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Bad Smoke? Educate Me.
Shucker
Eastern North Carolina
Go Pirates!
http://facebook.com/oldcolonysmokehouse
https://www.instagram.com/oldcolonysmokehouse/
L & MM BGE/Blackstone 36" Griddle/Pit Barrel Cooker/QDS/Shirley Fab 50" Patio/BQ Grills Hog Cooker/Stump's Classic/Weber 22" OTG
Comments
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Once up to temp, I usually let it stabilize for 30 minutes or so. Drink a few beers and play with the baby son or hit the kitchen for prep work. If you lean into the "chimney" and smell the smoke it is a good indicator. If the smoke smells the food will taste bad. Smells good, you are good. Could be lump related too. What kind of lump?Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
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I usually just wait until the smoke is clear and no longer white. On my first cook I put my food on too soon and it had a chemical taste. I usually wait around 30 minutes before I put my food on.I am sure you aren't waiting long enough. As you already know cooking on the BGE is trial and error. If you are waiting 10 minutes I would wait 20.
Just keep up with how long you are waiting and once you get it right you can mark that off the list of things you did wrong. I have only had my BGE a month and have completed about 10 cooks. I am still learning and tweaking every time, but I am getting better and better at it!It is so much fun!Louisville, GA - 2 Large BGE's -
Where and how are you lighting it?
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nolaegghead said:Where and how are you lighting it?
@Nola, I thought about you when the power went off in the stadium during Superbowl. I thought to myself Nola has ever power tool in his man cave going at one time and blew a transformer.. )Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013 -
@shucker- nola will get you through this and explain why it happens (bad smoke that is). Has to do with Volatile Organic Compunds (VOC's) that are resident in the lump (and most other carbon related compounds). Time and the initial fire are your keys to solving the issue.Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win. Life is too short for light/lite beer! Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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I think if you hit 500º the bad smoke is gone.Gerhard
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Shucker
Eastern North Carolina
Go Pirates!http://facebook.com/oldcolonysmokehouse
https://www.instagram.com/oldcolonysmokehouse/
L & MM BGE/Blackstone 36" Griddle/Pit Barrel Cooker/QDS/Shirley Fab 50" Patio/BQ Grills Hog Cooker/Stump's Classic/Weber 22" OTG
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nolaegghead said:Where and how are you lighting it?
Lighting the top in the center. Most times, tonight included, I use an electric starter. Sometimes I use the bge fire starters. I had the flames rolling pretty good tonight and let it burn for 20-30 minutes before putting the food on.Shucker
Eastern North Carolina
Go Pirates!http://facebook.com/oldcolonysmokehouse
https://www.instagram.com/oldcolonysmokehouse/
L & MM BGE/Blackstone 36" Griddle/Pit Barrel Cooker/QDS/Shirley Fab 50" Patio/BQ Grills Hog Cooker/Stump's Classic/Weber 22" OTG
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gerhardk said:I think if you hit 500º the bad smoke is gone.Gerhard
Shucker
Eastern North Carolina
Go Pirates!http://facebook.com/oldcolonysmokehouse
https://www.instagram.com/oldcolonysmokehouse/
L & MM BGE/Blackstone 36" Griddle/Pit Barrel Cooker/QDS/Shirley Fab 50" Patio/BQ Grills Hog Cooker/Stump's Classic/Weber 22" OTG
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shucker said:
Royal OakChubbs said:What kind of lump?
Where do you live? Most people rave about Royal Oak. A few of us from Columbia SC have been getting bad batches lately. My last bag took nearly an hour to even remotely feel comfortable putting food on the egg. Smelled like chemicals. I won't be using RO anymore.Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013 -
shucker said:nolaegghead said:Where and how are you lighting it?
Lighting the top in the center. Most times, tonight included, I use an electric starter. Sometimes I use the bge fire starters. I had the flames rolling pretty good tonight and let it burn for 20-30 minutes before putting the food on.
______________________________________________I love lamp.. -
Chubbs said:nolaegghead said:Where and how are you lighting it?
@Nola, I thought about you when the power went off in the stadium during Superbowl. I thought to myself Nola has ever power tool in his man cave going at one time and blew a transformer.. )
______________________________________________I love lamp.. -
Hahaha....Some of my neighbors came by and we ended up spinning old vinyl on the turntable....the game was on the TV with the sound off for half the game. We didn't even notice the power outage until it was almost fixed (was pretty wasted right about then). Maybe it was the new stereo sucking down the power....nolaegghead said:Chubbs said:nolaegghead said:Where and how are you lighting it?
@Nola, I thought about you when the power went off in the stadium during Superbowl. I thought to myself Nola has ever power tool in his man cave going at one time and blew a transformer.. )
I néed to see some pics of the new stereo. I want one that will play on my porch bad
Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013 -
I'll post some soon. I built the cart for it, the 300 pound top is almost done - been polishing it with a diamond grinder. It's up and running, and man, it be LOUD!
