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Strong taste

I recently cooked some burgers and some steaks and while I know its going to have some charcoal flavor and that is wanted but the flavor was very strong and unpleasant on both of them so much so that you could not taste any of the seasonings. The burgers I cooked direct around 450-500. The steaks I did indirect at 250 until they reached about 115 and then direct about 500 for 2 mins a side. The steaks did have a little less of the taste than the burgers did im guessing because they were mostly cooked indirect. Any suggestions?

Comments

  • Typically that would mean that you put the meat on before the VOC (volatile organic compound) smoke had been burned off.  I always wait about 30 minutes after lighting to put food on the Egg.
    __________________________________________

    Dripping Springs, Texas.
    Just west of Austintatious


  • amhobbs
    amhobbs Posts: 51
    Ok thanks I waited about 20 mins but I guess I still cant tell when it is ready.
  • SmokinDAWG82
    SmokinDAWG82 Posts: 1,705
    Were these your first cooks on a new egg?
    LBGE
    Go Dawgs! - Marietta, GA
  • amhobbs
    amhobbs Posts: 51
    edited January 2013

    Yes it was number 2 and 3

  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    How long did you waiting from start-up to cooking? Where you still getting heavy smoke? Perhaps you picked up a strong creosote flavor from this.
  • amhobbs
    amhobbs Posts: 51
    On the steaks I know there was a little white smoke still but not a lot and the time was about 20 mins from start I just put them on when it reached 250, the burgers I dont remember how long my wife started the egg while I was on my way home.
  • BYS1981
    BYS1981 Posts: 2,533
    I usually wait until the smoke is clear, this is without wood chips or chunks, and then put food on. I also wait until smoke is clear and I am at temp to add wood for smoke - personal prepreference for me I like chunks.
  • r270ba
    r270ba Posts: 763
    I agree with what BYS1981 says.  I had the same problem with some pizzas recently.  Just redid them and waited a until the smoke was clear and my problem was solved!
    Anderson, SC
    XL BGE, Father's Day Gift 2012 (Thanks Fam!!!)
    Webber Kettle and Webber Summit Gasser
    Want List: Thermapen, Small BGE, Wok, Adjustable Rig, Food Saver, More $

  • I've used my BGE twice and now realize that I did not preheat the coals long enough.  Should I close the lid as soon as the coals are lit to continue the preheat or leave the lid open throughout? I'm guessing that I should close the lid but so far I seem to be making a lot of wrong choices : (      'm so glad that I joined this forum and believe with all of your great tips I'll be off and running soon! 
  • BYS1981
    BYS1981 Posts: 2,533
    Closing lid once coals are lit largely depends on temperature. For instance, if I want to do 450 I let a bigger fire start than 250. It will come with experience dont worry
  • amhobbs
    amhobbs Posts: 51
    Thanks all for your comments I guess I got in a hurry and should have waited a little while longer.
  • Focker
    Focker Posts: 8,364
    edited January 2013

    By stating the indirect steaks were better than the direct burgers it could also be the acrid, burnt grease flavor.  Used to get it alot with burgers and chicken.  The Kingsford flavor in the Weeber would hide it.  Really picked it up when switching to ceramic and lump.

    The main reason I now do the majority of cooks indirect.  Direct cooks I use a griddle and soak up the grease with a paper towel and discard as needed.  You would be surprised how much grease burns in the lump when using the direct setup. 

    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

  • bodski
    bodski Posts: 463
    I did the same thing when I did my first cook a few months ago. One of the pitches from my dealer, who in hindsight doesn't know much about the Egg, and from BGE literature is that you're ready to go in as little as 10 minutes. This has probably thrown a number of folks off, especially in the beginning. Others have given great advice here about the clarity of the smoke. You can also often tell simply by the smell of the smoke too. As VI said, it's closer to 30 minutes, and sometimes longer, than 10.

    Cincinnati

    LBGE, Weber Kettle

  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    Focker said:

    By stating the indirect steaks were better than the direct burgers it could also be the acrid, burnt grease flavor.  Used to get it alot with burgers and chicken.  The Kingsford flavor in the Weeber would hide it.  Really picked it up when switching to ceramic and lump.

