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

BBQ Bandits picture is golden. I personally think the barely visible blue smoke is for charcoal only and stick burners that have a nice coal bed. My FEC100 pumps out some nasty looking smoke and the food never has too much smoke flavor. The same could be said for any pellet smoker. I also have a 14' offset that cooks incredibly well but there is white smoke until I get a nice coal bed going. I have never had an acrid smoke taste on it. As long as the fire isn't choked and you have good airflow, I wouldn't worry too much. Going back to BBQ Bandits photo, I would say either the airflow isn't right on either the intake or exhaust or the fire is out and smoldering. Something like that needs to be fixed.

As an aside, if you ever get the chance to watch Aaron Franklin's, John Mueller's, John Lewis's pits (those are the only top pitmasters joints I've been to with stick burners) it's not always that thin almost clear blue smoke. I have a buddy who cooked with John Lewis for a couple if months and I mentioned how much smoke was coming out of their pit. His response was that they don't worry about it unless its that thick, almost gray billowing smoke.

BBQ Bandit said:

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.]

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What He said ...No More No Less :clap:

well seasoned wood

Well seasoned wood as opposed to green wood makes a huge difference in the heat of the fire and smoke clarity. Obviously dryer wood burns hotter and faster that green wet wood thereby making it is easier to maintain that clear blue heat that is so necessary on a successful long cook. I used to use greener wood (seasoned less than six months) but found it difficult to keep the fire hot after I added wood. Once I discovered I could cook with wood a year or older with much less of a fight. Well, it's been happy days.
If I find myself using green wood, I'll split the wood about 2"x3" or about half the size of dry wood and I'll preheat them on my fire box before I use them to stoke the fire.

Does it matter if the bark is left on the wood?

If you read through this thread, there are quite a few things that cause the smoke issue. Personally I prefer the taste of meats smoked with wood. But wood is not a mass produced product like charcoal briquettes, lump charcoal, pellets, etc... So wood type, moisture, pit conditions, and handling all impact the smoke produced. Practices like making sure wood is seasoned (although i like my wood with a little moisture, especially cherry as it burns too quick), pre-heating sticks, running a small hot fire, and not using the stack to control draft all work to reduce visibility. And don't forget weather! My lang smoke is much more visible on cool moist mornings.

But the bottom line is that as long as you don't have that thick white acrid smoke, you are probably doing it right!

no bark can definitely be left on..

I was about to start typing and answer but after reading through what you folks posted.. no need to add a word...

:thumb: good job folks!

BBQchef33 said:

I was about to start typing and answer but after reading through what you folks posted.. no need to add a word...

:thumb: good job folks!

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That's why I (we) LOVE THIS PLACE, Poobs!!