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Bad Chemical Taste

tommyc325
tommyc325 Posts: 21
edited April 2012 in EggHead Forum
Hey everyone Im somewhat of a new large big green owner. I cooked chicken wings tonight and waiting a hour before i put the food on. Everything was perfect except that chemical taste.

I used an electric starter for 10 min to get my fire going. I did the smell test even after a hour it still smelt bad, I was to hungry to care so i put the food on.

Im not sure if somethings wrong with my egg or what but I hear people say anywhere from 5min to 30min and there ready to cook.

What is the deal? This is so frustrating.
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Comments

  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669
    edited April 2012
    Got to ask: have you cleaned your Egg with anything? Where your lump is stored is there a chance something spilled into it? Any chance kids stuck anything in your Egg? And what is the chemical smell like?
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

  • cortguitarman
    cortguitarman Posts: 2,061
    That is a strange one for me. I'm with Mickey. Sounds like contaminants of some sort were in your lump.
    Mark Annville, PA
  • Gato
    Gato Posts: 766
    What kind of lump?
    Geaux Tigers!!!
  • tommyc325
    tommyc325 Posts: 21
    I am the only that has used the egg. The only thing "wet" that I cooked on the egg is a teriyaki marinated skirt steak so that or some extra virgin olive oil is the only kinda of liquid that has been in contact with the egg.

    It deff tastes / smells like typical charcoal. My girlfriend says "Its smells like camping"

    Im using the BGE charcoal as well.

    Any suggestions? I was even thinking about throwing away and cleaning the eggs firebox and start with some fresh charcoal.

    Another question I have is does it matter if theres still some charcoal that is black after a few hours? 
  • Gato
    Gato Posts: 766
    Depending on the temp and time of cook you can, and I usually have lump that is still black. I don't let all the lump get lit.
    Geaux Tigers!!!
  • Gato
    Gato Posts: 766
    Not sure what to say about the taste. Like you said maybe try a different brand of lump. Sounded like you did everything right. They say bge lump is the same as royal oak and I'm really not a huge fan of royal oak. I did just buy a bag of bge. Gonna check it out myself.
    Geaux Tigers!!!
  • travisstrick
    travisstrick Posts: 5,002
    Try a super hot burn for a few hours to clean out anything that may be lurking in there. 
    Be careful, man! I've got a beverage here.
  • tommyc325
    tommyc325 Posts: 21
    Ok i will deff try the super hot burn now. Is it necessary to add new charcoal in for all new starts?
  • tommyc325
    tommyc325 Posts: 21
    I dont know if it makes a difference but the grill will not go over the 450 deg mark?
  • Gato
    Gato Posts: 766
    Probably an air flow issue, almost always is. Bottom vent open, fire box opening aligned with vent, grate holes clear, daisy wheel off. If it could be the grate holes poke a metal clothes hanger in there to clear them out.
    Geaux Tigers!!!
  • travisstrick
    travisstrick Posts: 5,002
    Something is bad wrong. 
    Have you calibrated your thermo?
    Is your bottom vent open and are your inner air holes clogged? 
    What kind of lump are you using? 

    My egg will go over 450 with the bottom event all the way closed. I have a hard time buying that yours wont. Your lump may be bad.
    Be careful, man! I've got a beverage here.
  • tommyc325
    tommyc325 Posts: 21
    right now there is Nothing on the top vent and the botton vent is all the way open. 

    I just checked and now its at 500 deg

    Gato im not understanding what you mean here - "If it could be the grate holes poke a metal clothes hanger in there to clear them out."

    Tomorrow night im going to throw out all the current charcoal in the egg now, I will clean everything out and make sure the air holes are fully clear and the one air hole is aligned with the bottom vent.

    Could this fix the bad taste problem too?
  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    don't throw out the charcoal that is in there.
    how much charcoal do you have?  for some reason, the literature that comes with the egg still talks about 'a few handfuls' of lump. bah.  keep it topped off around the top of the firebox (the lower ceramic bowl), and you'll get there.

    although more lump doesn't necessarily mean higher temps, not having enough will mean that you can't keep at moderate to higher temps for a good long while.
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
  • Shawn
    Shawn Posts: 356
    Make shoure it lump charcoal your using and not briquetts!

    Could be from you electric starter some have plastic wrap on some of the metal parts that lots of us forget to removed that could of melted off!

    If its a cheap brand of lump could be debris in the lump!

