How they do it??

Unknown · February 2005

I know I asked this a couple months ago about hamburgers but I gotta do it again. [p]I went to a new BBQ restaurant tonight and found their food to have a great taste. The brisket was tender and a little dry like all brisket tends to be but it had such a good MILD smokey taste. How do they do that? I tend to only put 2-3 pieces of wood to smoke with and the brisket just absorbs it like a sponge that I find it to be strong. They are cooking, I assume with only wood logs as I looked at the Southern Pride smokers on the web, which this placed owned. The strange thing I bet ya if I cooked with just lump charcoal (no wood) I would still get a stronger taste than this place. Is it just nature of the beast, since charcoal and wood are used a strong taste is inevitable?[p]Is getting this mild taste possible with the BGE? I hope someone cooks Brisket (as well as ribs and steak) at the Waldorf just so I can get an idea of what others are cooking out there on the BGE and say is the best tasting, restaurants can't compare. [p]Howard

Eggsellent · February 2005

Howard,
There are various types of coal to choose from. Maybe you have one that gives off too much natural smoke? Take a look at the Naked Whiz's site on coal review.
[ul][li]Whiz's Lump Reviews[/ul]

Grumpa · February 2005

Howard,[p]I believe you may have answered your own question in an indirect manner.[p]They are using all wood, but the difference is that they are burning their wood off in a second fire before adding the coals to the cooking area. This gets rid of the strong smoke flavor you are refering to.[p]Your fire should be burning clean and a "blue transparent" smoke coming out of the dome "before" adding your meat. My guess is that you may be adding the meat before this optimum is reached and therefore getting the stronger smoke flavor and some of the other nasties that go with it.[p]Try getting your coals going real good before adding your smoking wood and then let the wood burn down awhile until it too becomes mostly coals before adding your meat. What you want is a mild transparent smoke come from the egg and not a heavy bellowing smoke making all the neighbors mad :~) You may even want to try less wood and possibly different varieties for a milder flavor. Fruitwoods are usually a good choice if you want something milder than say hickory.[p]Best Wishes,
Bob

tach18k · February 2005

Howard, Good advise, also that you only need about an hour of smoke for a good mild flavor

WooDoggies · February 2005

Hey Howard![p]First of all, don't add any wood to your lump and make sure you have a clean burning, well established fire before putting on your meat.... you should hardly see any smoke coming from your egg.
If you do see smoke, then it should wispy , thin and light..... and that kind of fire could take as much as 45 minutes or an hour to achieve.[p]I find most lump charcoals give off enough smoke of their own to flavor the cook... and added wood is rarely needed to get a subtle smoke flavor. [p]For instance, I rarely add any wood for chicken..... but a chunk or two of hickory with a slow smoke for pork or a touch of cherry with brisket works magic..... so it all depends on what you like.
I'd suggest cooking with straight, clean burning lump first and then building up to different woods.[p]If the smoke from straight lump is still too strong for you, then try a fast burning lump, like Cowboy, that tends to add the least amount of smoke flavor.[p]Good luck and see you in Waldorf!
John

Unknown · February 2005

WooDoggies,[p]Thanks John!! That sounds right and I do tend to throw the meat on pretty quickly. Chris mentioned that in another post and I just ignored it. My bad....[p]
Thanks,
Howard

Greendriver · February 2005

WooDoggies,[p]That's exactly the way I see it John...not heavy into a lot of additional smoke seems to be more to my liking.[p]Chet

How they do it??

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