How to get blue smoke???

[jmed999]

I've had my Primo for over a year now and have used it over 100 times at various temps but can't seem to get blue smoke....always get the brown smoke instead.

Like today....I'm cooking a boneless turkey breast at 325F using a DigiQ 2. I let the grill get up to 325F then added peach wood chips and the turkey breast. The pit was and still is just smoldering a little. The smoke started but wasn't blue.

How do I get the blue smoke instead of brown smoke? What am I doing wrong? :mmph:

Thanks in advance! :clap2:

 

[Ag76]

Never cooked on a Primo, but on my stick burners, it is easy to get thin blue by opening both the intake and the smokestack all the way, and letting the fire have all of the oxygen it wants.

 

[Thatgrimguy]

A few suggestions..

First of all. Layer your smoking wood in with the lump rather than adding it just before cooking.

Make sure you are using your bottom vent to control temp and keeping the top vent as open as possible to help keep clean smoke.

IF you are using an indirect piece, let it heat up with the primo...

Light a small area of the lump and get it piping hot. It should take only about 25-45 minutes to run clear after reaching temp.

Try Rockwood charcoal. I find it runs clean the fastest.

 

[mjpmap]

Jmed, I use the primo XL also. When you start your fire, start small just over the bottom air intake. Obviously, use lump charcoal, but put your wood of choice over the spot that you start your fire. The smoke wood will burn off heavy in the beginning, but once it's up to temp, the smoke will lighten and it will be perfect for your cook. Heavy or discolored smoke simply means not enough oxygen.

 

[PatAttack]

Ditch the chips and use wood chunks instead. Follow the advice above and bury the chunks in your lump charcoal.

 

[KevinJ]

On my WSM I like to bury the wood chunks in the charcoal I think it helps the fire burn clean in a shorter amount of time instead of throwing wood on top of lit coals. I also give the WSM about hour after I've lit the coals to get up to temp and start burning clean.

 

[thirdeye]

I split my chunks into smaller pieces, then layer them along with flavor pellets within the lump. On a low-n-slow cook I light one center spot, then give the pit 45 minutes or more for the smoke to settle down and go from white to gray/blue.

 

[Porcine Perfection]

KevinJ has something here. Getting a smoker to temp doesn't take long, but getting it ready to cook (with TBS) is something that takes time and is different with every cooker. I tend to start too hot and then throttle down to my temp in order to get quality smoke.

 

[NewEnglandQ]

Use wood chunks instead of chips. Don't put them directly on the fire. Let the fire make its way to the wood.

 

[pjtexas1]

Sounds like a smoldering fire. Have you tried starting off slowly? Like a single starter cube or lighting just a few pieces of charcoal. That way you can catch the temp on the way up vs trying to choke it down because it gets too hot too fast.

 

[Joe Black]

Like others, use chunks, not chips. Make sure they're not wet. Always have good air flow to keep good ignition and combustion.

 

[krex1010]

Ditch the chips and use wood chunks instead. Follow the advice above and bury the chunks in your lump charcoal.

I agree, chips ignite and burn up so fast, you get a burst of smoke and then nothing.

 

[Pitbull]

Never cooked on a Primo, but on my stick burners, it is easy to get thin blue by opening both the intake and the smokestack all the way, and letting the fire have all of the oxygen it wants.

What he said and if you can, preheating the wood works wonders. Never used a Primo, but it it's anything like a smokey mountain, make sure you wood isn't too big and bulky. Those designs just don't have the air flow for big wood chunks or splits..

Edit: Yeah, just looked up the Primo. Small wood chunks for that one..

 

[wtxsmoker]

Chips just don't work in a Primo. In mine I use small-medium chunks mixed/space in wicked good lump. Light a small area or two leave the lid up till lump is lite well and chunks start to blaze up. Say 45 minutes minimum Have a beer/drink and wait it out.
Close lid daisy wheel swung open the set intake open 2 inches. White smoke will slow down. Then cover exhaust with daisy wheel open to desired setting smoke goes to blue.

Chips just smoke off not dense enough to allow good combustion.

 

[Smokey Lonesome]

I recall another thread where someone suggested sliding chunks into the firebox under the charcoal grate where they would burn similar to a gravity fed smoker. Would allow adding chunks periodically through the cook. Haven't tried this myself but I intend to.