too much smoke

[mulletminnow]

Is there any way to cut down on the amount of smoke that I'm getting on Boston Butts when I cook them on the Pit Barrel Cooker. The bark and the smoke ring is turning the meat a little darker than I'm use to and the flavor is a lot stronger than when I cook bbq on a gas grille.

I'm using Kingsford Blue Bag and wondering if there is a milder charcoal that might have less of a smoky taste.

Was also wondering about cooking with the lid off. It would be kinda like years ago when We would cook half a hog over charcoal in a pit. If the temperature would die down maybe I could keep adding  just enough charcoal to keep the temp about 225.

As You can probably tell, I don't really know what to ask or what to do to fix this but I'm counting on You guys to help Me out,

So thanks in advance for any and all advice.

Don

[rwalters]

Been awhile since I had my PBC... but when cooking butts, do they hang to low to place the grate in? If you can get the cooking grate in there, then you could place a drip pan underneath it. By doing this, you’d eliminate the “grease fog” that the PBC is known for.  Or, you could just cook them in a pan on the cooking grate and you’d accomplish the same thing.

[Kona]

I've only used Kingsford and Stubbs. IMO Stubbs has more of a wood flavor compared to KBB. I know others have inquired about a milder charcoal. I always grate my butts and always crutch mine at 160. You won't be able to cook with the lid off for long cooks like a butt. I go lid off for hot cooks like steaks etc and the coals get screaming hot very fast and won't last long with all that airflow. It gets so hot I can't even hold my hand over the top of the grate. What creates the "smoke" is the fat drippings down into the hot coals. Hopefully someone will chime in with another recommendation for charcoal. Give Stubbs a shot, I prefer the more wood flavor it gives

[TentHunteR]

I don't have a PBC, but when I cook on our Weber Kettle (which isn't very often these days) I prefer Royal Oak briquettes over Kingsford.  Royal Oak seems to give me a much cleaner tasting smoke over Kingsford Blue Bag.  A lot of the store brands (including Walmart and Ace Hardware) are made by royal oak.

Give them a try along with Robb's (rwalter's) suggestion of a drip pan under the butt on a rack to eliminate the grease fog.  Worse case scenario you don't like them and you're out a few $$.

There, that's my 2¢

[tlg4942]

  I bet keeping that grease off your coals should improve things considerably.   

[Jaxon]

I have heard that once the meat reaches 145* internally that the smoke stops penetrating the meat...however, the smoke continues to build up on the outside, giving you that strong smoke (or creosote) taste.  I find that to be true when I smoke butts in my offset. Taste the meat that you get from well inside the butt...I'll bet it doesn't taste as strong as the bark.
As someone suggested already, if you wrap the butt in foil once it hits 145 to 150, it will continue to cook, but, of course, won't be exposed to the smoke any more.
A drip pan underneath or cooking in a pan will also help.

disclaimer:  I am just a backyard jack

[mulletminnow]

Thanks for the information and advice, now that I have a idea of what is going on, I can start trying some of the "cures" that have been suggested.

First I"ll try the drip pan, and if that doesn't fix it, I'll wrap the butts and use a drip pan at the same time.

If that don't work, been thinking about using half a load of charcoal and taking the lid off, kinda like having a pig in the ground the way We used to do it. Just half to keep
adding charcoal to keep the temps up.

If all else fails, I'll put an old tobacco barn burner in the bottom of the pit barrel and see what happens.

And if that don't work, I'll put three butts on the old gas grille and use the PBC for ribs.

thanks
don

[Kona]

one thing about the PBC, the fat dripping into the coals is what helps the moistness in the foods cooked which may be sacrificed if you use a pan to block that process. 

[rwalters]

one thing about the PBC, the fat dripping into the coals is what helps the moistness in the foods cooked which may be sacrificed if you use a pan to block that process.

That’s a great point! Without the grease fog, you may find yourself working a bit harder to keep the meat moist. Probably not a huge deal, but something to keep in mind.