    Just do a high temp burn of aprox 800 for half hour and it should fixe this hopefully!
    Cheers! Shawn My Blog: http://hrmcreativebbq.blogspot.com/ My Dads Custom Handles Blog http://dannyscarvings.blogspot.com
  • Gato
    Gato Posts: 766
    Sorry, if you bend a coat hanger, you can go through the bottom vent and poke up through the holes in the grate and wiggle. If the holes are clogged it eil open them up. Google wiggle rod. It will show what I'm talking about
    Geaux Tigers!!!
  • I think everyone missed the part where he said he used BGE charcoal, cause people keep asking.

    I got a free bag of BGE charcoal with my purchase. In it I found debris that looks like a chunk of lava rock the size of my fist. I get the feeling that if I hadn't noticed it and burned it, it would have either not burned at all or smelt really bad.

    My advice:
    1. Remove all your charcoal and vacuum the Egg clean, but don't trash anything.
    2. Buy a bag of another brand of charcoal.
    3. Get a rip roaring fire for 2 hours.
    4. Check for the smell.

    If it's gone, all is well. At some point the scientist in me would won't to go back and try the charcoal you saved just to be conclusive. But, you may not.

    Off the smell is not gone, then we need to regroup. But, I'm pretty sure these should be your first steps.
    I finally took the plunge and bought my large Big Green Easter Egg from Roswell Hardware in Roswell, GA 03/31/2012
  • tommyc325
    tommyc325 Posts: 21
    My plan when i get home from work is to trash the current charcoal i have in the egg and vacuum the sucker to make it look brand need. Then I will add charcoal (i only have the BGE charcoal) light it and see what happens. I`ll keep you guys posted.
  • I'm a little nervous about googling "wiggle rod" on my work computer. Better wait till I get home for that one :).
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • misu
    misu Posts: 213
    Gasket burning maybe? My latest egg had a strange smell for the first few cooks too, almost like gunpowder, wasn't very though or not enough to bother me.
  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    it's almost always VOCs or a wax parrafin starter not fully burnt.  those thngs can smolder forever if they snuff out


    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
  • tommyc325
    tommyc325 Posts: 21
    I actually just picked up 4 bags of Royal Oak Charc. So i will try that to night - stay tunes
  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669
    edited April 2012
    I'm a little nervous about googling "wiggle rod" on my work computer. Better wait till I get home for that one :).
    If you worked for me you would have signed a letter that you would not be looking for a "Wiggle Rod"  on your company computer or face termination. We don't play that at work.....
    [-X
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

  • travisstrick
    travisstrick Posts: 5,002
    No sir. I don't know who made those unauthorized calls from my work phone. :^o
    Be careful, man! I've got a beverage here.
  • I'm a little nervous about googling "wiggle rod" on my work computer. Better wait till I get home for that one :).
    If you worked for me you would have signed a letter that you would not be looking for a "Wiggle Rod"  on your company computer or face termination. We don't play that at work.....
    [-X
    Oh I signed that letter. We are freaky about that stuff
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669
    edited April 2012

    To that subject I got a $3000 phone bill at work for a company number to a call in porn site. I learned that they record the calls and had them play a couple of min's of my ex-employee talking to the porn-girl. This was over a two week period. He said he never made the calls, that someone from his desk must have. Then I played the call with his voice............. ex-employee...   Yes, we had to pay the bill or do the court deal. Paying was less. Oh, and no workers ins filed, I had not called the wife yet.

    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

  • To that subject I got a $3000 phone bill at work for a company number to a call in porn site. I learned that they record the calls and had them play a couple of min's of my ex-employee talking to the porn-girl. This was over a two week period. He said he never made the calls, that someone from his desk must have. Then I played the call with his voice............. ex-employee...   Yes, we had to pay the bill or do the court deal. Paying was less. Oh, and no workers ins filed, I had not called the wife yet.

    $3000????That is some expensive phone porn. And at the office????? Ick.
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • tommyc325
    tommyc325 Posts: 21
    Everyone - I just cleaned out my egg vacuumed everything and threw out the old charcoal. I added the Royal Oak in and started it up. Instantly i see the heat rising. Within 20 to 30 min im at 800 deg. I backed it down to 400 deg. So i figured let me cook something on it and see how it tastes. I had absolutely nothing except a frozen piece of chicken after I defrosted it I threw it on the grill. Long story short - IT TASTES GREAT - nice moist small smokey flavor no **** taste just pure deliciousness. Im almost positive it wasnt just the charcoal this thing was really cooking when before its was such a pain to get it to high temp.

    With this said how often should i clean out the egg? Also what can i do so this doesnt happen again.

    Thank you all so much, to think i was going to sell it. 
  • tommyc325
    tommyc325 Posts: 21
    to add - i did notice there was 2 holes clogged up on the fire box