Review after First Cook: ua-cam.com/video/09OqciCS8K8/v-deo.html Assembly & Initial Review: ua-cam.com/video/zoxi8Vcd-Dk/v-deo.html Never Do THIS TO an Offset Smoker: ua-cam.com/video/d4Pu98pW06s/v-deo.html Burn Off & Seasoning: ua-cam.com/video/-yxA83--Cts/v-deo.html
I remember my fist time using an offset, smoked 3 chickens got that thick white smoke rolling thought I was killing it. Chickens were terrible this was before UA-cam, a friend taught me how to regulate my fire been doing great since. Thank you for taking time to make videos like this, had I seen this those many years ago 3 chickens would have been saved from the dogs.
RIP chickens. Thank you, and thank goodness for friends that can show us the way. You get a smoker thinking you want tons of smoke, it’s a logical way of thinking.
Good info Kevin. This will help a lot of backyard pit masters. Another pro tip is to make sure the wood is cured properly. I even set my next log on the handle of the fire box which will preheat the log making that initial combustion when you add it to the fire happen very quickly, limiting the amount of time it takes the fire to recover and the dirty smoke produced by the new log.
You are 100% correct, thats a great Tip on how to keep it going clean. I sometimes will throw my firebox open to make sure the bad smoke won't enter the chamber. That's a little inefficient though.
I have been smoking for 8 months, have heard of clean smoke but was not sure what it meant. You sir have unequivocally taught me what clean smoke is, excellent tutorial! Thanks.
I'm glad it helped out! Good luck on your next bbq, and let us know how it turns out on our Facebook group (if you want) Kingsford Stockade 49in Smoker & Grill.
8 months? Long ways to go and do reeasrch. If you value your home, the only dirty smoke you will be smeiling, if you follow this clown, is when your house is going up.
Just got my first grill and just tried smoking meat for the first time. I was trying my best to get a thick white cloud and kept adding wood chips to the grill. I also didn't fully let the charcoal get lit. What a mistake! lol. The chicken tasted like an ashtray. Thanks for the video! I'm definitely gonna make sure everything is fully lit/burned and clean smoking. Probably use less wood chips too.
I flood my smoker with white smoke, never had a problem and it always turns out amazing!?! As long as the wood is dry and little to no bark I have no dramas
Best instructional channel I've seen! I didn't know 90% of what you just covered. I thought smoke was smoke and never played attention to the color😬. I hope my friends and family weren't lying to me and my bbq sucked🤣🤣🤣
Good tutorial. I am one of the people who enjoys heavier smoke. I am always dabbling trying to increase and improve the smoke flavor. I don't want bitter and acrid smoke but I definitely want it to be prominent.
I think everyone has their own bbq journey with smoke flavors. When I started, I wanted to be chewing on a tree branch. Now I want a smoke flavor that is mild, that blends well with rubs and a touch of sauce. I’m also no longer cooking myself, most people think a hint of smoke is epic because they have bbq once ever six months. So a little goes a long way.
I tend to agree with you. But, it really depends on the wood I’m using and the duration. First, I cook with real wood logs. No Bricks no charcoal. Straight wood logs. I will hit large chunks of meat with smoke that many hate. I do this because the fat surrounding those pieces of meat will shield it, yet take in a lot of those flavors. As the cook progresses I’ll tend to dial it down on hard smoke and go blue. Now for pieces of meat that don’t have that fat shield, I will adopt your doctrine. I want lots of blue with nice heat. White smoke is not the devil, rather new smoke is. I like to make sure that my log is charcoaled over before I kill that oxygen and let her go to smoking. Those real toxins are right there at the bark at the beginning. Once you get passed that. Let it roll.
This was exactly what I was looking for. Just got a meat grinder and getting ready to make some sausage. Didn’t know about bad smoke. Thanks for making this video I won’t waste my meat and my time
Did my first smoke today on cheap Walmart square grill split it with bricks Royal oak and Hickory chips . Beef short ribs turned out great 7 1/2 . Can't wait to get a smoker.
Did my first brisket for the fam for Thanksgiving. Started off with a lot off smoke, thought it was a good thing. Great vid bud. Hopefully my next brisket I'll do better.
This is the best beginners tutorial video ever... thank you, helped me big time with using my new offset smoker. New subscriber for sure. All the way from New Zealand :-)
I really like the video. Wish I could give it two thumbs up. The fact that I’ve been cooking with bad smoke and didn’t know it has really change how I bbq. Thanks again
Yep, happened to me as well. To the point I almost gave up. Just figured I didn't like smoke that much. Of course I was too lazy to look up how to do it properly. Just wasted hundreds of dollars with of meat instead before trial and error educated me a bit. That prompted me to actually do some research and discover how wrong I have been. So thanks to you and others like you for uploading these informative videos.
Perfect timing! Camping with my twin 6 year old grandsons this weekend. Steak and burgers...few dogs. Using hickory for the first time because I have it. I will definitely back off of what I was planning and go easy. Then throw a few logs on for the after campfire.
Great video on smoke levels... One thing I would of added is if you use charcoal like match light (or any that don't need lighter fluid to start)... It is ok to start your firebox with it but when you add it to your fire during a long smoke it leaves a bad taste. I myself use charcoal to start and only add real wood chunks after that. Another great tip is to use a water pan placed where the smoke enters the cooking chamber. I have fund that it helps in keeping your meats moist and it also helps in keeping a consistent temp.
Both great tips, the folks that are going to stick with bbq figure out that match light shouldn’t be added while food is on. Folks that try it once every year can’t notice the match light taste. Get that smoke rollin 💨💨
One chef I use to work with loved that thick white smoke . Like a wild fire type of smoke. He used to do a hard smoke for 1 hour then pull the meats , wrap em and finish them in the oven for 2 hours . It was really good . Nice smoke ring good flavour . People used to think we smoked it all night. Sold out everytime.
