# Gravity fed lacks smoke flavour



## Ridley (Sep 20, 2021)

I have just started using a gravity fed smoker (stumps clone) and I am finding there is little to no smoke flavour on the food.

I am putting wood into the ash pan and a nice clean smoke is coming out of the chimney, but the food has little smokey flavour, colour yes flavour no.

No either I've had Covid for a month or I am doing something wrong here.

I have thought that maybe the chimney is too far open but would it make that much difference?

Any ideas?


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## smokerjim (Sep 20, 2021)

what type of wood you using, what meat ya smoking, what temps. did you try the meat a day or two after, was it any better. not familiar with your smoker but i don't think the chimney wide open would be your problem.


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## SmokinEdge (Sep 20, 2021)

Cook temp and time in the smoke makes a huge difference.


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## jcam222 (Sep 20, 2021)

As others said more detail on wood and cool temp would help. My first thought would be to step up the amount of wood you are using and the frequency you replenish it. With large cuts of meat is also worry less about the perfect incisive to blue smoke and just make sure you have a fair amount of smoke rolling. Lastly I  unfamiliar with the chimney damper but perhaps you can choke it off a little?


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## kmbelt81 (Sep 20, 2021)

Aren't you supposed to put the wood chunks in the feeder section along with the charcoal?


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## chopsaw (Sep 20, 2021)

I've never used one , but I thought the wood went below the charcoal and as the charcoal burns it drops down on the wood .


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## Ridley (Sep 20, 2021)

kmbelt81 said:


> Aren't you supposed to put the wood chunks in the feeder section along with the charcoal?



I think you can do either way.


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## jcam222 (Sep 20, 2021)

chopsaw said:


> I've never used one , but I thought the wood went below the charcoal and as the charcoal burns it drops down on the wood .


Yep that is the proper way to use them


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## Ridley (Sep 20, 2021)

jcam222 said:


> Yep that is the proper way to use them



That's what I've been doing


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## motocrash (Sep 20, 2021)

Put the chunks in with the charcoal and see if your flavor improves.


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## Ridley (Sep 20, 2021)

motocrash said:


> Put the chunks in with the charcoal and see if your flavor improves.



Ru saying that it will?

I don't get it. I've had hours of good looking smoke and no flavour.

Does the chimney position have an effect?


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## wbf610 (Sep 20, 2021)

Are the chunks actively burning under the coal?   I mainly use a WSM, the chunks actively burn, producing great flavor.  Maybe if they are smoldering only, you just aren’t getting enough smoke.


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## Ridley (Sep 20, 2021)

wbf610 said:


> Are the chunks actively burning under the coal?   I mainly use a WSM, the chunks actively burn, producing great flavor.  Maybe if they are smoldering only, you just aren’t getting enough smoke.



Yep actively burning, went through loads of wood yesterday.


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## Chasdev (Sep 20, 2021)

I put wood in with the charcoal and a LOT in the ash bin.
No issues with smoke flavored meat for me.
Not offset stickburner flavor but way more than a pellet spitter or Kamado.


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## Ridley (Sep 20, 2021)

Chasdev said:


> I put wood in with the charcoal and a LOT in the ash bin.
> No issues with smoke flavored meat for me.
> Not offset stickburner flavor but way more than a pellet spitter or Kamado.



How much wood in with the charcoal? Also do you keep replacing the wood in the ash bin. Yesterday and last weekend i went through quite a bit of wood in the bin and the oke from the chimney looked good.

How open do you have the chimney?


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## normanaj (Sep 20, 2021)

smokerjim said:


> what type of wood you using, what meat ya smoking, what temps.



This^^.

Regardless of smoker these three things are key in what smoke profile you get.


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## normanaj (Sep 20, 2021)

Ridley said:


> Yep actively burning, went through loads of wood yesterday.



Sounds more like you have a wood stove going than a smoker.If you're going thru "loads" of wood that's a problem.


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## Ridley (Sep 20, 2021)

normanaj said:


> This^^.
> 
> Regardless of smoker these three things are key in what smoke profile you get.



Last weekend I was using cherry, this weekend oak.

Last weekend I was running at 225° this weekend 250°

Last week pork butt, this pork butt and short ribs


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## motocrash (Sep 20, 2021)

Ridley said:


> Ru saying that it will?


