How much smoke does an egg produce?

Unknown · September 2007

I am considering buying an egg mostly for ribs and briskets. How much smoke does an egg produce assuming I'm cooking at low temps and using an appropriate amount of wood chips? I live in an apartment with a patio, but a lot of smoke might bother the neighbors.

Mike in Abita · September 2007

Brad ,[p]During start up or during a high temp cleaning. The amount of smoke can be extreme. I try to smoke my food with vey little smoke. I will wait up to 1.5 hours after lighting before putting food on. I like to wait till I get a good clear or light blue smoke, AND have a good stable temp.

jwirlwind · September 2007

Brad ,
You can control the amount of smoke you get from the Egg. Yes, it will smoke some but depending on the amount of wood chips, dry, no need to wet chips with the Egg. Once you light the Egg, it will do little smoking from the lump. When you add the smoking wood, personally I use one chunk of wood vs. bunch of small pieces,it will smoke some. Actually not that bad. If the neighbors don't like the smell of some of the best cooking on the planet, they may close their windows. [p]MC Jerry

Jeeves · September 2007

Brad ,[p]
I'm glad you are asking the question and that you are interested in an egg. Unfortunately, the amount of smoke depends on the wind condition, type of wood, and other variables.[p]There are 'BBQ' smokers places that once I pull up to the front, I can smell the smoke. It's all relative and how sensitive the neighbors are to the smell.[p]Does the complex have an off-site area that you can chain your egg to just in case?[p]If not, you can always use your egg, without 'smoking wood', just to avoid problems.[p]-Jeeves

TRex · September 2007

Brad ,[p]With practice and the right kind of lump you can avoid heavy smoke, even at start-up. I live in an apartment in Atlanta where - uhhum - grills aren't exactly "allowed" - anyway, I have managed to smoke a few butts (low temp stuff) along with steaks and such (high temp stuff) and have avoided sending smoke signals a 1/3 of the mile down the road to the Cobb County Police department.[p]It also helps to light up at night if you think smoke is going to be a problem - sort of clandestine, but a man needs his BBQ.[p]Good luck,[p]TRex

Just Plain Mike · September 2007

Brad ,
If you complex allows grills, I bet you'll be fine. You can let your neighbors sample the food and then offer to cook for them on occasions. I've had people bring me turkeys to fry or smoke as well as a few other things. The neighbors love it. Offer to bring smoked foods to parties, etc and you'll be fine. If you had a real problem, you might be able to "catch" you smoke in liqid form. I saw Alton Brown do this on an episode of Good Eats when he made jerky using homemade liquid smoke and dried the jerky using A/C filters and a box fan.

Grandpas Grub · September 2007

Brad ,[p]I am using a large egg. You will get a white smoke when starting up. This can be somewhat regulated. I have found that by using a lot of heat to start the lumb or lighting in several areas inside the egg will produce more white smoke.[p]This white smoke seems do dissipate about 25 to 50 feet away from the egg, long before leaving the property. There are a lot of different ways to light the egg. Some methods will produce more of the white plume than others. The white smoke will change to a light blue smoke shortly. This is when the egg is ready to cook. This blue smoke is hardly visible when leaving the egg and will not be visible 6 to 18 inches at the worst point.[p]When flavor chips are added, again white smoke will be produced, this again will depend on how much one puts on. This dissipates rather quickly and visibly does not travel too far. Wood chunks will produce some white smoke but it seems to me less. Probably because there is not as much surface are of the flavor wood to ignite. Soaking chips will somewhat reduce the quick white smoke produced with dry chips.[p]I purchased a powered vent system and noticed a considerable amount of white startup smoke – very little actually. The other benefit was that the white smoke quickly turned to the desired blue smoke. The blue smoke sometimes is not visible at all. Visually it at times looks like the fumes one sees when filling up a gas can for the lawn mower. One can see the air disturbance, if that is what it is but there is nothing really to see.[p]If you are referring to the smoke odor, which I very much like, well that is a different story. Depending where you are downwind I would that wonderful smell could travel a long way.[p]In the past I have produced more smoke out of a gas grill cooking chicken or hamburgers than I have starting up the egg.[p]You can develop your technique to produce a minimal of visible smoke. Get an egg and enjoy food.[p]Kent

Unknown · September 2007

Thanks for all of the info. I currently have a gas grill and there is no problem with the odors or smoke that come from grilling foods. My concern was whether wood smoking BBQ would push the amount of smoke up significantly and that doesn't seem to be the case. Some samples might also help mollify any angry neighbors. Thanks again.[p]Brad

How much smoke does an egg produce?

Comments

Categories