I bet that was delicious, and it definitely is the right amount of time to do it for. Most people will go heavy white smoke for hours and hours and just over smoke it, thanks for the comment, it’s actually a good idea for a video 👍
Im experienced on the grill and in the kitchen but always wanted a smoker however I didn't have the money really and needed a grill for a get together this past weekend so I bought a Barrell style grill from Lowes for $150 it's really nice and I cooked some delicious ribs, chicken thighs,sausage, and hotdogs. The next day though I tried smoking a whole hen instead of doing it in the oven like normal. I didn't pay attention or know about clean vs dirty smoke but it was amazing, it got gone faster than the oven version I guess my smoke was cleaning...it was while most of the time. I removed two of the four grates on the side with the air vents.Then got charcoal started with pine straw and olive oil and let it get ashed over then poured it in a the side of the grill closest to the vents. Under the other two grates I placed a drip pan with apple juice and onions and then placed my chicken on top of that side. Mixed in with the pine straw charcoal combination was also small sticks from the bag of "apple smoking chips" I poured about half the bad onto the lit coals and let them smoke when there was little to no smoke coming out poured on some more and then after about an hour threw on the rest(it was a small bag). My girlfriend got home right in time with some pecan chunks and they worked great for the last hour only needed maybe 4 or 5 of them. While the chicken rested I through on some more lit coals and small sticks and fried up some onions and potatoes In my cast iron. 🍻
Very informative Kevin, also if you need to crank your heat back up for some reason (fell asleep) don't use the briquettes (weird odor bad flavor) use the lump (nice odor nice flavor) have a great weekend brother.
Good point! They are fine as a base, but shouldn't be added once in the fire box, you can do a charcoal chimney to re-add though, but that's a lot of work.
You always give the best tips and ideas for someone that has a smoker barbecue and think my favorite tip which I think is spot on people tend to over smoke their food you don’t wanna overpower the taste of the meat do you want to enhance the taste of the meat with a little smoke
That is something I never understand when watching American BBQ shows. When the brisket or other meat is ready it looks like a piece of tar. Personally I would like and try to get that dark mahogany color and not totally black.
Really good information here, thumbs up. I'm just getting into the smoking game, went all out and built a whisky barrel smoker, with some UDS extras to finish it off. Looking forward to the first run this weekend (weather permitted) 👍
Bad smoke can also happen with pellet smokers. I always open the lid of my Camp Chef when I first start it up to allow all of the "blue smoke" to escape because you don't want this on your food. Once I start getting the white smoke I shut the lid and let it come up to temp before putting the meat in.
Wow, thanks Kevin. Well I have definitely been doing that wrong. Thanks for explaining. Really appreciate it brother. 👍🏽 I've literally said before, oh yea look at that smoke rolling...as if it was a good thing.
You definitely want a smoke ring, just need the right smoke making that ring! Thanks for the watching! I took a page out of your book and have started lake/pond fishing. Kids are loving it!
I too was one of the ones who was doing it wrong, (more smoke the better I thought). I am working on trying to get the heat/smoke right, sorta of an art/science thing. However, there is a way to "cheat" the system, simply wrap your food tightly in foil, even with too much smoke, the foil limits the amount of smoke and you'll end up with some pretty good food. Not the right way, and I am working on doing it right, but it does work.
Good info, I’ve been smoking for a few years and I had to learn this the hard way. Smaller offset smokers are the least forgiving on fire management. There is a fine line between having a good clean fire and having too hot of a fire. You really gotta keep on top of your coal bed.
Hey buddy, great video! I have been grilling and indirect grilling for 30+ years. I finally got a really good offset smoker made of 1/4" steel. If you are using a small to medium sized smoker like I have and you are able to get full sized (16") logs, it may be a good idea to cut them in half with a chop saw or chainsaw. This will help you avoid crazy temperature swings when you add them to your fire box.
Yes!!! I have to admit though I’m a little disappointed that even with some of the big smokers, the smaller splits still do a better job 😅. I personally like just grabbing regular splits and throwing them in.
Spot on brother! I've learnt the hard way through having over smoked meat, wasn't until I tried beef off a pellet smoker that I realised lighter smoke tastes way better.
I prefer a stronger smoke myself. To me meat on a pellet smoker taste like it was cooked in an oven. But to each their own. I use mesquite wood because I like the flavor better than any other wood. Hickory is second.
There is a third way. Get some premium fruitwood/hardwood lump charcoal and add it to the briquettes. You get a cleaner burn and great aroma. Also, for those splits, you should also try strip the bark. As it produces a less clean burn.
Wow, I just learned something today watching this video. I had no idea about bad smoke. I’ve been grilling and smoking for years and I never paid much attention to the type of smoke and what caused it. Thank you so much for posting this video I found it very informative and eye-opening. I will definitely consider this on my next smoke. I subscribed to your channel. I also liked and rang the bell. This is Dave over at Dabomb Smokes, cheers, and thanks again.
Hey just bought a smoker..the instructions say to cure it first..but says not with wood chips but then it says to cure it with wood chips..not sure if it matters do you know..thanks in advance
I see this video is 3 years old but I'm doing some ribs right now for Independence day🇺🇸 dinner and when you opened your grill in the video I got a nice whiff of "good" smoke from my stick burner like it was smell-o-vision lol. Well done video and tips 👍, I've found that apple wood is much more forgiving than say oak or hickory as far as "white" smoke is concerned.
Yes, apple is definitely a good wood. Hickory has always been to strong for ribs for me, but brisket I enjoy a hickory oak mix. Happy smoking, glad you enjoyed it👍
Literally just started "smoking" on a webber (it's what I got) and learning so much as I go, as we speak just doing the last of a 10 hour Cook of pull pork 🤞and saw some dirty smoke so UA-cam it 😂 and yes you spot on this vid helped so much, thought I needed to close the vents to reduced the heat, but no just made more smoke, vents open less fuel.... boosh 👍😅
I felt personally attacked for my beginner barbeque meat LOL. My homie always tells me the truth though and honestly I felt the same way like you said you want to believe it's good but it's somewhat "ashtray salty" tasting. I usually smoke in a 22" weber and before I started in a 18" weber I found in an alley, it's just the passion for the cook.
I don't know but when I taste smoked beef that has been smoked with the whiter smoke, it taste much better than when I do the thin blue smoke. There was only a single time that I made great tasting BBQ with the blue smoke. Usually the blue smoke provides VERY LITTLE smoke flavor for my taste. I feel like I've wasted product when I smoke with blue smoke. What I do now is a mixture of white and blue smoke. For brisket, I want white smoke for first 1-2 hours, then blue smoke thereafter. My white smoke is a little lighter than what I see in this vid.
