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Jstroke
Jstroke Posts: 2,600
in EggHead Forum
First time for this. Egg has been at temp 400 for an hour, old lump, daisy wheel on petals open, clear blue heat coming out the top. Threw on lb asparagus, four burgers and three dogs. Closed the lid and sat back to wait. In a bit lots of white smoke. When i pulled it off everything tasted like acrid creosote. Again, lump had been used before. Fire had been going 40 + minutes. All temp stable. My thought is the daisy wheel would not let out the volume of smoke and moisture and literally coated everything with creosote due to insufficient air escape. I immediately cooked a hotdog with chimney wide open and taste was not there. Thought? At what point or temp do you leave daisy wheel off completely.
Columbus, Ohio--A Gasser filled with Matchlight and an Ugly Drum.
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  • johnkitchens
    johnkitchens Posts: 5,227
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    What kind of lump?


    Louisville, GA - 2 Large BGE's
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  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,794
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    When cooking at 300 degrees or higher I find that I can still drive the temperature with the bottom vent with the daisy wheel off. Lower than 300 degrees and I feel that the daisy wheel really helps to dial the temp in right where I want it. Just what works for me. Good luck.

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

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  • Smokinpig
    Smokinpig Posts: 739
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    I am with @SGH although my topless point is 350 and up.

    Any wood chunks in with the lump?

    LBGE Atlanta, GA


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  • tarheelmatt
    tarheelmatt Posts: 9,867
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    Lack of air flow possibly.  Before every cook, I clean the box out and placing old lump in a bucket.  I clean the box holes and clean under with the ash tool.  It is all about air circulation.  If you have a few holes clogged, it could make a difference, no matter what lump you're using.  
    ------------------------------
    Thomasville, NC
    My YouTube Channel - The Hungry Hussey
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  • jtcBoynton
    jtcBoynton Posts: 2,814
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    Is is possible that when you shut the top, the daisy wheel shifted and cut the air flow way down - enough to start to put out the fire, but still enough for some of the smoke to escape?
    Southeast Florida - LBGE
    In cooking, often we implement steps for which we have no explanations other than ‘that’s what everybody else does’ or ‘that’s what I have been told.’  Dare to think for yourself.
     
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  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
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    Royal Choke?

    >:)
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
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  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
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    If the temp stayed stable, the air flow is the same with the DFMT on or off, an egg is like a hose you can't get more out of it than you put in. 
    Many grill with the DFMT off using the bottom vent only for air control. 
    Was the previous burn a low and slow or a direct that you snuffed when finished? If you were stable at 400º for over 40 minutes, this should not be an issue as any residual drippings and VOCs due to ambient moisture should have burned off. Were you raised direct? Was it Hamburger drippings?

    Could be the lump, as @henapple says, Royal Choke? I've never had an issue with RO or any other lump on a second burn. 

    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
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  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,794
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    On most smokers the farther open that you can run the exhaust and still maintain temperature the better. Why? This reduces back pressure and aids natural draft. The less air restriction the better. You notice I said most smokers, not all smokers. There are of course exceptions but need no discussion here. Try running without the daisy wheel for your higher heat cooks and see if you like the results. I think that you will be pleased with the end results.

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

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  • DMW
    DMW Posts: 13,832
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    In addition to vent settings and which lump was used, what was your setup?

    Given what you were cooking, I am going to guess direct.
    Was your grid raised, or at factory height sitting on the firebox?

    Was your asparagus coated heavily in oil of some sort?
    What was the burger mix?

    Here's where I'm going with these questions. Oil dripping down into hot coals can present as an off flavor. So can the fat from burgers, but much more likely is oil from the asparagus. Awhile back I grilled some veggies and the result were a bit... yeah. Even more noticeable as leftovers the next day. The only thing I could think of was way too heavy on the oil on the veggies and it dripped down in the coals.

    They/Them
    Morgantown, PA

    XL BGE - S BGE - KJ Jr - HB Legacy - BS Pizza Oven - 30" Firepit - King Kooker Fryer -  PR72T - WSJ - BS 17" Griddle - XXL BGE  - BS SS36" Griddle - 2 Burner Gasser - Pellet Smoker
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  • Acn
    Acn Posts: 4,424
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    I think I'm with @skiddymarker - I think you were ultimately smoking with burning drippings, either from the burger or if you'd oiled the asparagus.

