Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

SELL NOW?

My girlfriend just said "everything that's cooked on the egg, chicken, burgers, brats...tastes smoked. Can we have a regular unsmoked burger!" It's the normal Green Egg lump charcoal. After this big investment, I was speechless! Do I just sell it now, or are their ideas out there. I LOVE IT. HELL, I didn't even attempt a Brisket yet! Grrrrr
«1

Comments

  • bud812
    bud812 Posts: 1,869
    I hope that you don't miss your girlfrirend !!  :D

    Not to get technical, but according to chemistry alcohol is a solution...

    Large & Small BGE

    Stockton Ca.

  • no no no... how long do you let your fire burn before you add meat? and at what temp does it cook before you at meat? 

    You have to let the smoke clear out and you can see the color change once it get right. Also if you hold your hand over the chimney for a second or two, you can smell your hand and tell the difference between ready or not. lastly, if this doesnt fix your problem (im 99% sure it will) then try another brand of lump. 
    Beaufort, SC
  • Dfishel
    Dfishel Posts: 104
    I'd sell her! You'll love the way the brisket turns out.
  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,457
    Go to firecraft.com and order you a bag of Rockwood lump and problem solved. My wife is not a big smoke eater either mainly when it comes to veggies and mushrooms are the worst After switching to Rockwood no complaints so the lump either fixed the problem or she gave up. Knowing my wife I say the prob got fixed.

    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
  • Doc_Eggerton
    Doc_Eggerton Posts: 5,321
    So cook inside once in awhile.  Tastes vary.  My family want's a touch of smoke in everything from breakfast to veggies sides.  Not everyone does.

    XXL #82 out of the first 100, XLGE X 2, LBGE (gave this one to daughter 1.0) , MBGE (now in the hands of iloveagoodyoke daughter 2.0) and lots of toys

  • Terrebandit
    Terrebandit Posts: 1,750
    My wife is thankful that I cook for her. Just sayin...
    Dave - Austin, TX
  • Ragtop99
    Ragtop99 Posts: 1,570
    some people are very sensitive to smoke.  Does it taste smoky to you?
    Trying a different charcoal is a good step.
    Cooking on an XL and Medium in Bethesda, MD.
  • WeberWho
    WeberWho Posts: 11,008
    edited October 2013
    Big Green Egg lump (aka Royal Oak) can be a smoky lump for some. I have always used Royal Oak up until getting my hand on a half pallet of Ozark Oak. What a difference! Very clean smoke and very little waiting before the bad smoke clears. Try switching to Ozark Oak or Rockwood for a bag or two. You and your wife will be happy with the switch.
    "The pig is an amazing animal. You feed a pig an apple and it makes bacon. Let's see Michael Phelps do that" - Jim Gaffigan

    Minnesota
  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,457

    So cook inside once in awhile.  Tastes vary.  My family want's a touch of smoke in everything from breakfast to veggies sides.  Not everyone does.

    Doc, you're a lucky man!!


    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
  • RLeeper
    RLeeper Posts: 480
    Dude go ahead and sell it...I'll be happy to help you unload it!
    Extra Large, Large, and Mini. Tucker, GA
  • Hungry Joe
    Hungry Joe Posts: 1,566

    Only you can determine how you want to live your life, I would find another girlfriend.

  • sumoconnell
    sumoconnell Posts: 1,932
    edited October 2013
    Agree with Weberwho - try a different lump, oo has a nice mild flavor, I hear good things on Rockwood lump too. My wife had the same comment when I was using the free bag of bge lump.
    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    Austin, Texas.  I'm the guy holding a beer.
  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
    Burn a load so that the dome temp is at least 450-500º. Hold it for about 30 minutes then snuff it out. Next day relight that lump, there are no VOCs so you should have clean smoke almost right away. Wait 20 minutes until you get a stable 400º. Do some burgers raised direct at 400º. Bet the smoke taste is gone. BTW, try a leaner burger mix so the dripping juice will not be a factor. 
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
    Where are you located?
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
  • Burn a load so that the dome temp is at least 450-500º. Hold it for about 30 minutes then snuff it out. Next day relight that lump, there are no VOCs so you should have clean smoke almost right away. Wait 20 minutes until you get a stable 400º. Do some burgers raised direct at 400º. Bet the smoke taste is gone. BTW, try a leaner burger mix so the dripping juice will not be a factor. 

