Thin blue smoke vs thick and not so blue

MariettaSmoker · 03-21-2010, 10:41 AM

Im havin an issue today that I havent really had before. Started the UDS up as normal using the minion method with about 10 pcs of lump in the chimney and a full basket of unlit plus a few apple chunks mixed in as well as a big chunk of white oak in the drum. It all started out fine until I woke up at 6:30 this morning to my temp reading 190. Went out and shook the can to get the burnt ash off of the top and it seemed to work. Had beautiful thin blue smoke until that point. Since then, Ive been getting some thicker whitish blueish smoke...sometimes just white smoke.

Any ideas WHY? I want that thin blue.

bigabyte · 03-21-2010, 10:51 AM

Could be too much wood, was the total amount of wood added more than usual?

Could it be steam?

What about the lump, any chance the lump might be putting off the smoke?

JD McGee · 03-21-2010, 10:56 AM

Grease hittin' the coals...maybe...dunno...

MariettaSmoker · 03-21-2010, 11:03 AM

its just weird...havent done anything different today than normal except put that big chunk of oak in the middle of the lump. Had some apple that was left over in the basket from my last cook and just added lump on top of that. not really more wood than usual. Now, JD, could possibly be the grease hitting the coals, but why would it cause that much white thick smoke?

Im perplexed.

Bbq Bubba · 03-21-2010, 11:10 AM

Its normal to get puffy white @ that point in your cook.

thirdeye · 03-21-2010, 11:15 AM

If you're cooking, it's the flavor bombs (don't call it grease) hitting the coals. When you said "thick" that threw me off. But it will definately be white.

Here is one of my cookin buddies engulfed in a wave of smoke about 7AM one morning after an all night cook. Had his neighbors not been invited to the party later that day, there most likely would have been shots fired.

Midnight Smoke · 03-21-2010, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MariettaSmoker

Im havin an issue today that I havent really had before. Started the UDS up as normal using the minion method with about 10 pcs of lump in the chimney and a full basket of unlit plus a few apple chunks mixed in as well as a big chunk of white oak in the drum. It all started out fine until I woke up at 6:30 this morning to my temp reading 190. Went out and shook the can to get the burnt ash off of the top and it seemed to work. Had beautiful thin blue smoke until that point. Since then, Ive been getting some thicker whitish blueish smoke...sometimes just white smoke.

Any ideas WHY? I want that thin blue.

What are you cooking?

MariettaSmoker · 03-21-2010, 11:41 AM

butts

sdb25 · 03-21-2010, 11:42 AM

The white smoke is coming from relatively incomplete combustion, or from steam. Could be dripping fat, wood, bad or moist charcoal/lump, lots of things.

I have seen it in the situation you describe; temps falling low and the subsequent stoking of the fire to get temps back up. It usually only lasts an hour or so until you get things stabilized, if that is the cause.

Bottom line, don't sweat it. I've cooked with the thin blue stuff, as well as heavy-duty-pure-hickory-burn-your-eyes-out-cough-up-one-lung smoke, and have fine results on long cooks.

JD McGee · 03-21-2010, 09:20 PM

Meat Man! Izzat YOU?

Nope...I just realized it is one of your cookin' buddies...anyhoo...I'm still thinkin' it's "flavor bombs"...

03-21-2010, 10:41 AM	#1
MariettaSmoker Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 01-16-10 Location: Marietta, Ga Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Thin blue smoke vs thick and not so blue Im havin an issue today that I havent really had before. Started the UDS up as normal using the minion method with about 10 pcs of lump in the chimney and a full basket of unlit plus a few apple chunks mixed in as well as a big chunk of white oak in the drum. It all started out fine until I woke up at 6:30 this morning to my temp reading 190. Went out and shook the can to get the burnt ash off of the top and it seemed to work. Had beautiful thin blue smoke until that point. Since then, Ive been getting some thicker whitish blueish smoke...sometimes just white smoke. Any ideas WHY? I want that thin blue. __________________ MariettaSmoker - 22.5 WSM and ORANGE Thermapen! Brews, Blues, and BBQ's

03-21-2010, 10:51 AM	#2
bigabyte somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 05-10-06 Location: Overland Fark, KS Downloads: 1 Uploads: 1	Could be too much wood, was the total amount of wood added more than usual? Could it be steam? What about the lump, any chance the lump might be putting off the smoke? __________________ Chris Baker For great food and and an even better time join the BBQ Brethren Throwdowns *First ever recipient of the Silverfinger Award!* Yes, I own a whole bunch of BBQ crap also. *Certified MOINK Baller & IMBAS Certified MOINK Ball Judge #0003 - Get your MOINK Certification today!* The Secret Squirrel Society doesn't exist - Zero Club member

03-21-2010, 10:56 AM	#3
JD McGee somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 06-28-07 Location: Duvall, WA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Grease hittin' the coals...maybe...dunno... __________________ Wine Country "Q" Competition BBQ

03-21-2010, 11:03 AM	#4
MariettaSmoker Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 01-16-10 Location: Marietta, Ga Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	its just weird...havent done anything different today than normal except put that big chunk of oak in the middle of the lump. Had some apple that was left over in the basket from my last cook and just added lump on top of that. not really more wood than usual. Now, JD, could possibly be the grease hitting the coals, but why would it cause that much white thick smoke? Im perplexed. __________________ MariettaSmoker - 22.5 WSM and ORANGE Thermapen! Brews, Blues, and BBQ's

03-21-2010, 11:15 AM	#6
thirdeye Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 01-14-06 Location: At home on the range in Wyoming Downloads: 2 Uploads: 0	If you're cooking, it's the flavor bombs (don't call it grease) hitting the coals. When you said "thick" that threw me off. But it will definately be white. Here is one of my cookin buddies engulfed in a wave of smoke about 7AM one morning after an all night cook. Had his neighbors not been invited to the party later that day, there most likely would have been shots fired. __________________ ~thirdeye~ I Play With Fire and Smoke *KCBS - CBJ* Big Green Eggs, Big Drum Smokers, Big Chiefs, Weber Smokey Joe "Custom Tall Boy" Oil Patch Horizontal Visit my Cookin' Site by clicking HERE Barbecue is not rocket surgery

03-21-2010, 11:10 AM	#5
Bbq Bubba somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 05-03-07 Location: New Baltimore, Mi. Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Its normal to get puffy white @ that point in your cook.

03-21-2010, 11:41 AM	#8
MariettaSmoker Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 01-16-10 Location: Marietta, Ga Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	butts __________________ MariettaSmoker - 22.5 WSM and ORANGE Thermapen! Brews, Blues, and BBQ's

03-21-2010, 11:42 AM	#9
sdb25 is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 12-03-09 Location: Long Beach, CA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	The white smoke is coming from relatively incomplete combustion, or from steam. Could be dripping fat, wood, bad or moist charcoal/lump, lots of things. I have seen it in the situation you describe; temps falling low and the subsequent stoking of the fire to get temps back up. It usually only lasts an hour or so until you get things stabilized, if that is the cause. Bottom line, don't sweat it. I've cooked with the thin blue stuff, as well as heavy-duty-pure-hickory-burn-your-eyes-out-cough-up-one-lung smoke, and have fine results on long cooks. __________________ -elbows deep in someone else's misery.

03-21-2010, 09:20 PM	#10
JD McGee somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 06-28-07 Location: Duvall, WA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Meat Man! Izzat YOU? Nope...I just realized it is one of your cookin' buddies...anyhoo...I'm still thinkin' it's "flavor bombs"... __________________ Wine Country "Q" Competition BBQ

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