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Having Smoke Problems
BlackCatBBQ
Posts: 15
I've been BBQing for a number of years now and have am pretty happy with what I can produce...at least most of time. I've been using a cheap offset firebox barrel smoker that works great when it's 80 degree's outside and there's no wind or rain. I lucked out and aquired a Large BGE and was excited to put it together and have the opportunity to BBQ in just about all weather conditions.
My main challenge is the lack of smoke that i can produce with the BGE and the onerous task of taking everything out of the smoker to make adjustments or to add more lumps of wood. I've tried laying all the wood on the top of the charcoal as well as mixing it throughout the charcoal but the end result of my food doesn't taste anywhere near as smokey as the food coming off of my offset smoker. Opening the door on the offset to add fresh lumps or adding more charcoal is a snap and doesn't affect the cooking chamber temp.
I've found that the BGE is tough to beat and GREAT for grilling burgers or steaks and cooking things like whole chickens or even Pizza (which was really fun) but so far I'm not sold on the BGE being a true true Low and Slow with lots of smoke cooker. I think the ideal setup is to own a 1/4" this welded steel offset smoker for low and slow and a BGE for everything else.
I attended the PNW Eggfest to taste some of the "pro's" food and get some tips. I was suprised to see that most of the "smoked" or "BBQed" food didn't have a deep smoke ring. Don't get me wrong cause the food and people were great but the Q didn't taste like what I get from a true BBQ Shack type restaurant.
I'm hoping that I can get some good advice or comments from all of you on the following:
1. Is this a limitation of the BGE?
2. Am I doing something wrong?
3. Maybe I just prefer an unreasonable amount of smoke in my Q?
4. Do any of you prefer the offset type smoker?
5. Am I totally nuts????
This forum is great. Thank you in advance.
My main challenge is the lack of smoke that i can produce with the BGE and the onerous task of taking everything out of the smoker to make adjustments or to add more lumps of wood. I've tried laying all the wood on the top of the charcoal as well as mixing it throughout the charcoal but the end result of my food doesn't taste anywhere near as smokey as the food coming off of my offset smoker. Opening the door on the offset to add fresh lumps or adding more charcoal is a snap and doesn't affect the cooking chamber temp.
I've found that the BGE is tough to beat and GREAT for grilling burgers or steaks and cooking things like whole chickens or even Pizza (which was really fun) but so far I'm not sold on the BGE being a true true Low and Slow with lots of smoke cooker. I think the ideal setup is to own a 1/4" this welded steel offset smoker for low and slow and a BGE for everything else.
I attended the PNW Eggfest to taste some of the "pro's" food and get some tips. I was suprised to see that most of the "smoked" or "BBQed" food didn't have a deep smoke ring. Don't get me wrong cause the food and people were great but the Q didn't taste like what I get from a true BBQ Shack type restaurant.
I'm hoping that I can get some good advice or comments from all of you on the following:
1. Is this a limitation of the BGE?
2. Am I doing something wrong?
3. Maybe I just prefer an unreasonable amount of smoke in my Q?
4. Do any of you prefer the offset type smoker?
5. Am I totally nuts????
This forum is great. Thank you in advance.
Comments
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1. Is this a limitation of the BGE?
No really you can get any amount of smoke you want.
2. Am I doing something wrong?
This is possible. You need to tell us more about what you mean by laying the wood all over the top.
3. Maybe I just prefer an unreasonable amount of smoke in my Q?
This is also possible,
4. Do any of you prefer the offset type smoker?
I don't.. I have had them.
5. Am I totally nuts????
This is also a distinct possibility -
Regarding #2: I've tried different methods of placing the wood chunks in the charcoal. I've tried simply spreading them on the surface of the pile of charcoal and i've tried burying the wood chunks in the charcoal so as the charcoal burns it reaches fresh wood chucks to create more smoke...the ladder has been the most successful method so far. I find that keeping a low temp of around 215-230 keeps the charcoal from getting that hot and actually making the wood chucks produce smoke. To fix this, I've just been taking the BGE apart and stiring up the charcoal. This seems to work for a short time but after 15-20 minutes the smoke usually subsides.
I've got friends and family with the Weber Bullet and they seem to get arount this by opening the side door on the unit and manually adding more wood chunks or giving a quick stir of the charcoal. All of this can be done without disturbing the meat or without taking the unit apart.
I have no problem with the BGE producing a consistant low temp for a long time. This is one of the beauties of the BGE. My problem is smoke production. My offset is far less efficient but i feel i have a lot more control of the amount of smoke it produces. -
I am thinking you are indeed looking for far more smoke then normal.
You don't need that thick white smoke to be getting smoke. You want the smoke to be clear or very light blue.. Contrary to popular belief that wood you throw in there is producing smoke till it turns to ash.
The smoke ring you are looking for is directly related to the temp of the meat and the nitrates produced.
Considering what you are saying I would assume that most people would think your food is way too smokey.