    Great things to do. I look 've using leftover Lump. Clear smoke right away.
    XL   Walled Lake, MI

  • I brought this issue up at the Firehouse as well, hmmm a lot of the same comments! I think I'll still keep her around. BUT, thanks to the responses here, I'll keep my baby too (my BGE)! 

    I fill my Egg to the lower part of the Ring? Enough? 

    I have been cooking as soon as temp is reached...What is the average time for clean smoke? 

    What is "raised direct"?

    I'll also be checking firecraft.com for Rockwood 

    Thanks friends!


  • Spaightlabs
    Spaightlabs Posts: 2,349
    You cook for you, she can cook her own damn meals if she doesn't like what you lovingly and thoughtfully cook for her! Don't be whipped dude.
  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    I brought this issue up at the Firehouse as well, hmmm a lot of the same comments! I think I'll still keep her around. BUT, thanks to the responses here, I'll keep my baby too (my BGE)! 

    I fill my Egg to the lower part of the Ring? Enough? 

    I have been cooking as soon as temp is reached...What is the average time for clean smoke? 

    What is "raised direct"?

    I'll also be checking firecraft.com for Rockwood 

    Thanks friends!


    Time to clear smoke depends on the brand of lump and whether there is grease or wood in there from previous cooks. Skiddy's idea works. If you have a really smoky brand of lump you could be an hour to get it clear. With Royal Oak or BGE brand it usually takes me half an hour on a 350* plus cook. I use maple leaf lump and it's ready when its hot enough.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • stlcharcoal
    stlcharcoal Posts: 4,684
     
    I'll also be checking firecraft.com for Rockwood 

     

    You can also check http://www.ozarkspa.com, they are our other online dealer.  The shipping is what eats you alive on charcoal.

    If you can get enough guys together at the firehouse, I can ship pallet that way.  Being from an EMS background, I'm always willing to help my brothers.  I'm taking 10 bags to a buddy at the firehouse tonight for a big BBQ tomorrow.

    In any case, you'll be please with Rockwood--very little smokey flavor.  Use your own smoking woods to control the flavor and intensity.  I only like the smoke flavor in certain foods--mainly pork, sometimes beef.  I don't care for it much in poultry, fish, veggies, etc--so that why I make my charcoal the way I do.

  • GATraveller
    GATraveller Posts: 8,207

    Rockwood is great!!  I got some recently and will only be using it from now on. 

    +1 on letting the lump burn until smoke clears out.


    "Social media gives legions of idiots the right to speak when they once only spoke at a bar after a glass of wine, without harming the community [...] but now they have the same right to speak as a Nobel Prize winner. It's the invasion of the idiots."

                                                                                  -Umberto Eco

    2 Large
    Peachtree Corners, GA
  • SmokeyPitt
    SmokeyPitt Posts: 10,490

    I brought this issue up at the Firehouse as well, hmmm a lot of the same comments! I think I'll still keep her around. BUT, thanks to the responses here, I'll keep my baby too (my BGE)! 

    I fill my Egg to the lower part of the Ring? Enough? 

    I have been cooking as soon as temp is reached...What is the average time for clean smoke? 

    What is "raised direct"?

    I'll also be checking firecraft.com for Rockwood 

    Thanks friends!


    If you have been throwing the food on as soon as it reaches temp then you may solve the issue simply by waiting longer.  Once it reaches temp give it 15-30 minutes to stabilize and burn clean.  There should be little to no visible white smoke when you put on the food.  Hold your hand over the top of the egg and smell it.  If it smells good- the food will taste good.  If it smells like a camp fire, it will taste that way ;)

    Raised Direct means to raise the grid.  You can use fire bricks, build a raised grid, or purchase accessories.  It just gets the meat a little further from the grid.  Another way to accomplish this is to use a smaller batch of lump.  


