INITIAL SMOKE WHEN LIGHTING EGG

NIGHTBREED

I use "weber cubes" (something like that)...
but just before the lump starts to burn i get a lot of smoke.
Once the lump is burning...no more smoke.
If i would use the electrical starter would i still have the smoke at the beginning?
The reason i'm asking is because i live in an appartment and my neighbors once almost called the fire department when i started my egg for the 1st time.[p]Thanks
NIGHTBREED

BlueSmoke

NIGHTBREED,
You're getting most of the initial smoke, IMO, from the cubes and a little from the lump as it catches fire. If you switch to electric or MAPP you'll still get a little, but not near as much as currently. (And damp or humid lump produces more smoke than dry.)
Ken

Tim M

NIGHTBREED,[p]Sorry to be picky, but what do you mean by:
"I use "weber cubes" (something like that)..."?[p]Webber cubes burn 100% clean. They produce no smoke at all when burning, but other types of starters do smoke more. All fresh lump has some dust on it and that does smoke as well as the lump until it gets going well. This is one reason folks say to stabilize the cooker, that early smoke can be somewhat foul. Avoid the bottom of a bag, those little grundels will smoke like crazy. I have never tried an electric starter but I have use about everything else and you can always have a little smoke. [p]You may want to make sure you cook off the last meal pretty well when you do cook something that leaves a lot of residue behind, like ribs, pork butt, pork loin, etc. The cooker will smoke pretty nicely when you lite it up after a cook where there is a little grease or food left from the previous cook. Keeping your cooker going after the food has been taken off will allow the stuff left to burn up before you shut it down.[p]Tim

The Naked Whiz

NIGHTBREED,
Are you putting the weber cube below the grate or are you putting it on top of the lump? If you light from below, you will get more smoke because as the fire gets started and grows, you are heating all the lump from below. If you light from above, the fire is on top of most of the lump and less lump is getting heated so you get less smoke. And as others have pointed out, fresh lump will smoke more than used lump, and if the lump is covered with chicken grease from a previous cook, that can generate smoke also.[p]TNW

Wise One

NIGHTBREED, but you can always masquerade your smoke by putting a couple of pieces of bread in the egg so as they burn you can just yell out: "Sorry, I burned the toast again!"

Joel Ferman

NIGHTBREED,
Is your lump moist or has it been stored outside? What type of lump are you using? For some reason bbq's galore lump always smokes and emits a putrid smell for the first 10-15 min. I tried 3 different bags from 2 different stores and gave up on that lump.
-Joel

Steve-O

Tim,
I must disagree. When I use Weber cubes, I place them on top of fresh lump, and I always get more smoke than when I use an electric starter or MAPP torch. I just always assumed that it was the cube - maybe it is the lump getting started slowly, but there is definitely more smoke.

NIGHTBREED

Steve-O,
thanks man i'll get an electric starter this week...