______________________________________________I love lamp.. -
@Chubbs I have a cool ghetto blaster that's great for a porch. I'll post a pic. I'll be bringing it Salado to disturb the peace
______________________________________________I love lamp.. -
Time and heat will get rid of the chemical taste.Like many above noted, 30 minutes is the minimum to get a clean fire burning. If in doubt wait 45-60 minutes, see if you notice a difference.Light on the top and open the bottom full, top full until at least 300 on the dome thermo. Then put on the DFMT, start to dial in your desired heat setting. Clear smoke is good smoke.....Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
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You can also just trust your nose. Hold your hand over the daisy wheel, then smell it. If it smells good, it is ready. If it smells like campfire...wait a little longer .Which came first the chicken or the egg? I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg.
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For some reason I can't hyperlink.. Google search:bad smoke big green egg That first result is a thread that is a good educationMedium, and XL eggs in Galloway NJ. Just outside of Atlantic City.
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Huh, I thought all smoke smelled good. Except cigarettes. Campfire smokes is the best too! I usually wait no more than 10 minutes before putting food on. Haven't had a problem yet.Dunedin, FL
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Chubbs said:
Chubbs said:What kind of lump?
Royal Oak
Shucker
Eastern North Carolina
Go Pirates!http://facebook.com/oldcolonysmokehouse
https://www.instagram.com/oldcolonysmokehouse/
L & MM BGE/Blackstone 36" Griddle/Pit Barrel Cooker/QDS/Shirley Fab 50" Patio/BQ Grills Hog Cooker/Stump's Classic/Weber 22" OTG
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Cowboy is no bueno...just my opinion
LBGE, Smoke Hollow 4-in-1, Charbroil Big Easy, and Weber Smokey Joe. -
Chubbs said:
Chubbs said:What kind of lump?
Royal Oaknolaegghead said:shucker said:nolaegghead said:Where and how are you lighting it?
Lighting the top in the center. Most times, tonight included, I use an electric starter. Sometimes I use the bge fire starters. I had the flames rolling pretty good tonight and let it burn for 20-30 minutes before putting the food on.
Shucker
Eastern North Carolina
Go Pirates!http://facebook.com/oldcolonysmokehouse
https://www.instagram.com/oldcolonysmokehouse/
L & MM BGE/Blackstone 36" Griddle/Pit Barrel Cooker/QDS/Shirley Fab 50" Patio/BQ Grills Hog Cooker/Stump's Classic/Weber 22" OTG
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The top layer of lump is all you need lit. I don't know how much lump you had in the egg, but if you filled it up and half of it was lit, that could be the problem. You only need enough lit to supply the heat you need, and you want the top lit. Try to adjust your temp, keep the lid closed and wait for clear or dark grey smoke - take a whiff - it shouldn't smell like chemicals.
______________________________________________I love lamp.. -
Thanks for all the feedback. I've had several successful cooks now and I feel like Im getting the hang of how much lump I need burning to reach desired temp. Ive just had a few recent cooks with the bad taste problem. I guess I'll chalk it up to bad lump as I am not doing anything different thatn when the cooks turn out fine. I still dont understand why the bad smoke doesnt taint the food as new lump is lit during longer cooks.
Shucker
Eastern North Carolina
Go Pirates!http://facebook.com/oldcolonysmokehouse
https://www.instagram.com/oldcolonysmokehouse/
L & MM BGE/Blackstone 36" Griddle/Pit Barrel Cooker/QDS/Shirley Fab 50" Patio/BQ Grills Hog Cooker/Stump's Classic/Weber 22" OTG
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I believe the VOC's are used up by the initial fire (even the unlit pieces) and once they are burned up they are gone.
I have noticed when I have leftover lump and just relight it a few days later for another cook I do not get that much bad smoke and can get food on quicker.
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LBGE, Adjustable Rig, Spider, High-Que grate, maverick ET-732, Thermapen,
Garnerville, NY -
Once you get some lump burning the heat from that lump will be enough to drive off the VOC's even in the unlit lump. That's why you have to wait til the smoke is clear or smells good (if using smoke wood). And the time for that to occur depends on the quantity of lump burning and the temperature. FWIW-Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win. Life is too short for light/lite beer! Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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" I still dont understand why the bad smoke doesnt taint the food as new lump is lit during longer cooks. " When the voc's get driven off during lighting and stabilization, they all get driven off then.....it's not like each piece of lump gives off its own at different individual times during the cook.
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As burning lump cooks the VOCs off unburnt lump, eventually that process results in (my theory at least) those volatile gases getting burned by the fire in the burning lump. That's why lighting on top is important - the air flow is up, and as the unburnt lump is heated, the effluent mostly flows into the burning lump, is combusted and doesn't contribute to the foul "bad smoke".
For low n slows, you want a small, hot fire rather than a big smoldering fire.
______________________________________________I love lamp.. -
Eggbeater said:" I still dont understand why the bad smoke doesnt taint the food as new lump is lit during longer cooks. " When the voc's get driven off during lighting and stabilization, they all get driven off then.....it's not like each piece of lump gives off its own at different individual times during the cook.Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
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Eggbeater said:" I still dont understand why the bad smoke doesnt taint the food as new lump is lit during longer cooks. " When the voc's get driven off during lighting and stabilization, they all get driven off then.....it's not like each piece of lump gives off its own at different individual times during the cook.
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