Wood Chunks in WSM


 
M

Mike K

New member
How do you minimize the "smoldering" of new wood chunks placed in a WSM, so that the smoke is as "clean" and "light" as possible? Does anyone "pre-light" their wood chunks in a chimney or a separate grill/smoker - and then place the chunks in your WSM?

Thanks....

Mike
 
Mike, I've yet to have bbq out of my wsm that tasted too smoky, and I know what that tastes like: Yuck!

I'm not a scientist, but I feel that there's a difference between a fire that's not burning cleanly (like in an offset smoker with FLAMING wood that's not getting enough oxygen) and wood chunks smoldering on a bed of charcoal in the oxygen deprived environment of a wsm. That said, you can get a "cleaner smolder" by limiting the size and number of wood chunks. Also, they seem to burn cleaner when buried in the coals. The Slap Daddy BBQ guy puts his chunks around the outside of the ring. Maybe they get a bit more oxygen that way to burn cleaner.

You could go to the extreme and preburn wood like the BRITU guy did in a chimney. However, I honestly think you won't get enough smoke flavor like that, and really, I can't emphasize my first comment enough.
 
"smoldering" could be a lack air, lack of heat, and/or high moisture.

"new" wood chunks? As in newly cut?

In addition to Dave's suggestions, you could 'pre-heat' your wood on a grate inside the WSM. This would bring the wood closer to ignition point and dry it out.
 
Originally posted by TravisH:
"smoldering" could be a lack air, lack of heat, and/or high moisture.

"new" wood chunks? As in newly cut?

In addition to Dave's suggestions, you could 'pre-heat' your wood on a grate inside the WSM. This would bring the wood closer to ignition point and dry it out.
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I believe the first comment is highly applicable to a "stick burner" smoker situation, but IMHO, you're gonna have smoldering anytime you have an oxygen-deprived environment like with the wsm. Regardless of whether it's chips or chunks, green or seasoned, bark on or not, vents wide open or not.....the only way the wood won't smolder is to take the door or lid off and let enough oxygen get to the fire so that you actually get flames. That's what I think I learned with my first smoker, an offset, at least. If I kept the fire small and let enough oxygen get to it, the smoke looked clean, but it was a FIRE, with actual flaming hardwood.

The only time I see flames in my wsm is after I've had something off or open for a bit. Of course, we never do that on purpose with the wsm, since we're controlling the rate of burn by depleting the oxygen, thus avoiding temp spikes. If it's not a fire with flames, it's technically smoldering, isn't it?

The applicable queastion for the wsm user is about controlling how much smoke, using the suggestions I mentioned in my first post (an incomplete list I'm sure), whereas with the stickburner it's about trying to make sure you're not getting that awful smelling sooty smoke you get from a dirty (actually burning) fire. IOW, with the wsm I'm not worried so much about how the smoke looks as with the stickburner since I'm mainly concerned with the end product. The only nasty bbq I ever made was some spareribs I smoked on my offset before I learned what good smoke looked like. These ribs were blackened from soot, not heat, and I don't think you can even replicate 'em with a wsm. NO WAY.
 
Thanks for the insight...

I, too, have smoked on several different types of smokers, including a couple of offsets... And from using those smokers, you learn the importance of "clean smoke"...

I guess what prompted my question was in part due to my offset experiences... But it also came from my limited observation to date that the smoke I produce with my WSM is "heavier" at first when I first add the wood - maybe the first 30 minutes - compared to what it is like after the first 30 minutes... The smoke also seems to "smell" better after the first 30 minutes or so, too...

So I thought I would ask if maybe I ought to be "pre-heating" or "pre-burning" my wood chunks before adding it to my WSM and/or before putting any meat on... Sounds like it is a "non-concern" on my part...

Thanks again!!

Mike
 
Mike, regarding my smoke, I'm not concerned much with pork butts, but with my ribs, I'm a bit particular about how much smoke they get. I only bury a couple chunks in the charcoal to go along with the one I lay on top, and if the smoke ever goes away, I reach in with my tongs and try flipping my chunk before I'll add one.

