Temp Question

[smokerrookie]

I just fired up my smoker to season it, will have to do it again I believe, didn't get it all. But here's my question. I was getting TBS when my temps were rising, but when I close the dampers a little to cool it down some what, the dreaded white smoke shows up, not real bad but its not good either......Now the TBS started showing up around 200 degrees and rose all the way up to 400 degrees on my temp guages on the smoker. Now one, why would it show up when I'm cooling the temps down? and two, what is the ideal temps in the smoker for pork? beef?

 

[smokerrookie]

Oh one more thing. How are you guys starting a fire in your box? Charcoal in a starter and then adding wood on top of that? New to this so I'm not exactly sure.

 

[fatback joe]

You need (usually) to have good air flow to get a good clean smoke. As you restricted the air flow to cool things down, it made for less complete combustion and the white(r) smoke

 

[fatback joe]

That is pretty common. Not too many out there do %100 wood.

 

[richtee]

In addition to FBJ's info, this post may shed additional light on the phenomina you witnessed.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...67333#poststop

 

[ron50]

Preburning is the way to go, much easier to maintain the tbs then using raw wood.

 

[fatback joe]

What? I thought my information was very thorough. LOL

 

[master_dman]

My last smoke.. I used 100% apple wood. I pre-burn my wood just cause I can, and it gives me an excuse to sit around the fire-pit and drink beer.

Some of the wood I did more than just pre-burn.. made my own lump charcoal.. got a couple of full buckets worth.. used that to get started, then the pre-burned wood after that.

 

[richtee]

It WAS, Joe. But additional and relevant side info is always a good thing :{) Sometimes even a trivial factoid can make all the difference.

 

[richtee]

Lump is not made by burning in a pit till black. If you want to make lump, you burn the wood in a fairly air-tight vessel until smoke/gasses stop venting from it, then cool it down while ensuring no air can get inside to continue the combustion process.

 

[1894]

WOW , It took me almost an hour to read this thread with the links with other side links

So much info here , it's a great forum and I'm enjoying it a LOT !!!!

 

[richtee]

Sorry to be such a burden on your time LOL! Enjoy!

 

[smokerrookie]

Thanks for all the info fella's. This will definately help.

 

[smokerrookie]

Guys, what is a good temperature smoke for smoking a butt or some ribs?