# Thin blue smoke



## first timer (Mar 9, 2013)

Hello all.  Finally got my smoker deliverd yesterday and seasoning it right now. I read that I should be looking for a thin blue smoke as opposed to a thick white smoke. Is this acheived by the amout of wood chunks being used or is there some other tricks.

I have a vertical propane smoker with the thermometer holding steady at 225. The smoke does seem a little thick but then again this is my first time so maybe it's right. Was looking for a little advice before I head out to pick up some meat.

As always thanks for all the help


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## pwillie (Mar 10, 2013)

Looks like you are not getting much help with your question.  I don't use a propane smoker so I don't have a good answer for you.  Maybe someone else will kick in and help out.....................The wood chunks should not be flaring up but rather smoldering rather slowly and I usually have vents open enough for good ventilazation.


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## jp61 (Mar 10, 2013)

first timer said:


> Hello all.  Finally got my smoker deliverd yesterday and seasoning it right now. I read that I should be looking for a thin blue smoke as opposed to a thick white smoke. Is this acheived by the amout of wood chunks being used or is there some other tricks.
> 
> I have a vertical propane smoker with the thermometer holding steady at 225. The smoke does seem a little thick but then again this is my first time so maybe it's right. Was looking for a little advice before I head out to pick up some meat.
> 
> As always thanks for all the help


By no means am I an expert on the topic. But I would think the quality of the wood (wet/dry) you're using for smoke and the proper amount of air flow, have a lot to do with the quality of the smoke. Also depending on what is being smoked, moisture from it comes into play as far as the way the smoke looks.


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## pgsmoker64 (Mar 10, 2013)

The key is for the wood to smolder and create a thin blue smoke...too much heat and too much wood will give you a thick white smoke...this typically only lasts until you build up a good coal base.  Once your coals or wood chips heat up the smoke will be a nice thin blue color, like this...













100_4390.JPG



__ pgsmoker64
__ Mar 3, 2013






When I first light up my WSM the smoke is a little thick and white but I have gotten pretty good and knowing when to start and when the TBS will start.  You will learn this with your smoker too.

For my electric, I use an Amaze-N-Smoker invented and marketed by one of our members Todd Johnson.  You always get TBS with one of those!

Good luck,

Bill


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## davidhef88 (Mar 10, 2013)

What brand of propane smoker is it? Are you using chips or chunks? Soaked or not? Bills picture is a great example of TBS. Are you using the factory door thermometer to gauge your temp? A lot of them are known to be way off from the factory.


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## dward51 (Mar 10, 2013)

The white smoke in my avatar photos is not good to smoke with.  That was just after lighting a full load of brickette charcoal the standard way in my WSM.  You will get the same kind of white smoke using wood in a stick burner also when first lit (and longer if the wood is very green).  Once it ashes over it will settle down to burning coals instead of flaming sticks/brickettes.  That is when you see the blue smoke.

I use the photo because of the dog standing on the top rail of the deck behind the smoker.  Only dog I have ever seen walk a top rail like that.













standing_guard.jpg



__ dward51
__ Mar 10, 2013


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## mountainhawg (Mar 10, 2013)

Not sure of your smoke fuel, but I noticed dry aged wood chunks will give me a TBS much easier than recent cut/green or wet wood, too much wet smoke, not good. I wrap or cover my chunks with aluminum foil to stop any flare ups. I start with all my vents open then slowly close things down as the smoke of the day progresses. I always leave the top pipe vent wide open for circulation sake to vent out old smoke.


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## first timer (Mar 16, 2013)

PGSmoker64 said:


> The key is for the wood to smolder and create a thin blue smoke...too much heat and too much wood will give you a thick white smoke...this typically only lasts until you build up a good coal base.  Once your coals or wood chips heat up the smoke will be a nice thin blue color, like this...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks.
I did notice after a little while tht the smoke seemed to thin out but once I added new chunks it got a little thick again. Going to practice a little more today before I try my first smoke tomorrow.
Thanks to everyone for all the help


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## ksmedic (Mar 16, 2013)

As a newbie to smoking with all wood, that is my problem too. How to control the nasty white smoke when adding new splits? I've put sticks on the firebox to warm them up, but I still get that white smoke.

Burn barrel? To add only embers is a tad overkill for my wood supply and "deck" room. Anyone have the cure on how to add new sticks and avoid the white smoke?

Thanks in advance.


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## ksmedic (Mar 16, 2013)

ksmedic said:


> As a newbie to smoking with all wood, that is my problem too. How to control the nasty white smoke when adding new splits? I've put sticks on the firebox to warm them up, but I still get that white smoke.
> 
> Burn barrel? To add only embers is a tad overkill for my wood supply and "deck" room. Anyone have the cure on how to add new sticks and avoid the white smoke?
> 
> Thanks in advance.


As you can probably tell from my profile pic, I have too much white smoke!


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## jarjarchef (Mar 16, 2013)

Sometimes less is more...... You don't have to have a ton of wood going to get the smoke flavor. There are time you will almost not see any smoke coming out, but you will smell it.

For the propane smoker you can tent your chip box and the chips will burn slower and not flame up. Don't soak them...

For the stick burner. Keep doing what your are with prewarming the wood. You will get a few minutes of white smoke, it should die off in about 10min.....use dry wood...


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## first timer (Mar 16, 2013)

Think I got it at the moment. With this propane unit the mods were to either foil the existing pan or use a skillet. The foil itself produced smoke rathe quickly but started of thick and white Everytime I added wood.
Te skillet and foil almost made no smoke but the skillet on top of the unformed chip pan seems to be the right combo. Just have to get the right amount of chunks on there now.
Thanks for all the help


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