How do guys with these big wood-eating smokers get the "blue smoke"?

sigpi906 · Jun 5, 2013

At a comp recently, I took more notice to the type of smoke coming out of people's chimineys. I also took note of the type of fuel lots of folks were using.

It seems like most of the big reverse flow trailers were just stoking their fireboxes with wood logs.... and lighting them with weed burners at that... I saw very few charcoal bags around the big smokers.

I was under the impression that just burning wood like this would lead to creosote-coated meat. (Caveat: I don't know how well any of these teams did... But I know my UDS got us a call in one category with the sweet blue smoke

)

Anyways, am I missing something? Is the "sweet blue" just a Brethren thing? Or do these fools just not know any better? I mean I saw $5-15K rigs pumping out plumes of the white smoke... Maybe I'm the fool for even asking the question... there's a village missing an idiot somewhere.

buttburnersbbq · Jun 5, 2013

I use a RF smoker and use all hickory wood without the bark . I get thin blue smoke which is a real thing . Were it looks as if there is no smoke coming out of the stack. I actually get a better sweeter flavor with the RF than my WSM . For the guys have white smoke pumping out of there rig . Sounds to me they have not mastered there rig .

Swine Spectator · Jun 5, 2013

I get "sweet blue" on my Klose offset using sticks. I dump a chimney of lump in the firebox to get it started, but then nothing but logs after that. I just have to manage my fire properly.

David
The Swine Spectator

3.2 Flu Que · Jun 5, 2013

I ensure that the fire is burning nice and hot. I normally start off with one load of lump and then add a few logs. After that, I add wood as needed - usually a log or two per hour. As long as the fie is burning hot the smoke will be fresh. I find that adding chunks to charcoal causes more undesirable smoke than burning logs, as the chunks have a tendency to smolder rather than burn clean.

BBQ Bandit · Jun 5, 2013

Thin Blue Smoke is the result of a thorough combustion of fuel and plenty of airflow.
[Whether its charcoal, lump, wood splits, or pellets... a clean combustion is imperative.]

dwfisk · Jun 5, 2013

buttburnersbbq said:
I use a RF smoker and use all hickory wood without the bark . I get thin blue smoke which is a real thing . Were it looks as if there is no smoke coming out of the stack. I actually get a better sweeter flavor with the RF than my WSM . For the guys have white smoke pumping out of there rig . Sounds to me they have not mastered there rig .

^This! A small hot fire is better than a big "choked" burn. I use kiln dried hickory in my RF and I'm used to clear blue almost invisible smoke. Granted, when I add new splits I'll get a few minutes of "white-nasty" but if it goes on for more than 10 minutes it's my bad for not tending the fire. And don't beleive the BS about stick burners being fuel hogs: depending on my target temp, the weather, how full the pit is and a bunch of other variables, I rarely need more tat 2 splits every 1-1/2 to 2 hours to maintain temps.

Mrfish · Jun 5, 2013

I agree with all above. Establish a good coal bed, then let her roll adding a stick or two an hour.

scubaquen · Jun 5, 2013

Combustion is the key, when my RF is running I hardly see any smoke other then thin blue. When I do see more then normal I usually need to add another stick of Pecan. And nothing but Pecan....

Cloudsmoker · Jun 5, 2013

Ditto. My best results come from overloading the first box of sticks to create a nice thick bed of coals. If I take the time to get a solid start, the rest tends to go easy - thin and blue. Rush the start, not so much.

boiler93 · Jun 5, 2013

Same as above but usually takes 45 min to an hour before Black Betty starts singing thin blue and thats when the food goes on.

nrok2118 · Jun 5, 2013

Plenty of air with a hot fire is key. Sometimes you can run some nasty white stuff when getting started if your in a rush...but when I get the the Lang going its nothing but sweet blue. Anything less than that is on the operator.

tinman · Jun 5, 2013

I don't know much about it, but my neighbor gets perfect blue on his monster rig and he was telling me that the difference between nasty smoke and thin blue on his is making sure the splits are put in there with enough space around them to get lots of air flow all around them. He really did seem to space his wood out and I could see a difference when he stacked it up and clumped it up to show me.

ddweatherholtz · Jun 5, 2013

I start with a chimney of lump. And about 5 chuncks. Let the chunks burn a bit and throw on my meat. Adding about 5 chunks spread out over the coals every 45min or so. I don't have to much acccess to splits but chunks work fine for me.

deepsouth · Jun 5, 2013

good thread.

Bludawg · Jun 5, 2013

It aint myth it's fire proper management You don't need a high dollar pit either. well seasoned oak
and a Tx matchstick.

charrederhead · Jun 5, 2013

That's (lots of of air/better combustion) why it's easier (and quicker) for me to get the TBS on my Cimarron offset than my WSM. Offsets are cool.

Mark Warren · Jun 5, 2013

This thread is starting to piss me off. I always thought I wanted a nice vertical smoker like the Pitmaker BBQ Vault. I don't have a whole lot of room and I would need to keep it in the garage when not in use. But after reading this thread I am now very interested in looking into a high quality stick burner that won't take up much more than 6 feet or so in my garage. I know I am opening a Hornets nest asking about brand preference, I also do not want to high jack this thread, so if anyone can PM me with their favorite brand and why I would be grateful.

NorthwestBBQ · Jun 5, 2013

Thin Blue :-D

Lake Dogs · Jun 6, 2013

> I was under the impression that just burning wood like this would lead to creosote-coated meat.

Wrong impression. As said by many, "Thin Blue Smoke is the result of a thorough combustion of fuel and plenty of airflow.". Allow me to say it the other way: Billowy White smoke is the result of smothering the fire and/or less air flow. Can be the result of either just starting a fire (it's not up to temps yet), or smothering a fire with too much wood, or smothering/cooling the fire with wet wood (refer to soaking wood chips/chunks), or just not getting enough air to the beast.

> Is the "sweet blue" just a Brethren thing?

Nope.

> Or do these fools just not know any better? I mean I saw $5-15K rigs pumping
> out plumes of the white smoke... Maybe I'm the fool for even asking the
> question... there's a village missing an idiot somewhere.

I think some competitors do this early on just for sport; to see who's lookin'. Knowing they'd never put meat on like that. Others, perhaps they dont know. Just because they compete doesn't mean that they make great BBQ. However, I'm sure most that do make great BBQ really understand sweet blue...

jamus34 · Jun 6, 2013

I have a WSM however here is a question that is in line to this discussion.

Would I be better off starting the fire (Using Minion method) using briqs or lump?

My current supply of cooking wood is KBB, King Comp, Royal Oak and chunks of oak, cherry and applewood.

How do guys with these big wood-eating smokers get the "blue smoke"?

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