Steak came out too smoky

Flashback Bob · February 2007

I cooked (3) beautiful 2" thick NY strips on Saturday, but they didn't come out so great.
I seared em 60 seconds per side at about 700, pulled em off and foiled 'em while I shut the egg down to about 400-450. I put them back on and cooked to an internal of 125 (total of about 15 minutes, flipped them every 3min).[p]There was a lot of smoke generated at the lower temp. Each time I raised the dome a thick cloud of smoke billowed out.
Some of the steak was ok but for the most part the steak flavor was drowned out by the smoke taste. We ate these for lunch and I was still burping smoke at dinner time. No one was too excited about them.[p]Any idea where I went wrong? Does the lump smoke more when you close the dampers down until it stabilizes at the desired temp? [p]Thanks!

EGGOMANIAC · February 2007

Flashback Bob,[p]
New lump? Did you give it a chance to burn off for a while for a clean fire? Ususally I let it run 15+ mins.

Sundown · February 2007

Flashback Bob,
I use the method you mention regularly and have never experienced a thick cloud of smoke billowing out on the last stage.[p]Did you let the first stage of your burn stabilize? It takes about 12 to 15 minutes. When there's little or no smoke coming out of your Egg at that time then the fire is ready to take to 700º it'll get to 700º fast and then you can begin your cook.

Flashback Bob · February 2007

EGGOMANIAC,
Yeah, I started the fire too early, had it up to 750, slowed it down till I was ready, then opened her up for the sear. Pre-sear there was absolutely no smoke coming out the top. just heat waves and the occasional flame as it approached 700.[p]it was afterward that I got all the smoke. there were some juices from the meat dripping and that's probably what was generating the smoke.

Sandbagger · February 2007

Flashback Bob, If you had old lump, you might have burned into old grease and such from previous cooks. T

Sigmore · February 2007

Flashback Bob, I usually let mine take at least 20 minutes to drop down to around 350° to let that fat burn off. If it's still smoking at 20 minutes I'll wait a bit longer. The steaks don't care.

Unknown · February 2007

Flashback Bob,
are you saying you closed both vents after the sear and left them closed during the 15 minute "bake"?

stike · February 2007

Flashback Bob,
wood smoke or fat smoke?[p]i got fatty smoke from rib eyes, but never strips.[p]i toss in a small chip or two sometimes when i want to add a touch of smoke, but not more than a cip or two. did you add any big chunks?[p]lastly... was the egg shut down? there's a method called the 'dwell' where the egg is shut down, vents top and bottom CLOSED, and the residual heat of the dome and dying fire hold 400-450 or so and finish the steak. that can be a problem, because dripping fat will smolder, and it'll have nowhere to get out. were your vents open?[p]if the smoke was bad-sooty-fatty, that may have been it. if it was woody, then charcoal or chips are the cause.

ShortRib · February 2007

Flashback Bob,
I dont smoke my steaks. Takes too much away from the natural beef flavor.

Flashback Bob · February 2007

Thanks for the responses.
I didn't add any wood for smoke, it was coming from the drippings.[p] The fire was burning hot and clean to start. I had it burning too hot, too early so I closed the vents to get it down lower until I was ready to cook. When I was ready, I opened it up and had it up to 700 and burning clean in no time.[p]I pulled the steaks off and foiled them while I closed down the dampers and waited for the temp t get down close to 400. After I put them in is when the smoke started[p]The smoke was a sooty smoke, similar to the flavor you'd get charring the steak all the way through.[p]I had the daisy petals open and the bottom vent open no more than 1/8" and it was still reluctant to go down as low as 400.[p]I haven't cooked steaks in awhile and have always had good luck. I probably was being too casual thinking I couldn't screw it up.

Flashback Bob · February 2007

Rick's Tropical Delight,
Yes I closed them but had the steaks off the grill under foil while the temp went down.

Unknown · February 2007

Flashback Bob,[p]Huh.....interesting. I am curious what others say because to me even though it is 400 degrees the fire is kinda going out, probably very little red charcoal anywhere when you opened the lid. But I don't TRex my steaks so others will be of better opinions. I tend to sear for 2 minutes each side and then cook them at 450-500. I want a little char on the outside like good steakhouses. No smoke and a subtle charcoal taste.[p]Howard

Flashback Bob · February 2007

Howard,
Yeah, that's exactly what I was thinking- 2 minutes/side and 450-500 till 120-125 internal. [p]I started thinking maybe I should've left the steaks in when I closed the dampers, but as Stike said, juices would've still dripped on the coals and the smoke would have nowhere to go.[p]I'm thinking maybe I didn't give them enough of a sear- they were thick maybe I should've seared them slightly longer at a slightly lower temp, say 600-650 instead

Unknown · February 2007

Flashback Bob,[p]I posted the same message about two years ago! My wife said "all I taste is smoke" whenever I cooked steaks.[p]I'm sure you are using lump. Let it burn for at least 1/2 hour...even a full 60 minutes. If your Egg gets too hot, close it off a bit unitl it gets to about 500. [p]Are you using a rub on the steaks or are you putting them on "nude"? Rub them real good on each side. A lot of the rub will burn off as you sear. After you apply the rub, let them sit on the kitchen table for 1 hour. This allows the steaks to approach room temperature.[p]Finally, open up the Egg again and let it get nice and hot.
Throw on the steaks and keep the lid open as you sear them on both sides. (About 45 seconds each side.) Don't be afraid if flames kick up all over them. Remove the steaks and close the dome. Close the vents enough to bring the EGG to 400. Allow the steaks to sit in the kitchen for 20 minutes. Then continue to cook them at 400 until they are done to your likeing. (A crash course in TREX method)[p]This is how I learned to do it and I get lots of compliments now. I might be wrong, but perhaps a well rubbed steak limits the amount of smoke that permeates the meat. Enjoy![p][p][p]

Flashback Bob · February 2007

SJGrEGG,
Thanks!
I rubbed one with EVOO and DP Raisin the Steaks, and the other two with EVOO and S+P. (This time I put the DP on after the sear, usually I do it before)[p]I'm thinking I may have experienced " insufficient searage" and "inadequate rest", which resulted in my "Dysfunctional Steak".[p]It was also pretty damn cold out and I did have a few interruptions along the way.

EGGOMANIAC · February 2007

Flashback Bob,[p]Thinking more about this...I agree with some posts below. You may had a flashburp of old lump below the fresh. Even if in lockdown, residual drips wouldn't have caused that smoke.[p]You may have cooked off old smoke in the inner dome while firing it up to sear temps and it either burnt off (smoke) or dripped down to the bottom/gasket and then smoked[p]The aluminum foil, if wrapped snugly, or healily tented could have caused a smokey humid atmosphere and permeated the meat quickly, especially if any liquid buildup in the bottom of the foil while the meat was reconstructing - man law - logic? [p]

stike · February 2007

Flashback Bob,
daisy wide openor off would allow more venting. it won't jack temps up, just adjust temps from below. [p]if it runs at 750-800 for anything moire than 15 minutes, the dome will retain a LOT of heat for a looong time. 450-500 is fine to put them back on. don't need to wait for 400.[p]only steaks i ever had a problem with the fatty/sooty taste was ribeyes, because they are so fatty. and it was when i did them with a vent-closed dwell.[p]

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Steak came out too smoky

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