The BGE taste? too smokey?

jeff9360

I've had a large BGE for 1yr 1/2 now and use it fairly frequently.  I've been noticing more and more that most of the food cooked has this similar very strong flavor of the BGE. I don't want to say it is a too smokey taste, but it just tastes like the general smell of the BGE.  This taste is there even when not using wood. 

I've read other posts about over smokey-ness and I make sure to burn the lump charcoal for a long time before grilling and wait before putting anything on to make sure there isn't too much smoke when I put on the food initially.  I use the little square BGE charcoal starters and green egg lump and/or wicked good charcoal lump.   

However, I can't get that strong BGE taste to subside a bit to let other flavors come through. It is stronger in poultry. I made a whole turkey recently and although people seemed to like it, I could tell the taste of the grill was turning some people off (including myself)

I'm nervous that that is just the way it is with the egg. 

I use a plate setter without foil, and it hasn't really been cleaned, other than a good scrape, and I've never thoroughly cleaned the egg. Could that be the reason??

Is there anyone here who could do a blind taste test and eat a piece of chicken from a BGE and not know right away it was cooked on one? I'm beginning to think that it isn't possible. 

please help. 

jeff

Grillin_beers

Do a clean burn man. Maybe look into what kind of charcoal you are using.

Carolina Q

Yep. Buy a bag of cheap lump, fill the egg maybe halfway up the fire ring and light. Open bottom vent all the way and remove the daisy wheel. Also remove the dome thermo so you don't ruin it. Put the platesetter in there too. Then, close the dome and just walk away. Come back after it has cooled. You might have to replace the gasket, but it should clean up nicely.

nolaegghead

Sounds like you're making a fire that's too big, then dialing the air back and getting nasty smoke.  Hot fires don't give you much smoke flavor.  Smoldering fires do.

RRP

+1 what @Grillin_beers said! On top that your PS has developed a taste "personality" of it's own and needs to be burnt clean as well. Scraping does not remove the grease in the ceramic. After a burn out cleaning may I suggest wrapping the PS side that catches the drippings with HD foil to prevent a return of the problem you described.

JRWhitee

That taste could be coming from the type of lump you are using, I get a distinct flavor when I use royal oak or BGE lump, and a different taste with Ozark Oak lump. When I use Rockwood though I don't get any of those flavors. What brand lump do you use.

jhl192

+1 on what Carolina Q said. A clean burn is in store. Too many low an slows or sub 400 degree cooks halve left a grease and smoke build up on your egg. An hour or two at 600 to 750 degrees will burn off the residue and get you smelling like a rose. (Well a clean stone) I was having this problem back in the early days to the point where my wife didn't want to eat the egged food. Now, after a clean burn, you can't tell the difference between a brick oven pizza and mine. Good luck. Let us know how you make out.

Lit

I have to say if you are going to do a clean burn don't just fire it up and leave all the vents open. You will melt your gasket and stick your egg shut. You will also most likely crack some part of the egg. I just did a clean burn in my large egg before I sold it and let the temp get away for a little and it cracked my BGE pizza stone. You can do a clean burn at 550 and just let it sit there for a couple hours and it will clean it without the extreme heat.

DoctorMojo

+1 @JRWhitee Rockwood is neutral lump (no strong flavor) ..BGE (RoyalOak), Strong Flavor also +1 @nolaegghead ...Good Advice!

sumoconnell

I fused my egg like @Lit‌. It was impressive how nuclear the egg got! I had to saw out the old gasket, it turned to glass. Do a clean burn...but not like I did.

+1 on rockwood or Ozark oak.

Hawg Fan

I experienced the same thing several years ago when I bought my first egg. I changed from burning RO lump to a neutral based lump and haven't looked back. The only time I add wood is on low and slow cooks like ribs, pork butt or brisket. Rockwood, OO, or Hasty Bake are available in my area.

Wowens

My wife didn't like the smokey ness of my first couple of cooks, it gave her heartburn. I was using bge lump, and I bought a bag of frontier at SAMs, and it was noticeably less smokey. It was also very cheap, but it did have lots of small pieces

bcsnave

What ya cryin about

stemc33

nolaegghead said:

Sounds like you're making a fire that's too big, then dialing the air back and getting nasty smoke.  Hot fires don't give you much smoke flavor.  Smoldering fires do.

I did this exact thing tonight, and with all things chicken. I was in a hurry and put the spatchcock on direct at about 500° and dialed it back. As soon as I dialed it back, I started to see smoke and knew I screwed up. I had a huge chunk of applewood in the lump.



