Do you wait for the "good" smoke?

[jlazar]

I usually wait at least 30 minutes after I hit target temp. More to make sure I am stabilized at temp than to get the good smoke. I don't want it billowing out but I don't wait for the kind of smoke we both see later in a cook. My experience is that anytime I open the door, I get more smoke as the G2 comes back to target temp. But once there, the smoke goes to the thin, blue type. Have never had what I would call an acrid or bitter cook on the Chubby.

[wcpreston]

I like it!

[SparkDog]

This morning's weather is freezing fog. It just doesn't sound like fun today so the pig will sit in the slow cooker. Thinking about the question, I think it may make a difference depending on the cook. Last week, I picked up a Weber kettle. Not knowing anything about cooking on these things, I put enough charcoal to fill the little side basket in the started lit it, dumped it in the basket when ashed and cooked. Lots of smoke. I cooked a very thick steak and a tri tip. They came out good but an acrid taste was there. This week, the SNS showed up. I started the few coals in the corner and, like the instructions say, let them ash over and then added the rest of the charcoal, closed the lid and let it come up to temperature. The steak this week did not have that taste.

In the past, I have put my meat in barrel as soon as I got to temperature with the smoke billowing. I had not noticed the the taste. It may be the size of the meat, 1-2 lb steak as opposed to 8 lb pork butt or the length of the cook, less than an hour compared to 8 - 10 hours. One other thought is the amount of charcoal that is at that billowing white smoke stage. In my drum, I place about 18 lit coals in a basket with 1/2 to 3/4 bag. Theoretically, I only get the billowing smoke from those that are catching and starting while the others have passed that stage resulting in billowing white smoke but maybe a lesser concentration.

Couldn't try something new today and see if it made a difference but there is my experience from my first cooks on the kettle after giving it some thought. I believe, looking back on my kettle experience, that it does but there are variables that also play into it that limit or magnify the impact of the less than perfect smoke

[IowaGirl]

Just a thought -- did you do a test fire before actually using the Weber to cook food? If not, maybe the Weber had some manufacturing oils or whatever that burned off and that might contribute to an acrid flavor.

[wcpreston]

I always do 2 or 3 empty test runs myself so I know my smoker before I waste meat on it.

[SparkDog]

That is a very good point but no. It was a new toy to play with so I jumped right in. I washed the grate that held the meat but otherwise, let's play before it gets cold and dark out here

[Lock Stock and Barrel]

Well you heard from the many experts on this site so you can take every ones advice. I think it depends on the wood you are using and other factors. Most of the puffy white typically has a lot of steam in it as it dries the surface of the wood. I use pecan / hickory which imparts a much milder flavor than oak. If you use oak or mesquite, a very pungent and strong flavor, you might wait till it lessens but once the pit is up to temp within 25 degrees or so I never worry as the blue smoke will quickly follow. Also, smoke does not just automatically "attach itself" to you cook in some massive quantity. It takes a lot of time to impart the smoke flavour on meat! I am sure it also depends on the smoker you are using. Mine has massive and very fast air flow so I have never tasted the "bitter" smoke every one is touting. Lastly, form my humble experience, I have to stoke the fire 2 or 3 separate times when I do a 9 to 13 hour cook. I am going to get white puffy smoke from these new additions to my firebox. Period! Can not do a thing about it. So far after 50 years of doing this I have yet to have bitter tasting meat. I have seen other chefs use wood that has no bark, this is a claim that bark imparts a bitter taste. In my judgment this is horse pooky but everyone has their...."this is the way to do it" story. I personally think your experience should dictate your decision.

After 5 or so cooks you should be able to be the executive head chef of your pit and make your own call. Good luck Captain!

https://kbq.us/bbq-edu-blog/how-wood-burns/ Describes in detail what happens to wood as it burns....very interesting.

[Frozen Smoke]

For me it's probably close to a hour from the time I start the stick burner to when I put the meat on. This is for no other reason than that's the routine I have developed rather than waiting for anything specific to happen. I start a chimney of coals dump it in the fire box add five or six splits. Leave the top door of the fire box open as well as all the vents. Briskets or pork butts are already rubbed up by this time. If it's smaller cuts like tri tips, wings, or whole chickens I start to prep them at this point.

