Another Newbie smoke issue

Iegg7

I have smoked a few times now but last night I went for a brisket and the results were not steller I might say, the flavor wasn't good.  First my setup is the large egg with external fan/temp control and used Rockwood lump with oak chunks.  I have read a number of posts about bad smoke and here is what I did.  I started the fire and only let it start burning a bit before I closed it and let the temp controller get me to temp.  I did wait for clear smoke at this point but just before adding the meat I added the oak wood chunks and noticed white smoke again but figured this was just the oak burn.  Should I be waiting for clear smoke again or maybe put the chunks in right away? 
Anyway I noticed that the fire holding ok but wasn't very active and not much air flow was being commanded since the fan was off.  I suspect that caused another possible problem, the fire suffocating a bit and then burning, the suffocation all adding to the poor smoke.  I would appreciate some experienced insight into what might be a problem here,  Thanks in advance!

lousubcap

Okay-late Sunday and a day of adult supervisory beverages, so take the following as you will...flavor with a brisket is a matter of the beef taste texture. If you had clear smoke after the initial light-off then then that is not your issue.  The fire volume is a function of the air-flow which is related to the temperature you want to run the BGE.  So if your cook temp was fine then "all clear" with that. BTW- the low fire volume at any one time is how you get long duration cooks without a refueling in flight.  

So with all that said, I don't know why you had the end results you did. FWIW-

SGH

@legg7
Without getting into to much detail, let me say that "white" smoke is not a good thing most of the time. This is especially true on a air tight ceramic Kamado style cooker such as the Egg. As with most things there is an exception to every rule, and this one is no different. For the sake of clarity I will elaborate here. When using a wood burning offset with a water pan, the steam mixing with the convective flue gas can and will turn the flue gas white. This is perfectly acceptable and totally unavoidable if running really high temps and a water pan on a offset. This is what you see when you are watching BBQ Pitmasters on television. Especially if you are watching the fellows like Myron Mixon who cooks real hot and fast. Their units look like a old timey steam locomotive belching and blowing. But it is condensed water vapor that you are seeing. Not acrid smoke produced by a dirty or oxygen deprived fire. But short of this exception, you should always adjust your smoker to produce the thin true blue smoke. Not white my friend.

shadowcaster

I would try one thing different that might help as well. Instead of adding wood right before you put your meat on try adding the wood when you fill the lump and layer throughout. Thats the way I have always dont it and get eggcellent results as far as flavor goes.

Iegg7

Thanks to those who responded I will Change things up based on this and make sure I have good airflow as well. Another question is how many chunks of smoke wood does one normally use? Can you use too much?

Wolfpack

You can definately use too much but people like different levels of smokiness. My preference is for 5-6 decent sized chunks.

Ladeback69

If fist size or there about I will use 2 to 3, if I am using the little chunks I use 5 to 6 . Chips it can very and I mostly use them for meatloaf and chicken. Now on the big stick burners like @SGH has is different. I also put my wood when I am getting my fire up and running to help burn off the bad smoke.

dldawes1

@LEGG7... Smoke and chunks....different woods produce milder smokes than some others. Hickory, misquite and some other harder woods produce a stronger smoke. Fruit and nut woods produce a softer lighter smoke flavor. Some meats absorb smoke and taste smokier than some other meats. To me, vegetables, pizza dough, chicken, and pork loin absorb smoke very easily, so I use less, lighter smoking woods...or maybe no wood. For pork butt or brisket, I like more heavier smoke, therefore hickory, misquite, etc. 

I agree that distributing the wood chunks throughout the lump when filling will distribute the smoke throughout the cook. Some lump produces more smoke flavor than others. I usually only use a few cherry or pecan "chips" when smoking chicken, but I don't like much smoky flavor. On brisket or pork butt, I use 5-7 fist sized chunks mixed in the lump to get plenty of smoke. 

Everyone has their own preference of 'smokiness'.

Hope I helped 

Donnie

GATraveller

Just personal preference but I use 3-5 large chunks of wood for smoke and layer them with the lump when I load for a low and slow like butt or brisket.  You can definitely use too much and I found that out with chicken that could stink up the entire house and fridge.

Keep at it and enjoy the process.  

Mikee

While Oak is a hardwood, I would not consider it for smoking. There are much better choices.