Does More Smoke = More Smoke Flavor?

darita

is Blowin Smoke!
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I had one smoker that produced visible smoke throughout the cook. At times it would billow out the stack. Now I have another smoker that produces very little visible smoke throughout the cook, but smoke flavor is the same or better than the first.
Now I'm wondering what exactly creates the smoke flavor in meats and does more smoke mean there will be more smoke flavor? Any tests been done on this?
 
There is a balance point where smoke becomes too much. I am not speaking just in terms of preference here, but, in what is being produced in the smoke and it's chemical composition. In general, you do not want a lot of visible smoke that is white or gray. A whisp of light blue smoke is what most of us look for in getting the best smoke flavor. In general if you want stronger smoke flavor, you would use woods that produce stronger flavor, or smoke for longer times at lower temperatures.

A smoker that produces lot of visible white or gray smoke is not burning clean, there are many reasons this could be happening, including a leaky smoker, improper fire management, bad wood and starting to put food onto the cooker too soon. In a well tuned smoker, you will often get smoke flavor even when the smoke is barely discernible.
 
Nothing to add to that. Well said, landarc.:clap2:
 
I think what you have now is a very clean burning smoker. In some smokers I believe the wood is really the source of the fuel so smoke is really not present however the flavor is still there. In other smokers where charcoal is used this is the source of the fuel and wood is added to introduce flavor. The wood will smoke more in this type of environment to a degree. However if you are getting really thick smoke this is not a clean burn. Light white or blue smoke is mostly preferred. Vince
 
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