I'm saying try it. What's to lose?


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## jcam222 (Sep 20, 2021)

Can you ID both the charcoal and wood you are using? Also the source for the wood? Couple others things, what smoker were you using prior to this and did you have a lack of smoke flavor with it too? Have you tried the food the following day and if so did it still lack in smoke? Sometimes I find the day I’m smoking and tending the smoker I go nose blind to smoke somewhat until the following day.


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## Ridley (Sep 20, 2021)

motocrash said:


> I'm saying try it. What's to lose?



Certainly going to give it a try, concerned about bridging though


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## chopsaw (Sep 20, 2021)

Post #2 , #17 and #20 are good questions and comments . They have experience behind them . 
Might want to visit why they took time to post .


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## Ridley (Sep 21, 2021)

normanaj said:


> Sounds more like you have a wood stove going than a smoker.If you're going thru "loads" of wood that's a problem.



What could cause this? 

Air leaks? If so I would have thought it would go though the charcoal in the chute quickly but I am getting 30 hours out of about 8-10kg of charcoal.

(For context this is a big stumps clone. It stands nearly 6ft tall and 4ft wide and 40" deep.)

Wouldn't it running as a stove result in the smoker running too hot? Mine seems to sit steady as a rock at the temp I've set ie 225f without the fan doing a great deal at all.


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## Ridley (Sep 21, 2021)

jcam222 said:


> Can you ID both the charcoal and wood you are using? Also the source for the wood? Couple others things, what smoker were you using prior to this and did you have a lack of smoke flavor with it too? Have you tried the food the following day and if so did it still lack in smoke? Sometimes I find the day I’m smoking and tending the smoker I go nose blind to smoke somewhat until the following day.



Charcoal is lumpwood 
Wood was cherry last week and oak this week.

I have a Weber smokey mountain and a small offset smoker as well so am used to what flavour I should expect.

I have sound of the short ribs last night. Ie a day later and still lacks smoke flavour.


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## smokerjim (Sep 21, 2021)

cherry and oak dont produce heavy smoke flavor, maybe try hickory if possible, not saying this is your problem but worth a shot.


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## Ridley (Sep 21, 2021)

smokerjim said:


> cherry and oak dont produce heavy smoke flavor, maybe try hickory if possible, not saying this is your problem but worth a shot.



Thanks, will do. 

Though hickory, mesquite etc are hard to come by in any sort of quantities in the UK.


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## smokerjim (Sep 21, 2021)

Ridley said:


> Thanks, will do.
> 
> Though hickory, mesquite etc are hard to come by in any sort of quantities in the UK.


If you can't find it try playing with top vent like mentioned and dont worry to much about the thin blue smoke, as long as it's not billowing out like a old locomotive you'll be fine.


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## Ridley (Sep 21, 2021)

smokerjim said:


> If you can't find it try playing with top vent like mentioned and dont worry to much about the thin blue smoke, as long as it's not billowing out like a old locomotive you'll be fine.



Thanks


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## forktender (Sep 21, 2021)

If you can't get good smoke flavor out of cherry or oak, you're doing something wrong, both have great smoke flavor.

Being such a big smoker compared to what you were using before, are you adding enough flavor wood?
In a smoker that size I'd start out with two hardball size chunks of the  flavor wood. I'd go with the stack damper WFO.

How old is your wood?
Did you buy it bagged at a hardware store? If you did, there is no telling how many years it's been seasoned.
Try to find some local hardwood that you know  has only been seasoned a yr or two.

I'm betting that your flavor wood is burning instead of smoldering. You want the wood to smolder and not burst into flames because flames consume smoke flavor. Try double wrapping one good size chunk tightly in a heavy duty foil, then take a knife and poke 2 pinky finger size holes in the foil. Some people call them smoke bombs.  Then they will smoke and not burst into flames.
If that doesn't work, call the person that made the smoker and ask them the best way to run it.


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## chesterinflorida (Oct 1, 2021)

On my Gravity, I can easily get too much smoke.  Cooking temps have a lot to do with it.  225 and loaded with wood in the bin, and you produce way too much smoke for big meats like a butt.

