is different than smoldering wood.  It will make the smoke look thicker though.  You don't need to worry about positioning the meat in certain places.  I mean i guess you it would be better to not have drippings drip directly on the wood but really I don't even pay attention.  The drippings burn off pretty quick which creates smoke as well.  That's why you'll get a thicker smoke than a smoker that cooks indirect but it's not the "bad smoke" that you get from wood not fully combusting.  Just don't pre-soak the wood. 

Chips lite up and burn off very quickly you'll only get a few minutes of smoke from them.  Chunks will burn longer.

This is not saying smokeasaurus is wrong with what he is saying,  just a different way of doing things.   You just gotta figure out what you like and go with it.