Can anyone answer this question...

[ramsfan]

Hey guys, I have a problem and need some help. Lately, I have been experiencing a new problem that I have never encountered before. I thought I would ask everyone here and see if anyone else has ever had this same issue before? Here it is...

I have a 22" WSM. I filled the charcoal ring full of unlit Kingsford briquettes in the blue bag. I lit a full chimney using only Weber wax lighter cubes. After I got the chimney lit, I poured the hot charcoal over the cold briquettes in the ring and got it going good via the "minion method". After about 30 minutes, I opened the front access door and threw in a couple of chunks of dry smoke wood on top of the hot briquettes in the charcoal ring and closed it up. Almost immediately, as expected, the wood chunks started to produce smoke. The problem I'm having is that the smoke I'm generating is real dirty, thick, dense smoke that has almost a slight green color to it? It looks like smoke that you'd see coming out of a factory in Pittsburgh, not a bbq smoker. 

When I saw the thick dirty smoke, I took the wood chunks out of the smoker and replaced them with a different type of wood - same result. I took that wood out and tried another type of wood - same result! I tried oak, cherry, apple, pecan, and hickory; I got the same result each time. Does anyone have any idea what's causing this problem? Why am I getting thick, dirty green smoke instead of thin, clean, blue smoke? I have tried leaving the wood in longer thinking the smoke will eventually thin out and start burning cleanly, but it never does. I have tried every combination with the vents wide open, 1/2 open, 1/4 open, etc.

I don't know if this has anything to do with it, but the Kingsford charcoal I'm using was purchased in June of 2011 when my local Home Depot was running a hot price on Kingsford. At the time, I purchased 75 bags and it has taken me 7 years to burn through 70 of them. I'm down to my last 5 bags. This problem has only started recently while using these last few bags of Kingsford. The charcoal has been stored inside my garage the entire time, stacked up against the back inside wall which is the furthest point away from the door so it has never gotten wet, but it has certainly been exposed to damp, humid air being inside my garage for 7 winters and 7 summers. The bags were always unopened until it was time to use them. The garage door has been kept closed about 98% of the time in the last 7 years.

Is it possible that the thick dirty smoke is due to the charcoal being old, damp, or full of moisture? Has anyone ever heard of charcoal getting "old or stale"? Is this even possible? Is it the wood that's causing the problem? (The wood I'm using is Weber smoking wood sold at Home Depot). I have been using this same smoker for years and I have never had this problem before until recently. Any help, suggestions, ideas, or theories would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[vwengguy]

I have that also sometimes...
This is some great reading and a TON of info
https://amazingribs.com/more-technique-and-science/grill-and-smoker-setup-and-firing/what-you-need-know-about-wood-smoke-and
My first guess.. fire is too hot to produce the correct type smoke?
I also questioned “full chimney” dumped on top? I would have thought less .. maybe half chimney in a small pit directly in the center?
I’ll leave the rest over to the experts here.


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[Shoestringshop]

Hey guys, I have a problem and need some help. Lately, I have been experiencing a new problem that I have never encountered before. I thought I would ask everyone here and see if anyone else has ever had this same issue before? Here it is...

I have a 22" WSM. I filled the charcoal ring full of unlit Kingsford briquettes in the blue bag. I lit a full chimney using only Weber wax lighter cubes. After I got the chimney lit, I poured the hot charcoal over the cold briquettes in the ring and got it going good via the "minion method". After about 30 minutes, I opened the front access door and threw in a couple of chunks of dry smoke wood on top of the hot briquettes in the charcoal ring and closed it up. Almost immediately, as expected, the wood chunks started to produce smoke. The problem I'm having is that the smoke I'm generating is real dirty, thick, dense smoke that has almost a slight green color to it? It looks like smoke that you'd see coming out of a factory in Pittsburgh, not a bbq smoker. 

When I saw the thick dirty smoke, I took the wood chunks out of the smoker and replaced them with a different type of wood - same result. I took that wood out and tried another type of wood - same result! I tried oak, cherry, apple, pecan, and hickory; I got the same result each time. Does anyone have any idea what's causing this problem? Why am I getting thick, dirty green smoke instead of thin, clean, blue smoke? I have tried leaving the wood in longer thinking the smoke will eventually thin out and start burning cleanly, but it never does. I have tried every combination with the vents wide open, 1/2 open, 1/4 open, etc.