For Brisket, I like running at 275 and I place similar sized chunks of wood in with the charcoal.  Sporadically placed.  Drop in ten to 15 coals and add a chunk something like that.  I also place wood in the firebox about every 30 minutes to an hour for the first 2-3 hours. I buy B&B chunks of hardwood which seem to be better than your average store bought chunks. They tend to smolder for quite sometime before finally burning up.

Also, do you start with your meat cold?  Colder meat will absorb more smoke flavor.


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## Ridley (Oct 1, 2021)

chesterinflorida said:


> On my Gravity, I can easily get too much smoke.  Cooking temps have a lot to do with it.  225 and loaded with wood in the bin, and you produce way too much smoke for big meats like a butt.
> 
> For Brisket, I like running at 275 and I place similar sized chunks of wood in with the charcoal.  Sporadically placed.  Drop in ten to 15 coals and add a chunk something like that.  I also place wood in the firebox about every 30 minutes to an hour for the first 2-3 hours. I buy B&B chunks of hardwood which seem to be better than your average store bought chunks. They tend to smolder for quite sometime before finally burning up.
> 
> Also, do you start with your meat cold?  Colder meat will absorb more smoke flavor.



What do you mean by the "bin"? The chute or ash bin?

B&B chunks?


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## 912smoker (Oct 1, 2021)

If you're lacking in smoke flavor just experiment with adding more chunks in the mix till you get the flavors that  best suit your taste buds.
It's a trail and error to find that happy balance...or it was for me anyway.


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## Smokin Okie (Oct 2, 2021)

As already asked in several posts above,  what's your wood source ?    My guess would be you're using kiln dried chunks.    Those chunks have very low moisture content.

I would find a wood lot and get some properly seasoned wood and stay away from the bagged stuff.


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## Ridley (Oct 2, 2021)

Smokin Okie said:


> As already asked in several posts above,  what's your wood source ?    My guess would be you're using kiln dried chunks.    Those chunks have very low moisture content.
> 
> I would find a wood lot and get some properly seasoned wood and stay away from the bagged stuff.



I think I said, I am using Cherry. That wasn't kiln dried, I helped fell the tree. I have some red oak, again not kiln dried.


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## chesterinflorida (Oct 2, 2021)

Ridley said:


> What do you mean by the "bin"? The chute or ash bin?
> 
> B&B chunks?


Ash bin.  I empty it before I place wood in it.

 B&B is a company that mostly produces quality lump charcoal and briquettes. They also have hardwood chunks sold in bags.  Most hardwood sold in bags I wouldnt touch, but B&Bs is decent. If you can harvest your own wood though, that is better.


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## Smokin Okie (Oct 3, 2021)

Hang with me here....... I'm gonna make a case that GF's are not about smoke flavor.  I could be right, I could be wrong.

I found a Masterbuilt 560 GF on sale for half price.   I expected to get a lot of white billowy smoke,  I was surprised that it was blue thin smoke.   Cuz, when I light a chimney of charcoal, I get white billowy smoke until it all ignites.

I remember watching " BBQ Pitmasters "  and the guy who invented GF was a contestant,  Walter Stump.   He said " the superheated air cleans the smoke " .     That stuck with me and until I bought the MB560,  I was skeptical.

Stump is still building GF's,  here's his site 

https://stumpssmokers.com/

The fan blowing on the charcoal does " superheat " the smoke.   And while it gets rid of the smoke particles we don't want,  does it also get rid of the good smoke particles ?

Earlier this summer, I did a comparison rib cook.   I did a rack of ribs in my Franklin offset and a rack in my MB560.   Everything about the ribs was the same, except the smoker.     At 2.5 hours into the cook,  I checked the ribs to wrap.   The Franklin ribs had the right color and were ready,  but the MB ribs were still pale.   They had not taken on enough smoke to get the right color.    I left them on another 30 minutes before wrapping and they never did develop the same color.

Now that was a one off comparison.   Maybe I did not have enough hickory in the MB ?   I had a small thin split vertically in the hopper and a couple good size chunks in the ash bin.   I'm gonna do this comparison again and put more wood in the MB.

Stump developed his GF for comp cooking.  If you go to the link , there's a whole story of why.   He did not want to have to tend to a smoker at comps.    The GF really caught on with comp cookers, because of that.  It was like a pellet smoker with better smoke flavor.

