Reverse Flow Smoke Flavor

raycollazo

raycollazo

Knows what a fatty is.
Joined
Sep 24, 2012
Location
Middleto...
I was cooking mostly on a Pitmaker Vault, and honestly, I still do love it. The water cookers turn out great product and flavor is excellent. I wanted to tackle the stick burner and set out to get that "clean smoke" Central Texas flavor.
I ended up with a Shirley 30x80 (Reverse Flow) custom trailer, and I do really enjoy the experience and working with the fire. Have to also add and attest that there is absolutely no comparison out there quality wise for a build. This thing is a tank and impeccable welds and finish.
The issue I had is the clean fire, gives me absolutely zero smoke flavor. And I am using Hickory. I was able to try some green hickory and "choke" the fire a bit to maintain a blue smoke, that gets me a decent flavor as well, but nothing compared to what I have gotten at some of the places here in Brooklyn, or even in Austin and other parts of Texas. I am getting better smoke rings than ever before, crazy pink to the bone on my ribs, but the smoke flavor is too subtle. If anyone has experienced the same issue and has some tips, I'm ready to order some mesquite wood to get some smoke flavor!
 
What temps are you running? Still the best BBQ plate I've ever had to date came off a reverse flow at Evie Mae's.
 
I doubt that the problem you are having is because of the reverse flow but more of the wood you are using. Have you tried using oak? Another thing I've found when cooking on my Lang is if I'm out there breathing in the smoke all day then come dinner time I can't taste the smoke flavor as well.
 
As stated by Callahan-Que you might be experiencing "palate fatigue" from being out there in the smoke all day long. I've had this same issue with my direct flow and my reverse flow smokers. I'd be out there for 8+ hours and I LOVE the smell of a clean burning fire, so I'd end up overwhelming my palate with smoke. I would eat my own BBQ and I couldn't taste a lick of smoke on it, but everyone around me is telling me that it has a great smoky flavor. One day I was cooking some eggs and reheated a couple slices of brisket to go with it. Once I took a bite I was shocked as it had a great smoke flavor and aroma.

So yeah, palate fatigue is real and I think it causes a lot of people issues and makes them believe they aren't getting any smoke flavor on their BBQ. So I sincerely doubt that the issue is you using a reverse flow smoker. Kind of an interesting example of palate fatigue here :

https://youtu.be/vUDiEQBZL_8?t=594

This is a cool video where this guy works 24 hours straight at Franklin BBQ. He's out there manning the smokers all night long and after a while he realizes that he can't even smell the smoke anymore. Do note that roughly 80% of taste is actually controlled by smell.
 
SmoothBoarBBQ said:
As stated by Callahan-Que you might be experiencing "palate fatigue" from being out there in the smoke all day long. I've had this same issue with my direct flow and my reverse flow smokers. I'd be out there for 8+ hours and I LOVE the smell of a clean burning fire, so I'd end up overwhelming my palate with smoke. I would eat my own BBQ and I couldn't taste a lick of smoke on it, but everyone around me is telling me that it has a great smoky flavor. One day I was cooking some eggs and reheated a couple slices of brisket to go with it. Once I took a bite I was shocked as it had a great smoke flavor and aroma.

So yeah, palate fatigue is real and I think it causes a lot of people issues and makes them believe they aren't getting any smoke flavor on their BBQ. So I sincerely doubt that the issue is you using a reverse flow smoker. Kind of an interesting example of palate fatigue here :

https://youtu.be/vUDiEQBZL_8?t=594

This is a cool video where this guy works 24 hours straight at Franklin BBQ. He's out there manning the smokers all night long and after a while he realizes that he can't even smell the smoke anymore. Do note that roughly 80% of taste is actually controlled by smell.
Click to expand...

This is something I’ve always noticed myself just never had a name for it. Yes sometimes I enjoy my leftover bbq more than the day I make it! I think this happens with all my cooking especially if I’m tasting a lot as I go.
 
ruger35 said:
What temps are you running? Still the best BBQ plate I've ever had to date came off a reverse flow at Evie Mae's.
Click to expand...

I try to stay between 240-260...occasionally I get to 270.... That has been where I can get a nice taste, at least a detectable smoke taste. I've got to where I feed the splits in at 240, and it will hit 260 and then start going down toward 240 and go over and over... Usually feeding every 40 - 50 minutes.
 
Callahan-que said:
I doubt that the problem you are having is because of the reverse flow but more of the wood you are using. Have you tried using oak? Another thing I've found when cooking on my Lang is if I'm out there breathing in the smoke all day then come dinner time I can't taste the smoke flavor as well.
Click to expand...

I have tried Oak, it is what is most common up here in NJ, along with Hickory and Cherry. When I started with this new Shirley, I had some Oak splits and tried some sausages, and I got a great color and even an awesome and rare big smoke ring on the sausages, I did not get the prominent smoke flavor I was used to when I did sausages in my Pitmaker (using lump mixed with Oak Chunks).
 
SmoothBoarBBQ said:
As stated by Callahan-Que you might be experiencing "palate fatigue" from being out there in the smoke all day long. I've had this same issue with my direct flow and my reverse flow smokers. I'd be out there for 8+ hours and I LOVE the smell of a clean burning fire, so I'd end up overwhelming my palate with smoke. I would eat my own BBQ and I couldn't taste a lick of smoke on it, but everyone around me is telling me that it has a great smoky flavor. One day I was cooking some eggs and reheated a couple slices of brisket to go with it. Once I took a bite I was shocked as it had a great smoke flavor and aroma.

