Smokey fire for pork butts?

[Jeff Padell]

I have always heard thin blue smoke when smoking foods. I recently read where for pork butts you want a smokey fire, they didn't specify blue smoke, but to me the term "Smokey fire" sounds like a lot of smoke?
Comments?

 

[Russell Y]

I think I would need to read what you read, in whole, before I could make comments.

 

[Dwain Pannell]

I'm a less is more kinda guy when it comes to the amount of smoke I use. I steer clear from the ashtray effect. For a pork butt I may use two or three chunks of apple, cherry, peach, etc. If I use hickory I may use one maybe two chunks.

 

[Jeff Padell]

IT was on on "about.com the BBQ/Smoking area

arbecue is all about the smoke. While you could cook your pork roast in oven low and slow, without the smoke it will have the right flavor and texture of real barbecue.

Maintain a good smoking temperature around 225 degrees F. with a good, smoky fire. Refer to your smokers operating manual for information about your specific smoker. It will take about 1 to 1 1/4 hours per pound of meat to smoke a pork roast. Make sure you have plenty of time because under cooking will result in tough meat that just isn't barbecue.

During the smoking you may choose to apply a mop. A mop will help add moisture to the surface of the meat while it cooks and help add additional flavor.

 

[Russell Y]

I'd have to say that these are general instructions, not specific instructions and wouldn't use this information as a counter argument in a debate about what is best when smoking.

 

[Bill]

I can understand your confusion. That blurb isn't very specific. They could mean a billowy blaze or just a fire w/some smoke wood for flavor. I say stick w/what's been proven time and again..ie-thin blue.

 

[Jeff Padell]

I have found that when I put too much smoke on something especially chicken I don't like it, chicken and turkey less is more, everything else is not far behind.

 

[Greg Powers]

I would read it as meaning a fire that puts out smoke; ie: not gas or electric

 

[timothy]

I read something similar on another site also: "Maintain a steady stream of smoke the first 6 hours by adding wood chunks"
For me, white smoke for the first hour is normal followed by the TBS. If one needs to add that much white smoke for the duration of a cook, than I say they are not using wood with the right moisture content.
I'm a less is more type of guy also.. 2-3 chunks at the beginning and that's it.

Tim

 

[Scott C.]

Imho, the amount of smoke depends on what you are cooking and how they are served. Butts can take alot, and I kind of prefer it that way so it's not masked by the sauce. The problem with a lot of so called BBQ joints around here at least is, once you put on the sauce, you loose the underlying smoked taste of the meat.

Obviously, with anything you can go overboard, but I think the trick is to find a balance on the amount of smoke with every meat so that whatever you serve it with compliments the final result. Smoke is kind of the percussion or bass to the sauces guitar. More delicate meats like chicken, turkey, and especially fish don't need much.

Pretty basic logic there, but I've had an awful lot of BBQ out there that don't seem to get this.

 

[Mike Willis]

After seeing remarks on "About.com" on a LOT of different subjects, I steer clear of that web site. As far as I'm concerned, it's a lot like "Yahoo Answers"…you just can't tell the people "in the know" from the "know-it-alls". For barbecue advice, go to barbecue web sites.

I'm in Dwain's corner - less is more. I've been using a couple of chunks of apple wood with one chunk of hickory and have been happy with the results. The size of the chunks is dependent on the size of the pork butt(s)...

Hope this helps....

 

[Joe Fountain]

I may use a little more wood that some here but have found as I have improved my smoking skills I do not use as much wood as I used to.
I am putting on about 17lbs of butts this am. have about 5 fist size chunks each of pecan and peach. this seems to work well for me

joe

 

[Brian Johnson]

Imho, the amount of smoke depends on what you are cooking and how they are served. Butts can take alot, and I kind of prefer it that way so it's not masked by the sauce. The problem with a lot of so called BBQ joints around here at least is, once you put on the sauce, you loose the underlying smoked taste of the meat.

Obviously, with anything you can go overboard, but I think the trick is to find a balance on the amount of smoke with every meat so that whatever you serve it with compliments the final result. Smoke is kind of the percussion or bass to the sauces guitar. More delicate meats like chicken, turkey, and especially fish don't need much.

Pretty basic logic there, but I've had an awful lot of BBQ out there that don't seem to get this.

Well said Scott!

I tend to like a heavier smoke on my butts than say my ribs or chicken, but I think that has a lot to do with how we use the meat. Typically once the butts get pulled we are only eaten as sandwiches or on their own for like one or two meals. After that, the rest of the meat is generally frozen and used in other dishes later. I like to tell myself that I use heavier smoke to make sure that the flavor doesn't get lost in the other dishes, but I don't really know how true that is.