Help Getting More Smoke Flavor

I would say your friends tastebuds are shot. :crazy:

If you're using "lots" of hickory (which is a fairly strong wood), I can't imagine why you're not getting enough smoke.

I would suggest ditching the chips and stick to chunks.

Are you mixing your chunks in with the charcoal or just throwing them on top?

Just wondering if all your friends are firefighters?

People have different tastes. If you've tried hickory dry and wet give mesquite a shot. It definately produces a stronger smoke profile.

But what do YOU think of your smokieness?

As thomsasjurisd said, try mesquite. Perfect for brisket and has a heartier flavor than Hickory.

I'm surprised by that. Especially since you are cooking without a diffuser.

I also don't get a lot of "smokeness" out of my uds. 1 hour after lighting, there is no smoke seen from the smoke stack. Many view this as a good thing. See Mike Wozniak video of his Perio Custom Cooker, where he talks about not having smoke, just heat waves coming out of the top of his stack:
http://www.peoriacookers.com/


One thing I think that does create more smoke is to cook hotter. Maybe I'm crazy, but try upping your temps to 265* to 275* range. I think this may cause the wood to burn with more smoke. :crazy:

Also try lump instead of regular charcoal. I don't know if I can tell a difference, but some claim that lump has a more natural smoke flavor.

Finally, are your rubs, injections and sauces just covering up the smoke flavor? I know once I sauce anything with the candy sauce my wife loves, I can't taste anything but the sauce.

That's odd, I get more than enough smoke flavor in my UDS, and only use 5 or 6 half fist sized chunks. I've had some results that were borderline too smokey.

I always shoot for Thin blue to no smoke at all. Just because you can't see smoke doesn't mean you're not smoking. I just place my palm over the exhaust for a moment, then smell my hand, it tells me there is plenty of smoke flavor getting to the food.

El Ropo said:

That's odd, I get more than enough smoke flavor in my UDS, and only use 5 or 6 half fist sized chunks. I've had some results that were borderline too smokey.

I always shoot for Thin blue to no smoke at all. Just because you can't see smoke doesn't mean you're not smoking. I just place my palm over the exhaust for a moment, then smell my hand, it tells me there is plenty of smoke flavor getting to the food.

Click to expand...

Lol, I do the exact same thing! :thumb:

I know its my first post here, but I have to start somewhere. Some things I have heard, but cant first hand verify are that cooler meat absorbs more smoke, so maybe try taking it from fridge to smoker, and not letting it get to room temp will help. Also most smoke flavor is absorbed early smoke, maybe taking the recommendation from above about starting it at higher tems and then easing it down would help.

I would go the opposite, you want to go lower, with a longer time getting to the stall. The cooler you can keep the meat in smoke, the longer you will get smoke. A hotter temperature will get you to a point where the meat won't accept more smoke faster. A hotter fire burns with less smoke as well. The hottest fires have almost no smoke at all.

I can't believe I am gonna suggest this, as I think you have to be getting enough smoke, but, if you close down the top vents a tad bit, you will get stronger, and more acrid, smoke onto the meat. Done right, you should end up with much stronger smoke flavor. It isn't what I would do, but, I much more want meat taste with a kiss of smoke, not smoke with a kiss of meat.

Try putting the meat on right out of the fridge Should absorb more smoke

I would listen to Landarc before me. :-D

Big George's BBQ said:

Try putting the meat on right out of the fridge Should absorb more smoke

Click to expand...

That is a popular suggestion for getting a more pronounced smoke ring...

Use chunks and no chips, and don't use wood that's real old, even if a nutwood like hickory. Around here, it's considered seasoned about three months after being cut, but who knows how old the stuff is that comes in a bag. More moisture in the wood equals longer smoking chunks and more flavor.

As Landarc suggest shutting down the exhaust will give you a more pronounced acrid smoke and maybe the people you are cooking for don't know good smoked meat because this is what they are used to. Go with chunks and buy or cut some that you know is a lot fresher/greener than most bagged store bought and unless you are cold smoking forget the chips. I don't think you said if you are foiling the meat, if so this may cause you to lose some smokiness from sweating but not a lot. Are your friends spending much time out around the smoker? This can desensitize anyone from the smokiness taste, how is it tasting the next day to you? The uds should give you all the smoke you will ever want if the wood is good and you use the right amount and for a long cook like a brisket you may want to add a few more chunks later in the cook but I have never had to do that. I go for a general temp of 250 but it will not bother me if it goes near 230 to say 275. Are you wrapping the meat and putting it in a cooler for awhile to rest. I can't go back and read you post without losing the reply but did you say if you thought it had enough smoke for you?
Dave