I completely agree with this assessment. I think the blue smoke is overdone. It has more to do with oxygen, if your fire isn’t getting any than you might get bad bbq. If your fire is getting plenty of oxygen and it’s still a heavier white, you’ll still have great bbq 👍
The barrel smokers don't really keep a flame, you want to get the embers hot, and then when you put the lid on the flame dies down and you throw chunks on. You will get more of a smoldering cook and thats just the nature of it. You want to keep your vents open to get better air flow, but you rarely get a steady flame. I cook on my barely between 275-300F. If its running too hot you close down the vents some.
"they're just your friends and they dont wanna hurt your feelings" i'm from Minnesota and this is a real challenge because hoo boy are you gonna get told it's good even if it tastes like christmas coal in their stocking.
Very good explanation! great video. The smoke will definitely vary from wood type and moisture content. some wood has more sap and resin than others. The vent on the firebox door are usually not enough and you can open the door from just cracked to wide open while you are cooking, you can actually make the pit temp lower this way by spilling some heat out of the door when adding a fresh split. moving the wood from the pit side to the door side of the firebox also can help control the pit temperature, as well as flipping the splits over midway through the burn will bring the temp up a bit.
Thank you for your explanation, does it work the same way for cold smoking? I was cold smoking herring for almost 14 days and I found too much resin on a wooden rods. So far, I am still asking my self why was that? Some one can help please?
Great information. I'd also like to add that to avoid producing dirty smoke while cooking, it is important to understand what causes it. The main culprits are improper fuel source, not starting with a fully lit base, and not controlling the venting. Dirty smoke is caused by moisture evaporating from the surface of the charcoal or wood. Therefore, it is important to avoid using green wood since the moisture in it will evaporate, leading to unstable temperatures and billowing smoke. To start, make sure the charcoal or wood base is fully lit. Only then can you add the appropriately sized and fully cured hardwood for smoking. Pieces that are too large for the smoker being used will not fully combust in the appropriate amount of time and can smother the fire, causing billowing dirty white smoke until it reaches full combustion. Oxygen is key for full combustion, and the temperature and dirty smoke can be controlled through proper venting and fire size. Once there is a full combustion, opening the input vent at about 40% for oxygen flow and using the exit or top vent for temperature control is a start to a great smoke. There should also never be a need for additional charcoal because as the smoking wood burns, it becomes coal and adds to the coal bed. All of the great Pit Masters will tell you that the key to great smoked products is learning to master fire control.
Had an embarrassing 45 minutes a few weeks ago. The Weber Firestarter was just kicking out loads of smoke. Gardens are pretty good by London standards but small by most measures so smoke is not popular. Felt like all the gear but no idea. Usually, I just use paper in the Firestarter, this time, I tried the Weber environmentally friendly cubes as well as paper. At second attempt, it did take and we were off and running with smokeless heat for the Weber Kettle with Rotisserie. What was the problem? Very high air pressure, no breeze and neighbours on one side had finally installed their new fencing which is very windproof. There was no draw and smoke was staying low and swirling around. In future, especially in similar conditions, I'll get out the blow torch that I use occasionally for pipework.
Blow Torch should get you going fast, but definitely understand that feeling, my back yard with the chimney always has about 7-10 minutes of heavy smoke swirling around. I share the bbq every once and while as a way to say thank you/sorry about the smoke, but this is my lifestyle, haha!
Thank you for the simple explanation. Im new to pellet smoking, and I think I am doing too much white smoke, not enough good smoke. I will use your tips!
I use a WSM, and you really don’t get a thin blue smoke at all, but then again you only use a few wood chunks, and they usually smolder rather than combusting.
Yes, for my weber Smokey mountain, it can look like a chimney and still produce great bbq! The problem mainly occurs when you are using offsets and whole splits, not getting enough combustion. WSM is one of the best pits out there!
if your on a weber and u put wood chunks on it leave the lid off and then once its almost black put the lid on and there will be no smoke just flame coming out of the fince
I converted a Dyna-Glo charcoal smoker into an electric smoker. I smoke with all vents closed And I get thick white smoke. My food taste sour and bitter. next time I'm going to open vents and check for flame in the smoke box. thanks for your video.
Question sir? Great video, thank you for the input I have learned that the hard way. What about the charcoal snake method? Since the briquettes or lighting over slow period Of time, does that not create bad smoke?
That’s a really good point. I’ve done the snake method and it did not produce bad smoke (lump charcoal was used). I don’t know the science behind it, but for starters it’s getting plenty of oxygen which is helping it burn cleaner from the start. I also think 2 to 3 charcoals are lighting at a time instead of a pile of charcoal, which is helping produce a more efficient burn. Also a lump charcoal vs briquettes debate on that one (I’m indifferent, I know some people lose their minds if you mention briquettes). The lump burns cleaner. Great question, going to be thinking about this one and the briquettes for a while. Thank you for watching, commenting, and subscribing!
I have followed all these tips and.tried every tip i.could find. From the minion method to the splits and to the lump charcoal being grey. I have the damper open and the smoke stack 3/4 open but still bad smoke. I am burning wood from B and B cooking woods which are kiln dried.
That’s really strange. If you are on Facebook, join our group and post some pictures to the group, so we can help you with that situation, something just doesn’t seem right.
Thank you, very interesting. How does this translate to a vertical smoker where you put chips onto a hotplate...it seems that based on this principle that heating chips without full combustion would ONLY produce dirty smoke..thoughts?
Depends on the vertical smoker. If it’s one for making beef jerky/smoked fish at a low temperature below 200F then you are okay for that smoldering smoke. If you are cooking ribs at 250 degrees you want less smolder and a cleaner flame/smoke
Good video - but remember, some like a stronger taste, while others prefer a milder flavor. Thank God everyone can make their choices based on their personal preference, without fear of being judged for making the "wrong" choice. Years ago, I had a friend who liked her meat burned and crispy. No one at the table would choose to trade meals with her, but she loved it.
Very very true. I feel like the general public is starting to adopt that mentality. Before 2021, things had to be cooked this exact way. Now it seems like there has been a shift, if it works for you it works for you.
What do you do if you need to add more fuel? I mainly use briquettes, so do you start it off on the side again in a chimney? I'm confused, because I've seen people drop briquettes or small chunks of wood on top of the existing coals that are in the grill. Wouldn't that introduce a lot of nasty smoke onto the food? Thanks for your video, though. It answered a lot of other questions I had.
