How to get great smoke at low temp

BubbaDBBQ

hello fellow egg heads. I’ve had my xl for almost 2 years now and I’m a forever egg head! I have absolutely no complaints whatsoever although I am having one issue. Does anyone else have a challenge achieving good smoke flow at low temperatures during a long smoke? It seems when I try to maintain a temp of around 250 which is very easy due to the awesome insulation I’m not getting much smoke due to only a few coals burning. Any advice on how to achieve good smoke output during low temps?

Hans61

you can place your chunks closer to the fire when starting, and also, mix chips throughout the lump so it'll smoke no matter where the fire travels.

personally i feel like i get a better smoke at slightly higher temps with more air flow like 275-300, and I'll put my food at that temp up against any low and slow, 225 doesn't make it any better especially in an egg. 

nolaegghead

How are you measuring the amount of smoke you get - visually out the top or through taste of your food?

The easy answer is to mix more smoke wood in with the lump.

If you have a problem with bad smoke, you can run a bit hotter or inspect the quality of your smoke wood and lump.  Running hotter will naturally give you more smoke but your food spends less time smoking so that's really a wash.

nolaegghead

PS - welcome to the forum, my friend.

BubbaDBBQ

Thanks Nola btw I’m in Livingston parish not far from Nola at all!

nolaegghead

Cool.   I was up that way in Springfield earlier this year to pick up a 180 qt boiler from a guy that makes them on the side at Gator Trax boats.

GrillSgt

You don’t need to see the smoke to be the smoke. Welcome. In general you won’t get a heavy smoke flavor on the egg. That’s a good thing. 

lousubcap

Welcome aboard and enjoy the journey.  Above all, have fun.
As above, the key is to get the fire to engage the wood.  If I am intentionally trying to get a deep smoke ring I will load chips through the likely fire burn path and also add 3-4 chunks (beef cook) in and on the lump along the same predicted route.  FWIW-
BTW-the ring has no impact on the flavor other than to indicate you had a solid smoke environment.

TEXASBGE2018

Hans61 said:

you can place your chunks closer to the fire when starting, and also, mix chips throughout the lump so it'll smoke no matter where the fire travels.

personally i feel like i get a better smoke at slightly higher temps with more air flow like 275-300, and I'll put my food at that temp up against any low and slow, 225 doesn't make it any better especially in an egg. 

This ^^^^^ and welcome to the forum.

GoldenQ

Cook at about 275-300 dome and start with very cold meat and use chunks/chips spread into coal.

BubbaDBBQ

Man that’s a lot of great info and thank y’all for be so accommodating and with all the warm welcomes!

BubbaDBBQ

I’m in the middle of it lol it may not look appealing as it is but it sure tastes delicious. 

jwc6160

I’ve always had the same problem. Good smoke around 275-300 but not much at all around 250. Like others have said, it probably means nothing that you can’t see it at 250. This could be my own stupidity or just something that has started working for me. I used to close the bottom vent as I was catching the temp on the way up and pretty much control the temp going forward from the bottom vent. I have noticed recently that if I leave the bottom vent open more and close the daisy wheel almost completely that I see more smoke at lower temps. Again, this probably doesn’t mean or affect anything, but I see more smoke with the bottom vent open more. 

stlcharcoal

Try switching to chips and mix them into the lump.  That might help.

Another cool product is MOJOBricks.  They are compressed sawdust.....no binders.  And they will sit there and smolder better than a chunk of wood will.  Lot of guys on the comp circuit use them.  I forget how many kind they have but I like the "Mapple" (maple and apple) in the large bricks.

nolaegghead

jwc6160 said:

I’ve always had the same problem. Good smoke around 275-300 but not much at all around 250. Like others have said, it probably means nothing that you can’t see it at 250. This could be my own stupidity or just something that has started working for me. I used to close the bottom vent as I was catching the temp on the way up and pretty much control the temp going forward from the bottom vent. I have noticed recently that if I leave the bottom vent open more and close the daisy wheel almost completely that I see more smoke at lower temps. Again, this probably doesn’t mean or affect anything, but I see more smoke with the bottom vent open more. 

When I fire is disturbed - closing vents to choke the fire, stirring, opening vents so it grows - you will def see more smoke.  But if you do something to see smoke, there's a good chance that's a bad smelling smoke.

Learn to ignore the need to "see" smoke, instead smell the effluent.  The best smelling smoke is barely visible.  Don't chase temps, leave it in a steady state and make small adjustments in one direction over time.

GrateEggspectations

BubbaDBBQ said:

I’m in the middle of it lol it may not look appealing as it is but it sure tastes delicious. 

Welcome. Do I spy KD on that plate?

BubbaDBBQ

Prime cut of rib eye, boudin, and kraft Mac n cheese. That’s what I call a Cajun delight!