Wood chunks seem to stop smoking


 
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Dave Pasma

TVWBB Member
I am getting better at setting up my OTG for longer low&slow cooks. I use 2 bricks in a "V", and the minion method. I can control the temp around 225 pretty well this way.

I have begun to use fist-sized wood chunks spread out in the unlit briquettes.

I have noticed that smoke steadily exits the top vent for about an hour, then trickles off to almost nothing visible.

When I look inside, the chunks are still good sized, and black, but not much smoke. Is this OK, or do I need to do something else?
 
What is happening to you is exactly what happens with my cooks. I get a good amount of smoke flavor, but not overpowering. If you add more wood, you might get too heavy of a smoke flavor, which can ruin food.

Bob
 
Yep that's OK and what ya want. The white smoke is a burn-off of this and that once you get past that you should notice an almost invisible wisp of thin blue smoke, which is a good thing.

Tim
 
Timothy is right, you don't have to see a lot of smoke to get smoked flavor thats why some people get to smoky of a flavor they feel they have to see it billowing out of the stack, as long as there is still wood chunks in the coals and not ash you're getting the benefit of the smoke,you can add a chunk now and then during the cook if you like, I've never had it come out to smoky doing it.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Dave Pasma:
I have begun to use fist-sized wood chunks spread out in the unlit briquettes.
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>
How many chunks? Are they getting in the way of the fire spreading to the original unlit? What's your reason for not placing the wood on the lit?
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Dave/G:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Dave Pasma:
I have begun to use fist-sized wood chunks spread out in the unlit briquettes.
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>
How many chunks? Are they getting in the way of the fire spreading to the original unlit? What's your reason for not placing the wood on the lit? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I usually make sure one or 2 chunks are on the lit briquettes. But I also put wood chunks in among the unlit. Those wood chunks then start at various times during the cook. This helps provide steady smoke without having to add wood often.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by timothy:
Yep that's OK and what ya want. The white smoke is a burn-off of this and that once you get past that you should notice an almost invisible wisp of thin blue smoke, which is a good thing.

Tim </div></BLOCKQUOTE>+1
When I have my WSM dialed in just right, the smoke is invisible from certain angles; I have to walk around and get the right background to see it. Sounds like you're doing it right.
 
I know it's tempting to add wood if you can't see any smoke, but amen to the above. You usually probably don't need to, especially if it's windy. That'll make it that much harder to detect.

Anyhow, I don't mind adding a chunk or two if needed, but I prefer to stick with what I started off with. By the way, because of obvious density differences, fruitwood doesn't smoke near as long as oak, hickory, or even pecan.
 
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