Concerning pre-heating wood for smoking, I will lay a split on top of the firebox to heat up before burning. With the wsm, I keep a couple of chunks laying under the smoker wedged between the bowl and the pan (mine's a 2009). That kind of keeps 'em hot and ready to go if needed.

BTW, since this is somewhat of a technical site used by technical types, myself not included, I had to check. I found out that the first definition for "SMOLDER" in Webster's is:

to burn slowly at a low heat WITHOUT FLAMES.

There are those that will argue with me, but no way around it: You got some smoldering going on with a wsm. The thing is, that doesn't mean your smoke's no good.
 
Way great info, Dave... Thanks a million!!... I know this is kinda "small stuff"... But I am actually going out to compete with my WSM's this weekend for the first time... Have been competing for 5 years now (including a trip to the Jack last year), and you soon learn it is the "little things" that can make a difference at a comp... So this "technical" stuff is very helpful to me!!

Thanks again!

Mike
 
One thing that was told to me that this comp team does is to let the fire burn clean before adding your meat, which I never did. Basically after lighting your coals for the MM, then assemble your fire with the hot coals on top and wood chunks on the fire. Assemble the rest of the WSM except do not have the meat on. Let it burn clean until you see the thin smoke (blue or grayish depending on what charcoal you use)....usually about 30-45 min max.

What I do now since I have a Stoker and use a clay saucer is light my coals in my chimney, then while they are lighting, get the Stoker connected and wired, establish my connection with my laptop for Stokerlog, then get everything else ready and assembled. Once the coals are lit, spread them on top of the unlit, add my wood chunks, put the mid section, put the lid on and let the fire settle down controlling with my Stoker interface to bring the temp up or down to where I want it. This time also allows the clay saucer to stabilize and come up to temp. Usually in about 30 min, I have a nice thin blue smoke, then I add my meat and I am off.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

Kg
 
Thanks, Keith... I was already heading that way with my thinking, too.. Obviously you & others have been thinking along the same line, too...

Mike
 
I have never had a problem with my WSM or any smoker giving off a bad taste from wood I use . Thats normaly Hickory and Apple wood at times grape wood or cherry replacing the hickory or apple dependiong on the meat. ! I just add it at the start some buried some on top MINION my fire and let the smoke roll add the meat when I assemble the cooker . This weekend Iam going one step further and gona add my chunks as normal and then use Dr BBQ's style of mixing chips all thru my K not a lot but enough so I get fresh smoke all thru the cook of brisket and butts .

I have a personal opinon on WHY SOME get a bad taste from some smoke wood ! IMO its from using wood thats not let dry and there trying to smoke with green or half dried wood . Thus causing the foul taste BUT thats just my 2 cents if its worth that and Iam by far NO expert . Green wood burned oin a fireplace a jam it up with gunk and that also can't be very good on food .
 
Originally posted by Guy Wallace:
I have never had a problem with my WSM or any smoker giving off a bad taste from wood I use . Thats normaly Hickory and Apple wood at times grape wood or cherry replacing the hickory or apple dependiong on the meat. ! I just add it at the start some buried some on top MINION my fire and let the smoke roll add the meat when I assemble the cooker . This weekend Iam going one step further and gona add my chunks as normal and then use Dr BBQ's style of mixing chips all thru my K not a lot but enough so I get fresh smoke all thru the cook of brisket and butts .

I have a personal opinon on WHY SOME get a bad taste from some smoke wood ! IMO its from using wood thats not let dry and there trying to smoke with green or half dried wood . Thus causing the foul taste BUT thats just my 2 cents if its worth that and Iam by far NO expert . Green wood burned oin a fireplace a jam it up with gunk and that also can't be very good on food .
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Guy, you'd think that about the green wood, and I agree that you want to stay away from it in a stick burner. However, I've found with my wsm and my uds (oxygen depleted environments, technically speaking
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) that green fruitwood like peach and apple is awesome!

I learned the hard way cooking ribs in my first smoker, a small offset that I was burning wood in, that when you have an actual fire burning, it's a whole different story! Most folks don't realize that smoldering (no flames) wood chunks in a charcoal smoker are harmless compared to what's so EASY to get with a stickburner, particularly a smaller one. That's one reason why tin foil is often called the "Texas Crutch". Burning a clean fire takes lessons learned the hard way, and the foil is an easy cheat. Load 'er up as long as the meat's wrapped up, right?

