One of the most common mistakes new pitmasters make is assuming that more smoke means more flavor. In reality, the type of smoke matters far more than the amount. Smoke color is one of the simplest ways to tell whether your fire is burning cleanly and it’s a major step toward better barbecue.

Whether you’re running a traditional offset smoker or a modern pellet grill, clean smoke comes from a balance of heat, fuel and fire.

What is dirty smoke?

You may see thick, white smoke billowing from your pit and think it’s a good sign, but that means you’re probably working with dirty smoke. Dirty smoke is a term pitmasters use to describe smoke from an imbalanced fire—it’s likely an indicator that there is an issue in your firebox.

The most common cause of dirty smoke is an airflow issue. Fire requires a balance of oxygen, heat and fuel to create a clean burn. If you notice thick white smoke coming out of your smokestack, then open the damper on your firebox and let more oxygen in to feed the fire.

Another common cause of dirty smoke is overfilling your firebox. You want enough wood to create a fire but adding too much can stifle the fire and prevent it from being able to burn evenly. Wet wood will also cause dirty smoke because the fire can’t burn evenly through the moisture in the wood. Clean, dry wood is the best fuel for a clean fire.

What is blue smoke?

“Thin blue smoke” is the name given to the cleanest burning smoke you can achieve in a smoker or pellet grill. The smoke will be so clear that it’s almost invisible and you may notice a slight, light blue hue to it. This will tell you that your fire is fed properly and you have a balanced fire burning.

Why is dirty smoke bad?

Thick, dirty smoke will add smoke flavor to your food, but it won’t be a flavor anyone wants to eat. Dirty smoke produces a bitter, acrid flavor on food. Think of when you are sitting by a campfire and it’s just starting to burn out. The smoke starts to burn your eyes, and you have to walk away from it. The same concept applies inside of a smoker and a firebox. That thick, unbalanced smoke will give your food a bad flavor and you will have wasted hours smoking meat to find that it doesn’t taste the way you want it to.

How to manage a fire

A clean-burning fire requires three things:

Oxygen: Fire feeds on oxygen, and your fire needs consistent access to fresh air to burn evenly. In traditional smokers this is controlled by adjusting the firebox damper. In pellet grills, airflow is managed automatically by the cooker. If your smoke turns dirty it usually means the fire isn’t getting enough oxygen and improving airflow will often resolve the issue.

Heat: Heat control is critical to clean smoke. If your fire is too hot, the fuel will burn too quickly and limit smoke flavor. If it isn’t hot enough, the fuel will smolder and produce dirty smoke. Keeping your cooker at a stable temperature allows the fuel to burn evenly and produce clean smoke.

Fuel: Arguably the most important component of a fire is fuel. In the case of smoking meat, fuel usually means wood, wood pellets or charcoal. The key is for the fuel to be clean, dry and designed to burn consistently. Bear Mountain offers a full range of fuel options including pellets, wood chips, wood chunks and charcoal, all made from quality hardwood and engineered to promote steady combustion and clean smoke. Choosing well-made fuel helps prevent smoldering, reduces bitterness and supports the balanced fire needed for great barbecue.

The key to tasty barbecue starts with fire management. You can make the best seasoning blends and sauces on the planet, but without a balanced fire and quality fuel you won’t be able to produce good tasting barbecue. Take the time to master fire management first to start making the best barbecue on the block.