smokeyness....help! help!

Unknown · August 2005

Earlier in the week someone posted a question concerning the smokey flavour of lump charcoal and some one replied that it is 50% based upon the brand of charcoal and 50% based upon the chef and that experience will help new eggers master the smokeyness. [p]I too, am having problems over coming the unwanted smokeyness. I've reviewed the "Nakedwhizz" site. Very impressive, alot of work and well done, however would suggest that a scale similar to the one used to show length of burn be used to rate the amount of smokeyness for each product. [p]Also, it was suggested that experience will help give us some control over this, however what are some suggestions to fast track some of us beginners? I currently lite my coals with the electric lighter and normally leave 20 to 30 minutes for stabilizing the temperature and most times control the temp by slowing the ramp up as it nears the desired range, rather than do a temperature drop, afterwards. Should I be minimizing the amount of coals by only using enuff lump for the job at hand? ....and letting them burn out rather than smothering them at the end of the cook? [p]I enjoy my egg, but I am (especially my wife)definitely disappointed in the smoke flavour control. On my older open briquet bbq this was never apparent.[p]Help! Help![p]Thanks
Hoppy Brewer

The Naked Whiz · August 2005

hoppy Brewer,
I don't know how to produce a measurement of smokiness. About all I can do is what I already do in subjectively describing the smoke smell as the lump is lighting. Even that is terribly subjective. I need a smoke-o-meter!
TNW

mad max beyond eggdome · August 2005

hoppy Brewer,
time after lighting is the key, but don't be in a hurry.. . if you really don't want excess smokiness, just watch the top vent. ..when you stop seeing smoke (except for just a whisp now and then), you have a good clean burning fire, and your food will be relatively smoke free. ..sometimes, if you have a lot of buildup of grease in your egg, or on your plate setter, it can take a good while (like with a self cleaning oven) to burn off all the crud. . .sometimes i'll wait as long as an hour after lighting the egg to put food on if its something i particularly don't want to get a lot of smoke (like casseroles, or stuff with a lot of cheese on top that absorbs a lot of smoke flavor). . ..HTH

Borders · August 2005

hoppy Brewer,
Couple of things could be going on, but, the bottom line is, if you see smoke coming out of the daisy, and you did not just add chips, dont try to cook. Even if it has been 20 or 30 minutes, if the lump is still smoking, it's not stabilized.
If you cook something fatty and it drips on the coals, it can cause a bad flavor on that cook. If you use those same coals in another cook, it will not be good either.
If you have a plate setter, try cooking something indirect, after the fire is not smokey. In that circumstance, with no chips, you almost cant taste smoke at all.
Try a different lump. Hang in there, you have the best cooker in the world. You'll figure it out.
Finally, using a smaller amount of lump may also help. I vary my lump amount greatly depending on what I'm cooking, at what temps, and how long. That really ads to the versatility of the egg.
Scott

YYZash · August 2005

Although I am also new to this I found the type of lump you use will make a huge difference. Try using lump made from kiln-dried woods like Cowboy brand. I started with BGE brand and found it brings a strong sweet smoke flavor that I noticed was missing when I tried cowboy brand. Personally I like the smoke flavors but I stocked up on some Cowboy in case I am going to cook something where I don’t want it, like pie.

Unknown · August 2005

Thanks all for you responses.[p]A smokemeter would be excellent (have to get the Lawnranger to make one).........although in reality a subjective opinion from the Naked Whiz, putting the smokeyness level between 1 and 10, would be more than good enuff for most of us. In fact I'm sure it would carry more weight than any meter would.[p]thanks all, [p]Hoppy Brewer

Unknown · August 2005

hoppy Brewer,[p]The advice below is probably all you need to control the smoke.[p]I switch brands when I do chicken - I have found that the floor scrap lump (whole foods in my case) seems to give off less smoke flavor. I think that it is because the wood used in the lump was dryed out before it was processed.[p]Might help.