So now I mix a bloody mary or crack a beer depending on time of day. Turn the tv on or put on some music. Check the fire and probably close the top door on fire box. Go in the house or behind the garage to pee.
By now the initial five or six splits have started to burn down so I throw two or 3 more on.

Now the meat goes on. From there it's tend the fire and repeat the process of cracking a beer.

Honestly the only time I will get anything more than a heat signature or the thin blue smoke is if I get a split that may have had something on it like a bit of bar oil from a chainsaw or maybe it was a little punky and I didn't notice it when I fed it to the fire something. Then I briefly get a bit of heavier white but nothing to ever worry about.

[JeffJ]

I think the amount of surface area plays a role too. I've never noticed it with a pork butt, but I did notice it one time with ribs. It wasn't acrid or anything, but it was not as good as when I've been more patient.

[HouseHomey]

I like it bad but do prefer the good one first. After that anything goes.

[Red Man]

I’ve found it’s more critical at the end of the cook than at the beginning. If you end the cook with billowing smoke from freshly added unlit briquettes, the meat will have a charcoal taste. I make sure not to add any unlit briquettes in the last four hours or so.

[RickyBobby]

Good thread! It’s interesting to read all the different TTP’s (Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures) out there! It’s something that I honestly hadn’t given TOO much thought to. Personally, I start the fire, add the wood, and as soon as the cooker is stabilized at temp, the meat goes on. I’ve never had any complaints and never really noticed any acrid flavors, but maybe people are just being nice by not saying anything to me. 😂

[Huskee]

Nope. I sometimes toss the meat on as the kettle's heating up, sometimes after it's heated up. Sometimes I toss a chunk of wood on with the meat, sometimes during the pre-heat. I roll like the wind- variable and unpredictable!! With the stickburner I wait until the coal bed is well established, and typically the cook chamber's up to temp, but sometimes I'll add meat when the cook chamber's still on its way up too. I can't be bothered with stressing over small details.

[EdF]

You let the Q-gods take over - I can relate!

[Mr. Bones]

Yassuh!

[Spinaker]

I wait for nice, clean smoke. I use BBQ to relieve stress, so taking some extra time is fine for me. Waiting an extra 15-30 mins in a 12 hour cook is not a big deal to me, and I think it makes a difference. Maybe that is just me.

Slow down and Que..........

[wcpreston]

I'm going to start paying attention now and see what happens.

[Spinaker]

My point is, I take my time. I try not to let everything else in life stress me out, but it happens. BBQ is a place for me to just take my time and decompress. And I think the results are better when you take your time. wcpreston

[HouseHomey]

Funny, I often wondered if people with stick burners were more OCD about their smoke, then I read Huskee above.

I almost always wait for the first clean before throwing the meat on but my wood is mixed with coals so I often wondered about the new wood catching.

I think the ability of the protein to take on dirty smoke is severely diminished if the first clean smoke goes a couple of hours into the cook. I have noticed dirty smoke is more prevalent in my cooking when I start it that way and less so when I start clean. Keep in mind I’m using the same 26 and method for most every cook so my nuances may be more dicernable to my own palate.

In general im not a heavy bark/smoke guy so I think that may make me a bit more conscious of the flavor profile, especially when I know what I’ve done. 🧠

Great Thread!!!

[Bob's BBQ]

I've done all wood cooks on my big smoker (see the avatar photo). This means I'll be adding small splits very couple of hours to maintain the temps I want. It's strange because its the same wood, typically all oak, but some cooks come out smokier than others. Some cooks I love the results, some cooks seem a little over smoked. I've considered building a barrel to burn the wood down prior to putting it into the smoker. All in all, all the cooks come out pretty darn delicious and I wonder if Huskee has the right answer. Don't sweat it!!

[jfmorris]

I just wait for the cooker to get to temp, then add the meat.

[dshaffes]

I now wait and find that's a key component to putting out quality bbq. The meat takes on most of the smoke flavor in the beginning of the cook so it's important to me that I've got good high quality blue smoke.