Questions about my first PBC cook - Beef back ribs

[kill2grill]

Hopefully this is pretty standard but is it normal for a full basket of KC to stop smoking around 2 hours in?

Watched the temp start at 330 and now settle into 256 degrees.
I started the grill according to the guide in this forum - 15 charcoal burn, 10 minute lid off, 10 minute lid on with wood chunks.

When I put the ribs on the two chunks of cherry wood ignited which may be why I couldn't really smell the cherry wood about a hour ago. Right now I am 2.5 hours in on my 3 hour cook and there is no smoke just slow cooking going on now?

So is this pretty standard?

Thanks in advance

[Huskee]

It might be really clean smoke from a well oxygenated burn. Smoke isn't always visible but it's there.

[JohnF]

Ah the dreaded invisible smoke, is that like second-hand smoke?

[kill2grill]

I noticed closer to when I pulled the ribs that visually you could see some smoke. After having the lid off the wood really got going and now its smoking like a champ. So - any suggestions on modifications for the next cook if it does sound like I didn't get the wood smouldering enough?

I can either open the air intake more (might not be quite the 1/4 I should of done at 140 feet about sea level) or I could keep it there and instead throw the wood on instead of just 10 minutes, give it 15-20 to get smouldering?

[Ernest]

No visible smoke is good smoking.
Try placing the wood chunk right under the burning coals, not ontop of the coals.

[kill2grill]

OK - will do. Does the temp/time table for the PBC sound right? I am also trying to get an idea for if I didn't quite open the air intake enough.

[PappyBBQ]

I do what Ernest suggests. I put my wood chunks on top of unlit coals and then pour the lit coals over. The smoke emanating from the PBC during the cook is thin and light. I find the wood doesn't really burn so much as carbonize, but I get really nice smoke rings and flavors in the stuff that comes out of the PBC. I'm not really big on huge smoke flavors - I like a subtle smokey overtone and the PBC seems to excel at this.

And beef ribs are killer. Some of my favorite things. Welcome to the pit and the PBC sub forum!

[Ernest]

The bottom vent does next to nothing for dialing in temps. I learnt that weeks into experimenting. I used to cook with it almost closed. Then I opened it halfway and left it there but dialed in temps using the rebar holes.
Cover a rebar hole with foil paper for lower temps. Take a rebar completely out for higher temps.