Smoke characteristics


 
J

jkoehler

New member
Sorry for the length of this. Question: is copious white smoke ok when typical charcoal grilling, e.g. with WSM? I had WSM for years, really liked it, then went pellet grill. Got rid of that and was going to go back to WSM but had opportunity to get drum smoker. It is touted (by the builder) as a reverse offset but it is not a true one as I understand reverse offset-the firebox is in the cooking chamber but the baffle plate covers only the firebox and is adjustable, plus the chimney is at the opposite end instead of the same end as the firebox for a true reverse offset. I've looked at a number of YT videos on reverse and normal offset and most say the smoke from the chimney (for both kinds of offset) should be nearly invisible or blue, that a lot of white smoke indicates a poor fire and will result in bad tasting BBQ. This would be counter to my limited experience with this smoker (haven't been able to produce that clear/blue smoke) and with the WSM. Wonder what the experts out there would say. Thanks.
 
White smoke is not bad, dark grey or black is and that's a sign of a poorly combusted fire.
The white is from moisture and certain natural chemicals burning off in the fuel and smokewood.
Usually takes an hour to turn into that TBS ( thin blue smoke.)
 
jkoehler said:
Sorry for the length of this. Question: is copious white smoke ok when typical charcoal grilling, e.g. with WSM? I had WSM for years, really liked it, then went pellet grill. Got rid of that and was going to go back to WSM but had opportunity to get drum smoker. It is touted (by the builder) as a reverse offset but it is not a true one as I understand reverse offset-the firebox is in the cooking chamber but the baffle plate covers only the firebox and is adjustable, plus the chimney is at the opposite end instead of the same end as the firebox for a true reverse offset. I've looked at a number of YT videos on reverse and normal offset and most say the smoke from the chimney (for both kinds of offset) should be nearly invisible or blue, that a lot of white smoke indicates a poor fire and will result in bad tasting BBQ. This would be counter to my limited experience with this smoker (haven't been able to produce that clear/blue smoke) and with the WSM. Wonder what the experts out there would say. Thanks.
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Got rid of the pellet and going back to the WSM?

I keep telling myself, don’t get a pellet, you won’t like it as much as your WSM. You’ve been done this road before, I tell myself. You think a new grill or smoker will be awesome, so much fun, so much better. Then you spend the money, and it’s not. Then you realize the WSM is still the best smoker you have ever had, I remind myself.


Anyway, the temptation is strong, but not going to get a pellet smoker.
 
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