I normally add a handful or two of charcoal every 45 minutes. If helps maintain keeping a steady supply of fuel (Along with adding some wood chucks). If I have a 10 hour cook going, the handfuls of charcoal won’t get me through, so I’ll start a second chimney to add once it seems the heat is having trouble. Good luck, just keep experimenting and having fun.
Hey man! Thank you for the video! You are right, I am new, excited, and not entirely sure how this is supposed to work! But I appreciate your advice and will try it out :)
I'm glad I watched this video before I put a whole pork but in my masterbuilt electric smoker. I've nailed it many times smoking a london broil with hickory. Sliced thin it's an awesome " roast beef" on bread with mayo and horse radish ! Thanks for the info on smoke ! 🕊️🙏💖💯
Just stumbled across your videos thank you for the info as ive bbq'd for yrs just winging it and have only just decided to get behind the science of it , tho ive never had issuses with what this video explains , its helpful to understand .... Im from rural australia so everything is fire cooked mostly with hardwood or gum tree as you'd know it and it produces a heavy sweet flavour done right , but i am a sucker for american woods .again thank you for the explanation
Definitely, wood requires more oxygen and air flow. Charcoal can burn hotter with less oxygen. So you need more airflow for wood only fires. Cheaper offsets normally have trouble with the airflow, hence why we use a good bit of charcoal.
This is interesting. What I've heard elsewhere is that low temperature, smoldering is what produces the best flavor components we associate with smoked meats. You seem to be advocating the opposite; uninhibited combustion for the "cleanest" smoke as you say.
Correct, I used to think the heavier smoldering smoke was the way to go. Eventually, you are going to overpower your taste buds and your guest. For some slow Cold SMokes, like for salmon, you can do a smoldering fire, but that's very different from traditional bbq.
Question... I use wood chips on my webber kettle. I use natural lump charcoal and after I sear my steaks I pull them over to the indirect side. I then throw a handful of hickory chips on the coals and close the lid. It's a lot of smoke for a minute but it always comes out good. Is there a relation to long light smoking vs short heavy smoking? Technically the same about of smoke is released both ways right?
For the way you are cooking, that is a perfect way to do it on steaks! If you were doing a longer lower slower cook, like brisket. The short burst of wood chips probably won't get the trick done for a deeper richer wood smoke flavor.
Review after First Cook: ua-cam.com/video/09OqciCS8K8/v-deo.html
Assembly & Initial Review: ua-cam.com/video/zoxi8Vcd-Dk/v-deo.html
Never Do THIS TO an Offset Smoker: ua-cam.com/video/d4Pu98pW06s/v-deo.html
Burn Off & Seasoning: ua-cam.com/video/-yxA83--Cts/v-deo.html
responded
Great video
You also don't want the bark of a tree, dude. Like you have in your video undr your coals. Lord have mercy.
I remember my fist time using an offset, smoked 3 chickens got that thick white smoke rolling thought I was killing it. Chickens were terrible this was before UA-cam, a friend taught me how to regulate my fire been doing great since. Thank you for taking time to make videos like this, had I seen this those many years ago 3 chickens would have been saved from the dogs.
RIP chickens. Thank you, and thank goodness for friends that can show us the way. You get a smoker thinking you want tons of smoke, it’s a logical way of thinking.
It just happened to me hahahaha
Good info Kevin. This will help a lot of backyard pit masters. Another pro tip is to make sure the wood is cured properly. I even set my next log on the handle of the fire box which will preheat the log making that initial combustion when you add it to the fire happen very quickly, limiting the amount of time it takes the fire to recover and the dirty smoke produced by the new log.
You are 100% correct, thats a great Tip on how to keep it going clean. I sometimes will throw my firebox open to make sure the bad smoke won't enter the chamber. That's a little inefficient though.
You're no pit master if you're new.
I have been smoking for 8 months, have heard of clean smoke but was not sure what it meant. You sir have unequivocally taught me what clean smoke is, excellent tutorial! Thanks.
I'm glad it helped out! Good luck on your next bbq, and let us know how it turns out on our Facebook group (if you want) Kingsford Stockade 49in Smoker & Grill.
8 months? Long ways to go and do reeasrch. If you value your home, the only dirty smoke you will be smeiling, if you follow this clown, is when your house is going up.
Just got my first grill and just tried smoking meat for the first time. I was trying my best to get a thick white cloud and kept adding wood chips to the grill. I also didn't fully let the charcoal get lit. What a mistake! lol. The chicken tasted like an ashtray. Thanks for the video! I'm definitely gonna make sure everything is fully lit/burned and clean smoking. Probably use less wood chips too.
Best education is personal experience, sounds like you are a quick learner and got this 🙌
SAME HERE YESTERDAY 😂😂😂😂
Didn’t you ever look at how an adult for example your father or big brother were grilling and ask/learn when you were a kid, you fool?🤷🏻
Same over here!! I ran the meats over heavy flame and mad a mess of smoke and taste!
Right on, experience is the best teacher.
I flood my smoker with white smoke, never had a problem and it always turns out amazing!?! As long as the wood is dry and little to no bark I have no dramas
Niceeeee
Great explanation of the different types of smoke and fire management.
Thanks Scott, I saw too many beginners dealing with the wrong smoke 😬
Best instructional channel I've seen! I didn't know 90% of what you just covered. I thought smoke was smoke and never played attention to the color😬. I hope my friends and family weren't lying to me and my bbq sucked🤣🤣🤣
Haha, it probably didn’t bro! Glad this helped, get that smoke rolling again!
Good tutorial. I am one of the people who enjoys heavier smoke. I am always dabbling trying to increase and improve the smoke flavor.
I don't want bitter and acrid smoke but I definitely want it to be prominent.
Balance between heavier smoke flavor and creosote.
I think everyone has their own bbq journey with smoke flavors. When I started, I wanted to be chewing on a tree branch. Now I want a smoke flavor that is mild, that blends well with rubs and a touch of sauce. I’m also no longer cooking myself, most people think a hint of smoke is epic because they have bbq once ever six months. So a little goes a long way.
I tend to agree with you. But, it really depends on the wood I’m using and the duration. First, I cook with real wood logs. No Bricks no charcoal. Straight wood logs. I will hit large chunks of meat with smoke that many hate. I do this because the fat surrounding those pieces of meat will shield it, yet take in a lot of those flavors. As the cook progresses I’ll tend to dial it down on hard smoke and go blue. Now for pieces of meat that don’t have that fat shield, I will adopt your doctrine. I want lots of blue with nice heat.
