Blue Smoke

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Sea Dog

Got Wood.
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I saw a thread a little while ago where people were showing pics of blue smoke coming from their smokers. One showed the difference between blue and white with two smokers side-by-side. But I lost the thread and cant find it again.

Anyway, I was wondering how you get that blue smoke?
 
One way is to make sure that your wood, etc. catches quickly and starts to burn. Preheating/pre-lighting before addition helps with this. You just want it to catch quickly.
 
In what may be my most sacreligous post ever, I have to say that recently I have NOT seen blue smoke from my "new" cooker. My cooking style has changed quite a bit, and no longer relies on quick and clean ignition.
 
G$ said:
In what may be my most sacreligous post ever, I have to say that recently I have NOT seen blue smoke from my "new" cooker. My cooking style has changed quite a bit, and no longer relies on quick and clean ignition.
Click to expand...

You're using lighter fluid?
 
trp1fox said:
You're using lighter fluid?
Click to expand...

:lol: , never!

I meant after initial ignition. Look at it this way: for those that use the minion method, do you REALLY get thin blue smoke throughout?
 
G$ said:
:lol: , never!

I meant after initial ignition. Look at it this way: for those that use the minion method, do you REALLY get thin blue smoke throughout?
Click to expand...


I know I am in the zone when I have just a little smoke or even " no smoke " coming out of my uds or wsm.

I don't think you can get blue smoke without a stick burner.
 
Last edited:
G$ said:
:lol: , never!

I meant after initial ignition. Look at it this way: for those that use the minion method, do you REALLY get thin blue smoke throughout?
Click to expand...
I use the M M and get blue smoke off and on during the cook. I place small wood chunks through out the unlit briqs so when they catch I get sweet blue and more flavor going in the chamber. It only lasts for 20 minutes at time but comes on at different intervals through out the cook.
 
Here is some faint blue smoke.
BBQ089w.jpg
 
When burning charcoal/lump as the principal fuel I do smoke bombs with each addition. I take some chips or shreds (a la little chief) and soak them in water while the chimney starter gets going and then make 4-5 smoke bombs from this about the size of a base ball.

First I rake all the lit coals to the far end of the fire box and top up with unlit lump. Then after the unit gets up to temp, I open the fire box quickly and add the smoke bomb in the middle of the charcoal or a little farther away from the lit end. This allows it to heat up slowly and then start to put off the smoke. Then with each addition, I repeat the process when I add the fuel - rake to one end, top up and toss the next smoke bomb in the middle.

I think it is important to put the bomb not directly over the lit coals to start. I have found if using the little chief shreds or sawdust that putting it right over the hot coals results in a quick dump of smoke often with a period of thick white smoke to start and then nothing. Using this method I get a good light but steady stream for about half the time of that fuel burn. If you used larger chips or a large chunk then you may not need to worry about this. If a chunk, I would not soak in water first.
 
Thanks everyone! Those sure are some nice pics! :cool: Can you get that blue smoke from a gas water smoker (which is what I have)? I guess I could get some coals burning in the woodbox and toss chunks of wood in, but they'd probably have to be dry instead of soaked, so they would catch up quickly.
 
Sea Dog said:
Thanks everyone! Those sure are some nice pics! :cool: Can you get that blue smoke from a gas water smoker (which is what I have)? I guess I could get some coals burning in the woodbox and toss chunks of wood in, but they'd probably have to be dry instead of soaked, so they would catch up quickly.
Click to expand...

You should be able to but not for a long period of time depending, on the size of the smoker box.
You will need to put the wood in the smoker box and fire the smoker up when the wood starts smoking you will probably have a thicker white smoke let that subside and probably about the time your smoker is up to temp you will have a thinner white smoker or thin blue smoke. It will probably take a few trys to work out the amount of wood to put in at once and how many times you have to fill the smoker box to get the smoke tast you desire but normally less is more.
 
Sea Dog said:
Thanks everyone! Those sure are some nice pics! :cool: Can you get that blue smoke from a gas water smoker (which is what I have)? I guess I could get some coals burning in the woodbox and toss chunks of wood in, but they'd probably have to be dry instead of soaked, so they would catch up quickly.
Click to expand...

I can get sweet blue off my GOSM gasser. The smoke may not last as long since I'm using chips or small chunks, but I definitely can get sweet blue off the gasser too. You wouldn't want them to catch fire in the smoker, as this will cause spikes in temp and burning to the meat possibly. And if the chips or chunks are on fire then they aren't really giving off a lot of smoke like you see with whole logs. They are mostly just giving off heat. In a gasser you want the heat from the gas and the smoke from the wood.
 
BobBrisket said:
I can get sweet blue off my GOSM gasser. The smoke may not last as long since I'm using chips or small chunks, but I definitely can get sweet blue off the gasser too. You wouldn't want them to catch fire in the smoker, as this will cause spikes in temp and burning to the meat possibly. And if the chips or chunks are on fire then they aren't really giving off a lot of smoke like you see with whole logs. They are mostly just giving off heat. In a gasser you want the heat from the gas and the smoke from the wood.
Click to expand...


I've got a GOSM gasser too you're right. It produces some really nice smoke.
 
Blue is where the flavour is.
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showpost.php?p=553476&postcount=7


Some of the compunds released in smoke are unhealthy and will ruin the taste of your food. These compounds can get burned up in a clean burning fire however and then will not make it to your food. Luckily, there is a visual cue. Thicker wood smoke, which is normally thick white, or even yellow in real bad cases, is what you do not want. Thinner smoke, which appears blue, or can even be clear in the most clean of burns, is what you are really striving for.
Click to expand...
 
Blue is the best because it means the wood is burning properly and there is the right amount of oxygen and airflow.

Black or white can idicate not enough oxygen or airflow and thus bad smoke which can contain lots of soot particles etc that will end up on the meat and creating a bad flavor.

I may have farked up the explantion, but someone will splain it better.
 
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