    Which came first the chicken or the egg?  I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg. 

  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522

    I brought this issue up at the Firehouse as well, hmmm a lot of the same comments! I think I'll still keep her around. BUT, thanks to the responses here, I'll keep my baby too (my BGE)! 

    I fill my Egg to the lower part of the Ring? Enough? 

    I have been cooking as soon as temp is reached...What is the average time for clean smoke? 

    What is "raised direct"?

    I'll also be checking firecraft.com for Rockwood 

    Thanks friends!


    If you have been throwing the food on as soon as it reaches temp then you may solve the issue simply by waiting longer.  Once it reaches temp give it 15-30 minutes to stabilize and burn clean.  There should be little to no visible white smoke when you put on the food.  Hold your hand over the top of the egg and smell it.  If it smells good- the food will taste good.  If it smells like a camp fire, it will taste that way ;)

    Raised Direct means to raise the grid.  You can use fire bricks, build a raised grid, or purchase accessories.  It just gets the meat a little further from the grid.  Another way to accomplish this is to use a smaller batch of lump.  
    Good advice on the raised direct, get the cooking grid at the felt line works best IMO. If burgers are a foot above the burning lump, any drips will result in smoke that will have a chance to spread out a bit before exiting the dome. The closer the food is to the lump, the more intense the effect of burning fat smoke on the food. 
    For super tatsers (Maybe your GF and for sure my SWMBO) I used the second burn method to make the already neutral lump more neutral. Once she "acquired" the taste of a Kamado cooked meal all has been good. 
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
  • Which accessory will raise my grid? I have the extender, but that would too high, correct? Also how far do you all fill your coal? Bottom of ring? Mid? 

    This is BY FAR THE MOST INFORMATIVE FORUM ANYWHERE!

    Thanks again!
  • As you can tell...I'm a newbie!
  • Ragtop99
    Ragtop99 Posts: 1,570
    Which accessory will raise my grid? I have the extender, but that would too high, correct? Also how far do you all fill your coal? Bottom of ring? Mid? 
    one option is:
    http://ceramicgrillstore.com/large-woo-big-green-egg.html
    image

    another option is buying a second grid and a trip to the hardware store:
    image

     There is no single answer to how full the egg needs to be, except if you plan to do a long cook (e.g. 12+ hours) when it needs to be full to minimize the risk of the fire going out.

    I rarely fill the fire box in my XL for simple cooks like burgers or chicken; half full is just fine.  Others keep the fire box full.  I also use a chimney to start my coals.  I fill new coals in it and that gets the new coals red hot, which generally gets rid of any odors. I dump that into the egg with the coals left over from the prior cook.



    Cooking on an XL and Medium in Bethesda, MD.
  • HOT DAMN! Thanks Rag, and by saying "full", do you mean to the top of the ring?


  • Ragtop99
    Ragtop99 Posts: 1,570
    Top of the firebox which is the first piece of ceramic in the Egg going bottom-up. 

    BTW, On my medium I do run that full since it is much smaller.
    Cooking on an XL and Medium in Bethesda, MD.
  • Stl,

    I'm the only Green Egger at my firehouse. They're all "weber heads". I can't wait until I figure my egg out, and knock their Bunkers off, HA!
  • stlcharcoal
    stlcharcoal Posts: 4,684
    Stl,

    I'm the only Green Egger at my firehouse. They're all "weber heads". I can't wait until I figure my egg out, and knock their Bunkers off, HA!

    Our charcoal works in everything.......I'm a BGE guy so I make it to my liking, but it runs great in my Rebel gravity feed vertical smoker and everything else I've used.  If nothing else, just get them off the briquettes.  It doesn't matter if it's our lump or anyone else's it's better than briquettes.