Snake method- bad smoke

[Durham Smoker]

Hi guys,

I don't do a ton of smoking due to time limitations but doing more now since I've discovered the sous vide, then smoke method of BBQ.

I did a sous vide pork shoulder yesterday and set up my 26" kettle for some smoke to finish.

I did a 3x2 snake and started with 18 ashed over Royal Oak All Natural coals.

The grill held a steady 250 but the smoke was not good.  I noticed an off smell and thicker than I like white smoke.  I thought it was coming from my wood chunks but when I opened lid it was from the unlit coals igniting.

I did notice my bag of coals had a hole in the bag when I purchased.  Maybe bad coals? 

Anyone else have a similar issue with bad smoke on a snake?

[HoosierKettle]

I have no idea but you don't want to put meat on until your smoke is thin and smells good. I don't use a sous vide but meat accepts the smoke much better and differently on a raw piece of meat versus an already cooked piece of meat. Cooking a piece of meat first then smoking might be good, I don't know. But it would be very different imo.


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[Durham Smoker]

Yes,  the Sous Vide and then smoked method produces a diminished bark as well as less smoke flavor.  Many times its either that or nothing for me as my weekends are jam packed with kid's activities.

I wound up taking my meat off and finishing in the oven as I didn't want it ruined by bad smoke.  As it was cooking I kept checking the grill and it was producing bad smoke for hours as the snake kept igniting.

[Zrschaef]

Im pretty new at smoking on the weber but I use the royal oak all natural coals with the snake method and so far I've consistently had good thin blue smoke. Maybe it was a bad bag?

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[crizpynutz]

I believe you should smoke first, then sous vide.  I would smoke for a couple hours or so depending on the cut of meat, then sous vide to finish the cook.  Raw meat will take on smoke better than warm/cooked meat.  If you sous vide and then smoke the meat you could end up overcooking the meat as your smoker will likely run at a higher temp than your sous vide. By smoking first and sous vide last you have a meat that is at optimum temperature throughout and holds better smoke/bark.  I have not gotten into sous vide yet, but that's my take on it based on what I've read online and my buddy who does sous vide does (his comes out pretty damn good too.)

[who-dat-cookin]

Sous Vide has nothing to do with bad smoke.  Bad smoke vs good smoke (blue smoke that you can hardly see) is the results of the temperature at which your wood is burning.  The wood is either starving for oxygen, on top of the coals (thus not burning hot enough) or the wood is wet.  Try these 3 things.  1.) don't soak your wood.  2.) Put your wood chunks under your coals not on top. 3.)  Open the vents more; if you are burning too hot, use less coals.  Finishing on a smoker after sous vide will give you a less smokey flavor (vs traditional) simply because it's spending less time in the smoke but it  does produce a more tender product.  It is certainly MUCH more convenient for execution.  It's a trade off only you can decide.

[HoosierKettle]

Sous Vide has nothing to do with bad smoke.  Bad smoke vs good smoke (blue smoke that you can hardly see) is the results of the temperature at which your wood is burning.  The wood is either starving for oxygen, on top of the coals (thus not burning hot enough) or the wood is wet.  Try these 3 things.  1.) don't soak your wood.  2.) Put your wood chunks under your coals not on top. 3.)  Open the vents more; if you are burning too hot, use less coals.  Finishing on a smoker after sous vide will give you a less smokey flavor (vs traditional) simply because it's spending less time in the smoke but it  does produce a more tender product.  It is certainly MUCH more convenient for execution.  It's a trade off only you can decide.

I don't know. I go home for an early lunch and put a pork butt on the kettle. I go back to work and 7-8 hours later we are eating. It doesn't get anymore convenient than that imo.  But if you prefer the end product with souse vide then it would be worth the extra effort.


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[jhagestad]

Sous Vide has nothing to do with bad smoke.  Bad smoke vs good smoke (blue smoke that you can hardly see) is the results of the temperature at which your wood is burning.  The wood is either starving for oxygen, on top of the coals (thus not burning hot enough) or the wood is wet.  Try these 3 things.  1.) don't soak your wood.  2.) Put your wood chunks under your coals not on top. 3.)  Open the vents more; if you are burning too hot, use less coals.  Finishing on a smoker after sous vide will give you a less smokey flavor (vs traditional) simply because it's spending less time in the smoke but it  does produce a more tender product.  It is certainly MUCH more convenient for execution.  It's a trade off only you can decide.

I don't know. I go home for an early lunch and put a pork butt on the kettle. I go back to work and 7-8 hours later we are eating. It doesn't get anymore convenient than that imo.  But if you prefer the end product with souse vide then it would be worth the extra effort.


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Work, early lunch, then back to work for another 7-8 hours? God bless America that's dedication!

[myron]

I have thought the same thing few times regarding the smell from the briquettes that are igniting underneath the meat. I haven't noticed any bad smell at the end but I do not like that smoke from briquettes when they are lighting. Probably I will not use snake method anymore and go back to the basics, lighting some briquettes in the chimney and put them in, after they are fully lit.

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[demosthenes9]

FWIW, you don't absolutely positively HAVE to avoid white smoke.   In small short doses, you might actually want it.  Even white smoke takes some time to lay any noticeable creosote down on your meat.     That said, Who-dat was spot on as to the cause of white smoke.  It's choked off combustion.   Run more wide open with fewer lit coals.

As to the amount of smoke, if you sous vide, rapid chill, then put the butt on cold, you can still smoke it for 8 hours if you want at low temps like 225 without overcooking or drying out.   The real benefit of SV in this application is that the meat has already been made tender.   All you are doing is adding the smoke profile and warming it up for service.  You don't have to worry about going out to check it to find that it needs a couple more hours on the cooker to be pullable.  No probe testing, or bone pulling.   

[hawgheaven]

Thin Blue Smoke. Period.