Where is the smoke flavor?

DaveMW · 08-03-2011, 11:42 AM

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.

CarolinaQue · 08-03-2011, 11:44 AM

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.

deguerre · 08-03-2011, 11:45 AM

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.

DaveMW · 08-03-2011, 11:46 AM

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.

DaveMW · 08-03-2011, 11:48 AM

How long do folks keep smoke rolling for butts? Do you ensure that you see sweet blue for an hour? two? three?

deguerre · 08-03-2011, 11:49 AM

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.

CarolinaQue · 08-03-2011, 11:56 AM

yep, about 6 hours or so of smoke here also. Or until it reaches 165* or so.

DaveMW · 08-03-2011, 12:01 PM

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.

deguerre · 08-03-2011, 12:07 PM

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.

DaveMW · 08-03-2011, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deguerre

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.

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.

jestridge · 08-03-2011, 12:15 PM

Buy a stick burner

DaveMW · 08-03-2011, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jestridge

Buy a stick burner

You buyin'?

deguerre · 08-03-2011, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveMW

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.

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

DaveMW · 08-03-2011, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deguerre

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

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.

Bamabuzzard · 08-03-2011, 01:54 PM

Chips might be your problem. If possible use wood chunks.

08-03-2011, 11:42 AM	#1
DaveMW is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 07-31-10 Location: Edgewood, Kentucky via Livngston, Montana Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Where is the smoke flavor? 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. __________________ In a perfect world every lab would have a home and every home would have a lab. There is no greater fan of fly fishing than the worm. Weber Kettle 22.5" Restored "J" - Black Weber Smoky Joe "F"- Black Weber Genesis - Black (CL Score - brand new) Weber Go-Anywhere - Black UDS which surprisingly is not black Great Outdoors Smoky Mountain Smoker

08-03-2011, 11:45 AM	#3
deguerre somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-15-09 Location: Memphis, TN...Formerly of Decatur, AL Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	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. __________________ Guerry >^..^< Weber 22 1/2" OTS "Dirty Girl", Weber Performer/Cajun Bandit "Cajun Queen", GOSM "Bubba Q", Maverick et73, RED Thermapen, One Cameron Stove Top "Lazy Girl".It burns sawdust... Avatar by Northwest BBQ!!! If you really care about this place, you'll show some respect for it. Seven Zero notches on my spatula. Join_Us_In_The_Throwdowns_Forum!

08-03-2011, 11:46 AM	#4
DaveMW is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 07-31-10 Location: Edgewood, Kentucky via Livngston, Montana Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	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. __________________ In a perfect world every lab would have a home and every home would have a lab. There is no greater fan of fly fishing than the worm. Weber Kettle 22.5" Restored "J" - Black Weber Smoky Joe "F"- Black Weber Genesis - Black (CL Score - brand new) Weber Go-Anywhere - Black UDS which surprisingly is not black Great Outdoors Smoky Mountain Smoker

08-03-2011, 11:48 AM	#5
DaveMW is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 07-31-10 Location: Edgewood, Kentucky via Livngston, Montana Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	How long do folks keep smoke rolling for butts? Do you ensure that you see sweet blue for an hour? two? three? __________________ In a perfect world every lab would have a home and every home would have a lab. There is no greater fan of fly fishing than the worm. Weber Kettle 22.5" Restored "J" - Black Weber Smoky Joe "F"- Black Weber Genesis - Black (CL Score - brand new) Weber Go-Anywhere - Black UDS which surprisingly is not black Great Outdoors Smoky Mountain Smoker

08-03-2011, 11:49 AM	#6
deguerre somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-15-09 Location: Memphis, TN...Formerly of Decatur, AL Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	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. __________________ Guerry >^..^< Weber 22 1/2" OTS "Dirty Girl", Weber Performer/Cajun Bandit "Cajun Queen", GOSM "Bubba Q", Maverick et73, RED Thermapen, One Cameron Stove Top "Lazy Girl".It burns sawdust... Avatar by Northwest BBQ!!! If you really care about this place, you'll show some respect for it. Seven Zero notches on my spatula. Join_Us_In_The_Throwdowns_Forum!

08-03-2011, 11:44 AM	#2
CarolinaQue is Blowin Smoke! Join Date: 06-23-07 Location: North Berwick, ME Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	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.

08-03-2011, 11:56 AM	#7
CarolinaQue is Blowin Smoke! Join Date: 06-23-07 Location: North Berwick, ME Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	yep, about 6 hours or so of smoke here also. Or until it reaches 165* or so.

08-03-2011, 12:01 PM	#8
DaveMW is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 07-31-10 Location: Edgewood, Kentucky via Livngston, Montana Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	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. __________________ In a perfect world every lab would have a home and every home would have a lab. There is no greater fan of fly fishing than the worm. Weber Kettle 22.5" Restored "J" - Black Weber Smoky Joe "F"- Black Weber Genesis - Black (CL Score - brand new) Weber Go-Anywhere - Black UDS which surprisingly is not black Great Outdoors Smoky Mountain Smoker

08-03-2011, 12:07 PM	#9
deguerre somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-15-09 Location: Memphis, TN...Formerly of Decatur, AL Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	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. __________________ Guerry >^..^< Weber 22 1/2" OTS "Dirty Girl", Weber Performer/Cajun Bandit "Cajun Queen", GOSM "Bubba Q", Maverick et73, RED Thermapen, One Cameron Stove Top "Lazy Girl".It burns sawdust... Avatar by Northwest BBQ!!! If you really care about this place, you'll show some respect for it. Seven Zero notches on my spatula. Join_Us_In_The_Throwdowns_Forum!

08-03-2011, 12:15 PM	#11
jestridge somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 12-28-07 Location: annville ky Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Buy a stick burner

08-03-2011, 01:54 PM	#15
Bamabuzzard is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 05-09-07 Location: Shreveport, LA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Chips might be your problem. If possible use wood chunks. __________________ Checkout our Original BBQ Sauce & Cajun Pickles www.doubledsbbq.com http://www.facebook.com/pages/Double...12864168786570 Stumps Baby Gravity Feed Smoker Backwoods Patio Unit Char Griller Offset for grilling

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