Found out how much wood smoke actually weighs and it messed with my head

I was reading through some old pitmaster notes online last night and found a stat that a single hickory log can add over 2 pounds of smoke residue to a brisket during a 12 hour cook. That blew my mind since I always figured the weight loss from moisture was the main thing. Turns out that's why my firebox builds up that black tar so fast, especially after a long weekend cook in Austin. I've been doing this for about 15 years and never once thought about the actual mass of the smoke itself. Makes me wonder if I should be cleaning my smoker more often than every couple of months or if that buildup actually helps insulate things. Has anyone else ever weighed their meat before and after a cook to see the real smoke pickup?

2 comments

2 Comments

gracej994d ago

Calling that a "stat" without seeing the actual study is a stretch. I've weighed briskets before and after plenty of cooks, and the moisture loss dwarfs any smoke residue by a long shot. You're looking at 15 to 20 percent weight drop from water and fat rendering, not 2 pounds of tar stuck to the meat. That black buildup in your firebox is mostly creosote from incomplete burn, not what's landing on the brisket. Clean your smoker when it gets thick because that stuff flakes off and ruins a cook, but don't chase a number someone pulled from some blog. If you're losing sleep over smoke weight, you're overthinking a 12 hour cook.

ward.diana4d ago

Heard a podcast say smoke residue only adds ounces, not pounds. You're spot on.