IMHO opinion the food we cook on our eggs or even the offset should have a hint of smoke flavor to it. The smoke should not overpower the actual taste of the meat. -
Interesting post.
I think thirdeye, uses a lot of different type smokers including the egg and I am sure there are others.
I have used vertical barrel type smokers, gas, wood & electric. Egg produces better low & slow.
The amount of smoke in a cook is subjective and without tasting what you like it would be hard to compare.
There is one Q' restaurant out here that has a really deep smoke flavor chicken. So far I haven't been able achieve their deep smoke flavor. I am wondering if they are marinating their chicken with some kind of liquid smoke to enhance the results.
Some of the smoke flavor will depend on the type of wood you are cooking and the type of meat you are cooking.
I usually get a great smoke ring and smoke flavor.
I can get the deepest smoke flavor by using 3 pretty good side chunks of wood. I can also get deep smoke flavor by placing 2 or 3 palm size of chips close to the egg wall.
If you are using a large egg, I can't see why you would ever need to reload lump - the large egg filled to the top of the fire ring will cook longer than the food can take the cook. Replacing wood chips or chunks may have to be added during the cook - but doesn't require taking the egg apart.
Once I had the fire go out due to a vertical burn and had to remove the food and plate setter, but that was only once.
GG -
I must agree with Celtic. In fact, I find it is very easy to oversmoke meat on the egg. It truly takes time and experience to find the right balance. It would be my opinion that if the meat does not have enough smoke after being smoked on an egg, the expeggtations for a smoky 'flavor' would be too much for many.
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I would agree that I've never had to add lump charcoal. The BGE is super efficient. How do you ad wood without taking the BGE apart? are you just slipping it down the open edges of the plate setter? My fire usually burns in a downward direction towards the vents so adding wood chunks this way doesn't allow enough heat to get to the newly added wood chunks.
I'm thinking that I probably prefer more smoke than most but this only pertains to ribs and butt. I'm extreamly happy with the flavor i get when cooking burgers, chicken, veggies, etc. -
What type of wood are you using for smoke on the ribs & butt?
When I add wood during the cook I use chips. I have been working on a 'slide' contraption to add chips down the side of the setter. Grid and food would have to be removed. Eventually I will either cut out a few bars of the grid or make some kind of a small hing door affair inside the grid grate itself.
GG -
Just curious Black Cat, when using the offset (since that is your comparison), did you use lump or did you use logs as your fuel? If the latter, very possible you're just used to the heavy smoke derived from an all wood fire.
I also find that I get much more consistent smoke with a dome of closer to 250 (grid around 230), than I do with a dome temp south of 250. -
Seems the simplest solution would be to use more wood. I would also suggest that you light your fire more evenly, perhaps starting it in 3 or 4 spots toward the outer edge. If you light directly in the center, you'll have a vertical burn, as you've described, which could leave some of the wood untouched.
However, that has not been my experience. I have found that the wood placed at the outside of the pile smokes just fine. In fact, I've found chunks of wood that have become charcoal during the cook.
Another thing to try might be a different lighting technique. For low and slows lately I have been building a small fire (half gallon or so) on the bottom of the grate and letting that get fully ignited. Then I'll add some wood directly on that, then some lump, then some more wood, then some more lump, then some more wood, etc. layering up to the top of the firebox (and maybe a little more). The fire will come up to temperature quickly with this method, and I've never seen a burned out center using this method. I cut my wood in splits 4 inches long and about 2 inches square. I arrange them sort of like spokes in wheel in each layer with 4 or 5 sticks in 3 layers. -
i stack chips and small chunks (yes, even twigs, branches) from top to bottom, in the dead center, whenever i want lots of smoke.
using smaller chips or bits of wood, i find i can spread it around more. if i placed large chunks where i thought the fire might go, i might have to put in 8 or 10 or so. i end up using less wood, and can spread it around.ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante -
i'll get kicked out of here by the Bark Police, but when standing around cooking i'll even pick up maple or oak twigs or small branches and poke them down thru the grid, aside the platesetter, right into the coals. give them a twist, they start smoking, and it also opens up the lump a little , loosens ash, etc.
bark has no negative impact on the smoke. in fact, i have used hickory bark (shagbark) all by itself. it's the sweetest smoke i can get, bar none.ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante -
don't see why they couldn't cut a hole just like the lower sliding vent right into the side of the egg itself...ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
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Get yourself a stirring stick. You can add more chunks, chips, etc down the side of the egg between the legs of the plate setter. Insert your stir stick and mix it around every couple hours. It only takes a little jostle to get the smoke pouring again. You can add a handful of chips or a couple chunks as often as you would like this way.
You can use an old BBQ fork or anything long enough to reach down there. I've even used oak branches. Just be careful not to disturb the fire too much and definitely don't knock the fire grate in the bottom of the egg out of whack. -
Fidel, I knew there had to be a good ues for all the BBQ forks I keep receiving as gifts.
