More Smoke Flavor

Matt · May 2009

All --

I'm probably a day late and a dollar short on this, but there was a cool article in the Raleigh paper on Saturday -- I was out of town and am just seeing it:

http://www.newsobserver.com/105/story/1538447.html

I post it because the author has an interesting observation (in addition to all of his kind words about the Egg and forum members):

It had the customary pink smoke ring, and the bark was charred and tasty. Still, the meat could have taken on more smoke without being overpowered.

I have often found this to be the case as well. I am not generally able to achieve the same levels of smoke flavor on my Egg that I was accustomed to with my offset smoker. For long cooks (shoulders, ribs, big chickens, turkeys, etc.) I typically mix 8-10 pieces of wood into my lump and then throw a few more on top when I start the fire. Is there something else I can do? Not being able to add additional flavoring wood after the cook starts is perhaps my only complaint about the Egg.

Also, I know the mantra of "smoke is intended to compliment the meat, not overpower it" and I am saying that to my taste (and my wife's), the meat could often use a bit more smoke.

Thoughts?

Matt

fishlessman · May 2009

i typically use cherry with some added hickory during the cook, sometimes some guava or pecan added to the cherry. when i want a stronger smoke flavor ill add just a touch of mesquite to kick up the smoke level. i dont like mesquite by itself but mixed in to what i normally use it adds another dimension to the smoke flavor.

Doug in Eggmonton · May 2009

Have you tried the spiral technique that they show on the dvd that comes with the egg? The premise is that with a long slow cook the fire spreads very slowly and the chips will smoke a bit at a time.

Doug

Matt · May 2009

dmewhort wrote:

Have you tried the spiral technique that they show on the dvd that comes with the egg? The premise
is that with a long slow cook the fire spreads very slowly and the chips will smoke a bit at a time.

Actually, no. I tend to use chunks of wood (fruit, oak, hickory, maple) when doing long (>1-1.5 hr) cooks and chips (or pellets) for anything shorter. Perhaps I should be mixing chips into my lump instead of chunks? Or, using a higher number of smaller chunks?

I would prefer the latter because my wood comes from a relative's property -- I go into the woods, find a small hardwood sapling, cut it into logs with a chainsaw, and bring it home to season. When it's ready, I break it down into manageable pieces with a chop saw.

Thanks.

Matt

stike · May 2009

i never got that. the fires i have burn downward and out 99% of the time.

i do a handful of lump on the grate, chips, lump, chips, etc. til i reach the top. fill out the sides with lump.

i know a lot of folks poo poo chips or small bits, but the lump in an egg that is burning at 250 is not a large amount. i feel that adding the chips in means the fire is far more likely to find wood as it travels than if i do one or two (or three) bigger chunks.

that said, those that DO use three chunks or so are getting plenty of smoke too.

i just think that if you took a chunk and converted it to chips, more wood could be in contact with the fire at one time than if it were a large chunk.

Matt · May 2009

stike wrote:
i just think that if you took a chunk and converted it to chips, more wood could be in contact with the fire at one time than if it were a large chunk.[/quote]

Excellent point, stike. I'll have to give that a try. As an aside, do folks usually fill up to the top of the fire ring or the fire box when prepping for a long cook? I typically fill to the top of the fire ring which is WAY too much -- and possibly part of my problem.

Matt

stike · May 2009

i don't go to the top of the ring. i did the first time, and cooked for weeks on what was left.
hahahaha

full fire bowl, plus a little mound in the middle more than that

More Smoke Flavor

Comments

Categories