Yoder Smokers Community Forum

I .just brought a Yoder and on my first cook after I seasoned it I got white smoke and my meat had a bitter taste. How do I avoid this white smoke. I did use both the damper on the firebox and the one on the chimney too control the temp during the cook. From videos I have watched since then the chimney damper was left open during the cook so was it a mistake to mess with it during the cook. I also used fire wood from a hardware store too get my fire started. Could the use of this wood led to the white smoke. Please help.

Welcome aboard!

Well, the wood that you used is more than likely just fireplace or firepit wood, and not suitable for use in cooking. This wood is normally at soft wood, and not at all good for cooking with.

The wood that you need for cooking, is hardwood or fruitwood, such as Hickory, Pecan, Oak, Apple, Cherry, etc. The wood must be "seasoned", or dried before it can be used. This usually means that the wood is cut into 16" long pieces, and then split into 3" diameter splits, then stacked and protected from weather to dry for a year, or until the wood is below 20% moisture content.

If you have an issue finding full sized wood splits to cook with, you can use charcoal, preferable lump charcoal, and then use small wood chunks for your flavor wood.

I took your advice and no more bad smoke. Question, for whole chicken when my thermometer saids its done,165, it looks like its been burned. My thermometer is the Maverick 733

Here is an excellent video that will help: viewtopic.php?f=49&t=132

Which cooker do you have?

Do you have the heat management plate?

Do you have the second shelf?

Where are you placing the meat in the cooker when cooking?

What did you apply to the meat prior to cooking? Does it contain a high sugar content?

I have a Cheyenne with a heat management plate. Chicken set on rack in pan with two cups apple juice. Rub consisted of store brought with additional poultry seasoning.

If you watched the video I suggested on running a proper fire, you will understand the importance of a fire that only puts out thin blue smoke. Anything other than this can cause darkening of the final product. Did the meat taste "dark" or bitter? If so, fire management is more than likely the problem. The wood that you use needs to be seasoned to a moisture content of 20% or less. I debark the wood I use as well, but doing so is a personal choice.

High sugar content in rubs, coupled with heat, can turn dark from the sugar caramelizing or even burning at higher temperatures. Did the meat taste burned? If so this might be the problem.

To piggyback on what Herb asked, if it didn't taste burned, did it taste bitter? When you were done eating, were you burping up a strong, smokey flavor the rest of the night?

Nope, However, some of the meat while done didn't have has much of a smokey taste has others