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Couldn't get smoke

Duuane
Duuane Posts: 69
in EggHead Forum
Looking for a little input please...Did some venison backstrap and tenders last night. I wanted to get some smoke on them, but couldn't get smoke at all. I got a steady 225 for more than an hour before I put them on. I used three decent pieces of hickory and couldn't get a lick of smoke out of them. After giving up on the smoke, I bumped the temp up to 300 and out came the smoke I had wanted, too late to do me any good, but plenty of it. Any ideas????  
Franklinville, Western NY
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Comments

  • jlsm
    jlsm Posts: 1,012
    We're the hunks wet?
    *******
    Owner of a large and a beloved mini in Philadelphia
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 36,882
    Was the smoke wood in contact with the fire recognizing that at 225*F the fire volume is small and air throttled but if the wood is there it will smoke. FWIW-
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period. CHEETO (aka Agent Orange) makes Nixon look like a saint.  
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  • KKorkmaz
    KKorkmaz Posts: 150
    In my experience you can get smoke without actually seeing it.  If it's in the Egg it'll contribute...even at low temps.  If you want a more assertive smoke, think about placement of the chunks...put them closer to the fire.
    Chicago, Illinois
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  • Duuane
    Duuane Posts: 69
    They were wet, I've gotten good smoke at 200-225 even with dry pieces in the past, but the last 2 or 3 times no smoke at those temps. Last night was the only time that I bumped the heat up, and the only reason I did that was because it was getting late, and I was hungry. 
    Franklinville, Western NY
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  • Darby_Crenshaw
    Darby_Crenshaw Posts: 2,657
    no need to soak.  they can't smoke unless they're dry, so it just spends all that time driving off the added water.

    wood chunks or chips cannot catch fire in an airtight grill that is at a controlled temp.  even at 500 these things don't ignite.  so don't bother soaking

    you will see more smoke at higher temps, so yes, bumping to 300 does give you more smoke than 250. 
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  • DaveRichardson
    DaveRichardson Posts: 2,324
    No need to use wet chips/chunks.

    LBGE since 2014

    Griffin, GA 

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  • Duuane
    Duuane Posts: 69
    Normally I didn't soak them, for some reason this time I did. I was sure that I had them on the fire, but maybe I was only sure, and not positive. Maybe when I bumped the heat up the fire had spread that little bit necessary to begin to smoke. I will be positive next time.   Thanks  

    Franklinville, Western NY
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  • theyolksonyou
    theyolksonyou Posts: 18,459
    If there are left overs, try them today after being away from the egg. The cook can become nose:taste blind. 
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