The Naked Whiz · August 2005

Hoppy Brewer,
The problem is that different lumps have different types of smoke. Some is perfumey, some is woodsy. I think my nose could do a scale of 1-3. Besides there is the problem of consistency between samples of charcoal that have been tested years apart. And then, it really isn't the smokiness that's important, it's the flavor it gives to the food. I don't think I have the resources, time or skill to do anything meaningful.[p]TNW

eggor · August 2005

hoppy Brewer,[p]also try controlling the temp with just the lower damper and the daisy wheel full open. you should be able to hold 250 steady with the bottom vent barely open for a lo and slow and adjust up from there.

fishlessman · August 2005

hoppy Brewer,
some things i like the smoke flavor in, somethings i dont. over time i think my taste is changing and i like the smoke flavor more. some things to reduce the smoke flavor would be
1.let the coals stabilize for a longer period of time
2.learn to regulate temps without the daisy top on the egg
3.cook inderect at higher temps than you normally would, i cook beer butt chickens direct at about 375, with an inderect setup you could raise the temps up to 50 degrees more.
4.like max says, cheese picks up smoke flavors fast, either cover the cheese or add it at the end of the cook
5.use a cleaner burning lump like wicked good if you can find it

Unknown · August 2005

eggor,
When you suggest to leave the daisy wheel fully open, do you mean the wheel adjusted so that the little slots are fully open or do you mean the wheel is slid off the large hole leaving the top basically fully open?
Hoppy Brewer (Currently known as Smokey Griller)

eggor · August 2005

Hoppy Brewer,[p]i open the slider(not the spinner)all the way. Watch your temps close, a minor adjustment of the bottom vent can change the temp a couple hundred degrees.

Essex County · August 2005

hoppy Brewer,
I would concur with comments by fishlessman and others. He suggested Wicked Good Charcoal which burns very slow and clean. Another alternative is Cowboy Lump which many on this forum don't like. It is low density so it burns faster and leaves more ash but it also imparts very little smoke flavor. I keep a bag on hand and use it if I want to keep smoke flavor to a minimum.[p]Good luck![p]Paul

mast3quila · August 2005

hoppy Brewer,
I posed that question last week as my first few cooks tasted too much like charcoal. Not wood smoke..Coal smoke.[p]The solution was to start the fire, adjust to desired temperature, and then WAIT until the smoke died down. This can take 30 or so minutes and may feel like a waste, but it's necessary and the BGE will still use far less charcoal than a regular grill.[p]Since receiving that tip, I've had no more problems with coal flavor.[p]Good luck.

Unknown · August 2005

Thanks all again for your responses. In reading the suggestions and re-thinking my problem, I've come to some conclusions: I'm on my second large bag of charcoal, the first bag being BGE and the second Royal Oaks. I assumed they would be similar as I beleive Royal Oaks manufactures BGE lump. With BGE lump I hadn't noticed the smokeyness and I thought that was my only change in operations, however in reading the responses I remembered that I have changed how I regulated the temperature setting. I have currently been fully closing the daisy wheel slider and adjusting the spinner and adjusting the lower vent, which in this case is open quite a bit. I had forgotten that originally I had shut the bottom vent to between 1/8 and 1/4 inch open and had kept the top slider fairly widely opened.
Now I'm anxious to run home and experiment.[p]

billyg · August 2005

Glad you asked. When I bought my egg I bought two 20lb bags of BGE lump. I noticed almost everything that I cooked had a smokey flavor. (My wife doesn't particually care for a strong smoke taste) I then swtched to Cowboy lump for a totally different reason. The Naked Whiz's review on Cowboy lump does mention that it is almost devoid of smoke flavor. Well that was fine with me as now I can add the different kinds of woods for the different smoked flavor. I have used about 25lbs so far and have had very good results (and getting raves from my wife). Anyhow I would give Cowboy lump a try, it appears readily availiable around here (northern Chicago suburban area).

smokeyness....help! help!

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