Want more smoke! What to do?

Unknown

I've had my large BGE for about 2 weeks. Last Saturday I did an awesome brisket (13 hours) and today single rack of baby backs (flat). One of the reasons I ditched my gas grill and went to the BGE was for smoke. For the brisket I put some apple tree sticks down in the lump and only had smoke around hour 11 and not before or after. Today I mixed hickory chips down in the lump and also put a cup or more of soaked chips on top of the lump, most at the center but some out towards the edge. I'm just not getting the volume of smoke I expect. Why?[p]My bottom vent is only open about 1/8" and the top is almost totally closed and I'm right at 225 dome temp. I can see some small wisps of smoke coming out of the top, but nothing like I expected. I'm using cowboy because that's what they had at my BGE dealer. TNW does say it's a low smoke output...is that the issue? Seems to me that with all the hickory chips I should be seeing more smoke.[p]Suggestions would be appreciated.

GriffinGaDawg

the billowing white smoke is not what you want...you want a "blue" smoke that is hard to see for the most part. the white smoke imparts a slightly bitter taste...the blue, a smokey taste that you are looking for. But, if you want more smoke, add more wood. I would suggest chunks, not chips. I typically only have smoke for the first hour or so...

Unknown

Bozzy,
Chips are good for really quick cooks but chunks are the only way to go for low & slow.

Unknown

GriffinGaDawg,[p]
I have been a gasser (gas smoker) for a lot of years. Never heard of the BGE until 3 1/2 weeks ago. 3 weeks ago I got a large BGE.[p]This is what I have noticed regarding smoke. The first white billowing smoke is not what you want. As stated below this will be bitter. Get your egg stabilized you will see a blue or no smoke. When you put your meat on and it is going to be a long cook...[p]. I use a lot of flavor chips along with some chunks. Most of chips and chunks are soaked for 30 minutes. With this (Temp stabilized). I put on the chunks, 1/3 of wet about the same amount with dry, then the rest wet. You will get white smoke again. I then cough and put on the meat, and let it cook. It seems to me that the smoke flavor comes in the first while of cooking.[p]This is probablt too much flavoring chips/chunks but I like it.[p]If you feel you want more smoke later in the cook, I take tinfoil and make a cup of sorts (2 or 3 actually).[p]I put some water in the tinfoil then wet wood chips or chunks. Wrap the tinfoil and punch some holes in the top of the 'cup'. This will take longer to begin smoking.[p]another suggestion, and probably the wisest, is to take your chips/chunks and put them over the coals then from the burning coals put more chips on out to the edge of the egg. I don't think I have ever used the flavor chips/chunks out next to the edge of the fire ring.[p]Wigh the gasser's it took a lot of chips/chunks to get the smoke flavor and is probably the reason I put more chips/chunks in the egg. I am slowly cutting back on the amount I put in the egg.[p]Thurs. night I cooked 3 racks of ribs and only used a handfull (1 hand) of chips. Cooked the ribs for 3-4 hours and there was plenty of chip flavor ribs.[p]The tinfoil cups will hold the smoke release until longer in the cook and the furthere the cup or chips are away from the burning lumb the longer it will take for those to release the smoke.[p]good eatin and congratulations on your egg. My gassers will be gone before the first snow.[p]Kent

Unknown

kent,[p]Ya. My gas grill has already been donated to the social fraternity at VT Vet school where my wife is a student. I did consider keeping it around for some things, but after a week of the BGE, I figured I didn't need it for much.[p]I'll get some chunks!

stike

atx,
if i want smoke throughout, i build the fire in 'lifts'. pour in a little lump, mix in some chips, more lump, more chips, etc.[p]after lighting, when the meat goes on, i might take a bigger chip of chunk and jam it on there just to make sure, but generally find that chips mixed in do fine.[p]i think it's six of one and a half dozen of the other, so to speak (meaning, no real difference)

Michael B

Bozzy,
Apple imparts a very mild smoke. Try dry chunks of oak and cherry.