    LBGE

    Pikesville, MD

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  • yellowdogbbq
    yellowdogbbq Posts: 389
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    +3 with @DMW‌ & @Acn
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  • Jstroke
    Jstroke Posts: 2,600
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    Direct, not raised, wasnt the lump, cooked on same brand all weekend, not VOC, , used lump. Stirred coals before lighting and cleaned out the ash. Smoke was clean before adding food. Petals were open after adding food. I checked. Hot dog cooked ten minutes later with open chimney--no off flavor My bet is not enough exhaust or too much olive oil on Asp. I had not thought of that. I will report tonight with experiments. Thanks
    Columbus, Ohio--A Gasser filled with Matchlight and an Ugly Drum.
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  • Tjcoley
    Tjcoley Posts: 3,551
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    Over 350 I do not use the daisy wheel.  I'll throw out one other possibility, a piece of lump that was not fully carbonized, and did not burn in the previous cook.  I recently lit an almost full fire box of used lump.  Previous cook was short, no smoke wood chips or chunks, and most of the lump was still there.  Got a lot of white smoke shortly after shutting the dome.  On opening the dome, one fist sized piece of lump started flaming.  Closed the lid, and smoke returned.  After 10 minutes of heavy white smoke, I opened the lid again and the same piece of lump started flaming again.  I carefully removed that piece and dropped in a bucket of water.  Smoke immediately went away.
    __________________________________________
    It's not a science, it's an art. And it's flawed.
    - Camp Hill, PA
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  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,110
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    Jstroke said:
    Direct, not raised, wasnt the lump, cooked on same brand all weekend, not VOC, , used lump. Stirred coals before lighting and cleaned out the ash. Smoke was clean before adding food. Petals were open after adding food. I checked. Hot dog cooked ten minutes later with open chimney--no off flavor My bet is not enough exhaust or too much olive oil on Asp. I had not thought of that. I will report tonight with experiments. Thanks
    Olive oil does have a low burn temp and really does smell bad when it drips onto hot lump.
    That along with the fat from the burgers was not a tasty smelling smoke. I agree.
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,827
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    one of my worst cooks was burgers cooked on lump that was used to cook chicken thighs the week before. everything looked good going into the cook but those burgers were like sponges soaking up the off flavors
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
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    Tjcoley said:
    I'll throw out one other possibility, a piece of lump that was not fully carbonized, and did not burn in the previous cook.  I recently lit an almost full fire box of used lump.  Previous cook was short, no smoke wood chips or chunks, and most of the lump was still there.  Got a lot of white smoke shortly after shutting the dome.  On opening the dome, one fist sized piece of lump started flaming.  Closed the lid, and smoke returned.  After 10 minutes of heavy white smoke, I opened the lid again and the same piece of lump started flaming again.  I carefully removed that piece and dropped in a bucket of water.  Smoke immediately went away.
    Tj - genius answer. Every time I dump lump in, I look for non-carbonized pieces, every now and then you will find one. 
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
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  • shtgunal3
    shtgunal3 Posts: 5,683
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    The only time I use the DFMT is during a low and slow. All other cooks I'm topless.

    ___________________________________

     

     LBGE,SBGE, and a Mini makes three......Sweet home Alabama........ Stay thirsty my friends .

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  • Jstroke
    Jstroke Posts: 2,600
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    That is interesting. I will experiment tonight i really appreciate all the feedback
    Columbus, Ohio--A Gasser filled with Matchlight and an Ugly Drum.
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  • lilwooty
    lilwooty Posts: 215
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    henapple said:
    Royal Choke? >:)

    I always called it Royal Joke, but whatever...

    :))

    Living Large and XL

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  • westernbbq
    westernbbq Posts: 2,490
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    I would recommend doing a super hot (900+) clean burn with some dried out mesquite wood or hickory- raw wood is fine as long as it's dried out  then, the inside of your  egg will have that off white cream color it came home with when it was new. Then try the cook again.

     

    I had the same problem about a year ago and then discovered the magic of the clean burn.

     

    Make sure you get the fire ring, fire box, lid and platesetter all cleaned up as well in the hot clean burn

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  • Hibby
    Hibby Posts: 606
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    Realizing fully that 'which' lump isn't your problem, go ahead and indulge us by sharing your brand.
    I cook. I eat. I repeat. Thornville, Ohio
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  • onedbguru
    onedbguru Posts: 1,647
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    could also be too much EVOO/oils/fat dripping on a the fire... 
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  • Jstroke
    Jstroke Posts: 2,600
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    No secret, i have been using frontier from lowes. It was handy and i was there i will admit that the pieces were small but no issue with taste other than this one cook. Did some decent cooks this weekend including breakfast with eggs and there was no heavy smoke or nasty oily flavor.
    Columbus, Ohio--A Gasser filled with Matchlight and an Ugly Drum.
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