too much of a good thing

char buddy

After checking my firebox for cracks too see if I could add a few cracks to a lively discussion, I butterflied a chicken over alder smoke. I put maybe four-five handfuls of postage stamp sized chips on the fire. [p]The result was the Jim Carrey of smokey taste - way over the top. [p]I rubbed the chicken skin with oil, grains of paradise, salt and a little cayenne pepper to see if the grains of paradise made a noticeable difference. Verdict - they did not, or the difference was too subtle for me to notice. [p]The funny part was the guests liked the chicken and got curious about the egg. I thought it was way too smoked.

Nature Boy

char buddy ,
Yeah, a little smoke goes a long way, unless you are Sprinter, KOC, or Smokin Todd!![p]The Grains of Paradise have quite a distinct flavor, but according to that spice site that Jobu posted, GOP's lose some flavor when cooked, and are best applied toward the end of the cook, or when serving. I used some on the Tuna I did the other day, and even though I applied before cooking, I could definitely taste them. Really tastes nice straight from the grinder onto cooked food.[p]Thanks for the report!
NB

Tim M

char buddy ,
Yeper, adding smoke taste is a personal preference thing. Foul absorbs smoke fairly easily so a little goes a long way, like NB says. I did my first turkey with a lot of chips and chunks - I figured a smoker should smoke. The Egg can take very little and make it seem like a lot. My wife just about never let me do another turkey until I promised to cut it down. I added a couple chunks of pecan (mild wood). The bird I did last night had no wood at all and only a slight hint of the charcoal taste you'd expect with charcoal.[p]Tim