Lotsa Smoke From the Chimney Starter

[Eapples]

Hello, Everyone:

This is something I only noticed recently, that is, if recently could be considered the past six months or so.

Whenever I light my charcoal, there's a tremendous amount of smoke emanating from the chimney starter, and it doesn't dissipate until almost all the charcoal is lit.  I never paid attention to it until recently.

A few weeks back, in my nerdy fashion, I watched the chimney starter as the charcoal was lighting to see if I could see beads of moisture come out of the briquettes as they lit.  I couldn't tell.

Whenever I use my kettle or my Jumbo Joe, there's absolutely no tell-tale charcoal aftertaste on the food.  From time to time, whenever I use my WSM I detect a slight bitter after-taste.  I thought it may have been from using too many wood chunks.

I keep my bags of charcoal (KB) in my shed.  The floor is not wet, and it's not any more or less damp than in my garage.  I keep the open bags of charcoal tightly closed, as tight as as practicable.

It doesn't seem to make any difference (in the amount of smoke) if I use a different brand (no name charcoal or another name brand).

When I got into cooking over charcoal I never paid attention to any of this, focusing instead on just getting used to using charcoal.

Am I overanalyzing this?  Do I have the so-called "sensitive palate" that may have developed, unintentionally?  (Consider that Guinness Stout used to be my favorite ale, and now I can't stand the taste, opting instead for Yuengling Black 'n Tan.)

Thanks for your input.

[1buckie]

Some people will screech that it's the Kingsford's, but you're getting basically the same from other brands....

It's the the starters & binders in the briquettes most likely.....paraffin & some other things are used to get the stuff to lite & light evenly & quickly & thereafter, burn evenly.........

Lump charcoal will be a bit different & mostly better, but I've seen brands of that be smoky too.....

'natural' briquettes (Stubb's & Royal Oak are some) are bound with, I think, vegetable matter of some sort & are a bit better, but then I see some people also say that Stubb's is too smoky.....

Not a heck of a lot to add.......BBQ is a smoky business & unless you're getting bad tastes in the finished food or bothering the neighbors terribly, drive on.....you're doing all the right stuff keeping it dry, etc.

Always helps to burn as hot as possible, FOR THAT situation......meaning, keep a clean burning fire for whatever temp you shoot for / cook at........and, get a good, hot start in the chimney, too......
In the WSM, that might have been the deal there, not too much wood, just a little lag in temps / burn that let it smoulder enough to be noticed......but you said it wasn't major, so..............N/P.....

[addicted-to-smoke]

Lighting up in a humid climate might create more smoke because it's a slightly less complete combustion with wet air. Or it might be what you're lighting i.e. newspaper vs lighter cubes for example.

[Chuck]

To Buckie's comment, Stubbs is rather smoky when firing up but I don't notice any smoke once its ashed over. And Stubb's seems to have less ash when the burn is done and is rather reusable. 

I've actually learned (took me a while to catch on) when firing up the kettle with a chimney, the coals are ready when the heavy smoke is gone. So I don't even think of going out until its all clear. Before learning this, it was a trip out every few minutes to check on it Now I have more prep time.