@jeff9360‌, after a good clean burn, try cooking with the DFMT off and control with just the bottom vent. Here's a pic of my PS and firebox after a few cooks using Ozark Oak(not a hot clean burn).

jeff9360

Thanks for all the responses.  I usually use either BGE lump or this brand called Wicked Good Charcoal.  

Going to try a clean burn.....

milesofsmiles

I have baked cookies with no smoke odor or charcoal smell. The same with breads. I can make smoke if I need it on some meats. Keep trying you'll get it right soon.

walleyv

The last 5 bags of Wicked Good gave everything I cooked a nasty taste.  I switched to Ozark Oak about a year ago and have not had a problem since.

jonnymack

Lit said:

I have to say if you are going to do a clean burn don't just fire it up and leave all the vents open. You will melt your gasket and stick your egg shut. You will also most likely crack some part of the egg. I just did a clean burn in my large egg before I sold it and let the temp get away for a little and it cracked my BGE pizza stone. You can do a clean burn at 550 and just let it sit there for a couple hours and it will clean it without the extreme heat.

I was wondering about this, thanks for the info.

AintEZbeingme

Been having the "smokey" taste on some cooks lately as well(slight , but there). I do a lot of low and slow cooking and think the smokey taste may come from that, primarily use RO lump. & notice more smoke tha necessary. Will also try a clean burn. Had egg 2 years and not done one. Great pieces of advice.

STAY THIRSTY MY FRIENDS!

blind99

When I first got the egg I smoked the heck out of everything.  Got a little carried away I guess.  Wife complained that even thigns I wasn't trying to smoke tasted smoky.  Now after I smoke something I make sure the smoking wood is gone, and let the egg burn at 400 for a few hours.  I also will periodically get rid of all the charcoal and ash, and burn some lump.  I got rid of the lingering smoky flavor completely.  And as others above have noted, the lump makes a difference, some seem to impart more smokiness than others.

tisoypops

Another question: do any of yall keep different types of lump on hand for different cooks? I love read here that ro in particular is stronger flavor. That's all I've used and am thinking about trying ozark next since yall say it's more neutral. What about having different lump for different cooks? Anyone?

Lit

I keep fogo for low and slow cooks since its much more dense and burns slower for the area in the firebox it takes up. Then Ozark oak for pretty much everything else.

tisoypops

Fogo?

blind99

I'm nearing the end of my fogo which i've been happy with.  i like being able to add the smoke flavor and not get it from the lump.  i dont have the space to keep a lot of charcoal around so it's usually just a bag or two at a time for me.

ChokeOnSmoke

milesofsmiles said:

I have baked cookies with no smoke odor or charcoal smell. The same with breads. I can make smoke if I need it on some meats. Keep trying you'll get it right soon.

Same here, totally agree.   I've NEVER done a clean burn (although I don't let stuff drip all over the plate setter - use a drip pan).  If you bring your temps up to the right temperature vs overshooting and snuffing it back to temp, you'll get a nice clear odorless burn suitable for breads, cookies, pretzels, etc.

Lit

@tisoypops‌ its sold on amazon and only worth it if you have the prime free shipping. The price really fluctuates though and is $45 for 35 pounds right now. It was down at 29 for 35 pounds a month or 2 ago. Also don't get the smaller bags its best in the 35 pound bag. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B009P166SU/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1420589443&sr=8-1&pi=SL75

jeff9360

ChokeOnSmoke said:

milesofsmiles said:

I have baked cookies with no smoke odor or charcoal smell. The same with breads. I can make smoke if I need it on some meats. Keep trying you'll get it right soon.

Same here, totally agree.   I've NEVER done a clean burn (although I don't let stuff drip all over the plate setter - use a drip pan).  If you bring your temps up to the right temperature vs overshooting and snuffing it back to temp, you'll get a nice clear odorless burn suitable for breads, cookies, pretzels, etc.

chokeonsmoke - can you tell me how you start the egg? and how long you let it burn before putting anything on? 

SloppyJoe

SMOKE!!!

GATraveller

I'd agree more with the brand of lump and choking back a large fire before the need for a clean burn. 

SkinnyV

Since I'm pretty much done smoking on my LBGE I was thinking to do a clean burn and get it nice and white. 
Also get rid of that smoke smell it has.

yljkt

Yet another dead thread brought back from the dead....