Quick Help with puffy smoke

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fatguyputter

Knows what a fatty is.
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I am doing a Prime Rib tonite for "special guests" and fired up my WSM at 12:30 to do a 11 lbs. Prime rib, I thought I had plenty of time to get it done by 7:00pm, but I am still waiting on white smoke to clear up. It has been 1 hour and 15 minutes and still puffing white.

I did the minion method with 3 fist size chunks of hickory. Any ideas, cuz now my time line is getting thinner.

Thanks.
 
What kind of charcoal are you using? Is it possible the white stuff is steam? It's pretty cold outside. From here, other than knowing you said white and puffy, it's hard to gauge if the problem is too think of a smoke from an unclean burn, or just steam from the cold air.

How much lit fuel did you add, and what kind of fuel was it? What were the vents set at when you started, and where are they now?

Personally, for a WSM with 3 fist size chunks of wood using the minion method, I don't see how you are putting out sooty smoke unless you have bad charcoal. I think it's probably steam...but without being able to actually see it with my own eyes I can't say for certain.
 
fatguyputter said:
I am doing a Prime Rib tonite for "special guests" and fired up my WSM at 12:30 to do a 11 lbs. Prime rib, I thought I had plenty of time to get it done by 7:00pm, but I am still waiting on white smoke to clear up. It has been 1 hour and 15 minutes and still puffing white.

I did the minion method with 3 fist size chunks of hickory. Any ideas, cuz now my time line is getting thinner.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

General info, as I don't know if the hickory is wet, or dry. But move it (the hickory chunks) more to the center of the charcoal, so the fuel is fully fired before the smoking takes place.

Maybe: remove the chunks and put fresh pieces in the center in their place, if they're burning.

Check your air flow, too.
 
I cook in the cold alot. With the WSM and a water pan it is going to put out steam for the entire cook. Put your meat on you should be good to go. I put a brisket on this morning at 7am. 17 degrees still putting our puffy steam. Put your face in an take a wiff. I think you will find you are good to go. keith
 
Hickory is dry.....temp outside is about 45 degreees, not much wind. I really don't think it is steam. Using Kingsford blue. I put in a pretty good amount (a full circle) It has never taken this long before, but it is starting to turn clearer and bluer since my first post.

I'm wondering, thinking back, if I didn't put in my half chimney full of lighted charcoal a little early (before the coals were completely ashed over). Thanks for your help any other ideas would be great, but I think its coming around.
 
mobow said:
I cook in the cold alot. With the WSM and a water pan it is going to put out steam for the entire cook. Put your meat on you should be good to go. I put a brisket on this morning at 7am. 17 degrees still putting our puffy steam. Put your face in an take a wiff. I think you will find you are good to go. keith
Click to expand...


I did that originally about 30 min. ago and still smelled the bad charcoal smell. I think I got it going now....thanks.
 
While we're on it, another thing happened that was weird. I had the roast (which wasn't frozen) in the fridge, pulled it out at 11am and let it sit until 1:45pm and when I put the probe in it was still only 42 degrees internal.
 
fatguyputter said:
Hickory is dry.....temp outside is about 45 degreees, not much wind. I really don't think it is steam. Using Kingsford blue. I put in a pretty good amount (a full circle) It has never taken this long before, but it is starting to turn clearer and bluer since my first post.

I'm wondering, thinking back, if I didn't put in my half chimney full of lighted charcoal a little early (before the coals were completely ashed over). Thanks for your help any other ideas would be great, but I think its coming around.
Click to expand...

Charcoal can absorb moisture, so that might explain why. If your hickory is dry, don't worry about that being the issue. Try giving it a little more air. Hotter might help.
 
fatguyputter said:
While we're on it, another thing happened that was weird. I had the roast (which wasn't frozen) in the fridge, pulled it out at 11am and let it sit until 1:45pm and when I put the probe in it was still only 42 degrees internal.
Click to expand...

Probably not the problem, but like my meat to room temp, and the grill fully heated before starting the cook.
 
Temp was at 240 with everything open now it has risen to 275 and smoke is perfect. Thanks for the help guys. I think two things happened: I didn't get my chimney as far along as I needed to before putting it on the ring of charcoal, and, I think the higher temp helped things out alot. I also did as you suggested BTCG and put the hickory more directly in the center of the fire. Thanks again for the help, we may have saved a minor dissaster.
 
