Smokin' vs temperature question

Cajun

Ha Yawl Are??? Been doin' the smokin' thang with me BGE and I was wondering. I take the BGE up to about 700 degrees to do steaks or even 350 degrees for a longer cook, but when I add the wet chips for smokin, the temp goes down drastically. This is especially worrysome when I am doing a high temp cook on thicker steaks.[p]I usually get to the temp, maintain it for about 2 or 3 minutes, put in the wet chips, put on the cooking grate, put on the steaks, close the top, and wait.[p]What should I do differently??????????

Earl

Cajun,[p] Morning: I believe that adding smoke chips to the hi temp, may not give you the smoke flaver that you are looking for. I think the steak my not be in the egg long enough to do the job. If I am wrong, them maybe you could use more chips but do not wet them down, just plain old dry chips.The reason I say use more wood, is that being dry, they will burn faster, so by adding more, you should get more smoke. You could also try wood chunks,they will last longer. Just a guess.[p]Earl

Cajun

Earl,[p]Good thought. I will try that for high temp cooks.[p]Cajun

Nature Boy

Cajun, Spin turned me on to a great way to get smoke onto your steaks. Basically i involves sticking your steak in the freezer for 45 minutes or so, to lightly freeze the exterior. Then get a small fire going in the egg, put on a chunk or handful of chips (right in the fire), and put your meat on the grate (opposite side from your coals). Thaw the meat in the smoke for about 30 minutes at 200 or so. Remove the steak (thawed and smoked, but uncooked) , then bring your egg up to grilling temps and cook as you normally would. A second egg works great if you have it.[p]Like Earl says, meat won't absorb much smoke at searing temps. At low temps steak sucks up smoke nicely, so don't overdo it.[p]Cheers!
NB

Char-Woody

Cajun, IMHO, for the most part, adding wood to a red hot incinerator is a waste of time. I would stick with your straight charcoal. One of our "smoke masters" is Cat, from up in New York State, and I believe it was she who proposed the "chillin smoke" routine. Sorry Spin, correct me if I am mistaken again.
Cold meats aborb smoke easier. I tried this cooking frozen ribs, and the smoke penetration was nice. Ribs were great also.
The principle of cold smoke steaks is to set up for the smoke with soaked or natural wood chips or chunks, put the quick frozen steaks on at around 160 to 200F and smoke em for a half hour or so. Take em back off, open the vents and let the temperatures get to your searing cook range. Then re-apply the steaks and cook as normal.
I guess my personal rule of thumb here is if your gonna smoke, smoke, and if your gonna sear, sear, but nary shall the twain meet (or meat):-)
There is more in building a "smoke" fire, but later.
Good luck..
C~W[p]

Nature Boy

Char-Woody,
It probably was Cat. So many ideas have come from that great lady!! Will be nice when she gets time to come back and hang out with us a bit. Spin was the one who walked me trhough the process last year.[p]cheers!
NB

Cajun

Char-Woody,[p]Once again, thanks for sharing your expertise. This sounds like the way to go.[p]Cajun

Cajun

Nature Boy,[p]KOOL Thanks for your step by step instructions. And thanks to you too for sharing your expertise.[p]Cajun

Spin

Char-Woody,[p]Cat and I were both doing it this way (along with smoking the meat early in the cook) separately. We learned we used the same methods later.[p]I will certainly give the lady credit for posting it first ;-).[p]Spin

Cat

Spin,[p]Always the gentleman. ;-} I learned the cold-meat-more-smoke-flavor technique from a dear friend who's forgotten more about Qing than I'll ever know. It really does work.[p]I've been too swamped (happily, mostly) to Egg, post, or check out the forum much, but it's good to see everyone carrying on the Bill Miller tradition![p]Warm regards and happy Eggin' to all -[p]Cathy

Char-Woody

Dang good of ya to drop in Cat..yer bootiful smiling posts are missed. As well as the doctrines therein..
:-)
I got ribs on tonight...I'll tip me glass to ya later on!
C~W[p]

Char-Woody

Spin, thanks for the refresher..and good to see great minds running in the same channel..Must be the climate in the N.East? :-)
I will be the first to admit, your both correct.
In fact, I have tried doing nearly solid frozen loin backs with excellent results. Not so much steaks tho. But I did try your excellent "Ghee" application on NY strips and last night on hamburgers..Plain for the wiffy, but mine was a double thin pattie with a slice of pepperjack in the center, and some shaved onion. At the finish..I tossed on a slice of swiss cheese, after a drizzle of "ghee" Very good IMHO. Thanks for that one also...
Cheers..
C~W[p]

Spin

Char-Woody,[p]Smoke loves cold meat and cold meat absorbs smoke. As the meat warms (during the cook), the smoke flavor penetrates deeper (getting milder as it mingles with the meat flavor).[p]I love a thin slice of pepperjack on a sandwich and cannot figure why I haven't tryed it on a burger. The next one will have a slice. Thanks![p]Spin