But in comps,  smoke flavor is secondary at the most.   They doctor those meats up with brines, marinades, rubs, sauces ...........so many different flavors that smoke flavor has got to get completely covered.    They're producing a " one bite " piece of meat that has to packed with flavor.

So that's where I'm at on my MB gravity feed.    I'm questioning if the " superheated " air does too good a job .     I think the problems with pellet smokers are similar, they burn too clean,  but the amount of moisture in pellets is another factor.

Here's the pics of the final product of my rib comparson.   The MB rib is in the middle.  It never got the color of the offset ribs,  which the one on the right is a duroc rib from the offset, the other two were commodity ribs from Sams.


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## RCAlan (Oct 3, 2021)

Smokin Okie said:


> Hang with me here....... I'm gonna make a case that GF's are not about smoke flavor.  I could be right, I could be wrong.
> 
> I found a Masterbuilt 560 GF on sale for half price.   I expected to get a lot of white billowy smoke,  I was surprised that it was blue thin smoke.   Cuz, when I light a chimney of charcoal, I get white billowy smoke until it all ignites.
> 
> ...


Very interesting comparison between your off-set smoker and your MB560…    I also check the type of smoke that is being produced by my smokers and the color that the proteins are taking on that are being bbq’d.   From reading your comparison, it’s clear that your off-set smoker is producing a different type and  amount of smoke then your MB560.  Also, You never mentioned at what temp your smokers were set at.   A difference in temp will also effect the color of the proteins being bbq’d.  To me, it’s obvious that your off-set smoker is burning more hardwood then what’s being burned in your MB560.  Remember, these are two different types of smokers and they have to be approach differently.  I to was surprised at how clean the smoke was being produced in my CG-980, but when compared to a stand alone pellet grill, producing only pellet smoke, the CG-980 hits a Home Run every time.   With any new bbqing equipment, it takes time to figure out all the nuances to get the best out of that particular equipment.  The more hardwood that’s used in the charcoal hopper and ash bin, the more smoke your MB560 will produce.  FYI.  Completely lit charcoal will always produce Thin Blue Smoke.  Quote.. The hardwood smoke that’s being produced in the ash bin will smoke up through the hot charcoals in the hopper and the hot charcoals will clean the impurities out of the hardwood smoke…. As quoted by Stump McDowell on BBQ Pitmasters “NY State of Cue” 7/14/2013….  So when comparing apples to oranges, there will be some obvious differences.  On your next bbq cook, start with dumping some pre-lit charcoal into the charcoal hopper using a chimney starter and mix in some quality hardwood chunks, dump another pre-lit load of charcoal into the charcoal hopper, add some more hardwood chunks and the finish off the rest of the fill will unlit charcoal.  In the ash bin, I would add about 3 decent size wood chunks and some lump charcoal, but don’t over fill it.  Do that and I’m sure you’ll see a difference in the smoke production on your next bbq on your MB560.  Will it be the same as your off-set smoker?  No, because they are two different types of smokers.  With your MB560,  amount of smoke can be managed and increased just like you can with your off-set smoker though.   Take notes, keep sharing your findings and Good luck.

__________________

Char-Griller 980 GF… Pellet Pro Austin XL and a few more mods... In SoCal and Always... Semper Fi


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## Smokin Okie (Oct 3, 2021)

RCAlan said:


> On your next bbq cook, start with dumping some pre-lit charcoal into the charcoal hopper using a chimney starter and mix in some quality hardwood chunks, dump another pre-lit load of charcoal into the charcoal hopper, add some more hardwood chunks and the finish off the rest of the fill will unlit charcoal. In the ash bin, I would add about 3 decent size wood chunks and some lump charcoal, but don’t over fill it



Why would I want to do all that ?    The smoke on MB560 is thin blue.   I've had the MB560 since January.   I'm  comfortable with what I do.    I appreciate your advise, but I'm no rookie.  I've cooked on a WSM since 2002.   I'm  not new at this.

I don't buy hardware chunks.  I make my chunks from splits,  which I either buy at the woodlot or from trees cut down that I find.    When ya got an offset,  hardwood chunks are a by-product.

So Stumps last name is McDowell,  I thought Stump was his last name,  hahaha.

Actually, the bottom line on my comparison cook is flavor.   And the MB560 had a very definite charcoal/chunk flavor,  more charcoal than chunk.