White smoke is not the devil, rather new smoke is. I like to make sure that my log is charcoaled over before I kill that oxygen and let her go to smoking. Those real toxins are right there at the bark at the beginning. Once you get passed that. Let it roll.
This was exactly what I was looking for. Just got a meat grinder and getting ready to make some sausage. Didn’t know about bad smoke. Thanks for making this video I won’t waste my meat and my time
Glad you came across the video, good luck on the smoked meats!
Did my first smoke today on cheap Walmart square grill split it with bricks Royal oak and Hickory chips . Beef short ribs turned out great 7 1/2 . Can't wait to get a smoker.
If you rocked it on that grill, you are going to make some great bbq on an smoker!
Did my first brisket for the fam for Thanksgiving. Started off with a lot off smoke, thought it was a good thing. Great vid bud. Hopefully my next brisket I'll do better.
Thank you, let me know how the second one turns out!
This is the best beginners tutorial video ever... thank you, helped me big time with using my new offset smoker. New subscriber for sure. All the way from New Zealand :-)
Glad it helped! Thanks for watching all with way from New Zealand, and a big big thanks for subscribing!
Another kiwi agreeing 👍
I really like the video. Wish I could give it two thumbs up. The fact that I’ve been cooking with bad smoke and didn’t know it has really change how I bbq. Thanks again
Glad I could help, and you are getting after it!
Yep, happened to me as well. To the point I almost gave up. Just figured I didn't like smoke that much. Of course I was too lazy to look up how to do it properly. Just wasted hundreds of dollars with of meat instead before trial and error educated me a bit. That prompted me to actually do some research and discover how wrong I have been.
So thanks to you and others like you for uploading these informative videos.
We’ve all been there, thank you fir the comment. Happy smoking!
Perfect timing! Camping with my twin 6 year old grandsons this weekend. Steak and burgers...few dogs. Using hickory for the first time because I have it. I will definitely back off of what I was planning and go easy. Then throw a few logs on for the after campfire.
Sounds great! Hope the weekend turns out great!
I like how you said "That piece of meat we chewing on that taste like a branch" lmao
Haha, its true!
That was funny. Lol. It happened to me too. That's all you could taste. Thick dirty smoke.
Heavy smoke will give like a ashy flavor.. good clean smoke almost a blueish color to it is just right👌🏻
100% 👍👊👊
The best video!!!! All other videos make it so complicated and it feels like a science experiment lol
Thank you, really appreciate that!
Great video on smoke levels...
One thing I would of added is if you use charcoal like match light (or any that don't need lighter fluid to start)...
It is ok to start your firebox with it but when you add it to your fire during a long smoke it leaves a bad taste.
I myself use charcoal to start and only add real wood chunks after that.
Another great tip is to use a water pan placed where the smoke enters the cooking chamber. I have fund that it helps in keeping your meats moist and it also helps in keeping a consistent temp.
Both great tips, the folks that are going to stick with bbq figure out that match light shouldn’t be added while food is on. Folks that try it once every year can’t notice the match light taste. Get that smoke rollin 💨💨
I always thought the huge plume of smoke was a good thing! Great video!
You and me both!
One chef I use to work with loved that thick white smoke . Like a wild fire type of smoke. He used to do a hard smoke for 1 hour then pull the meats , wrap em and finish them in the oven for 2 hours . It was really good . Nice smoke ring good flavour . People used to think we smoked it all night. Sold out everytime.
I bet that was delicious, and it definitely is the right amount of time to do it for. Most people will go heavy white smoke for hours and hours and just over smoke it, thanks for the comment, it’s actually a good idea for a video 👍
Im experienced on the grill and in the kitchen but always wanted a smoker however I didn't have the money really and needed a grill for a get together this past weekend so I bought a Barrell style grill from Lowes for $150 it's really nice and I cooked some delicious ribs, chicken thighs,sausage, and hotdogs. The next day though I tried smoking a whole hen instead of doing it in the oven like normal. I didn't pay attention or know about clean vs dirty smoke but it was amazing, it got gone faster than the oven version I guess my smoke was cleaning...it was while most of the time. I removed two of the four grates on the side with the air vents.Then got charcoal started with pine straw and olive oil and let it get ashed over then poured it in a the side of the grill closest to the vents. Under the other two grates I placed a drip pan with apple juice and onions and then placed my chicken on top of that side. Mixed in with the pine straw charcoal combination was also small sticks from the bag of "apple smoking chips" I poured about half the bad onto the lit coals and let them smoke when there was little to no smoke coming out poured on some more and then after about an hour threw on the rest(it was a small bag). My girlfriend got home right in time with some pecan chunks and they worked great for the last hour only needed maybe 4 or 5 of them. While the chicken rested I through on some more lit coals and small sticks and fried up some onions and potatoes In my cast iron. 🍻
Making Me hungry, sounds like an awesome meal!
Very informative Kevin, also if you need to crank your heat back up for some reason (fell asleep) don't use the briquettes (weird odor bad flavor) use the lump (nice odor nice flavor) have a great weekend brother.
Good point! They are fine as a base, but shouldn't be added once in the fire box, you can do a charcoal chimney to re-add though, but that's a lot of work.
My first attempt tasted like a forest fire, thanks for this video 🇦🇺
No problem 👍
You always give the best tips and ideas for someone that has a smoker barbecue and think my favorite tip which I think is spot on people tend to over smoke their food you don’t wanna overpower the taste of the meat do you want to enhance the taste of the meat with a little smoke
Thanks so much Jeff! Means a lot!
That is something I never understand when watching American BBQ shows. When the brisket or other meat is ready it looks like a piece of tar.
Personally I would like and try to get that dark mahogany color and not totally black.
Dude, Your becoming bad ass..... Great video, Great tips for the everyone BBQer. This is smoke 101. Great job.
Haha, thanks Tommy &.... Thank you for my new playlist name Smoke 101!
Really good information here, thumbs up. I'm just getting into the smoking game, went all out and built a whisky barrel smoker, with some UDS extras to finish it off. Looking forward to the first run this weekend (weather permitted) 👍
The barrels are the most underrated and over delivering smoker out there! That's awesome you made one!
Bad smoke can also happen with pellet smokers. I always open the lid of my Camp Chef when I first start it up to allow all of the "blue smoke" to escape because you don't want this on your food. Once I start getting the white smoke I shut the lid and let it come up to temp before putting the meat in.
