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Old 03-12-2009, 07:43 PM   #1
AlbuQue
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Default Question About Too Much Smoke

I hear people talk about using too much wood in the UDS and getting too much smoke in the meat. What about you guys that use stick burner smokers. Doesn't that automatically give the meat too much smoke. Just wondering.
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Old 03-12-2009, 07:48 PM   #2
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Google Jim Minion Methods...
He has helped me immensly with his research and practice on Q.
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Old 03-12-2009, 07:49 PM   #3
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I think that they are taliking about too much as in too thick of smoke you want a Thin Blue coming out of that stack. So when you are combing charcole and wood is alot different then us Stick Burners.
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Old 03-12-2009, 08:03 PM   #4
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Originally Posted by The Pigman View Post
I think that they are taliking about too much as in too thick of smoke you want a Thin Blue coming out of that stack. So when you are combing charcole and wood is alot different then us Stick Burners.
Agree
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Old 03-12-2009, 08:17 PM   #5
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I have found it tough to get that thin blue smoke coming out of my UDS .
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Old 03-12-2009, 08:18 PM   #6
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If your oversmoking in a UDS, your doing something wrong.
I think its more of a case of bad fuel than to much smoke.
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Old 03-12-2009, 08:21 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveT View Post
I have found it tough to get that thin blue smoke coming out of my UDS .
TBS on a drum isin't always going to happen.
Once those fats get to rendering and dripping on the coals, your gonna get quite a lot of white smoke......more like a steam, thats normal.
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Old 03-12-2009, 08:59 PM   #8
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Back to the original question as I read it, and it is an interesting one .....

I think that a clean burning stick fire does NOT translate to too much smoke. Remarkably, a brisket spending 12 hours in clean 'stick burning' smoke often has less 'smoke' than one that spent 6 hours (and then 6 in foil) in a vertical coal smoker, to my palette. I have attributed this, as stated above, to the relatively high air fed fire that a stickburner might use, as opposed to the intentionally stifled fire we use in a controlled vertical.

I also think it has less to do with coal vs. wood, and more to do with the nature of the fire control. (I guess, in a sense, I am disagreeing with you bull).

The above is just my opinion, it is clear I may not know what I am talking about . I am also not dis-crediting verticle coal smokers or the controlled fire methods people use with them. In fact, it's how I generally cook!
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Old 03-12-2009, 09:10 PM   #9
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That makes since.
Thanks everyone. I don't have a problem with too much smoke flavor in the meat. I was just wondering out loud.

Quote:
Originally Posted by G$ View Post
Back to the original question as I read it, and it is an interesting one .....

I think that a clean burning stick fire does NOT translate to too much smoke. Remarkably, a brisket spending 12 hours in clean 'stick burning' smoke often has less 'smoke' than one that spent 6 hours (and then 6 in foil) in a vertical coal smoker, to my palette. I have attributed this, as stated above, to the relatively high air fed fire that a stickburner might use, as opposed to the intentionally stifled fire we use in a controlled vertical.

I also think it has less to do with coal vs. wood, and more to do with the nature of the fire control. (I guess, in a sense, I am disagreeing with you bull).

The above is just my opinion, it is clear I may not know what I am talking about . I am also not dis-crediting verticle coal smokers or the controlled fire methods people use with them. In fact, it's how I generally cook!
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Old 03-12-2009, 09:10 PM   #10
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Huh?????????
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Old 03-12-2009, 09:18 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WineMaster View Post
Huh?????????
Let me explain it this way:

It is not too much Merle Haggard compared to the Johnny Cash ratio that leads to an OD of Willie Nelson flavor. If you have enough Jerry Jeff Walker, use all the Merle you want.
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Old 03-12-2009, 09:25 PM   #12
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Gmoney is correct....it's the nature of the fire. The only time I get thick smoke is on initial start up of my offset. Once you have a nice bed of coals (about 45-1hr for me), you're good to go.
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Old 03-12-2009, 09:36 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by G$ View Post

I also think it has less to do with coal vs. wood, and more to do with the nature of the fire control. (I guess, in a sense, I am disagreeing with you bull).
Please feel free to disagree with me, not going to hurt my feelings whatsoever.

I run a very pure light blue smoke on my offset.
I still believe my ribs have too much smoke.
I believe the Minion 3-2-1 method have merit, trying to tweak my ribs here.

All I know is that I enjoy my ribs more cooked on my little electric Cookshack than I do off my Klose offset.