With the wsm, it's all good as long as you don't go overboard.
 
Guy,

I will agree that I have not had a cook where I had a bad taste from the smoke wood. However, FWIW I will say since I started letting the smoke burn clean, my cooks have had a softer/milder smoke taste that has been noticed by my family and others.....and all like it better including me. While my original method produced good results, now looking back I think the smoke taste was a little overpowering and a bit too much since you could not taste as much of the meat flavors. (I also used too much smoke wood as well thinking more was better) Now if you like the smoke flavors the best, then that is great, but we have really liked the meat / smoke flavor profile better after letting it burn clean.

Just throwing the info out there since it helped me. But YMMV.

Good luck,
Kg
 
Originally posted by KeithG:
Guy,

I will agree that I have not had a cook where I had a bad taste from the smoke wood. However, FWIW I will say since I started letting the smoke burn clean, my cooks have had a softer/milder smoke taste that has been noticed by my family and others.....and all like it better including me. While my original method produced good results, now looking back I think the smoke taste was a little overpowering and a bit too much since you could not taste as much of the meat flavors. (I also used too much smoke wood as well thinking more was better) Now if you like the smoke flavors the best, then that is great, but we have really liked the meat / smoke flavor profile better after letting it burn clean.

Just throwing the info out there since it helped me. But YMMV.

Good luck,


Kg
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Less is more....sure, and I sure don't want too much of ANY kind of smoke on my meat.

.....BUT, I'm yet to learn how anything is gonna "burn clean" in an oxygen depleted environment meant to allow the charcoal and anything else in there like wood to smolder. IOW, if it's smoldering, it's not burning, clean or not.

You can mix some wood chips in with the charcoal and get an almost invisible stream of smoke going, but it's still SMOLDERING, not burning, right? It's just a much slower rate since such little wood.

You want your wood to burn clean? Take the lid and door off. No, go ahead and take the cooking chamber off. Wait a second....Now it's burning clean... unless you just dumped something on not ready to ignite. Concerning that (fueling), I will quote G. Wiviott concerning refueling:

"After refreshing the charcoal on any of the cookers, leave the lid of the firebox or cooker open for five to ten minutes, until the charcoal fully engages and stops billowing smoke. This initial smoke from the charcoal can give your meat a bitter, acrid flavor."

I think that's a bit long, especially for someone like him who just uses lump, but you get his point. Good smoke is going to be affected by what's going on in the charcoal chamber BEFORE it's closed up. Everything else is just relative to the amount of wood you have in there. I'm all ears if somebody has a way to get better smoke, though!
 
I just can't get my head around the charcoal having to burn off clean befor you put your smoker together and your meat on ! IF that were the case the MM would make meat taste awful And we all no the MM is great IMO anyway YMMV thou .
As for the folks here as long as I don't use mesqusite or go really nuts with hickory . they prefer a med to heavy smoke . Personly if I was cooking just for me I can't get to much hickory smoke on my stuf
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Originally posted by Guy Wallace:
I just can't get my head around the charcoal having to burn off clean befor you put your smoker together and your meat on ! IF that were the case the MM would make meat taste awful And we all no the MM is great IMO anyway YMMV thou .
As for the folks here as long as I don't use mesqusite or go really nuts with hickory . they prefer a med to heavy smoke . Personly if I was cooking just for me I can't get to much hickory smoke on my stuf
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Guy, I know what you mean. It's not really a concern with the wsm. Before I got my wsm I heard how folks would bury so much wood in the charcoal and I'd wonder how they didn't oversmoke the meat. I was going from my experience with my first offset.

My first slabs of ribs off that smoker were INEDIBLE, thanks to my non-existant fire management skills. I was basting with a pretty thick sauce and must of gotten a fresh layer of bad smoke between each mopping. It wasn't pretty, but thankfully I haven't had any more such disasters since.

