What temps make wood chunks produce smoke?
- Thread starter W_Stewart
- Start date
Phil Perrin
TVWBB Hall of Fame
W,I'm not sure the temperature that chunks start smoking,but when I do low and slow,the chunks are gone after the cook is over. My dome temp stays at 225*-250*. HTH
Don Cash
TVWBB Gold Member
I think that the temp of the cooker is pretty much irrelevant. As long as the coals are lit and smoke wood is touching them smoke will be produced. I hot smoked some bacon in the 180* range on my WMS and was able to put a lot of smoke on it by adding smoke wood throughout the 4 hour smoke. I've smoked cheese in the kettle using only 1 or 2 coals over very little unlit with cooker temps under 100*...same thing, lots of smoke as long as smoke wood is on the lit coals.
"I would not think 200 - 300 degrees would be enough."
But 200º~300º is not what the coals are burning at.
A full-lit coal can reach 1000º.
A quick Google finds that generic "wood" will begin char'ing about 300º and spontaneously ignite about 400º~700º, depending on moisture level. The deprived oxygen level inside the WSM is what prevents the wood from producing flame.
But 200º~300º is not what the coals are burning at.
A full-lit coal can reach 1000º.
A quick Google finds that generic "wood" will begin char'ing about 300º and spontaneously ignite about 400º~700º, depending on moisture level. The deprived oxygen level inside the WSM is what prevents the wood from producing flame.
RichPB (richlife)
TVWBB Wizard
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by TravisH:
"I would not think 200 - 300 degrees would be enough."
But 200º~300º is not what the coals are burning at.
A full-lit coal can reach 1000º.
A quick Google finds that generic "wood" will begin char'ing about 300º and spontaneously ignite about 400º~700º, depending on moisture level. The deprived oxygen level inside the WSM is what prevents the wood from producing flame. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
This is the correct answer. If you put chunks on the cooking grates, nothing will happen. In my grill, I start with chunks on the flame tamers and turn the grill on high. When the chunks start charing and smoking, then the burner under them is turned down to Med (about 300 - 350) which is enough heat to keep them smoking. If I turn it down to LOW (say 225) they chunks will go out. Any higher, they are in danger of flaming -- especially if the lid is raised. The key as Travis said, is that on the WSM and in the grill, they oxygen is limited to a level the allow charing/smoking -- open the lid, the extra oxygen will cause them to flame.
Rich
"I would not think 200 - 300 degrees would be enough."
But 200º~300º is not what the coals are burning at.
A full-lit coal can reach 1000º.
A quick Google finds that generic "wood" will begin char'ing about 300º and spontaneously ignite about 400º~700º, depending on moisture level. The deprived oxygen level inside the WSM is what prevents the wood from producing flame. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
This is the correct answer. If you put chunks on the cooking grates, nothing will happen. In my grill, I start with chunks on the flame tamers and turn the grill on high. When the chunks start charing and smoking, then the burner under them is turned down to Med (about 300 - 350) which is enough heat to keep them smoking. If I turn it down to LOW (say 225) they chunks will go out. Any higher, they are in danger of flaming -- especially if the lid is raised. The key as Travis said, is that on the WSM and in the grill, they oxygen is limited to a level the allow charing/smoking -- open the lid, the extra oxygen will cause them to flame.
Rich