"smoking" vs. grilling with some smoke?

ddegger · March 6

Philosophical question from a new LBGE owner who's anxiously awaiting delivery and has been reading all these great posts in the meantime. One of the main reasons I went with the Egg is versatility, and I plan to do lots of grilling and smoking. I noticed that a lot of posters talk about adding wood chips or wood chunks to their high temperature grilling to provide smokey flavor. I assume this is still 'grilling', and that 'smoking' something means doing it low and slow? Or am I missing the point?

Thanks for this and all the other great advise you all provide!

Mickey · March 6

IMO it is more like Coke & Pop. For lots of times the words are used interchangeable w/o worry to meaning. Or like grill and grate is used.

SmokeyPitt · March 6

I have heard the terms used in different ways...but here is my stab at definitions:

Smoking- Cooking under 300ish using indirect heat (plate setter or some other heat deflector in place).

Roasting - Cooking over 300ish using indirect heat.

Grilling - Cooking with direct heat.

Baking- Same as roasting...just means you are cooking bread or cookies instead of meat.

Now, for any one of these methods you can add wood to the egg to generate smoke. You will definitely get more smoke with a lower temperature because the wood burns slower and it smokes longer, and the food stays in the egg longer the slower you cook it.

All that being said- this is just my general interpretation based on how I have seen people use the terms. They are used interchangeably as @Mickey said.

Maybe it is easier just to say something like "cooked indirect at 350 with some hickory chunks"...then everyone knows what you mean!

henapple · March 6

I cook things indirect with smoke at 450...idk what that's considered...

SmokeyPitt · March 6

henapple said:

I cook things indirect with smoke at 450...idk what that's considered...

That is smoke roasted :P

shtgunal3 · March 6

@henapple as long as you have a beer in your hand who cares?

henapple · March 6

When I'm doing a spatchcock chicken i use a straw...can't contaminate the beer.

nolaegghead · March 6

IMO:

Smoking is adding smoke. I can be done cold or hot, direct or indirect.

Roasting (meat) and baking (other foods) are indirect cooks, just about any temp.

Grilling and broiling are direct heat cooking - one will give you grill marks, the other won't.

gdenby · March 6

You are pretty much right.

The terminology is not very precise.

From what I have read, BBQ is always done in the presence of wood smoke, but not flame, on seasoned meats. But it is done in at a hotter environment that cold or hot smoking. That allows both smoke penetration and a smoke coat, like plain smoking, and also bark formation. At higher temps, "grilling" sears the outside of the meat for a shorter period, with or without a lesser addition of smoke flavor. Typically, grilling is for most tender meats, or some veg that benefits from an outside char.

Semantics aside, the Egg is a great cooker. Cold smoking is pretty difficult, and simmering a stock pot is not efficient. Otherwise, it works well, and in all weather.

henapple · March 6

simmering a stock pot is not efficient.

I have simmered a roast....

gdenby · March 6

henapple said:

simmering a stock pot is not efficient. I have simmered a roast....

Not saying its not possible. But when making stock, usually the stock needs to simmer away about half, or more. The Egg's moisture retention doesn't help that. Also, unless the area of burning coals is smaller than the base of the pot, a lot of the heat will just pass by the sides of the pot. So, not efficient. Probably more efficient than putting a pot in a regular oven, but not as good over a small fire that just heats the pot bottom.

Skiddymarker · March 7

And all this being said, it is my opinion the lower the temp the more the smoke flavour, which is why I like a reverse sear for some steaks. Trex I do not use smoke, it all happens so fast, there is little smoke added to the meat, the charred crust is flavour enough.

burr_baby33 · March 7

It is really just egging.

ddegger · March 7

Great comments, thanks! If I like egging half as much as reading this forum I'll be set!

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