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## RCAlan (Oct 3, 2021)

Smokin Okie said:


> Why would I want to do all that ?    The smoke on MB560 is thin blue.   I've had the MB560 since January.   I'm  comfortable with what I do.    I appreciate your advise, but I'm no rookie.  I've cooked on a WSM since 2002.   I'm  not new at this.
> 
> I don't buy hardware chunks.  I make my chunks from splits,  which I either buy at the woodlot or from trees cut down that I find.    When ya got an offset,  hardwood chunks are a by-product.
> 
> ...




I never implied or said that you were a rookie..  I just replied to your posting and quotes….  Quote 1.  They had not taken on enough smoke to get the right color. I left them on another 30 minutes before wrapping and they never did develop the same color.
Quote 2..  Now that was a one off comparison. Maybe I did not have enough hickory in the MB ? I had a small thin split vertically in the hopper and a couple good size chunks in the ash bin. I'm gonna do this comparison again and put more wood in the MB.
Quote 3.  So that's where I'm at on my MB gravity feed. I'm questioning if the " superheated " air does too good a job . I think the problems with pellet smokers are similar, they burn too clean, but the amount of moisture in pellets is another factor….  End quotes.. 
I’m not trying to argue or prove a point, I was just trying to help/share some input from what I read in your posting.  It’s all good.  Keep Smoking

__________________
Char-Griller 980 GF… Pellet Pro Austin XL and a few more mods... In SoCal and Always... Semper Fi


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## Mr. Zorg (Oct 3, 2021)

IMO/E,

Wild cherry wood such as black cherry (Prunus Serotina), 









						Prunus serotina - Wikipedia
					






					en.m.wikipedia.org
				




and / or fire cherry (Prunus Pensylanica),









						Prunus pensylvanica - Wikipedia
					






					en.m.wikipedia.org
				




provide a more robust smoke flavor than wood from orchard cherry trees. I have no idea if you have access to such varieties in the UK. In general I prefer fruit wood for poultry and some pork cuts

Oak should provide a great robust smoke flavor. If you're not getting a desirable smoke flavor to your taste using oak I agree there's something not quite right. It's one of the 4 smoke woods I prefer for beef:

Mesquite (I grew up using this in South Texas, not so much by felling trees but by seasoning wood in the cleanup after tropical wind storms).

Oak (I've used water oak in the red oak family, and live oak & post oak in the white oak family).

Hickory (I especially like shagbark hickory).

Pecan.


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## chesterinflorida (Oct 3, 2021)

Smokin Okie said:


> Hang with me here....... I'm gonna make a case that GF's are not about smoke flavor.  I could be right, I could be wrong.
> 
> I found a Masterbuilt 560 GF on sale for half price.   I expected to get a lot of white billowy smoke,  I was surprised that it was blue thin smoke.   Cuz, when I light a chimney of charcoal, I get white billowy smoke until it all ignites.
> 
> ...



Good comparison.    I would sugggest cooking differently next time.  Run your stick burner the way you prefer and the Gravity to promote smoke flavor.  I do see more smoke flavor at lower temps.  It smolders the wood in the ash bin for a longer time.  May want to see if that makes a difference,


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## chopsaw (Oct 4, 2021)

Smokin Okie

I don't have either types of smokers , but I thought the comparison was interesting .


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## Smokin Okie (Oct 4, 2021)

chesterinflorida said:


> Good comparison.    I would sugggest cooking differently next time.  Run your stick burner the way you prefer and the Gravity to promote smoke flavor.  I do see more smoke flavor at lower temps. * It smolders the wood in the ash bin for a longer time*.  May want to see if that makes a difference,



I'm not a believer is smoldering wood , it creates more smoke , but its the wrong kind of smoke. 

Its the kind of smoke I thought the MB would produce, and was pleasantly surprised that it did not do that.

I watched a vid the other day about how to get clean smoke from a BGE,  and there were three items,  the right wood,  cooking at higher temps , like 275 to 300, and using a premium quality lump charcoal.    WSM is the same ,  this is how Harry Soo cooks in comps on his WSM's.

BTW, I forgot to add above,  in my comparison cook,  I ran the MB at 275* and I shot for that temp in the stick burner,  but that's not how a stick burner rolls.