Very smart to do it that way.
Thanks for this video! I’m super new to this and this video by far has helped me the most.
Glad it helped, I tried to create content in a playlist around the challenges new smokers face. Good luck and keep that pit smoking!
Wow, thanks Kevin. Well I have definitely been doing that wrong. Thanks for explaining. Really appreciate it brother. 👍🏽 I've literally said before, oh yea look at that smoke rolling...as if it was a good thing.
You definitely want a smoke ring, just need the right smoke making that ring! Thanks for the watching! I took a page out of your book and have started lake/pond fishing. Kids are loving it!
I too was one of the ones who was doing it wrong, (more smoke the better I thought). I am working on trying to get the heat/smoke right, sorta of an art/science thing. However, there is a way to "cheat" the system, simply wrap your food tightly in foil, even with too much smoke, the foil limits the amount of smoke and you'll end up with some pretty good food. Not the right way, and I am working on doing it right, but it does work.
Hmmmm, that’s interesting. Never would of thought of that.
The best balance I’ve found is to just half your wood splits down to the 6-8 inch length.
Good info, I’ve been smoking for a few years and I had to learn this the hard way. Smaller offset smokers are the least forgiving on fire management. There is a fine line between having a good clean fire and having too hot of a fire. You really gotta keep on top of your coal bed.
100% correct on the smaller offsets.
Hey buddy, great video! I have been grilling and indirect grilling for 30+ years. I finally got a really good offset smoker made of 1/4" steel. If you are using a small to medium sized smoker like I have and you are able to get full sized (16") logs, it may be a good idea to cut them in half with a chop saw or chainsaw. This will help you avoid crazy temperature swings when you add them to your fire box.
Yes!!! I have to admit though I’m a little disappointed that even with some of the big smokers, the smaller splits still do a better job 😅. I personally like just grabbing regular splits and throwing them in.
I just re watched the video and it was so good!! great way to explain smoke to those who don't know!
Spot on brother! I've learnt the hard way through having over smoked meat, wasn't until I tried beef off a pellet smoker that I realised lighter smoke tastes way better.
100 agree! Thanks for watching, glad you enjoyed it!
I prefer a stronger smoke myself. To me meat on a pellet smoker taste like it was cooked in an oven. But to each their own. I use mesquite wood because I like the flavor better than any other wood. Hickory is second.
Great info. Knew this but couldn't explain it as good. Well done!
Much appreciated!
There is a third way. Get some premium fruitwood/hardwood lump charcoal and add it to the briquettes.
You get a cleaner burn and great aroma.
Also, for those splits, you should also try strip the bark. As it produces a less clean burn.
That’s the way to do it!
Very good easy to understand video for beginners like me. Subscribed!
Glad it helped, thanks for subscribing 🙌
Bro thank you for this! Never knew about clean smoke. Thank you
Glad I could help!
Wow, I just learned something today watching this video. I had no idea about bad smoke. I’ve been grilling and smoking for years and I never paid much attention to the type of smoke and what caused it.
Thank you so much for posting this video I found it very informative and eye-opening. I will definitely consider this on my next smoke.
I subscribed to your channel. I also liked and rang the bell.
This is Dave over at Dabomb Smokes, cheers, and thanks again.
Thank you Dave! Glad the video was insightful!
Hey just bought a smoker..the instructions say to cure it first..but says not with wood chips but then it says to cure it with wood chips..not sure if it matters do you know..thanks in advance
@@wilE6764 just burn it hot for 30-60 minutes with wood chips is fine, but can also probably spray it down with cooking oil.
@ComparisonCooking Hey thanks..will do!
Thanks for using your voice to help others!! This video is amazing and worked for me...
Thank you, I really appreciate the comment! Happy smoking.
I see this video is 3 years old but I'm doing some ribs right now for Independence day🇺🇸 dinner and when you opened your grill in the video I got a nice whiff of "good" smoke from my stick burner like it was smell-o-vision lol. Well done video and tips 👍, I've found that apple wood is much more forgiving than say oak or hickory as far as "white" smoke is concerned.
Yes, apple is definitely a good wood. Hickory has always been to strong for ribs for me, but brisket I enjoy a hickory oak mix. Happy smoking, glad you enjoyed it👍
Wow ....I just used to throw the charcoal and a shit load of fluid in the pit and lots of smoke 😷😭
Had to save this video and subscribe
Glad you enjoyed it👊 thanks for subscribing!
Smoking my first ham right now. Thank you for this video! Happy thanksgiving
Nice! Have a great Thanksgiving!
Literally just started "smoking" on a webber (it's what I got) and learning so much as I go, as we speak just doing the last of a 10 hour Cook of pull pork 🤞and saw some dirty smoke so UA-cam it 😂 and yes you spot on this vid helped so much, thought I needed to close the vents to reduced the heat, but no just made more smoke, vents open less fuel.... boosh 👍😅
Happens to all of us, a fun learning process sometimes 😅
I felt personally attacked for my beginner barbeque meat LOL. My homie always tells me the truth though and honestly I felt the same way like you said you want to believe it's good but it's somewhat "ashtray salty" tasting. I usually smoke in a 22" weber and before I started in a 18" weber I found in an alley, it's just the passion for the cook.
Ouch, i've had that feeling, but good homies keep it real!
I don't know but when I taste smoked beef that has been smoked with the whiter smoke, it taste much better than when I do the thin blue smoke. There was only a single time that I made great tasting BBQ with the blue smoke. Usually the blue smoke provides VERY LITTLE smoke flavor for my taste. I feel like I've wasted product when I smoke with blue smoke.
What I do now is a mixture of white and blue smoke. For brisket, I want white smoke for first 1-2 hours, then blue smoke thereafter.
My white smoke is a little lighter than what I see in this vid.
I completely agree with this assessment. I think the blue smoke is overdone. It has more to do with oxygen, if your fire isn’t getting any than you might get bad bbq. If your fire is getting plenty of oxygen and it’s still a heavier white, you’ll still have great bbq 👍
Thank you . My first attempts were inedible !
All part of the process 👍👊👊
Very good tips and very informative on how white smoke and bad smoke. Did you ever try bbq dragon it makes lighting a charcoal fast less than 15 mins.
I haven't seen that one, pretty good?
That's why you get a reverse flow water smoker
Now we are talking!
Great info! Sounds like the true rule of thumb is blue smoke and honest mates!