BTCG,

Why do you think the roast didn't rise more after 2 1/2 hours at room temp? My fridge is on the cool side 34 degrees, but still, I thought it would get into the 50s with that length of time--am I wrong there?
 
A 11 lb. chunk of meat takes a while to adjust to ambient temps, evidently.

So how do you know it's not steam? You didn't ever specify that you weren't using water in the pan.
 
Everyone imagine a picture of a puffy nipple posted here.
 
barbefunkoramaque said:
Everyone imagine a picture of a puffy nipple posted here.
Click to expand...


I did... but I'm in enough trouble with the missus already... so I don't need any help. Thanks anyways!

Anyhoo, would appreciate any insight you had on BMS smokers (even were it to be a thread on another side of the website). In fact, I'd bet every head would be turned for that one.

You're the first opinion I want to hear on most things BBQ (as referenced on the various threads)...often the only, after you reply. I think that's because if one is right... there's really no reason to have other's respond, or consider them, eh?

BUT... what do I know? Anyways, sounded like you're hurt by one of your last post. Your brothers and I all hope you're okay.

Mean it!
 
I have never been hurt by anything told to me or at me by someone on the internet. Its a forum. I am fine. The was a mod that called me unamerican and i was pissed for like a day but hey, I got over that.

Actually, there was this one time... I was hurt by how far I pushed a friend here on the forum. But it was the nature of the climate at the time. We seemed to have patched things up well.

Thanks for you kind words though. :thumb:

btcg said:
I did... but I'm in enough trouble with the missus already... so I don't need any help. Thanks anyways!

Anyhoo, would appreciate any insight you had on BMS smokers (even were it to be a thread on another side of the website). In fact, I'd bet every head would be turned for that one.

You're the first opinion I want to hear on most things BBQ (as referenced on the various threads)...often the only, after you reply. I think that's because if one is right... there's really no reason to have other's respond, or consider them, eh?

BUT... what do I know? Anyways, sounded like you're hurt by one of your last post. Your brothers and I all hope you're okay.

Mean it!
Click to expand...
 
First of all, thanks again for the insight. Dave, I was using a little water in the pan, but I'm fairly confident it wasn't steam at the time, because I smelled it. It had the bad smell of chemicals from the charcoal. Once I got the fire a little hotter and got the chunks burning clean in the middle of the fire it got better in a hurry.

As I said earlier, I think the major fault I made was throwing the charcoal out of the chimney in the fire ring a little early and it took a little longer to get the clean burn going. Lesson learned. I will make sure that let the charcoal in the chimney ash up to completely grey from this point on.

The roast turned out AWESOME and everyone praised it as the best they had ever had. Sorry no pics. That is another thread, but I am about as technically challenged as they come. I would love to post pics on this site, but need a little tutorial.
 
barbefunkoramaque said:
I have never been hurt by anything told to me or at me by someone on the internet. Its a forum. I am fine. The was a mod that called me unamerican and i was pissed for like a day but hey, I got over that.

Actually, there was this one time... I was hurt by how far I pushed a friend here on the forum. But it was the nature of the climate at the time. We seemed to have patched things up well.

Thanks for you kind words though. :thumb:
Click to expand...

Meant em.

Anyways, not hurt by something someone said... you mentioned in another post that you'd hurt your hand, and were typing one-handed. That's what I meant. Hope you feel better

Showed the missus your video of your favorite things, and she really enjoyed it.

Sorry about the hijack FG.
 
fatguyputter said:
First of all, thanks again for the insight. Dave, I was using a little water in the pan, but I'm fairly confident it wasn't steam at the time, because I smelled it. It had the bad smell of chemicals from the charcoal. Once I got the fire a little hotter and got the chunks burning clean in the middle of the fire it got better in a hurry.

As I said earlier, I think the major fault I made was throwing the charcoal out of the chimney in the fire ring a little early and it took a little longer to get the clean burn going. Lesson learned. I will make sure that let the charcoal in the chimney ash up to completely grey from this point on.

The roast turned out AWESOME and everyone praised it as the best they had ever had. Sorry no pics. That is another thread, but I am about as technically challenged as they come. I would love to post pics on this site, but need a little tutorial.
Click to expand...


Glad to hear it came out well.
 
Lot of time a smoker will have a lot of condensation inside them especially one made out of thicker steel. it could be that boiling off, I called it sweating
 
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