BTW, Dr. BBQ's (Ray Lampe) theory is that the water pan might be washing some of the smoke from the cooker. I don't really know about that, but it does seem that I get less smoke on the meat with my wsm than my upright drum smoker (MM charcoal smoker with no water pan). It also seems that all the "dry pan posters" seem to be a little more concerned with their smoke than the average wsm joe.
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I was reading that about Dr BBQ I always use water now unless it chicken prefer it ! I was just gona give part of his idea a try mixing some wood chips thru my K with my chunks a wood still in there also . So I picked up a bag a Apple wood chips its mild I wouldn't do that with hickory wife would shoot me
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.
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Dave,

I think you are not understanding what I mean by burning clean. Yes, of course, the coals don't burn "clean" because they are smoldering and not burning. What I mean by burning clean is getting smoke from the coals/wood to turn from a heavy gray color to a thin blue smoke. I really don't care what the burn process is or the state of the burn of the coals during this process is.....I just want to put my meat on after the heavy smoke has subsided.

Is this critical to do? No. I originally wanted a lot of the heavy gray smoke since I thought that was better and tried to keep it going as long as possible when I put my meat. After trying this "burn clean" wait for the thin blue smoke, I like the taste profile and balance better. So this info helped me when it was passed along.

It may seem like extra time and more steps, but it really hasn't made a big impact or made it harder since while the smoke is burning clean, that is when I pull the meat from the frig and do some final prep of it. Usually when I get it done and down to the smoker along with get my other stuff situated, the smoke is looking good and I throw it on.

Good luck,
Kg
 
Guy,

Again, I am not saying that not allowing the heavy smoke to burn clean is going to produce bad results. I did it for years and really never once had a bad cook. I am just saying that ever since I was told about letting the smoke burn off to a thin blue color, I and the family are liking the smoke balance and meat flavors. If it doesn't work for you, then no big deal. It helped me so I thought I would pass along.

Good luck,
Kg
 
Originally posted by KeithG:
Dave,

I think you are not understanding what I mean by burning clean. Yes, of course, the coals don't burn "clean" because they are smoldering and not burning. What I mean by burning clean is getting smoke from the coals/wood to turn from a heavy gray color to a thin blue smoke. I really don't care what the burn process is or the state of the burn of the coals during this process is.....I just want to put my meat on after the heavy smoke has subsided.

Is this critical to do? No. I originally wanted a lot of the heavy gray smoke since I thought that was better and tried to keep it going as long as possible when I put my meat. After trying this "burn clean" wait for the thin blue smoke, I like the taste profile and balance better. So this info helped me when it was passed along.

It may seem like extra time and more steps, but it really hasn't made a big impact or made it harder since while the smoke is burning clean, that is when I pull the meat from the frig and do some final prep of it. Usually when I get it done and down to the smoker along with get my other stuff situated, the smoke is looking good and I throw it on.

Good luck,
Kg
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Keith,

I gotcha, and I completely agree with that start. I do about the same, and you're voicing the same concerns that Wiviott does in his book concerning starting the fire (and refueling, too.) If it sounded like I was being "technical", it was because I'm afraid that if we simply mention "burning clean", we confuse the issue. For instance, a guy with an offset stickburner most definately has to keep his fire "burning clean" throughout the cook, but the guy with the wsm can pretty much chill and not worry about his smoke if he got it going right to begin with. He doesn't need to worry if his smoke starts getting a little heavier because a new chunk is starting to smolder. Know what I mean? That's all I was trying to say. You're definately right about how to get it right at the start, and it means a lot less smoke in the eyes when you put the meat on, too, huh?!
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Regards,
Dave
 
You got that right Dave.....hate that heavy smoke in the eyes! And you are right in getting the coals to burn correctly in other smokers/grills since I tried to use my cousins old charcoal grill over memorial day to just add some smoke with a rump roast and boy what a PITA that was. But it made me realize how lucky and easy I have it with my WSM.

Yea I have also had problems when I have the lid off for some time and the fire gets stoked causing more heavy smoke. What I have been doing lately is for those times where I know I am going to need the lid off for more than a few seconds, then I remove the entire mid section and put the lid over the bottom charcoal bowl. This keeps the fire in check and allows me to take my time to do whatever I need to with the meat. I don't use water so spillage is not a concern and I installed handles on the side of my mid section so lifting is usually not an issue.

Thanks again for the info and can't wait to do another cook this weekend.

Kg
 
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