Do you wait for the "good" smoke?

[wcpreston]

I have a G2 Backwood Chubby that runs on charcoal, and I usually use hickory for smoke.

I know I'm supposed to have the "good" smoke, that almost clear stuff I see once it really gets going. Do you WAIT for that before you put in any meat? I haven't been. I put my hot coals in the fire box and put the first lump of hickory on top of them. I wait until it gets to temp and then throw on the meat.

I have no idea how long I'd have to wait before I get to the good smoke.

I really want jlazar to see this!

[Fire Art]

I don’t but I do wait for cooker to come to temp

[Keiferr]

I use lump in my BGE and I wait for good smoke more than i wait for desired cooking temp. Usually takes 20-30 minutes or so. That way I avoid any chance of undesired taste from the lump and smoke wood.

[ecowper]

I never wait for "good smoke" .... I get the charcoal into either the Hasty-Bake or the WSM, I get bury my chunks of wood in the charcoal, I give it time to get up to temperature, and then I put the meat on. That coming up to temp time (usually 10-15 minutes) means that my wood is burning pretty well and I don’t have tons of white smoke billowing, but I still have white and blue smoke mixed. Nobody has ever complained that what I’m cooking tastes like creosote or is bitter or ashy.

[FireMan]

Good smoke? That’s a deep question man. Whoa!
Lemme get back to you on that.

[Steve B]

Looks like it may become legal soon 😤😳😁

[Ahumadora]

Not sure what is good smoke. Usually do reverse sear .. 30% power(defrost) until 130f then 100 to sear

[FireMan]

Ahumadora just cleared the air! 👍

[scullybones]

I used to not wait. Then I cooked a Ham for thanksgiving and crust was very bitter. Since then I wait.

[Mr. Bones]

Interested to hear yer procedure, fer that ham...cooker, fuel, wood, timin, etc.
Simply cause it piques my curiosity, nuthin more...

[scullybones]

I used Malcolm Reed’s recipe for honey smoked ham on "How to BBQ Right"

[RonB]

Once the coals are ready, I dump them in the SnS, add wood chunks, and then the meat - no waiting. I figure adding the meat at a lower temp will allow more smokey flavor.

[JeffJ]

I throw the first chunk (usually somewhat large) directly on top of the hot coals and I leave everything wide open. I make sure it catches fire and then wait a minute or two and let it burn. Then I close things down and wait for the good smoke. It usually doesn't take long at that point. Also, I like to set a wood chunk on top of the chimney while it's heating up. Some of the stick burner folk talk about leaving the next log on the warming plate or throwing it into the fire chamber next to the fire - it blazes right up. I apply the same concept to wood chunks.

[Mr. Bones]

Nope, I don't.
I do wait fer complete, successful ignition, temp achievement, an a lessenin in th billowin of white smoke.
From there, on, it takes care of itself...

Give yerself some Mercy, an try hard not to overthink, or over-analyze . (I'm frequently guilty of both, an have to reign in), an let it roll...
I kinda sense th same symptoms.

When all is said, an done, makin Great Food should be FUN; if it's not, then analyze yer methodology, an adjust, cause chances are very high that yer doin it wrong...

Wishin ya nuthin but continued success, each an every cook!

[EdF]

My wife likes it light, so in the BGE I generally would toss a few finger-thick twigs in of fruitwood, and put the meat on a few minutes later. No harm. But now I have a smoke pot (not ready yet) and will have to reassess the method. With the KBQ, I just get the fire going and put the meat in.

[ComfortablyNumb]

"....now I have a smoke pot"? I'd say with that grammar you already have! ;-)


That's what is nice about a KBQ, instant gratification!

[Mr. Bones]

Happy Wife=Happy Life
Certainly interested in seein yer smoke pot build, an action shots, as well, Brother
(As yer time allows, of course... )

[fzxdoc]

While I may not wait for good (blue) smoke, I do wait for better smoke than billowing white clouds of it. In my PBC, that's why I added the extra 10 min in the 15-10-10 method that I always use with KBB. Ditto with Mr. Fancypants (my WSCGC). Billowing white smoke is a good thing to let pass by, IMO. Doesn't take that long.

Kathryn

[wcpreston]

I have a PBC and follow your 15-10-10 method religiously when I used it

[JeffJ]

I do the same wcpreston. It was invaluable for my first cook on it. Worked so well that I haven't bothered experimenting with any other method.

[texastweeter]

As soon as she is up to temp, meat goes on.

[Polarbear777]

I sometimes wait to come up to temp and sometimes don’t. I don’t concern myself with the smoke while coals/wood are lighting because that seems like a small duration compared to the 90% of the 8-16 hour cook that is clean smoke.

[SparkDog]

I don't wait. Once I get the temperature stable, I throw the meat on. I have a pig tomorrow. maybe I will wait just to see if I think it makes a difference

[Mosca]

I don’t, usually. I have, occasionally. A lot of my long cooks start around midnight, and I just want to go to bed.