Strange 'aftertaste' on ribs??

Unknown

Well, I am happy to say that I have finally joined the ranks of an Egg Owner! After a few years of learning on a metal smoker, I am glad to finally have the cooker of my dreams. I smoked some ribs this weekend, and they were great overall! The only probelm I encountered was a strange fuel-like aftertaste! I have never had that happen before. I used the BGE brand lump, Weber fire-starters, and some apple and hickory chips. I had 3 slabs so I tried 3 different recipes; cats, jj's direct w/his rub, and my favorite Willinghams rub. Could the mix of different rubs/marinades imparted the strange flavor?? My biggest concern was the in order to keep the temp around 200 deg I had to almost close up the top and bottom vents. Could I have been starving the fire of oxygen?? Any ideas or suggestions for next time?!?[p]Thanks Tom K

Gfw

Tom K, the taste may have come from the fire starter blocks -- since my electric starter died, I have reverted to the starter blocks. [p]They work and they take a little longer - I have also started letting the fire get really going (blocks burned out) before anything gets to the grill. After the fire is going, I tone the temp back to where it needs to be. For ribs and slow cooks I use firebricks which help bring the temp back down.[p]Good luck next time.

[ul][li]Gfw's BBQ[/ul]

JJ

Tom K,
Kick the temp up to about 250* for your cooking the next time. I too use Weber fire cubes and have never experienced the after taste you discribed. Could be you still have the fire cube imparting the after taste you mentined.

Nature Boy

Tom K,
I usually keep the egg wide open until my firestarter is out, and I also only use a small piece (don't need much). Let a good group of coals get going before you close down the vents. 225 works well for direct ribs, and the fire might burn a little cleaner. If you do these things, and it happens again, I would try another bag of lump. [p]Q on!
NB

Char-Woody

Tom K, A couple more ideas for you..As mentioned, you have to let the cubes burn up completely. If this isn't the answer then you must have either a fuel contaminated source of lump charcoal, or you have smoking wood that was cut with a chainsaw and the oils penetrated the wood chips. [p]Try a hamburger with just the charcoal and see if you still have that taste. Did you use any petroleum starter fluid in the past in your unit? Thats frowned on as it too will leave a after taste from the ceramic obsorbtion.[p]Good luck..
C~W[p]

AbqEgg'r

Tom K,
I've experienced the same "after taste" when cooking something with a lot of fat and it created a fire in the Egg.[p]TR