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I converted from an offset to a large BGE last February and my experience was the opposite. I had problems at first getting to temp without having a lot of thick white (i.e. bad) smoke for the first 30 minutes or so. I've worked that out with time and practice.
I use a mix of wood chunks AND chips, mixed in with the lump top to bottom. I like the amount of smoke I get now and the smoke ring is as good as I had it on the offset.
Honestly, I'm wondering if a part of it might be you just prefer a stronger hit of smoke than most. But if you take the advice that's been given by other posters and tweak it a bit, I would think you will still get the amount of smoke that you like.
PS: You were just asking for it with question #5 :silly:Knoxville, TN
Nibble Me This -
I use lump charcoal and wood chunks usually ranging in size from a golf ball to just smaller than a baseball.
Good point about raising the dome temp to around 250. I haven't been doing that. I'll try that next time. -
I took one that was a 3 prong model - cut off the outer two prongs and bent the middle prong to a 90* angle and voilà - instant and durable wiggle stick with a heat resistant handle!
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Good advice Jeff. I haven't tried that method either. I'll give it shot next time.
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I absolutely agree. My favorite smoking wood is pencil sized hickory twigs, pruned off the tree about half an hour before they go on the fire.
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Try smaller chunks and more of them, spread evenly throughout the fire. Your golf ball sized one should be the norm, not the small side.
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i take bark off if it's punky or insect ridden, of course.
i often hear dire warnings about using bark, or green wood. then i'm watching foodtv (alton brown, feasting on asphalt maybe?) and he's interviewing some legend of barbecue. real old dude, venerable roadside stand, ancient. locally reknowned 'Q etc. etc.
they show him stoking the pit, and he's tossing in logs, four feet long with the bark on. it occurs to me there's no way in heck any roadside stand cooking this much 'Q is going to fuss with removing bark. the guy turns to alton as he's adding more wood and says "my secret is to use green wood".
what's my point? that you need to just try stuff and not take anyone's word that doing X or not doing Y will ruin your barbecue. anyone that can tell you that one chunk of pulled pork was smoked with bark-on, and another wasn't, ought to be a wine-taster and earn a couple hundred thousand a year
hahahaed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante -
I'm a new Egger, and I noticed the same thing with my large big green egg. I did a Thanksgiving turkey on my BGE this year after having done a few on my Weber kettle grill. Definitely, not as much of a smoke ring or flavor, due to the fact that its much easier to replenish the coals on the Weber with the hinged grate as your apple or hickory wood has burned through. I'm thinking I may try to find a hinged grate that will fit my large BGE to alleviate this problem.
Someone else suggested to me that he lights coals and places them at the bottom of the grill and adds smoking woods on top of these coals through the draft door. This way he can add fresh smoking woods whenever he needs to without taking the meat off the grid or using a hinged grate. -
I am having the same problems as you are. I have been smoking for almost 30 years. Always used a barrel smoker. After living in KC for most my life I love a lot of smoke and a big smoke ring. The last rib cook was better. I layed out wood with just enough lump to keep the fire going. Worked better this way. Next time I am going to try stacking wood like you would a bon-fire and filling the interior with lump.
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I really think that there are people out there who enjoy a deep smoke flavor and a deep smoke ring. I am one of those people. I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who thinks this. Besides the smoke flavor, the BGE is producing good product. I think the next time I fire it up, i'll just load it up with a bunch of wood and see how it does.
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More wood in smaller pieces, distributed evenly throughout the fuel load.
You'll be good to go. -
Blackcat,
I too love alot of smoke in my meat. I grew up here in Alabama eating pork off my cousins all wood pit. It definitely has a stronger flavor of hickory than Ive gotten yet off my egg. With that being said Im very close. One thing you here alot on this forum is put your wood on and wait till the smoke clears before adding the meat. I tried that and didnt like it. I do light my lump and get it up to temp and hold for thirty minutes. This lets the deep smoke from the lump (that you dont want) clear. I then add my hickory (6 or 7 large chunks) and go right on with my meat. This has got me oh so close to the pit bbq im used to. You could also add the chunks in with the lump as a few has mentioned. Try to throw on the wood and meat together when you have it stabilized and all the black smoke is gone. Its some good stuff with a deep smoke ring. Keep adding more and more wood with each cook till you nail what you want. I agree also that you shouldnt have to add any lump during a cook. I close mine and dont open till 18 hours later and still have half my lump. Hope this helps. -
Think about it this way...
We don't want to eat smoke. We want to taste that something is _absent_ if smoke isn't present. Or iow, the meat is the star, the smoke is part of the supporting cast. -
I also have had concerns obtaining the amount of smoke I enjoy and have experienced with "bullet type smokers". I have had success by adding more chunks of hickory (or whatever you desire) than I was used to using before the BGE. I let the temp stabilize, add my wood chunks and place the meat. My smoked whole chicken came out perfect this past weekend.
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