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## Smokin Okie (Oct 4, 2021)

Here's the vid on clean smoke from the BGE


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## Smokin Okie (Oct 4, 2021)

And I need to add, there's one more important step that Harry Soo does,  he says placement of the wood chunks in the WSM is very important.   And he places his lump charcoal and chunks like putting together a jig saw puzzle.   He wants them in the proper place and touching as much as possible.


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## Ridley (Oct 4, 2021)

Smokin Okie said:


> I really don't want to take the OP's thread way off track.   He asked about smoke flavor from a GF.     I offered results of my comparison which showed less smoke from a GF.    You defended the GF by critiquing my method.
> 
> Yes , I asked a rhetorical question,   should I have used more wood in the MB , and I answered it myself saying I would do this again , and use more wood.    Although,  I used more wood in the MB in this three hour cook, then I would use in my WSM,  about twice as much.
> 
> ...




Don't mind me, I. Finding the debate interesting.

At least I feel that I am not alone in thinking that getting a smoke flavour can be, at the very least tricky in a GF.

I'd love to hear people's methods of getting flavour. The ash pan doesn't seem to work well for me. I did try the chute and it worked better but I cannot really see how to add more wood if needed when the chutes burnt through the wood and the chute has loads of charcoal to get through before it got to any new wood I added.


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## chesterinflorida (Oct 4, 2021)

Smokin Okie said:


> I'm not a believer is smoldering wood , it creates more smoke , but its the wrong kind of smoke.
> 
> Its the kind of smoke I thought the MB would produce, and was pleasantly surprised that it did not do that.
> 
> ...



I like running my bigger meats like Briskett and Butts at 275 In my GF. It cooks about the speed I like and I think it keeps more moisture in the meat. Stuff like ribs though, I often cook lower to get more smoke on them.

That lower temp smoldering wood in the Ash pan does pass through the fire though on a gravity feed, so its different that a BGE smoldering wood and trapping it in a lower air environment.  You could say it twice burns ,  and when it goes through the fire it burns off a lot of the bitterness. 

I do like mixing chunks in the charcoal chute and using the ash pan together.


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## Smokin Okie (Oct 5, 2021)

In the primary Masterbuilt thread in this forum,  IIRC , there was a couple of people who were trying to run all wood in the 560.   They were putting an entire 1/4 split into the chute.    I don't recall their results entirely but I don't think the idea caught on,  Im thinking they got a lot of acrid flavor ? ??    

My first impression , is there's gonna be a lot of acrid smoke unless the split is in flame.   And I would not want a burning split in my 560.

That thread has a lot of pages to sort through, but its in there somewhere.    But smoke flavor in a GF is gonna be about the quality and the amount of wood.     I can't see any other factor.


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## chesterinflorida (Oct 6, 2021)

Smokin Okie said:


> But smoke flavor in a GF is gonna be about the quality and the amount of wood.     I can't see any other factor.



From my experience temperature plays a huge roll.  Also colder meats absorb more smoke flavor.  Same principle used by pellet smokers where they cook for extended periods at lower temps.


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## Smokin Okie (Oct 7, 2021)

chesterinflorida said:


> From my experience temperature plays a huge roll.  Also colder meats absorb more smoke flavor.  Same principle used by pellet smokers where they cook for extended periods at lower temps.



To get lower temps,  the oxygen to the fire is reduced which produces more smoke, but its not thin blue smoke.   Its white smoke.  Its white because it has other particles that are reflecting light to give it that color.

Its those other particles that produce other flavors.  I won't call them off flavors because some people like that flavor on their meats.    Its pretty much established that most people want to avoid those flavors.

But in the end , its the amount of fuel that controls temps.     If oxygen is cut back to a big fire, it will smolder.   If the size of the fire is reduced and oxygen is cut back,  it will still produce thin blue.    This is how cooking temps in a stick burner are managed.   Temps are not managed with the amount of air the fire gets, as on a WSM or a GF,  its managed with the amount of fuel.     And for most people, that's done while keeping the smoke a consistent thin blue or even clear.