This was helpful. My cheap barrel smoker just really sucks at keeping a flame and it always goes out. Im using chunks, tips?
The barrel smokers don't really keep a flame, you want to get the embers hot, and then when you put the lid on the flame dies down and you throw chunks on. You will get more of a smoldering cook and thats just the nature of it. You want to keep your vents open to get better air flow, but you rarely get a steady flame. I cook on my barely between 275-300F. If its running too hot you close down the vents some.
I started smoking with a weber kettle because of the bbq pit boys. I was the pitmaster friend for years. The offset humbled me lol
Offsets are a finnicky thing, most people can't stick with them!
the offset changed my life once I learned how to properly use it
"they're just your friends and they dont wanna hurt your feelings" i'm from Minnesota and this is a real challenge because hoo boy are you gonna get told it's good even if it tastes like christmas coal in their stocking.
Hahaha, I like that analogy.
Very good explanation! great video. The smoke will definitely vary from wood type and moisture content. some wood has more sap and resin than others. The vent on the firebox door are usually not enough and you can open the door from just cracked to wide open while you are cooking, you can actually make the pit temp lower this way by spilling some heat out of the door when adding a fresh split. moving the wood from the pit side to the door side of the firebox also can help control the pit temperature, as well as flipping the splits over midway through the burn will bring the temp up a bit.
These are all great points Neil! Could see the Sarap Offset smoker channel around the corner 🤩👍👍
Thank you for your explanation, does it work the same way for cold smoking? I was cold smoking herring for almost 14 days and I found too much resin on a wooden rods. So far, I am still asking my self why was that? Some one can help please?
I never knew there was such a thing in bbq. Glad I watched
Glad it helped!
Same here
Great information. I'd also like to add that to avoid producing dirty smoke while cooking, it is important to understand what causes it. The main culprits are improper fuel source, not starting with a fully lit base, and not controlling the venting. Dirty smoke is caused by moisture evaporating from the surface of the charcoal or wood. Therefore, it is important to avoid using green wood since the moisture in it will evaporate, leading to unstable temperatures and billowing smoke. To start, make sure the charcoal or wood base is fully lit. Only then can you add the appropriately sized and fully cured hardwood for smoking. Pieces that are too large for the smoker being used will not fully combust in the appropriate amount of time and can smother the fire, causing billowing dirty white smoke until it reaches full combustion. Oxygen is key for full combustion, and the temperature and dirty smoke can be controlled through proper venting and fire size. Once there is a full combustion, opening the input vent at about 40% for oxygen flow and using the exit or top vent for temperature control is a start to a great smoke. There should also never be a need for additional charcoal because as the smoking wood burns, it becomes coal and adds to the coal bed. All of the great Pit Masters will tell you that the key to great smoked products is learning to master fire control.
I just got a smoker, had folks over and wanted honest opinions. I got them, told them it will help me the next time,
Its tough to get that honest feedback, but its so worth it in the long run. Good Job!
Looks very good, Nice video, I always appreciate the quality of your videos, well done my friend. Have a great weekend, Stay safe out there. 👍👍👍😀✌
Thank you very much! When I was editing, i didn't like this video at all, but thought I might as well put it out!
Good points Kevin and well explained. The white smoke definitely will kill a great piece of meat. Awesome video!
Uggh, you know it! Thanks for watching Charley!
I think you just saved my cook with this video
Had an embarrassing 45 minutes a few weeks ago. The Weber Firestarter was just kicking out loads of smoke. Gardens are pretty good by London standards but small by most measures so smoke is not popular. Felt like all the gear but no idea.
Usually, I just use paper in the Firestarter, this time, I tried the Weber environmentally friendly cubes as well as paper. At second attempt, it did take and we were off and running with smokeless heat for the Weber Kettle with Rotisserie. What was the problem? Very high air pressure, no breeze and neighbours on one side had finally installed their new fencing which is very windproof. There was no draw and smoke was staying low and swirling around. In future, especially in similar conditions, I'll get out the blow torch that I use occasionally for pipework.
Blow Torch should get you going fast, but definitely understand that feeling, my back yard with the chimney always has about 7-10 minutes of heavy smoke swirling around. I share the bbq every once and while as a way to say thank you/sorry about the smoke, but this is my lifestyle, haha!
Thank you for the simple explanation. Im new to pellet smoking, and I think I am doing too much white smoke, not enough good smoke. I will use your tips!
Glad it helped!
I really do appreciate your video hoss. Did my first smoked pork shoulder on my uds and your video help out alot.
Glad I could help! How did it taste?
I use a WSM, and you really don’t get a thin blue smoke at all, but then again you only use a few wood chunks, and they usually smolder rather than combusting.
Yes, for my weber Smokey mountain, it can look like a chimney and still produce great bbq! The problem mainly occurs when you are using offsets and whole splits, not getting enough combustion. WSM is one of the best pits out there!
Great video. I can definitely taste the difference between good and bad smoke.
👍👊👊
if your on a weber and u put wood chunks on it leave the lid off and then once its almost black put the lid on and there will be no smoke just flame coming out of the fince
Great tutorial Kevin, covered a lot of good points. Cheers.
Thank you, appreciate the comment a lot! Happy smoking Preston!
I converted a Dyna-Glo charcoal smoker into an electric smoker. I smoke with all vents closed And I get thick white smoke. My food taste sour and bitter. next time I'm going to open vents and check for flame in the smoke box. thanks for your video.
Great tip for beginners!
Thank you!
Thanks for the tip. I am new to this and I see now that I have need smoking my meat wrong.
It’s all part of the process. Best part is todays always a good day to get the fire going again.
Awesome job. This should be a winner
Fingers crossed as always. These 101 tips just make sense to me.
Question sir? Great video, thank you for the input I have learned that the hard way. What about the charcoal snake method? Since the briquettes or lighting over slow period Of time, does that not create bad smoke?
That’s a really good point. I’ve done the snake method and it did not produce bad smoke (lump charcoal was used). I don’t know the science behind it, but for starters it’s getting plenty of oxygen which is helping it burn cleaner from the start. I also think 2 to 3 charcoals are lighting at a time instead of a pile of charcoal, which is helping produce a more efficient burn. Also a lump charcoal vs briquettes debate on that one (I’m indifferent, I know some people lose their minds if you mention briquettes). The lump burns cleaner. Great question, going to be thinking about this one and the briquettes for a while. Thank you for watching, commenting, and subscribing!
