Too much smoke flavor?

[Deslock]

Question for the maesters on here, I am loving my CGK, last weekend in fact was the first weekend since I bought it that we went out to eat on a sat or sunday. But I have noticed, particularly when cooking burgers (heresy, I know, but I make a damn good burger...) they have a fairly strong smoke flavor, not a bad one, but it was unexpectd. I have used Cowboy lump and the Real Hardwood, that Whole foods sells (I read it is Cowboy as well) and both seem to give this experiance. Again it's not a bad flavor, but I am wondering if the kamado just naturally enhances the smoke flavor due to it's design of if it is my choice of charcoal?

Thanks in advance for any info.

 

[StokeMySmoke]

Overly smokey to me says you're putting the meat on too soon after lighting the lump. You want to see blue faint smoke coming out before you put the meat on, not billowing white smoke. I have a Big Green Egg and I cook things like pretzels, cookies and bread and they have absolutely no smoke flavor at all.

 

[Deslock]

Overly smokey to me says you're putting the meat on too soon after lighting the lump. You want to see blue faint smoke coming out before you put the meat on, not billowing white smoke. I have a Big Green Egg and I cook things like pretzels, cookies and bread and they have absolutely no smoke flavor at all.

That is a possibility, especially with the burgers as I am used to lighting/get to temp & throw em on. Will try & give it more time next go around, Thanks for the tip!. :thumb:

 

[CharredApron]

Deslock is right, I have the Vision Kamado and I started out thinking that the fire was right, loading the grill closing the lid and watching the smoke. Now, I light the fire, let it get to temp, set up the grill for either direct/indirect close the lid. And wait. In about 10 minutes I go back to the cooker and smell the top vent. If it smells heavy and industrial....wait some more. Then when i get the thin blue smoke that smells good, I add 1 nugget of smoking wood and load the grill. Patience is a virtue!
Good luck!

 

[ssv3]

Deslock is right, I have the Vision Kamado and I started out thinking that the fire was right, loading the grill closing the lid and watching the smoke. Now, I light the fire, let it get to temp, set up the grill for either direct/indirect close the lid. And wait. In about 10 minutes I go back to the cooker and smell the top vent. If it smells heavy and industrial....wait some more. Then when i get the thin blue smoke that smells good, I add 1 nugget of smoking wood and load the grill. Patience is a virtue!
Good luck!

Bingo! +1

 

[IamMadMan]

Overly smokey to me says you're putting the meat on too soon after lighting the lump. You want to see blue faint smoke coming out before you put the meat on, not billowing white smoke. I have a Big Green Egg and I cook things like pretzels, cookies and bread and they have absolutely no smoke flavor at all.

Deslock is right, I have the Vision Kamado and I started out thinking that the fire was right, loading the grill closing the lid and watching the smoke. Now, I light the fire, let it get to temp, set up the grill for either direct/indirect close the lid. And wait. In about 10 minutes I go back to the cooker and smell the top vent. If it smells heavy and industrial....wait some more. Then when i get the thin blue smoke that smells good, I add 1 nugget of smoking wood and load the grill. Patience is a virtue!
Good luck!

They have great advice above.....

The only thing I would add is that if you do not see "blue smoke" don't worry; it is sometimes invisible if the light does not hit it correctly.

Like "hometruckin" stated use you nose.. if it's heavy scented - wait..... if it's pleasant - put you food on.

Once the food is on you may see what looks like white smoke, it only the food cooking so don't worry..

 

[deguerre]

I'm just here scratching my head trying to figure out why burgers are heretical...