Naive Question: How is food cooked on log burners/offsets not inedibly smokey?

[Steve B]

That’s funny AF texastweeter But only car guys would understand that.

[texastweeter]

You would think this guy knows a thing or two about fires...

[texastweeter]

Lol. Short answer 14.7 to 1 for gasoline engines

[texastweeter]

Faster airflow, and when ran properly it is a much hotter fire with more complete combustion, less particulates in the smoke. Also usually a much larger smoke chamber for the particulates to disperse in.

[texastweeter]

Nah they can keep building up, just like creosote in your pit.

[DogFaced PonySoldier]

I dunno, I've had some stickburner-cooked meats that were so smoky I could barely stomach them. Maybe it was dirty smoke/soot, I dunno. All I know is I didn't care for them at ALL.

[Michael_in_TX]

Henrik, that was *incredibly* instructive and answered my question perfectly! Thank you so much for taking the time to film that.

[Henrik]

Here it is willxfmr : https://youtu.be/64MaYxAtGls

[Henrik]

Thanks Captain!

[CaptainMike]

As requested from Henrik here's my structure fire analogy. There are 4 basic phases of a structure fire: 1) the incipient phase when a fire is ignited, 2) the growth phase where a fire starts consuming combustibles, 3) the free burn phase where most or all of the combustibles are being consumed, and 4) the decay or smoldering phase where most of the available oxygen in an enclosed environment has been used and combustion gasses accumulate without burning.

In smoking food we're in the 3rd and/or 4th phase. Because we're using sticks instead of charcoal, offsets perform best in the 3rd phase were there is live fire, air movement, and partial combustible gas consumption (thin blue smoke). The main function of an offset is to move heat and smoke from the fire box across the cooking chamber and out through the vent.

Kettles, barrels, kamados, etc when using slow burning charcoal tend toward the smoldering phase where heat, smoke and water vapor linger in the cooking chamber and are expelled more slowly. Due to the increased level of incomplete combustion and decreased air movement there are more smoke particles available to adhere to our food. This is also the reason why we should "burp" a cooker to prevent a smoke explosion (backdraft) when we see the combination of copious dirty smoke and high heat. If you've ever had the hair on your forearms singed when opening a kettle then you know what I mean.

Of course the variables are almost infinite and the conditions can easily be flip flopped with any style of cooker, but these are the observations of an old fireman and his smokers.

[willxfmr]

Henrik I'd love to see the video if you wouldn't mind sharing the link. I don't own an offset any more, but that might change someday.

[Henrik]

CaptainMike, I for one would love to hear all those esoterics from you.

[Steve B]

Stoichio what???

[Mr. Bones]

Quite possibly so, ain't got a PBC to verify...

BUT, if ya made ya a burn barrel, an fed yer PBC coals from splits, might be a really tasty kinda experience...

[Mr. Bones]

I dunno...

I jus throws me some hickory, mesquite, etc. et. al into mine, an sets th knob on "Low Smoke"...

Never feel abashed or shy bout askin a question round these here parts, Brother!

(Reckon I done asked up alla th Stoopid ones, long afore ya got here!)