I have followed all these tips and.tried every tip i.could find. From the minion method to the splits and to the lump charcoal being grey. I have the damper open and the smoke stack 3/4 open but still bad smoke. I am burning wood from B and B cooking woods which are kiln dried.
What type of smoker do you have?
@@ComparisonCooking I have the Oklahoma Joe highland smoker
That’s really strange. If you are on Facebook, join our group and post some pictures to the group, so we can help you with that situation, something just doesn’t seem right.
@@ComparisonCooking ok will do
Great video. New subscriber here. Keep it coming. My first and second cook taste like an ashtray lol. Learned the hard way.
Thank you for the comment and subscribing Marcelino!
Clean Smoke - Full Flavor 👍🏻🤠🇺🇸
Got that right! 🇺🇸 thanks for watching, commenting, and subscribing!
I just 👍 and 👇. I've heard of humidity being an issue when it comes to smoking meats. I'm about 15 minutes from the gulf coast.
Any thoughts?????
I haven't heard humidity affecting smoking meats.
Great tutorial as usual. It makes such a huge difference in taste.
Yeah, I hope I got the point across about friends being nice or just no clue 😂😬
Thank you, very interesting. How does this translate to a vertical smoker where you put chips onto a hotplate...it seems that based on this principle that heating chips without full combustion would ONLY produce dirty smoke..thoughts?
Depends on the vertical smoker. If it’s one for making beef jerky/smoked fish at a low temperature below 200F then you are okay for that smoldering smoke.
If you are cooking ribs at 250 degrees you want less smolder and a cleaner flame/smoke
Good video - but remember, some like a stronger taste, while others prefer a milder flavor. Thank God everyone can make their choices based on their personal preference, without fear of being judged for making the "wrong" choice. Years ago, I had a friend who liked her meat burned and crispy. No one at the table would choose to trade meals with her, but she loved it.
Very very true. I feel like the general public is starting to adopt that mentality. Before 2021, things had to be cooked this exact way. Now it seems like there has been a shift, if it works for you it works for you.
Nice video. I think you opened my eyes to what I was messing up.
Glad it helped 👍
Awesome thank you! Now I know! Minimum smoke and ideal temperature!
My pleasure, enjoy the bbq!
What do you do if you need to add more fuel? I mainly use briquettes, so do you start it off on the side again in a chimney? I'm confused, because I've seen people drop briquettes or small chunks of wood on top of the existing coals that are in the grill. Wouldn't that introduce a lot of nasty smoke onto the food? Thanks for your video, though. It answered a lot of other questions I had.
I normally add a handful or two of charcoal every 45 minutes. If helps maintain keeping a steady supply of fuel (Along with adding some wood chucks). If I have a 10 hour cook going, the handfuls of charcoal won’t get me through, so I’ll start a second chimney to add once it seems the heat is having trouble. Good luck, just keep experimenting and having fun.
Hey man! Thank you for the video! You are right, I am new, excited, and not entirely sure how this is supposed to work! But I appreciate your advice and will try it out :)
Glad I could help!
Good advise, and yeah I over smoked a brisket this passed weekend.
I like the Thick Smoke blue bag Kingsford run about a hundred and seventy degrees I guess it's a southern thing
If you figured out what works best for you, then you got it 👍👊👊
u heat up the charcoal on the propane grill/BURNER thats GENIUS
Keep it easy!
What do you do with the snake method when slow cooking?
Can't exactly start it all burning from the start.
It’s okay to do snake, you don’t get an overwhelming smothered smoke.
Thanks Kevin, great info!
Question - do pellets generate white (bad) smoke? Nobody has talked about this...
I'm glad I watched this video before I put a whole pork but in my masterbuilt electric smoker. I've nailed it many times smoking a london broil with hickory. Sliced thin it's an awesome " roast beef" on bread with mayo and horse radish ! Thanks for the info on smoke ! 🕊️🙏💖💯
London Broil is so good, most people don't know how to cook it properly, but when you do its so good! Thanks for watching.
I like royal oak
I've been using that a lot lately.
This level of smoke is just fine. I fine that I bet a better taste when the first couple of ours, I'm not getting what looks like almost vapor
Great tutorial Kevin! Always learning more about offset, one day when I get one, I will have these lessons locked in! Cheers!
Thanks Craig! THey are so much fun to play with. I still have a Traeger sitting in my Garage for a month I haven't assembled because of this thing!
Just stumbled across your videos thank you for the info as ive bbq'd for yrs just winging it and have only just decided to get behind the science of it , tho ive never had issuses with what this video explains , its helpful to understand .... Im from rural australia so everything is fire cooked mostly with hardwood or gum tree as you'd know it and it produces a heavy sweet flavour done right , but i am a sucker for american woods .again thank you for the explanation
Glad it’s been working out for you all these years! I’ve always wanted to try gum tree.
Is there a difference in using charcoal and just wood? I see some videos that are just using wood.
Definitely, wood requires more oxygen and air flow. Charcoal can burn hotter with less oxygen. So you need more airflow for wood only fires. Cheaper offsets normally have trouble with the airflow, hence why we use a good bit of charcoal.
Nice video man. Definitely needed some help on smoke quality, as I too use like a charcoal base with added wood for flavor.
Thank you, it’s a fun stressful process for sure.
Very well explained and detailed. Thanks alot. Subbed
Appreciate the support, will be getting some similar topics out soon👍
This is interesting. What I've heard elsewhere is that low temperature, smoldering is what produces the best flavor components we associate with smoked meats. You seem to be advocating the opposite; uninhibited combustion for the "cleanest" smoke as you say.
Correct, I used to think the heavier smoldering smoke was the way to go. Eventually, you are going to overpower your taste buds and your guest. For some slow Cold SMokes, like for salmon, you can do a smoldering fire, but that's very different from traditional bbq.
Question... I use wood chips on my webber kettle. I use natural lump charcoal and after I sear my steaks I pull them over to the indirect side. I then throw a handful of hickory chips on the coals and close the lid. It's a lot of smoke for a minute but it always comes out good. Is there a relation to long light smoking vs short heavy smoking? Technically the same about of smoke is released both ways right?
For the way you are cooking, that is a perfect way to do it on steaks! If you were doing a longer lower slower cook, like brisket. The short burst of wood chips probably won't get the trick done for a deeper richer wood smoke flavor.