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Meat is tasting too smokey?

Janice
Janice Posts: 2
edited April 2012 in EggHead Forum

Hi.. I am fairly new at this.  I am finding the meat a bit too smokey.  I have been reading the other posts 
on this topic.  I now let the smoke go for at least 1/2 before I put my meat on.  

I just read that drippings can cause smoke and will flavour the meat and also cooking with the gaskets closed 
will increase the smoke taste.  I don't use any wood chips at all at this point. 

Can anyone offer any further advise to help on this ?

Thanks...Janice

Comments

  • What kind of charcoal do you use?
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • paulheels
    paulheels Posts: 457
    Never clOse the daisy wheel completely. Letting the smoke clear some after startup is a good start. Different lumps will produce more than others.
    Some meat will be flavored by smoke more than others. Poultry and fish are bad for that.
    Keep cooking and learning. You will get it.
    thebearditspeaks.com. Go there. I write it.
  • NibbleMeThis
    NibbleMeThis Posts: 2,295
    I don't go by time to preheat, I go by the color of my smoke. White thick smoke means it isn't ready yet. You want "sweet blue", thin wisps of smoke, almost clear. Sometimes that can take 45 min.
    Knoxville, TN
    Nibble Me This
  • Brownie
    Brownie Posts: 1,023
    Take a wiff at the daisy wheel, I'll do this for chicken and fish. I have found that sometimes even if your smoke is clear it can still have some odor. If it smells bad I let it get hot (to burn off) and then bring it back down to temp that's desired. I've encountered this with a few different brands, some of them are my most preferred brands. Keep trying. You will find a rhythm that works for you. 
  • jay75
    jay75 Posts: 153
    You are correct, fat drippings will smoke and produce a strong acrid smoke, this will make your food taste very smokey, even if you use the best lump and let it burn clean, I find chicken unpleasant when flavoured this way, oil dripping off meat or reaching its smoke point can produce some nasty smoke too.
  • Casekeibs
    Casekeibs Posts: 13
    jay75 said:
    You are correct, fat drippings will smoke and produce a strong acrid smoke, this will make your food taste very smokey, even if you use the best lump and let it burn clean, I find chicken unpleasant when flavoured this way, oil dripping off meat or reaching its smoke point can produce some nasty smoke too.
    <Jay75, How do you avoid this problem? I still experience it when I use the plate setter and use indirect heat for burgers and yardbird. The next problem I experience using the plate setter is that it's hard to get the LBGE up to a decent temp. Help! Casekeibs
  • Casekeibs
    Casekeibs Posts: 13
    I just hit the purchase button on a High Que grate, so I. Hoping that might help with my temp problem
  • sumoconnell
    sumoconnell Posts: 1,932
    Agree with previous posts - bge lump is very smokey, different lump makes a big difference. Half this forum is on lump choice. (other half is dogs and booze :)) ) just bought two more Ozark oak today. Visit naked whiz site...

    Indirect will take longer to get to temp, and make sure you have some large pieces on the bottom grate, helps airflow. I still have the factory grate.
    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    Austin, Texas.  I'm the guy holding a beer.
  • tulocay
    tulocay Posts: 1,737
    In use royal oak lump. I normally let it burn for 45 min - 1 hour before putting any food on. Cooked some legs and thighs on Saturday and had foil on top of the plate setter (indirect cook). I didn't have the foil raised off the plate setter and my drippings caused lots of smoke. Lesson learned.
    LBGE, Marietta, GA
  • This thread is a year and a half old.............
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • Casekeibs
    Casekeibs Posts: 13
    Yet it still seems relevant.
  • Casekeibs said:
    Yet it still seems relevant.

    It is. I was just saying jay might not answer your question after 18 months. I do it from time to time as well so was just throwing it out there
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • sumoconnell
    sumoconnell Posts: 1,932
    Dang ! I've been caught by this a few times.
    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    Austin, Texas.  I'm the guy holding a beer.
  • Casekeibs
    Casekeibs Posts: 13
    Thanks for the clarification Cen-Tex, I was afraid you were being a wiseacre! I appreciate the head's up, I didn't notice the date when I posted my response. I'm in a panic about why my food isn't tasting so good and am eager to find some answers!
  • Casekeibs said:
    Thanks for the clarification Cen-Tex, I was afraid you were being a wiseacre! I appreciate the head's up, I didn't notice the date when I posted my response. I'm in a panic about why my food isn't tasting so good and am eager to find some answers!

    I've done it many times myself.
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • Casekeibs said:
    Thanks for the clarification Cen-Tex, I was afraid you were being a wiseacre! I appreciate the head's up, I didn't notice the date when I posted my response. I'm in a panic about why my food isn't tasting so good and am eager to find some answers!
    People recommend to use a drip pan above the plate setter, and to use some 1/2" copper elbows to prop up the drip pan to provide an important air gap with the plate setter to prevent the drips from burning.
    Gittin' there...