To get lower temps on a GF, the amount of air is reduced to the coals, which means the coals burn at a lower temp,  and thus the chunks smolder.    IDK how this plays into Stumps theory of " superheated air cleaning the smoke " .    How can the air be superheated and produce lower cooking temps ?    It seems adverse.    The theory is , that the white smoke from smoldering chunks passes through the hot coal bed and is cleaned whether cooking at high temps or low temps,  does not seem that it would matter what the cooking temp is.

There's a theory by some,  that people who have smoked with charcoal/chunk and then buy a pellet smoker,  complain about the lack of smoke flavor with pellets.  And that could be because they're accustomed to the flavors from white smoke that are produced by smoldering wood chunks.    The pellet smoker could just burn a lot cleaner than they're used to.   IDK that myself,  I've never cooked on or tasted food from a pellet smoker.

BTW,  this cooking at lower temps to create more smoke, is what Harry Soo tries to avoid by running his WSM's at 275* ,  which if you've cooked on a WSM, that's a high temp for those cookers.


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## chesterinflorida (Oct 7, 2021)

I’m not sure it works that way in a Gravity.  You cut the air and it may burn 2” in the chute, add more air, you may burn 4”.   Still thin blue smoke, but one is a smaller fire and one is a larger fire that burns more fuel.  At least that is how I am thinking it works.  My Gravity feed tends to burn thin blue at 225 and at 275 degrees, except at the beginning when bringing up to temp, its billowing white at the time.   Compared to a WSM, you have a much more defined ares for the fire to burn in a Gravity.


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## Smokin Okie (Oct 7, 2021)

chesterinflorida said:


> I’m not sure it works that way in a Gravity.  You cut the air and it may burn 2” in the chute, add more air, you may burn 4”.   Still thin blue smoke, but one is a smaller fire and one is a larger fire that burns more fuel.  At least that is how I am thinking it works.  My Gravity feed tends to burn thin blue at 225 and at 275 degrees, except at the beginning when bringing up to temp, its billowing white at the time.   Compared to a WSM, you have a much more defined ares for the fire to burn in a Gravity.



Then how does that impact smoke flavor ?

If you're getting thin blue at low or high temps,  temp would have no impact on smoke flavor .    When lower temps produce more smoke, its white smoke that's being produced due to smoldering.    That's what the pellet smokers are producing at lower temps, they reduce fan speed and create more smoldering pellets.

Now, the amount of smoke would impact smoke flavor, which the amount is determined by the amount of wood.

Soooo,   smoke flavor is determined by quality and amount of wood.

Stumps GF theory, is that the smoke is cleaned by passing through the hot coals, it should not matter if there's 2" or 4 ".      Does 2" clean the smoke more than 4" ?

In a stick burner, wood that's in flame, burns a lot hotter than smoldering wood, and that's why it produces cleaner smoke, the wood has to be in flame.


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## chesterinflorida (Oct 7, 2021)

Smokin Okie said:


> Then how does that impact smoke flavor ?
> 
> If you're getting thin blue at low or high temps,  temp would have no impact on smoke flavor .    When lower temps produce more smoke, its white smoke that's being produced due to smoldering.    That's what the pellet smokers are producing at lower temps, they reduce fan speed and create more smoldering pellets.
> 
> ...



You are missing time as a factor in this.  Meat only picks up smoke flavor at lower temperatures.  If you cook it lower and slower in will pick up more smoke flavor, assuming you have smoke flavor for it to pick up.


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## Mr. Zorg (Oct 9, 2021)

I believe mopping and / or spritzing, restoring a surface moisture layer, allows absorption of smoke regardless of meat bulk temperature. 

My primary modification of the Minion Method is the lit coals are the last thing that goes in the pit. I prep my meats minimum of several hours beforehand, preferably overnight and longer if brining, and the meat goes straight from my refrigerator to the smoker.


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## 2fatpugs (Oct 14, 2021)

One more thing to take into account whether the wood you got is kiln or natural dried.  With kiln dried wood you need to watch out for the moisture content.  Ideally you want between 16-20% moisture.


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## Ridley (Oct 14, 2021)

2fatpugs said:


> One more thing to take into account whether the wood you got is kiln or natural dried.  With kiln dried wood you need to watch out for the moisture content.  Ideally you want between 16-20% moisture.



The wood I am using is not kiln dried, I felled it myself a couple of years ago. Stored outdoors in a woodshed. 

So I don't think it is because the wood is too dry.


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