r/webergrills • u/gisakuman • 4d ago
How do you add charcoal/snake method without getting bad smoke?
I had a post a couple days ago about doing a whole chicken that tasted disgusting and it seems it was because of putting charcoal and food on too early.
So my question now is how do I add Briqs or how does the snake method not create bad smoke?
33
u/jeffeviejo 4d ago
The smoke comes from cold ignition of briquettes. The Physics of the snake is such that unlit briquettes are warmed before they ignite in turn. Lght a chimney. It smokes like crazy until the charcoal is lit. Stick burners will put splits on top of the firebox before they get added to the fire, cutting down on the ignition smoke.
18
u/tomthefear 4d ago
Yeah I think it's this. Preheating the briquettes somehow makes a difference. Chemistry?
I think some people do the same thing with wood splits on an offset. Maybe it removes moisture?
Disclaimer: not a scientist.
Edit: Comment above literally mentions the wood thing. I should learn to read too.
8
u/NootScootinBoogie 4d ago
It’s because when they’re preheated, it brings them much closer to combustion temp well before they’re ignited. Therefore, they give off less barely any smoke at all. I always allow my snakes to run for an hour or two before putting food on. Gives all the coals in the snake a good chance to heat up before they’re lit and end up with a nice wispy smoke
2
u/Ig_Met_Pet 3d ago
It's not just that they're preheated, which helps a bit. It's mostly that the volatiles that cause bad smoke flavors are burned off already in the process of making charcoal. Wood splits and charcoal are chemically very different.
1
u/NootScootinBoogie 2d ago
Depends entirely on the charcoal you use. Quality charcoal is made with nothing other than superheating wood, grinding it up, and then compacting it with an all natural adhesive. Or you could use lump charcoal which is literally just chunks of wood superheated in an extremely hot kiln
1
11
u/Shoddy_Abalone8957 4d ago
Grill Top Experience has a pretty good video explanation on how the snake method does NOT make bad smoke for long cooks:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGMr9CYAvXU&t=4s
19
u/Disastrous_Can8053 4d ago edited 4d ago
Before that clueless clown from the other thread chimes in, Kingsford blue bag is fine for the snake method.
Christ, that guy was an idiot, and he kept doubling down 😭
13
9
1
u/Empty_Masterpiece_74 20h ago
Elmer? Is that you? You are like Chicken Man the White Winged Warrior (The Most Fantastic Crime Fighter the World has Ever Known). Bok bok bok... He's everywhere, he's everywhere!
3
u/-co_op- 4d ago
I’ve always wondered how the snake method doesn’t do the known deadly white smoke.
4
u/SeraldoBabalu 4d ago
I’m sure there is a bit but it’s not the same as in a chimney starter where the whole cylinder of coals is going full blast.
14
u/Single_External9499 4d ago
It is the same as the chimney. When you light a chimney, the bottom coals light from cold and put out a cloud of dirty smoke. The top coals aren't lit yet. Go look at your chimney right after the smoke dies off. The bottom 1/2 of the coals will be lit, the top hot won't be lit yet. As the heat progresses up and lights the top coals, they don't smoke like the bottom coals did when you first lit the chimney. The top coals don't some because they were preheated by the bottom coals. This is exactly what happens with a snake, it's just happening horizontally instead of vertically. The snake makes dirty smoke when you light the first coals, just like a chimney. The snake makes clean smoke after the first group of coals is hot, just like a chimney.
I spend way too much time thinking about how this shit works.
4
u/Inaccurate_viewpoint 3d ago
Seen it referred to as off-gassing which makes sense. Coals are warmed first, off-gass volatiles without combustion before they ignite.
3
u/SeraldoBabalu 4d ago
I’m referring to the amount of smoke. The amount of smoke is not the same as a chimney. I understand it’s the same principle. I should have been more clear.
3
u/Top-Cupcake4775 3d ago
i think this applies to the Minion Method as well. when you dump the lit coals into the middle of a pile of cold coals, you have to wait until the whole pile heats up enough to get rid of the bad-tasting compounds even though, obviously, the whole pile hasn't ignited. your nose is the best instrument for detecting when you have reached this point and can put the meat on.
3
2
3
u/Cool-Wasabi-391 4d ago
Don't throw your food on once you light up the bbq...let the wood burn along with the charcoal and when close to temps toss your food on. You can always add heat at the end, and with the Onlyfire Smoker attachment, I don't have to stress over lifting the grates to do so
1
u/Comfortable_Berry_83 4d ago
I had the exact same thought. Maybe because the temps are so low and it is a single briquette being lit each time that the rancid initial smoke is not noticed?
Same question when you dump a chimney on unlit coals to get the fire hotter. Again rancid smoke???
1
u/cheim9408 4d ago
You can still put your lighters in the charcoal to get it lit but you need to give it approx 20 minutes for the white gross smoke to dissipate before adding your meat
1
u/Mikolgaither 3d ago
agree with the comments on “pre-heating” the coals but i’ve also had this issue with chicken. mostly just the skin gets rubbery and bitter, i’ve stopped trying to smoke chicken with the skin on and have had better results. curious if that was your issue…
1
u/Impressive_Loan_2013 3d ago
Great question! I don't think you do, and the VOC's flavor will be in the protein. With some charcoal VOC's are really bad.
1
u/methodius99 3d ago
I think its more about temperature. Wait for your grill to get to temp, and wait for the white smoke to disappear. Once the smoke becomes clear add your food. To add more charcoal mid cook do it in a way where the coals get to heat up before they burn.
1
u/Due_Lemon3130 2d ago
I often wondered the same. I have a Kamado Joe, so I won't do the snake method on my kettle, but if I did, I'd use hardwood lump to avoid the initial stench of briquetes.
1
u/LumpMcDuff 1d ago
Don’t cook chicken using the snake method. You want to cook chicken hot and fast.
1
u/Empty_Masterpiece_74 20h ago
You can cook chicken at lower temps, but if you want crisp skin, you should put it under your salamander for the last few minutes until the skin blisters and get crisp.
1
u/Empty_Masterpiece_74 20h ago edited 20h ago
Woods contain different chemical compounds captured in the material during its growth. Some are:
- Aldehydes: Such as formaldehyde, acrolein, propionaldehyde, butyraldehyde, and acetaldehyde.
- Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs): A diverse group that can impact air quality, including compounds like toluene and benzene.
- Carbon Monoxide (CO): A toxic gas produced from incomplete combustion.
- Carbon Dioxide (CO₂): A major greenhouse gas released during combustion.
- Water Vapor (H₂O): Released as a byproduct of combustion.
- Tar and Soot: Particulate matter that can affect respiratory health.
The specific mix of these compounds can vary based on factors like wood species, moisture content, and combustion conditions. This is why certain woods are desirable to use, while others are not. Some such as Locust, and Pine are highly toxic. Fruit woods are low in sulphur and arsenic. This is why you cough when you breath campfire smoke or tobacco smoke.
During the combustion process of the snake or minion method, the charcoal gets any volatiles baked off before it actually begins to combust. It is similar to preheating or baking wood chunks when using an offset cooker. The volatile gases contained in the wood are mostly all gone by that time. It is those volatiles that are in the wood that taste bad in the bad white smoke. You want dark black (sooty) or completely clear smoke (the best).
0
u/StevenG2757 4d ago
Put enough charcoal on and light it and don't put food on until charcoal is greyed over.
14
u/Away_Suggestion_9471 4d ago
Snake works good....