    The main reason I now do the majority of cooks indirect.  Direct cooks I use a griddle and soak up the grease with a paper towel and discard as needed.  You would be surprised how much grease burns in the lump when using the direct setup. 

    Sir, it sounds like you need a brand-new Mangrate! This will elevate your cooking to the 4th dimension!


    :))
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    did you light the top or bottom of your lump - and how much lump did you have in the egg (and was it lit before or fresh)?

    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • Focker
    Focker Posts: 8,364
    edited January 2013
    Focker said:

    By stating the indirect steaks were better than the direct burgers it could also be the acrid, burnt grease flavor.  Used to get it alot with burgers and chicken.  The Kingsford flavor in the Weeber would hide it.  Really picked it up when switching to ceramic and lump.

    The main reason I now do the majority of cooks indirect.  Direct cooks I use a griddle and soak up the grease with a paper towel and discard as needed.  You would be surprised how much grease burns in the lump when using the direct setup. 

    Sir, it sounds like you need a brand-new Mangrate! This will elevate your cooking to the 4th dimension!


    :))


    :))

    Driving to Salado and purchasing a bulk order at the demo.  You too, will believe.  ;)

    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

  • amhobbs
    amhobbs Posts: 51
    Nola I did put some new charcoal in but some of it was left over from the burgers, and I lit it from the top. I filled to almost the top of firebox.
  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
    I used to spatch chicken and cook burgers direct raised. We noted that when lighting the egg after these heavy grease cooks, the bad smoke took forever to clear - more than 30 minutes easy. Since adopting the indirect method and using reverse sear for burgers and steaks - no more acrid taste (unless it is junk in the lump)
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
  • Any time you add a little or a lot of charcoal you need to burn off the "bad stuff" from the new.  The "smell the smoke test" will also tell you when it is time to cook.  After just a few cooks you will know when to put on the food.   
  • i have had the same issues at first. If I overload with lump AND not wait long enough i would get the heavy smokey flavor. After adjusting how much lump I put in and letting burn off for a while, I have had ZERO problems!!  Gotta love the BGE!!
  • tulocay
    tulocay Posts: 1,737
    I learned my lesson early on. I now wait 45 min to let the smoke clear.
    LBGE, Marietta, GA
  • amhobbs
    amhobbs Posts: 51
    Is there any way to get around the acrid taste on direct cooks?
  • rtt121
    rtt121 Posts: 653
    Had my medium for over 2 years now.  This took a long time to figure out for me as well.

    The key for me is waiting until the smoke is clear I just want to mention that the time it takes will vary.  With a half chimney full of fully emberred coals onto the top of a full firebox I still wait 30-40 minutes now. 

    I imagine if I was using those parrafin starters or something smaller I would wait over an hour.
    Medium, and XL eggs in Galloway NJ.  Just outside of Atlantic City.  
  • Should not be any strong taste on direct cooks at all, none, as long as you get rid of the VOCs (explained above). You should only have VOCs when you add charcoal. If you relight yesterday's burn there won't be anything to burn off.
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    When you're cooking hot (like when you grill a steak or sear), go commando on the top of the egg - no daisy wheel, no DFMT (dual function metal top) at all.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • Pjoe
    Pjoe Posts: 224
    Hold your hand over the top vent for a couple seconds then smell your hand. If it smells bad, you are not ready to cook.
    LBGE AR SMALL BGE WOO RING
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    ..and make sure your hand don't smell bad to start with ;)
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    Better stop drinking in the "al bundy" position.
  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    Pjoe said:

    Hold your hand over the top vent for a couple seconds then smell your hand. If it smells bad, you are not ready to cook.

    Or you held it there too long and need to go to the ER to get your Darwin award.
  • Duganboy
    Duganboy Posts: 1,118
    amhobbs said:
    Is there any way to get around the acrid taste on direct cooks?
    @amhobbs just let the fire get burning "clean" and you will be fine.  Other than low and slows most of us cook other things direct without having the problem you are talking about.

    Good luck.