Doing my first smoke with all wood. Any tips would be appreciated.

I suggest you establish a good bed of embers and then add sticks to maintain a small/hot fire.

Keep a Hot, Clean fire. It's all about the Fire.
Start with a good bed of coals from your charcoal. Then start adding SMALL sticks and build from there until you have a good bed of coals with wood. Keep adding sticks that are little larger until you have the right size for your smoker.

Don't add too much wood all at once. Keep it hot and clean. The proper fire will produce a LIGHT blue smoke, if you notice any smoke at all. Don't worry, the proper wood fire will produce the BEST smoke flavor.

If you are getting white puffs of smoke, your fire is too cold and you have probably added too much wood at one time.

Hot and Clean, Baby!!!! It's all about the fire.
Takes a little more time and a little practice, but that's what real BBQ it is all about.

Anybody can put a little rub on meat and put it on a smoker, turn a knob and go in the house for 12 hours!!!!

Stick burners Rule!!! That's REAL BBQ.

Just trying to get everyone cranked up. That's my job!!!!
PARTY!!!!!!

Mark said:

I suggest you establish a good bed of embers and then add sticks to maintain a small/hot fire.

Click to expand...

To be honest, that's what you are doing with the charcoal. Setting the base so that the embers produce the heat and the sticks give you the smoke....

When I start with all wood I build a big hot fire to get a good set of coals. Once I have established the coals, I warm the wood on the fire box before adding any. It seems that i don't get that rush of smoke when adding wood to the fire and it keeps it clean and hot. Hope this helps....but I am only a Texan giving help.....:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

All wood! You are stepping up to the big leagues now, IMHO. There is a difference in flavor with all-wood versus charcoal/lump and wood, and it will be apparent to you. Some people do not like the flavors from all wood, but that is about 1 in every 10 or 15 folks, so the odds are on your side what you cook will be a hit.

There are two schools I am familiar with on all-wood smoking. The first says the best way is to start out your wood fire in the cooker you plan to use, let the wood burn down to coals and the temp settle, begin your smoke, and then add a couple sticks as needed just to keep the fire smoldering and the smoke going.

The second school says the way to do it is to start a wood fire in another vessel (half a barrel cut lengthwise, or even right on the ground, on gravel or in a fire ring). Scoop the coals from this fire into your smoker, and stoke the separate fire to later feed your smoker fire.

I have done it both ways, and I prefer the first school for ease and convenience. I can't see a difference in flavor between the first and second methods, but there is a huge difference in workload for the chef!

kickassbbq said:

Keep a Hot, Clean fire. It's all about the Fire.
Start with a good bed of coals from your charcoal. Then start adding SMALL sticks and build from there until you have a good bed of coals with wood. Keep adding sticks that are little larger until you have the right size for your smoker.

Don't add too much wood all at once. Keep it hot and clean. The proper fire will produce a LIGHT blue smoke, if you notice any smoke at all. Don't worry, the proper wood fire will produce the BEST smoke flavor.

If you are getting white puffs of smoke, your fire is too cold and you have probably added too much wood at one time.

Hot and Clean, Baby!!!! It's all about the fire.
Takes a little more time and a little practice, but that's what real BBQ it is all about.

Anybody can put a little rub on meat and put it on a smoker, turn a knob and go in the house for 12 hours!!!!

Stick burners Rule!!! That's REAL BBQ.

Just trying to get everyone cranked up. That's my job!!!!
PARTY!!!!!!

Click to expand...

What he said ... :wink:

Divemaster said:

To be honest, that's what you are doing with the charcoal. Setting the base so that the embers produce the heat and the sticks give you the smoke....

Click to expand...

True, charcoal embers are also embers.

Another bit of advice Bamabuzzard: use the right type of wood for the meat. Fruitwoods for poultry for example or even for pork & beef if you desire a lighter smoke. Or mix fruit woods with nutwoods like hickory or oak.