Smoke from ECB

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flash

Smoking Guru
Original poster
OTBS Member
Mar 30, 2007
5,280
45
Chiefland/Cedar Key, Fl
I was guessing that the white smoke I saw within 30 minutes of starting the coals was caused by burn off from the small bite of lighter fluid I used to start the coals. But the other day I started a small amount of coals in the chimney starter, then put them in pan and stacked the coals minon style around the lite ones. Even then I saw quite a bit of white smoke for a while, then it calmed down.
I also found that when I added more coal from chimney starter much later in the smoke (so I could bring the heat back up) it smoked quite abit again. Now these coals I added were 75% lite or more. Was I smothering the other "already in the pan" coals? Did that cause the smoke?
 
LITER FLUID??????

ahhhh........wow.........hehehe

i get white smoke when i start up my coals.......tho i have my pan full of charchol, then add the lit coals from the chimney starter to one side of the pan.......let it burn to the other side, in the minion method.......

when i add more charchol, i don't pre-lite........there is sum discussion bout this method.......some say doing that gives the meat a bad flavor by adding unlit charchol to the fire.....i myself have never noticed........

but yeah.......when i first start, i get white smoke......i let it settle down abit before adding meat, along then with the wood i am using for smoking


hth somewhat
 
It is generally accepted practice NOT to use lighter fluid when your smoking food to light charcoals. If you have a chimney use it get rid of the fluid!
PDT_Armataz_01_13.gif
 
and that is what I did, no lighter fluid, but yet there was still quite a bit of white smoke. So is this just normal until the coals are enveloped with white ash?
 
What kind of coals were you using? The ashes turn white/grey. Was the smoke white all the time or just at first? Are you sure it was the coals and not the wood?
 
Well, they were an off market brand. Ran out and had to head to the mom and pop place down on the corner. It did not last for long, maybe 20 minutes. too much smoke for it to be the wood chunks. Going back to Kingsford tomorrow for the butt, I'll see if there is a difference.
 
Find some lump, any lump is better than briquettes. I make sure I have at least 40-60 lbs of lump on hand at all times, incase someone desides not to restock it in the winter. So far, I have been real lucky!
 
I have used a few lumps and don't care for them. Burn hotter, that is for sure, but doesn't last near as long as briquettes. IMHO
 
i agree flash...........burns WAY hotter, but doesn't last anywhere near as long as briquettes..........i use RO......cheaper than kingsford, but burns better and longer than the 'ford's briquettes.........

plus i don't like the popping of bits of charchol flying all over the place when using lump
 
You probably will notice a difference. Quality of charcoal makes a difference, but no matter what, when coals are just getting going, you'll have a small amount of the white. It's a sign of lower temps within the fire/coals themselves, not being hot enough to completely combust the gasses/material yet
 
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