Smoke filter?

[PatriotsBob]

As I've said in the intro section, I'm a baby at real BBQ. In fact, over the single year I've owned a smoker, I've only used it twice. I was proper happy with the results both times though. I am the kind of person that researches something to death first rather than 'trial and error'. Not the most adventurous of spirits, I guess.

Anyway, I had no problems last year, only using it twice, but with reasonable weather fast-approaching I'd obviously like to get a lot more use out of my gear and see if I can wrestle myself into a bit of experimentation. Trouble is, I live in a pretty built-up area and armed with a lifetime of knowledge and experience am preempting local...erm, we'll call them "towns folk"...knocking my door down to complain about the smell of the wood smoke if I use it as much as I'd like to. There doesn't seem to be any other BBQ enthusiasts local to me, so I stand out a bit. You see, I live in a neighbourhood in Essex where everyone thinks they're Chuck Liddell and they like to dictate what everyone else does in their own garden. If someone has their £500 Hollister wifebeater dangling on the washing line 2 doors down and I replace the meadow fresh scent of Comfort with the manly funk of hickory, that'll be grounds for flick-knives at 10 paces. Hassle I can do without.

So, does anyone know of any filters available that I can plonk on my WSM 57cm, or even techniques I can try (other than sticking just to charcoal), to reduce the impact of my cooking on the surrounding "community" and causing hospitalisation over laundry?

Thanks for reading.

[Pecker]

Intertesting!

I'm guessing a big issue for any sort of filter would be restricting airflow out of your barbecue, and ruining standard temperature calculations.

One idea (heresy, but go with me for a moment) would be to limit your smoke, or even do without, but still cook low and slow. Most of the chemical reactions (other than the smoke ring) have little or nothing to do with the smoke, and you can add smokey flavours in other ways.

I'm not saying these will taste the same as 'proper' smoke, but then we should never limit our taste buds.

If you just put on a few wood chips to start with you'll get a certain amount of smoke flavour, then the smokey smell will disappear from the garden. Your food won't be as smokey as if you'd continued to throw several chunks on, but it will still be there, and subtle isn't necessarily a bad thing anyway. And by the time anyone complains the only smell from your smoker will be charcoal, and you can blame someone else.

Final idea, try smoking on a day where there's going to be intermitent rain. That'll encourage them to keep their washing indoors, but without being bad enough to spoil your fun.



Steve W

[RobinC]

How much wood are you adding? I normally go with something like 4 or 5 fistful chunks in the smoker at the start. Other than an initial flurry of smoke when the smoker has the coals first poured on it after that can't say that you actually see anything much in the way of smoke - just whisps coming out of the top and since I use water in the pan there's a good chance that's as much to do with evaporation. The majority of the smell tends to be the food itself.

Contrary to Pecker's post in my experience I've seen more smoke coming out of a BBQ when using wood chips albeit it doesn't tend to last very long.

[Tiny]

Old hickory do a nice line in machete style knives if you fancy the paul hogan route, failing that would suggest the sparing use of liquid smoke in your glaze and or sauce,

Personally I prefer the aroma of hickory to comfort.......

Cheers
Tiny

[PatriotsBob]

Thanks for the ideas, guys. Much appreciated. I didn't really think about going the liquid smoke route...it feels a little like cheating though. Haha.

When I smoked my first (and only) brisket, I put 3 fist-sized chunks in at the start....and the same again about half-way through cooking. I got an amazing bark and a good smoke ring on it. I did have to pop to the bank during cooking, and I could literally smell the smoke from the end of the street, probably about a 1/4 mile away. Maybe it's the wood I'm using? I have a bag of the Weber branded stuff. I figured that would be the way to go, seeing as they make the barbecues. Is that ok? Or would you guys suggest a different avenue on the wood, maybe?

[aris]

Move home. Life is too short.

[tommo666]

Just an idea, try freecycle or gumtree for a cooker hood. Build a shroud for it to fit over your Q and use a charcoal filter to remove the smoke particles.

[keith157]

Thanks for the ideas, guys. Much appreciated. I didn't really think about going the liquid smoke route...it feels a little like cheating though. Haha.

When I smoked my first (and only) brisket, I put 3 fist-sized chunks in at the start....and the same again about half-way through cooking. I got an amazing bark and a good smoke ring on it. I did have to pop to the bank during cooking, and I could literally smell the smoke from the end of the street, probably about a 1/4 mile away. Maybe it's the wood I'm using? I have a bag of the Weber branded stuff. I figured that would be the way to go, seeing as they make the barbecues. Is that ok? Or would you guys suggest a different avenue on the wood, maybe?

Unless you showered & changed before going to count your money, the smokey smell was probably you

[PatriotsBob]

Move home. Life is too short.

Trust me, if finances allowed that would definitely be my first choice.

I guess there is a chance I'm just being a titanic helmet. It's happened before. Maybe the smoke wasn't anywhere near as bad as I'd thought, and I'm just being too courteous to my neighbours?

If being "too smokey" was a legitimate issue, I'm sure someone on here would have a story or two of a front garden brawl or some such. Not so. Which is great.

Thanks again.

[RobinC]

hmm strange - 6 chunks of wood doesn't really sound enough to generate smoke that can be smelt a 1/4 a way. I've used the Weber chunks and can't say I found them particularly smokey (compared to if I was burning some green wood in the garden). Like I said the "smokey" time tends to be around the start of the cook as you're getting it lit and assembled after that very little. I've even had a couple of smokers on the go at the same time in a well ventilated barn and other than whisps of smoke coming out of them, nothing.

Keith maybe onto something I always end up reeking like a wood fire after I've assembled the WSM.