I noticed when wood is first added to the coals it gives a lot of smoke off, then as it burns down almost no smoke comes off. Is it still giving smoke flavor even if smoke isn't pouring out? Last time I smoked Salmon I added 6pcs of Alder wood as the very last thing I did. Smoke was pouring out at first and I was certain the fish was going to taste like a piece of burnt wood, but it came out great. I am alway nervous about the meat being too smokey. How can I tell if I have the right amount of smoke? Can I tell just by looking at it? The day before I smoked a Turkey and the wood had burned down a bit before I added the Turkey, and it had very little smoke flavor... Now I am going to try BRITU next weekend and it says to make sure the smoke wood is fully lit before cooking... I am confused.
When do I add the wood?
- Thread starter Crstacey
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Doug D
TVWBB Hall of Fame
While some will tell you that the fine wispy blue smoke is all you want (and need), if you keep the application of the wood down to the early part of the cook, you should be fine. It was perhaps a happy accident that your turkey had its wood burned down more, as poultry can really soak up the smoke, to the point of unpleasantness if overdone.
Shawn W
TVWBB Emerald Member
Hi Crstacey,
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Crstacey:
How can I tell if I have the right amount of smoke? Can I tell just by looking at it? ... Now I am going to try BRITU next weekend and it says to make sure the smoke wood is fully lit before cooking... I am confused. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> right amount of smoke is subjective, only you can really answer that. If you keep logs of your cooks and record how much of what wood etc. it might help.
The other suggestion I have for you is to just go light on the wood if you are worried about overpowering smoke flavour. Maybe like salt, it's better to have less than too much. On subsequent cooks refer to your log and your taste comments and adjust your smoke wood accordingly.
Being used to boiled then grilled ribs I was not happy with my first BRITU ribs. If you want ultra-tender-near-falling-off-the-bone ribs perhaps give Competition Ribs a try.
Have fun!
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Crstacey:
How can I tell if I have the right amount of smoke? Can I tell just by looking at it? ... Now I am going to try BRITU next weekend and it says to make sure the smoke wood is fully lit before cooking... I am confused. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> right amount of smoke is subjective, only you can really answer that. If you keep logs of your cooks and record how much of what wood etc. it might help.
The other suggestion I have for you is to just go light on the wood if you are worried about overpowering smoke flavour. Maybe like salt, it's better to have less than too much. On subsequent cooks refer to your log and your taste comments and adjust your smoke wood accordingly.
Being used to boiled then grilled ribs I was not happy with my first BRITU ribs. If you want ultra-tender-near-falling-off-the-bone ribs perhaps give Competition Ribs a try.
Have fun!
Crstacey
Probably better to adjust your smokey wood taste with the number of initial chunks rather than when you start the wood. You'll just have to experiment and some meats absorb more, such as poultry. I suggest starting with a couple of chunks for poutry and 3 to 4 for large cuts such as butts or brisket. Not quite enough smokey flavor is easier for most to handle than too much. I use the MM almost always and add the chunks when the cooker is assembled.
You will get more smoke at first, but not bellowing out unless you've really loaded it up. If it looks like too much to you, open the acess dorr and with long handle tongs carefully remove a chunk or two. Remember this will increase your pit temp so you don't want to keep the door open too long.
Even when you don't see the smoke, there is some and the meat will continue to absorb so long as any wood remains.
Good luck with your cooking.
Paul
Probably better to adjust your smokey wood taste with the number of initial chunks rather than when you start the wood. You'll just have to experiment and some meats absorb more, such as poultry. I suggest starting with a couple of chunks for poutry and 3 to 4 for large cuts such as butts or brisket. Not quite enough smokey flavor is easier for most to handle than too much. I use the MM almost always and add the chunks when the cooker is assembled.
You will get more smoke at first, but not bellowing out unless you've really loaded it up. If it looks like too much to you, open the acess dorr and with long handle tongs carefully remove a chunk or two. Remember this will increase your pit temp so you don't want to keep the door open too long.
Even when you don't see the smoke, there is some and the meat will continue to absorb so long as any wood remains.
Good luck with your cooking.
Paul
Jim Minion
TVWBB Emerald Member
See smoke is not what we are after, if you see white smoke it is not clean. As long as there is wood in the pit on the coals you are adding flavor. The question becomes what level of smoke are you looking for and that comes with cooking a number of times and finding that right level. Rule of thumb starting out is less is better.
jim
jim
Sean M.
TVWBB Fan
Here's an interesting scenario that just happened to me. I was in about 4-hours on a 7 hour spare smoke. All of a sudden huge amounts of smoke started coming out. I was dumbfounded and didn't want to open the lid. After peeking in the door, I saw that a rather large chunk had split and the knot was burning hot.
I called it my smoke turbocharger and the spares were fine - no extra smokiness.
~ Sean
I called it my smoke turbocharger and the spares were fine - no extra smokiness.
~ Sean
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