Holy smoke!

firecracker jack

is one Smokin' Farker
Joined
Jun 27, 2009
Location
bellevil...
Yes, your pal Firecracker jack is back, and as usual beggin for help....
Was reading about clean blue smoke...and not white...
White smoke?...Blue smoke? Whats the true difference?.... and how do I achieve the best?......

Oh and by the way....Just did my fourth burn on the new diamondplate 60
smoker, (and while I was achieving a nice white smoke all afternoon), I tried smoking some baby-backs....Now on the old chargriller pro/sfb,(at higher temps), I could be fall off the bone done in -1 hour on, 1 hour wrapped......But today on the dpp-60 I ran at about 240-250,
(4 thermomters...2 tel tru on the doors and 2 oven thermometers setting on th rack...All pretty-much within 5-10 degrees of each other), 1hour bone side down...1 hour meat side down...2 hours wrapped in foil...and another 45min.- 1 hour unwrapped..
Nice flavor, (umm good)....beautiful bark like appearence...but came out tough?????


Any suggestions or comments?

As usual,
The back yard pro...Who don't really know
Firecrackerjack
 
The only tip I can give is one I read here, and started using. Don't worry so much about time/temp. Use your probe or whatever (I use a metal skewer from my grill kit) and check for tenderness...

I have no idea if this helps or not....
 
To achieve blue smoke you need a clean fire.. that means good airflow on the way in and out..

as far as the ribs - surprised you were getting fall off the bone ribs in only two hours.. the rib time today seems more realistic but you just needed more time.. no magic #... just approximates... it's done when it's done.. no sooner.

Good luck !
 
Thanks for your replies

Thanks,
I guess I'm looking for big results too quickly...It's just 5+ hours for baby-backs...I'm not used to that...

I did try to check them with the toothpick method that I read about in a post,(little pressure in...no resistance out), and only one out of the three slabs was like that. But I figured after that kinda time..I'd have them plenty dried out if I let them go any longer...Should I let them go longer berfore I wrap them or after I wrap them.............? Or maybe check them for tenderness just when I'm ready to unwrap, and if they don't feel right with the old toothpick...Wrap em back up and try again in another hour?

Ok, now....Blue smoke as a result of a clean fire...air in...air out...freely flowing...How I was going about this was: Because this new diamond plate 60 is about ten times the size of my chargriller pro..It seems it likes alot of recovery time(temp wise) after you open the door to realize you still have'nt got your baby-backs cooked properly. So to get past this I've been building pretty hot fires and trying to baffle them down by using the baffles in the heat delivery tubes between the firebox and cooking chambers. In which case after I open the door and lose temp in the cooking chamber..I can just open the baffles wider and recover quicker. Maybe I'm choking off the air flow too much, and should try smaller fires
adding less fuel more often.....???.....leaving the baffles more open...

I've heard quite different stories on the use of greener woods...On one hand I heard it said you get more flavor from greener wood, and many more times I 've heard that it leaves a residue from the sap and moisture...How will that effect a fire, and my much sought after "Blue Smoke"? Should I burn only seasoned woods?...and how long need wood be seasoned not to be green?....Like me,(sorry!)

Thanks again,
The backyard pro who still don't know
Firecrackerjack
 
Firecrackerjack. just trying to be helpfu here. Search tab is your friend for this forum. A lot of good info if you will take a little time to see what others before you have done.
 
p1010224.jpg
 
Six months minimum for seasoning. Preferrably 1 year. Unseasoned wood will give you that white chugging smoke that's in the pic.
and a bitter taste IMO.
Have you tried preheating your wood?? Preheated wood bursts into flames almost immediately.

Split wood will burn better than rounds
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Six months minimum for seasoning. Preferrably 1 year. Unseasoned wood will give you that white chugging smoke that's in the pic.
and a bitter taste IMO.
Have you tried preheating your wood?? Preheated wood bursts into flames almost immediately.
what he said. if you're using hickory or mesquite- maybe go easy on the woods-they're pretty strong for some palates.
 
Firecracker,
There are some really good threads about stick burners and large pits here.
I have learned more from them then trial and error. However, practice goes a long way.
Hints,
Keep your exhaust wide open.
Control your fire with the air input.
Pre-heat wood.
Learn your pit...they are all different...
Practice on some pork butts...
jon
 
Fall of the bone ribs means overdone......lose the foil and 5hr seems to long on the cooker I'd be lucky with just 3 at 270 and the bend test works every time pickup a slab w/ tongs if the ribs bend to the point of almost breaking thier done...no toothpicks
 
Thanks for the help'

Thanks for all the help and suggestions..I will refer back to them...Keep on practicing.....and keep on searchin the forums for answers....

White smoke....Oh No!!
005.jpg
 
smaller fire, more airflow...control airflow with input vents and keep the exhaust open. Dont use wet wood, and like mentioned earlier splits burn much easier and cleaner then whole round logs

one more thing...a smoker that big needs to get pre heated pretty good...I used to get my fire good, hot and big for at least an hour before I started backing the temp down..you want to saturate the entire smoker with heat...that will make for more even temps, and allow you to have a smaller fire burning to reach the temps you want to
 
Thanks for all of the advise,

I will try these things out and let you know....
Firecrackerjack
First brisket on the new cooker...I have to admitt alittle dry...but umm Good!!!
011.jpg
 
A little dry but good
Sounds like a good excuse to do another one !!!
 
Hello Fire Cracker ... I have a Lang Model 80 stick burner and everything I have read is true. The pre-heat is real important for stable temps (I allow 1 hour from Start to Putting the meat on). I always also keep the exhaust wide open and regulate with firebox input air vents. I will also add that you should build just enough fire to keep at your cook temp with the intake vents as wide open as possible. Too restricked intake means less pit airflow (Breathing) and allows the bitter (Creosoke) build-up to form easily.

The only other thing I would add is starting temp of meat will change cook time. I always bring my meat up to room temp prior to putting on the smoker. I made the mistake of taking directly from the cooler and had to turn in pork butt and brisket that did not reach the tempature I wanted to pull off pit.

Her are a few pics of Brisket Flats I smoked this weekend for a small event.
 

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