I dont foil ribs on my electric, I do now to reduce the smoke content on my ribs.

Thats what this forum is about to pass along different opinions and ideas.
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Old 03-12-2009, 09:37 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveT View Post
I have found it tough to get that thin blue smoke coming out of my UDS .
The "Minion Method"...FYI...

The concept behind "The Minion Method" is simple:
  • Place a small number of hot coals on top of a full charcoal chamber of unlit briquettes.
  • Using the bottom vents, carefully control the amount of air entering the cooker to keep the fire burning low and steady.
  • The unlit fuel catches fire gradually throughout the cooking session, resulting in long burn times of up to 18 hours, depending on weather conditions.
One of the advantages this method has over the Standard Method is that there's less of a chance that the cooker will run hotter than you want. This is because it's easier to start with just a few hot coals and bring the cooker up to 225-250°F than it is to start with a red-hot cooker and fight to bring it down to 225-250°F.
If there's a controversial aspect of The Minion Method, it's that it contradicts the conventional wisdom that says all charcoal briquettes must be fully lit and covered with gray ash before cooking begins. Everyone knows how bad charcoal briquettes smell while lighting, so some people assume that this smell permeates the meat during cooking, since fuel is lighting continuously over many hours. Interestingly, The Minion Method does not seem to affect the appearance, aroma, or taste of food, and it is used with great success by many winning teams on the barbecue competition circuit.
There are some individuals with sensitive palates who claim they taste an off-flavor in food cooked using The Minion Method. If you find yourself in this group, or if you have health concerns about cooking food over charcoal that is not fully lit, use the Standard Method instead, replenishing the cooker with pre-lit coals every 4-6 hours.
I only use The Minion Method when cooking at 225-250°F for more than 6 hours, but some people use it for shorter cooking sessions, too. When finished, close all vents to extinguish the fire. When the charcoal is cold, sift out the ashes and save the remaining unburned fuel for next time.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Bbq Bubba View Post
TBS on a drum isin't always going to happen.
Once those fats get to rendering and dripping on the coals, your gonna get quite a lot of white smoke......more like a steam, thats normal.
Truth...

Quote:
Originally Posted by G$ View Post
Let me explain it this way:

It is not too much Merle Haggard compared to the Johnny Cash ratio that leads to an OD of Willie Nelson flavor. If you have enough Jerry Jeff Walker, use all the Merle you want.
Huh...???
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Old 03-12-2009, 09:43 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by G$ View Post
Back to the original question as I read it, and it is an interesting one .....

I think that a clean burning stick fire does NOT translate to too much smoke. Remarkably, a brisket spending 12 hours in clean 'stick burning' smoke often has less 'smoke' than one that spent 6 hours (and then 6 in foil) in a vertical coal smoker, to my palette. I have attributed this, as stated above, to the relatively high air fed fire that a stickburner might use, as opposed to the intentionally stifled fire we use in a controlled vertical.

I also think it has less to do with coal vs. wood, and more to do with the nature of the fire control. (I guess, in a sense, I am disagreeing with you bull).

The above is just my opinion, it is clear I may not know what I am talking about . I am also not dis-crediting verticle coal smokers or the controlled fire methods people use with them. In fact, it's how I generally cook!
^^^^^^^

G$'s answer can't be any more accurate. Its dead on.

its a matter of controlling smoke density on a stickburner. With my stickburners I can go from a heavier white smoke to sweet clear blue in under a minute. When cooking for my wife and daughter, you will never see any smoke coming out of the chimney, just clear heat.... and the food has a wood roasted flavor, with little smoke. When cooking for myself, or a backyard party, I will go a little blue coming out and layer on some heavier smoke. Its all in fire control.

This can be done with the vertical charcoal pits, but i have found that this can have an effect on temperature and you will have to factor in some recovery time when laying on layers of smoke in between heat cycles. But sweet blue, or clear heat, or smokey white can be attained with any of the pits once you master its fire control and the pits draft characteristics.


IMO, when comparing the vertical cabinets to the stickburners, the SB will give the cleanest smoke and better depth of flavor.


(Not taking away from the uprights, I have those also. I use both pits based on what I feel like doing that day)


on edit.. Disclaimer..... By verticals, i was thinking WSMs and insulated cabinet smokers. I forgot u were asking about the UDS.. not sure if this holds true for those... i never cooked on one..

Yet.. :)
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