Where is the smoke flavor?

DaveMW

DaveMW

is Blowin Smoke!
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I have smoked several butts and they have all come out tasting great but a little weak on the smoke flavor. Last weekend I fired up the smoker (GOSM) and cooked 2 butts. Previously I have used hickory and have made sure that it had 2 hrs worth of steady blue smoke. This time I ran out of hickory so I used hickory (20%) and oak (80%) and made sure that I had nice blue smoke for 3 hrs. Upon pulling them the smoke ring was less pronounced and the smoke flavor was barely there, even less than before. My wife agreed that these 2 butts were less tasty. Was it that I used mostly oak rather than all hickory? Am I missing something? I also made some pig candy that was on the top rack and it was plenty smokey and tastey. All input welcome. Thanks.
 
Any change in rub or meat supplier? How old is the wood your using? The older and dryer the wood, the less smoke flavor you'll get.
 
Oak is much lighter in flavor than hickory in my experience. I almost always use hickory (with fruit woods mixed in too sometimes) for shoulders/butts. Then again, I love hickory.
 
I used the same slather/rub combo I always have and the wood was purchased about a month ago. I use chips since my smoker uses a smoker box.
 
How long do folks keep smoke rolling for butts? Do you ensure that you see sweet blue for an hour? two? three?
 
I smoke until the IT is about 160 on the GOSM. In my kettle or Cajun Bandit I just mix the chunks in with the unlit coals so there's a constant supply of sweet blue.
 
yep, about 6 hours or so of smoke here also. Or until it reaches 165* or so.
 
Good input. I have been shy about how much wood I add to avoid the dreaded bitter taste of over smoking. Too much smoke on ribeyes one time and now I am guarded about how much wood I use. Judging from Guerry & Carolinas comments I am being way to cautious on the smoke.
 
Don't worry about bitterness if you're not producing white, creasote creating, smoke. Especially on pork. Was that a whole ribeye you had a bad taste with? I always use oak on those (Jack Daniels is great) and don't smoke nearly as heavily as I do with a shoulder.
 
deguerre said:
Was that a whole ribeye you had a bad taste with? I always use oak on those (Jack Daniels is great) and don't smoke nearly as heavily as I do with a shoulder.
Click to expand...

Guerry they were ribeye steaks on the kettle I just tossed some wood chips down in with the coals and put the lid on. I also have wanted to try your GOSM mod using the large juice can but am unable to find an empty one & I hate to buy some tomato juice just to pour it down the drain (I hate the stuff). I was surprised at how hard it is to find the large cans. I made my own mod to keep the chips from flaming and burning with a heat shield of sorts between the burner & the smoker box so that solved that problem. I am wondering if I am just not giving her enough smoke for long enough time.
 
DaveMW said:
Guerry they were ribeye steaks on the kettle I just tossed some wood chips down in with the coals and put the lid on. I also have wanted to try your GOSM mod using the large juice can but am unable to find an empty one & I hate to buy some tomato juice just to pour it down the drain (I hate the stuff). I was surprised at how hard it is to find the large cans. I made my own mod to keep the chips from flaming and burning with a heat shield of sorts between the burner & the smoker box so that solved that problem. I am wondering if I am just not giving her enough smoke for long enough time.
Click to expand...
Ah. Yeah, I go light on the smoke with the steaks. A lighter flavored wood too.
Do they have those 48 oz cans of grapefruit juice? Or, I found these, and depending on the zize may fit pretty well:

http://www.servu-online.com/search/inset-pots.aspx
 
deguerre said:
Do they have those 48 oz cans of grapefruit juice? Or, I found these, and depending on the zize may fit pretty well:

http://www.servu-online.com/search/inset-pots.aspx
Click to expand...

Grapefruit juice and all other juices (except tomato) were in plastic bottles. thanks for the link, I might have to go that route and try your GOSM mod so I can switch to chunks rather than chips. Thanks again Guerry.
 
Nother Idea Dave, check the local flea markets/second hand stores for a smallish cast iron pot. That may be just the ticket.
 
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