If there is one single most misnomer about smoking meats I have come to know, its without a doubt "the more smoke the better". In all reality, there is nothing further from the truth. I have seen it time and time again from folks new to the art of smoking meats to folks who have been doing it for years and even some producing products used for smoking foods. In all cases the results are the same. Put their finished products up against the same product from some one who understands the concept and the later will have a nice smoky flavor that instead of over powering the meat or cheese, will compliment it with no bitter after taste.
With burning wood you have several elements at play. You have fire, air, wood for fuel, moisture in both the air and the wood. Particulates produces from the burn that make up the smoke. What your after is the correct combination of fire, air and wood to create a clean hot burn. It's key that there is not too much wood burning at any given time just as it's key that the air flow is correct and moisture in the wood is minimal.
Too much air flow will result in too hot of a fire and the fire will spread too fast to unburned wood and larger particulates and more of them will be released into the air allowing moisture to adhere to them as well as creosote. This will give off a white appearance and will coat your meat with a strong bitter flavor. To little air will choke the fire out also causing larger particulates into the air but less of them. I believe it's the larger particulates that are the problem.
Color and quantity is key. Watch your exhaust from your smoker. Lets say your cooking on a stick burner. In most cases you want your top vent fully open. Use your fire box vent to control the burn and achieve a thin blue smoke coming out of your exhaust vent or stack. For smoking meat your chamber temperature should be between 180 and 250 degrees leaning more towards 225 degrees.
For charcoal cookers it may mean you need to adjust the amount of charcoal and wood used. You have to achieve a good balance so you have the thin blue smoke at the appropriate temperature. Some of your vertical LP smokers come out of the box with cheap thin chip boxes. I own a Great Outdoors Smoky Mountain series vertical. The first thing I had to do was toss the chip box and replace it with a 8" Dutch Oven. The lid allows me to start with it off and if my fuel is very dry and wants to burn to fast I can place the lid partly on and reduce the amount of air. Bottom line, let the color of the smoke guide you. Below is a picture and a video of what you should be looking to achieve. Practice first without meats. Play with it and become one with it. it doesn't take long. Stronger or lighter smoke flavors may be achieved simply by changing the wood type. Fruit woods produce a lighter flavor. Mesquite is the strongest flavor followed by hickory. A 20/80 mix of Mesquite and hickory is a good stronger flavor. Another thing to remember is your meat product won't take in any more smoke once it reaches about 140 - 145 degrees. This means if your using a LP smoker you can stop adding wood once the meat reaches 145. I hope this helps. Good luck and may the Thin Blue Smoke be with you!
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