So yeah, palate fatigue is real and I think it causes a lot of people issues and makes them believe they aren't getting any smoke flavor on their BBQ. So I sincerely doubt that the issue is you using a reverse flow smoker. Kind of an interesting example of palate fatigue here :

https://youtu.be/vUDiEQBZL_8?t=594

This is a cool video where this guy works 24 hours straight at Franklin BBQ. He's out there manning the smokers all night long and after a while he realizes that he can't even smell the smoke anymore. Do note that roughly 80% of taste is actually controlled by smell.
Click to expand...

There is definitely a degree of this going on. And it may not be as noticable as my other smokers, because they are a little less maintenance.... Pellet Cooker is a "Set it Forget it" and Pitmaker I can load up and leave for 4-6 hours before I add wood. With stick burner, I will get a 1 hour max time reload time, and I also do love the smell of the fire so I tend to "bathe in it" a littlle LOL..... I have not gotten any complaints, actually got alot of compliments from the big party I did and there was zero of my food left (all kinds of other catered food was left too). Client asked to make 8 Briskets and 40 Racks for next year (instead of 4 and 20)..... I was thinking of doing a "head to head" with reverse flow vs. Pitmaker... maybe the moisture allows more of the smoke flavor to bind, and the Pitmaker fire is not as "clean" as the Shirley.
 
It sounds like your Pitmaker is some kind of cabinet smoker, so it will have a different flavor profile compared to a stickburner (traditional flow or reverse flow). You stated you were using lump with wood chunks, so that will give off a bit heavier of a smoke flavor, but lots of people find that flavor to be unpleasant. Others absolutely love it because that's what they grew up on; food cooked over hot briquettes with the fat and juices hitting the coals and burning off, and bathing the food in a heavy smoke.

It sounds like you're doing some good grub if everyone is complimenting you and asking for more next year. Do a Pitmaker vs Shirley comparison and see what you think...eat it after you have cooked, and then eat some again the next day (or a couple days down the road with no further cooking) and see how what you think.
 
Slow, low airflow lump fire is a different taste than a high airflow stick burner. I will sometimes take a quick shower after a big cook. It helps rinse everything clean so you can taste the food better.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 
When you say choke the fire, is it via the firebox damper or the stack?

My last cook I choked down the stack just a bit to see if it added a bit more smoke flavor. It seemed to do the trick (using oak with a split of cherry every now and again).
 
I too have a Shirley and have owned a Klose offset. The flavor profile on the Shirley is a lighter smoke profile due to it burning so clean. One thing that I have noticed that makes a difference is the wood. I was using some really seasoned Almond which has a lighter smoke profile to begin with though due to it being really seasoned it left little smoke flavor. I recently got some red oak that still had some moisture in it and it has been great, still subtle but the some flavor is there. I also close down the intake a bit and sometimes the exhaust too. The flavor profile is also very different from my UDS which I run with charcoal and wood chunks.
 
pokeable said:
When you say choke the fire, is it via the firebox damper or the stack?

My last cook I choked down the stack just a bit to see if it added a bit more smoke flavor. It seemed to do the trick (using oak with a split of cherry every now and again).
Click to expand...

I do a little bit of both, I close the stack no more than halfway and then adjust the intake until I get the blue smoke. It definitely does make the difference and there is a noticeable difference in flavor.
I have been cooking (Barbeque) for over 20 years, and obsessively for 15+, and my first smoker was a cheapo offset, that I used for more of a direct/indirect because the temps were just way to hard to handle (and I really didn't know what I was doing) I moved on to other cookers and now, I have a collection.... In the time during my obsession started, I have consistently read that stick burners were the best way to get the TRUE TEXAS BBQ flavor profile.

I guess some of this may be my expectations that in using all wood, clean fire would yield that pronounced, clear and clean smoked flavor that is present in some of the better BBQ places I have gone to all around the country (Including Texas/Central Texas).
 
SmoothBoarBBQ said:
As stated by Callahan-Que you might be experiencing "palate fatigue" from being out there in the smoke all day long. I've had this same issue with my direct flow and my reverse flow smokers. I'd be out there for 8+ hours and I LOVE the smell of a clean burning fire, so I'd end up overwhelming my palate with smoke. I would eat my own BBQ and I couldn't taste a lick of smoke on it, but everyone around me is telling me that it has a great smoky flavor. One day I was cooking some eggs and reheated a couple slices of brisket to go with it. Once I took a bite I was shocked as it had a great smoke flavor and aroma.

So yeah, palate fatigue is real and I think it causes a lot of people issues and makes them believe they aren't getting any smoke flavor on their BBQ. So I sincerely doubt that the issue is you using a reverse flow smoker. Kind of an interesting example of palate fatigue here :

https://youtu.be/vUDiEQBZL_8?t=594

This is a cool video where this guy works 24 hours straight at Franklin BBQ. He's out there manning the smokers all night long and after a while he realizes that he can't even smell the smoke anymore. Do note that roughly 80% of taste is actually controlled by smell.
Click to expand...

Thank you for posting this. It makes a ton of sense.
 
Totally agree on what Callahan-que says. My Shirley 24x36 provides all the smoke in my meat I need.
 
pjtexas1 said:
Slow, low airflow lump fire is a different taste than a high airflow stick burner. I will sometimes take a quick shower after a big cook. It helps rinse everything clean so you can taste the food better.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

This. Shower and change your clothes after a long smoke session, before trying to taste your own food.
 
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