Too Much Smoke

[wilburburns]

I know, this is mostly a matter of preference. BUT.. For those who cook a lot for others, How much Smoke is "TOO MUCH SMOKE". Now, more importantly, what is the best way to judge the smoke content while cooking and do certain types of meats/foods take in more smoke?

Now for the back story:
I smoked a meat loaf last night, which I thought was pretty good. It needed a few more ingredients, but that did not affect the SMOKE content. Anyway, it had a nice smoke ring, but my wife said it was too smokey. Additionally, she made the same comment about my Fatty (AKA Sausage Loaf) when I made it, but all the other guests that night loved it and didn't leave me any leftovers.

So, again, How much smoke is TOO MUCH SMOKE?

Cliff

[Skidder]

Go easy on the wood when doing any kind of ground meat products. Ground meat sucks smoke like a sponge. I usually cut any would by a third when doing fatties or meatloaf. Good luck next time don't give up.

[Johnny_Crunch]

It's not hard to over smoke something especially if you use lump and wood chunks together.

[Dustin D]

Wait there can be too much smoke??? :crazy:

[wilburburns]

It's not hard to over smoke something especially if you use lump and wood chunks together.

Oh, I'm not giving up. I still thought it was good and will likely fix it again. I'm just better off if the wife likes it also. :thumb:

Go easy on the wood when doing any kind of ground meat products. Grond meat sucks smoke like a sponge. I usually cut any would by a third when doing fatties or meatloaf. Good luck next time don't give up.

This is good to know. This was my second smoke and I'm still learning and will be for a LONG while. I didn't use any lump though, just Kingsford Charcoal and some "Hickory" or "Oak" Chunks. I didn't look on the bag and someone else brought it to me to use.

Cliff

[Skidder]

Just learn to treat wood smoke like any other seasoning. Same as salt and pepper a little is good a lot is not well maybe not the pepper thing. Then again I like pepper. A good thing to always do is write down what you do that way you can always go back and adjust it the next time.

[Lake Dogs]

Wait there can be too much smoke??? :crazy:

Yes, absolutely.

There are pretty much 3 camps/groups of opinions and likes:

1. Those who like to bite into Q and taste nothing but smoke

2. Those who like to bite in and taste meat with a nice smoke enhanced flavor

3. Those who like to bite in and not taste smoke at all


I suggest that those who fall under #3 above probably dont like barbecue and should probably stick to boiling ribs and crockpot butts.

The difference in #1 and #2 above is certainly personal choice. I would definitely fall into #2. I've had ribs with so much smoke that the whole rib was pink (there was no "ring", it was all smoke) and tasted 100% of hickory smoke. To me, the flavor of the meat and spices was completely lost, and frankly IMHO was a waste of money on the meat.


I foil, without any apologies. I do it for three reasons: Color (so it's presentable), Moisture, and to limit/govern smokiness. Particularly I foil ribs at 1.5 hours because to me, on my smoker, using hickory wood, they are over-smoked and too smokey much past that point.

[bover]

I'd say there's a high probability that you may have just had the wrong kind of smoke, not necessarily too much smoke. Did you wait until your exhaust was streaming out the 'thin blue' smoke, or was it still puffing out the white stuff when you put the meatloaf on? If it was the latter, your food will definitely have a harsher smoke flavor.

[Smiter Q]

Personally I noticed when I crossed the line that there is a "resin" acridness that touches my tongue in a very unpleasant way. Fish and chicken breast along with peppers I think are the first that can tend to be oversmoked. Also I have noticed that if cigarette smokers(I am not) cook for non smokers, there can be a difference in perception of what is "too" smoked.

[orangeblood]

if the 1st thought in your head when you take a bite is "acrid" you probably have too much good smoke or some "bad" smoke.

if one uses anything with liquid smoke as a marinade and then smokes it, there is a good chance the smoke flavor will be over powering.

just my $0.02

[Lake Dogs]

Personally I noticed when I crossed the line that there is a "resin" acridness that touches my tongue in a very unpleasant way. Fish and chicken breast along with peppers I think are the first that can tend to be oversmoked. Also I have noticed that if cigarette smokers(I am not) cook for non smokers, there can be a difference in perception of what is "too" smoked.

"there is a resin acridness that touches the tongue"

That is the perfect explanation of what billowy white smoke produces. Many have talked about the bitter taste, but this above really describes it much better.

SWEET BLUE

And to get there, DONT SOAK.

[CenTech]

Yeah I put a fatty on one time with white smoke. Tasted like an ash tray. It was bearable chopped up sparingly in breakfast tacos, but I will definitely tone down on the wood when I do another.

[wilburburns]

"there is a resin acridness that touches the tongue"

That is the perfect explanation of what billowy white smoke produces. Many have talked about the bitter taste, but this above really describes it much better.

SWEET BLUE

And to get there, DONT SOAK.

I don't soak my chunks, but I do seem to get quite a bit of white smoke when adding more wood to the fire box.

Too much white billowy smoke may have been the problem. I was trying to cook fast due to getting a later than planned start.

That being said, I ate the End piece that had the most smoke and it did not taste bad, did have Plenty of smoke, but not BAD to me. I probably sit in the middle of camp #1 and #2 from above, and I bet my wife would be in between camp #2 and #3.

Cliff

[BBQ Bandit]

Also the choice of wood may be a questionable issue... (pecan/apple/cherry is a sweeter option).

[grossepellets]

Red Oak is a heavy smoke and smells great where as Cherry has no aroma both are great smokes but like most have said already Blue Smoke is Great Smoke White smoke is bad and will impart that nasty taste to your tongue

[jason]

If it's just a fatty or a meatloaf, you could probably get by with just a single fist sized chunk.

[Skidder]

What Jason said

[El Ropo]

I'll often just use pecan as a base and add fruit wood such as apple and/or cherry for pork. Hickory is too strong for long cooks IMO, unless you go light with it, and I avoid using mesquite at all for any smokes, but will use it sparingly doing indirect fatties, chicken or moinks, etc. on the kettle.

Wood choice is a big part of the cook for me, and I do keep 5 types on hand, pecan, , hickory, mesquite, apple, and cherry. Just need to get my hands on some oak chunks, and I'll have a nice arsenal.

[Cook]

To help reduce the "white/billowy" smoke when adding a new chunk to the firebox you should figure out a way to preheat the wood. If you are using an offset, some folks just keep their chunks/sticks on top of the firebox. This heats it up and allows faster/cleaner combustion when you put it on the fire. You will still get some white smoke, but it should not be as much or last as long. If you're using the minion method, just bury your chunks throughout the coals. This will essentially preheat the wood as the coals burn toward it.

Ground meat & chicken usually need about 1/3 the amount of wood you'd use on butts/briskets.

[Lake Dogs]

^^^ what they all said above.

yes, my wife too varies from group 3 to group 2... Luckily she likes ribs and pulled pork from group 2. Steaks; she prefers them without smoke; whereas hot and fast I like them with a little of either oak, hickory, or mesquite. She's the same with hamburgers; not at all...

I have friends that actually prefer boiled ribs then grilled on a gasser without any smoke at all. Funny, was a few weeks ago when a neighbor had just fired up his grill and the air was full of that lighter fluid aroma when this friend said "Ummmmm, LOVE the smell of a grill"... :-) Some people just like lighter fluid....