Im still doing something majorly wrong.

The fire is not hot enough to burn the wood like logs in a stickburner with full combustion. Yours just smoldered causing the white smoke. I would suggest to bury the chucks in the coals so that it takes 30-45 minutes for the hot coals to reach. That way you'll have a hot piece of wood when the fire hit it. But either way if you're not outright burning the wood I'm not sure you'll get sweet blue. But I could be wrong, usually am.

Edit: oops forgot you already tried to bury chucks.

I would recommend placing the chunk of wood in your chimney with your charcoal/lump to let it get a head start. After dumping the lit chunk/charcoal/lump mix let it get to temp and wait at least 30 minutes till you see thin blue. Just be patient it will happen. Let those chunks "carbonize" It needs to happen.

I guess I should ask.....was the wood seasoned correctly?

Could be bad wood as well. I've had bad chunks that wouldn't stop smoldering bad smoke in my egg once. Pulled it and added a new chunk and was clean within minutes.

LT:
I think you're too worried about the color of the smoke on the kettle. What you describe, I do all the time. (for my famous smokey chicken: leg quarters, smoke roasted at 300+ on the kettle for 1.25 hrs, 5-6 times a summer 'round here) I often use chunks of apple and it puts off lots of white smoke, but when you smell the smoke, It's sweet, it's not acrid. I also used fresh chunks early this May from a cherry tree I cut down in March. It worked fine, so I don't think chunks on a charcoal fire need to be seasoned. Most of the people talking about what color the smoke should be are burning wood as their main cooking fuel. That's a lot different than using charcoal. Different rules I don't know.

Next time check to see what the smoke smells like, and if if it doesn't stink proceed with the cook and see what it tastes like in the end.

BTW the chunks you are using are big enough to use one at a time, unless you are trying for some serious smokiness. Each one will provide plenty of smoke for a kettle for about 45 minutes. Maybe 2 of them is what making the smoke too thick...
If you are trying for a lower temp in the kettle you need to use some sort of baffle to get the charcoal to stack up and keep radiant heat away from the cooking area. Fire bricks or charcoal rails or even a Smokenator will help with that. Also water pans will help regulate temp.

I agree with Jim.
Light your fire, put a chunk of wood on.
So you get a few minutes of white smoke. No big deal.
Roll with it.

Seems like the gauge is blocking a whole lot of exhaust. Pre heat the chunks.

Norcoredneck said:

Seems like the gauge is blocking a whole lot of exhaust. Pre heat the chunks.

Click to expand...

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
What Noco said. Start the chunk in the chimney with your lit lump and let it get to the point where there are flames shooting out the top of the chimney and the lump is a lot more lit. I think you might be dumping the chimney to soon. Then place a couple of chunks on any free space on the food grate (NOT over the fire) so they can pre-heat while the food is cooking. When you need to add the pre-heated chunks, combustion will be immediate.

The pic of the wood shows its only "carbonized" on the exterior. You got the heat from the flames not hot coals.... I've learned one must be very patient about the fire... in other words, when you think its ready.... wait a little longer. Just my 2 cents.

+1 thats how i do it.

Neil said:

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
What Noco said. Start the chunk in the chimney with your lit lump and let it get to the point where there are flames shooting out the top of the chimney and the lump is a lot more lit. I think you might be dumping the chimney to soon. Then place a couple of chunks on any free space on the food grate (NOT over the fire) so they can pre-heat while the food is cooking. When you need to add the pre-heated chunks, combustion will be immediate.

Click to expand...

+1 thats how i do it on my kettle.

Looks to me like you got it!!

The only thing I noticed from your first post is that you never mention what you're doing with the lid until you're up to temp. I let the fire get going, then close the lid and let things settle, before I decide my fire is ready.

If you're not putting the lid on until the fire is "ready", you're making a sudden and drastic change in air flow, which will affect heat and smoke...

Personally I think you are putting way to much thought into it. No offense intended.
Just put in some unlit lump, and dump a small amount of lit lump on top of it, then put the lid on. Or put in the lump, then lay a lit paper towel on top(twisted tight & soaked in olive oil).

Good Luck!

MadCityJim said:

LT:
I think you're too worried about the color of the smoke on the kettle. What you describe, I do all the time. (for my famous smokey chicken: leg quarters, smoke roasted at 300+ on the kettle for 1.25 hrs, 5-6 times a summer 'round here) I often use chunks of apple and it puts off lots of white smoke, but when you smell the smoke, It's sweet, it's not acrid. I also used fresh chunks early this May from a cherry tree I cut down in March. It worked fine, so I don't think chunks on a charcoal fire need to be seasoned. Most of the people talking about what color the smoke should be are burning wood as their main cooking fuel. That's a lot different than using charcoal. Different rules I don't know.

Next time check to see what the smoke smells like, and if if it doesn't stink proceed with the cook and see what it tastes like in the end.

Click to expand...

I agree completely on using your nose more than your eyes. That's what I do. If the smoke smells good, the food should taste good.

CD

caseydog said:

I agree completely on using your nose more than your eyes. That's what I do. If the smoke smells good, the food should taste good.

CD

Click to expand...

Sometimes if in doubt , I put my hand over the exhaust for a couple seconds then smell my hand. If it smells good, go with it...if it smell "off" I wait a little longer.

It seems like you have gotten it working, but, here is what I would do that is not clear to me whether you are doing this or not. I put the lit lump, and I like it completely lit, not lit on the edges, I use about 1/4 chimney, directly onto the unlit. I then put the grate on and place the wood over the lit, on the grate. Close the kettle and let it run for 15 to 20 minutes monitoring temperature. I never want the grate temperature to rise above cooking temperature. Once temperature is stabilized where I want it, I drop the now heated wood chunks on the edge of the lit coals, they will now ignite and smolder fine. Put grate on, put meat on and let it run. Since I am often smoking a long time on my kettle, I will put a couple chunks of wood on the grate, away from the fire to get them heated up for more smoke about 1/2 hour into the cook.

So you dont normally let the lump sit until red hot? You said you EVEN let the lump get red hot?

What do you normally do?!? :shock: