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Unwanted Smoke Flavor

gte1
gte1 Posts: 379
edited January 2012 in EggHead Forum
Made tri tip last night. Followed recipe for Santa Maria tri tip. Sear, rest, then roast, basting with an oil and vinegar mix while roasting. During the roasting I got a lot of smoke, I believe from the basting mix dripping on the coals. The smoke flavor was very strong and not a pleasant smoke flavor either. Is the only solution to use a stone/drip pan during roasting? I get a little of this with the T-Rex steak cook also. Any suggestions?

George
George

Comments

  • gte1
    gte1 Posts: 379
    Really could use some help with this one, anybody?

    George.
    George
  • What tempo are you roasting at. Over 300 I always take the top vent off keeps the bad smoke moving out
    XL   Walled Lake, MI

  • billyray
    billyray Posts: 1,275
    I don't baste, it's not needed in the egg. If you can get some red oak wood to smoke with, try it. This is what they use in Santa Maria. A good source for this is susieqbrand.com, they are from the Santa Maria area and have a restaurant there in Guadalupe called Far Western.
    Felton, Ca. 2-LBGE, 1-Small, PBC, PK360, Genesis Summit, Camp Chef Flattop, Smokefire 24, Traeger Pro Series 22 Pellet with a Smoke Daddy insert, Gateway 55 Gal. drum, SNS Kettle w/acc.
  • gte1
    gte1 Posts: 379
    How do you keep the top vent off and temp down to 400? Obviously by keeping the bottom barely open, but can tou maintain a 350-400 temp this way?

    Billyray, I never baste either but I was following the recipe to try something different. Thanks for the source on the red oak. I will give it a try.
    George
  • IrishDevl
    IrishDevl Posts: 1,390
    What kind of wood are you using.  I use weekend warrior and although some smoke when I initially light it, it all burns off and only white smoke when I am ready to cook. Especially if I am doing a T-Rex on steak, I would have no problem with the initial sear temp so high and an open grill.  
  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    Well, you were still grilling, not roasting. Yeah, you need a barrier. The smoke was from the olive oil.
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
  • gte1
    gte1 Posts: 379
    No more basting for me, however some of the same problems arise when grilling fatty meats.
    George
  • stevesails
    stevesails Posts: 990
    edited February 2012

    I have an XL . At 300 dome, I leave the top off and bottom is open about  a half inch. bigger for 350 and about and inch and a quarter for 400.  

    It is the only way I can cook chicken direct without the chicken tasting like burnt chicken fat. I saw the answer on one of the forums.

     

    XL   Walled Lake, MI

  • gte1
    gte1 Posts: 379



    Sounds good I will try it.
    Still skeptical about being able to keep the temp that low with the top off,
    but I will definitely give it a try. Grilling some sausages tonight we'll see
    if I can do it. Thanks for all the feedback.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />



    George



    George
  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    you can control the egg with the top or bottom vent alone.  you can hold whatever temp you need with just the bottom, if you prefer to
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
  • SteveWPBFL
    SteveWPBFL Posts: 1,327
    Overstoked the BGE while making up the pizza tonight, pegged the gauge for perhaps a few minutes. Was not using the daisy, just the bottom vent door, closed her down a couple times to get to 600F and each time damper was closed got about 30 seconds worth of much smoke but otherwise was always smoking some. Cooked pizza for ten minutes at 600F and shut the BGE down. Pizza had NO smoke flavor. So. Maybe the high temp excursion kind of cleaned her out? Used BGE lump. Life is good!
  • As stated in another blog, Smoke is a product of incomplete combustion. When the smoke turns clear you are reburning that smoke and combustibles. Example- Take a lit cigar that is smoking good and take a lighter of some open flame device and put it to the smoke. The smoke will disappear,WHY, Because you are completing the cycle of combustion
    LET'S EAT
  • cooked some skinless boneless chicken breasts for the wife and I tonight.  375 bottom vent about an inch top not present. held the temp rock steady.

     

    XL   Walled Lake, MI

  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    edited February 2012
    You can control a garden hose from either end. And since air is a virtual liquid, it follows the same physical rules. You can control how much air flows thru the egg with either the top or bottom vent. You also can't let in less than goes out, and you can't let out more than you let in

    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
  • gte1
    gte1 Posts: 379
    I agree that you cannot let out more than you let in, but won't having the cap completely off draw air through the bottom? Just because an opening is a certain size doesn't mean the volume through it is constant.
    George