I don't know if this has anything to do with it, but the Kingsford charcoal I'm using was purchased in June of 2011 when my local Home Depot was running a hot price on Kingsford. At the time, I purchased 75 bags and it has taken me 7 years to burn through 70 of them. I'm down to my last 5 bags. This problem has only started recently while using these last few bags of Kingsford. The charcoal has been stored inside my garage the entire time, stacked up against the back inside wall which is the furthest point away from the door so it has never gotten wet, but it has certainly been exposed to damp, humid air being inside my garage for 7 winters and 7 summers. The bags were always unopened until it was time to use them. The garage door has been kept closed about 98% of the time in the last 7 years.

Is it possible that the thick dirty smoke is due to the charcoal being old, damp, or full of moisture? Has anyone ever heard of charcoal getting "old or stale"? Is this possible? Is it the wood that's causing the problem? (The wood I'm using is Weber smoking wood sold at Home Depot). I have been using this same smoker for years and I have never had this problem before until recently? Any help, suggestions, ideas, or theories would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

I had this happen once before when I got some charcoal from a friend that was moving. He always kept the charcoal in the garage in the bag on the floor. My thought was it took moisture and he never knew and also he never smoked food.

I solved the problem by SHIT CANNING the full bag.

[greenweb]

Process of elimination is what I would try.

First, try using fresh bought bag of charcoal with no wood for smoke to see if the problem goes away. Charcoal and woods do have certain shelf life I believe. 

Next, use only 5-10 lit briquettes to start.  WSM is a smoker. You rarely need to get the cooking grate temp above 250 to 300. I can't see how you can maintain low temp with a full chimney lid charcoal dumped in a full bag of charcoal inside the ring.

Also, check how much build up of gunk is inside including the water pan. High heat burn off might also be the problem.

[Jules V.]

Most likely 1 or 2 things are causing the dirty smoke. The first being a bad batch or damp charcoal. The second is the full chimney of lit charcoal on top weren't getting enough oxygen. The cold charcoal underneath are blocking oxygen to flow from the bottom of the grate and therefore you're not getting proper combustion. 
Use fresh charcoal and try the method below.

Get a bottomless can and place it in the center of the charcoal ring.

Fill the center with fully lit charcoal and then remove it. Typically i use 15-20 fully lit briquettes. More if i want to preheat the smoker faster.

[ramsfan]

I must clarify something here. I am using one of them small, jr. size chimneys that Weber sells, not the bigger, original one.

[HoosierKettle]

I’m blaming the charcoal.  Try some fresh. It’s been 7 years, you saved a bunch of money, now it’s time for something different.

Kbb is nothing but trouble in my wsm. Even when it burns clean, it clogs airflow with ash.  I’m cheap but I refuse to buy kbb anymore. I think it has gotten worse over the years.


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[Cellar2ful]

I take it these last 5 bags were at the bottom of the stack of 70.  Were these bottom ones lying directly on the concrete floor?  If that is the case I would think they absorbed moisture from being on the concrete.   

[ramsfan]

I take it these last 5 bags were at the bottom of the stack of 70.  Were these bottom ones lying directly on the concrete floor?  If that is the case I would think they absorbed moisture from being on the concrete.   

Technically, only the very bottom bag is actually touching the concrete floor? The remaining four bags are stacked on top of it.

[ramsfan]

Thanks for all the ideas, suggestions, and help to everyone who responded. I am going to try some fresh charcoal. Something fresh and something other than Kingsford Blue? I'll keep you all updated later with my results. Thanks.

[swamprb]

never had that problem

[HoosierKettle]

Thanks for all the ideas, suggestions, and help to everyone who responded. I am going to try some fresh charcoal. Something fresh and something other than Kingsford Blue? I'll keep you all updated later with my results. Thanks.

I’ve really been liking the Kingsford pro at Costco if they have any left. They stop carrying it in the winter.

Royal oak would probably be good. I haven’t tried it in the wsm yet.

Lump works great for 8 hour or less cooks.

Stubbs and Weber are always a safe bet.


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[hawgheaven]

I am not a fan of the blue bag. It's crap IMHO. I'm a Royal Oak kinda guy and have never had issues with their briquets or their lump. Trash the blue, go red.

[Hell Fire Grill]

@ramsfan

If the binder is still holding the briqs together and they're hard & solid, try opening the top of the bag and take it in the house for a few days so they can dehydrate.

After a few days light them up in the same conditions your having the problem with now, and see if anything changes.

Are the briks you have from before the "K" was impressed on the bricks, and the easy open bag?