Too Much Smoke!

[sin]

I've got a problem with the charcoal smoking. I use Kingsford Charcoal in a regular BBQ/grill with lumps of smoking wood, like mesquite and hickory. The mesquite gives off a faint blue smoke, with just a hint of smoke smell. The hickory, on the other hand, gives off tons of white, puffy, dense smoke that has a heavy smoke flavor and smell. It also making my meat 'sooty' and too 'smokey' tasting.

What can I do to turn it down, to a mesquite level? I've soaked them with no luck. I've cut the chunks smaller, and then into strips and then into particles and it just gets worse.

I have to place them on the hot coals, then take them off right after they start to smoke. If I take them off, they go out. The mesquite will stay lit, and will continue to provide a fine light blue smoke after I take them off the hot coals. So, what do I do?

Am I supposed to leave them off the hot coals, allow the coals to get a fine layer of white ash, and then lay the smoking wood on top of them? I've been scraping the white ash off the charcoal, so they wont go out. Is that wrong? Am I making them too hot for the smoking wood? Am I supposed to leave the smoking wood on the hot coals the whole cooking time?

Any help would be appreciated!

 

[bbq bubba]

That's interesting because mesquite is actually the heaviest of all wood's (flavor) but i'm thinking the hickory your using may not be seasoned enough? Also, since your using a grill, maybe try putting chips in a foil pack instead of using chunk's and laying that right on your coal's

 

[deejaydebi]

I'm with Bubba now this one Mesquite should be stronger than Hickory. Whne you get to much Mesquite smoke it leaves a kind of bite at the back of your tongue. Almost a spicey taste but not neccessarily a good spice. I'm not sure that makes sence.

Green woods do make a whiter smoke and have a harsher flavor. You can try the tin foil packets as Bubba suggests and try using slightly less wood. To much wood will make to much smoke as well.

 

[sin]

That's what I thought. I thought the mesquite could be aged and dried, while the hickory is still to wet.

Also, I had two small pieces of mesquite, and too large chunks of hickory. I know mesquite is more intense, so that's why I add only little pieces.

I considered the foil pack, but never tried it. I guess I should try it.

 

[coleysmokinbbq]

.....The mesquite gives off a faint blue smoke, with just a hint of smoke smell. The hickory.....gives off tons of white, puffy, dense smoke.....making my meat 'sooty' and too 'smokey' tasting.....

Sounds to me like the hickory is almost 'green' and not seasoned at all...

Let the hickory season in a dry, protected area for at least 6 to 8 more months then try it again...it should work fine then...


Until later...

 

[ma?tley ca 1/4 e]

Try the foil packs. That will reduce airflow and allow them to smolder more. With a regular grill you have no way to control the airflow and your wood will burn up faster.

 

[richtee]

Hmmm... wonder about 'baking" some thin slabs? 200 or so in an oven with the door cracked? Got some green apple here... might just try it

 

[deejaydebi]

There was someone around here that liked green wood - I'll e darned if I can remember who (CRS) but some like it!

 

[wht93gted]

I seem to have the same issue...

I purchased a bag of Cowboy (I guess) brand hickory chunks from Lowes...it's just a bag of chunked up wood (not charcoal).

Whenever I throw in a chunk it seems to smoke really heavily (white smoke) for about 10-15 minutes...then I'll get about 5 minutes of TBS, and then nothing...

I guess the wood is too green...where can I buy chunks that are ready to go?????!