Getting away from thin blue smoke

[Steve S]

Please correct me if I am wrong, but thin blue smoke refers to a clean burning wood fire in my mind, which has nothing to do with cooking with charcoal. With charcoal as the heat source, with adequate airflow, you should have very little smoke of any kind. Your flavor wood is going to put off some white smoke when you first add it to your coal bed, which in my experience is perfectly fine. Choking your fire to produce more smoke of any color just seems like a bad idea all around.

I am on the fence whether EL is exuberant and ignorant or simply trying to stir things up. I am hoping for the former.

 

[Czarbecue]

If one ignores the OP, does the tree still exist to fall in the forest?

 

[Joe Black]

I have used white smoke years ago, but now that I’m older, it’s TBS all the way. My preference and that of my family and friends is definitely TBS. Any time I experience an abundance of smoke, I think of licking an ash tray.

If the majority of folks is wanting to remain neutral, that’s their preference. But as for me and my house, it’s TBS.

 

[Leftwngr]

I think cooker type plays into it as well. In my cabinet, if I run white, a couple of negative things happen:

1. too heavy of a smoke flavor
2. minimal smoke ring
3. bark gets too dark

It goes without say that when I get thin blue, the opposites happen. Lighter on smokiness, deep red ring, and vibrant color.

I'm sure there are a hundred degrees in between, but for me, I don't like tinkering that far.

 

[Jrogers84]

There is no accounting for ones taste.

I don't like having the smoke burps

I was thinking this too. I get indigestion from overly smoked foods

 

[medic92]

I don't think white smoke is a big problem, it's when you get that thick acrid yellowish smoke from choking off a fire that it turns into a problem.

 

[jdtTX]

i'd rather change wood to get a heavier smoke flavor than choke down the fire.

 

[el luchador]

i'd rather change wood to get a heavier smoke flavor than choke down the fire.

To be clear, I don't choke down my exhaust.

 

[aks801]

We need Donnie in here to REALLY stir things up!

 

[Rockinar]

So now clean burning charcoal is not the best? White smoke from a smoldering wood split is?

 

[Norm]

Do UDS cookers use wood for a heat source? I was under the assumption that they used charcoal or lump.

 

[ferdelious]

To each their own, but maybe the biggest advocate of thin blue smoke, Aaron Franklin, is considered one of the best pitmasters probably for that reason alone. His fire management skills are exceptional.

 

[Ylouder]

Op, me and my friends only use matchlight and put the meat on as soon as we light the fire. Taste better and I swear the offgassing of the lighter fluid just makes things taste better.

Plus if you like smokey, don't waste your money on that yuppie precut and bagged wood. I routinely throw on a chunk of pine, particle board, or treated 2x4 I have laying around. I'm not going to get scammed by that bag wood nonsense.

 

[Rockinar]

 

[Ylouder]

I made some chicken last week. Check it out.

Come over and we can trade BBQ secrets.

https://goo.gl/images/q65ELq

 

[Rockinar]

I made some chicken last week. Check it out.

Come over and we can trade BBQ secrets.

This is my secret injection. It's the best. What's your best BBQ secret?

 

[el luchador]

To each their own, but maybe the biggest advocate of thin blue smoke, Aaron Franklin, is considered one of the best pitmasters probably for that reason alone. His fire management skills are exceptional.

I havent tasted food from franklin's bbq but Im sure its great.

 

[Ylouder]

I marinate all my meat in prune juice.

Goes will with the particle board smoke.

 

[CptKaos]

If your happy with your method and results, rock on. Nothing else really matters.

Larry

 

[el luchador]

Op, me and my friends only use matchlight and put the meat on as soon as we light the fire. Taste better and I swear the offgassing of the lighter fluid just makes things taste better.

Plus if you like smokey, don't waste your money on that yuppie precut and bagged wood. I routinely throw on a chunk of pine, particle board, or treated 2x4 I have laying around. I'm not going to get scammed by that bag wood nonsense.

I made some chicken last week. Check it out.

Come over and we can trade BBQ secrets.

https://goo.gl/images/q65ELq

I marinate all my meat in prune juice.

Goes will with the particle board smoke.

why so salty bro?
I love how you're not taking this personally at all.

rock on :rockon: