mouth numbing taste

[nsism]

I used a new small (41") off set smoker this past weekend. I did 9 lb. brisket w/ a good fat cap for about 8.5 hr's. @ 220. I also use some cherry and peacon chips that had been soaked in water along with my plain oak and hickory. I sprayed it every 1.5 hr's. w/ apple juice. My end product was nasty it numbed my mouth and i threw it out. I've am going crazy trying to figure out what went wrong . Please help!

[Wildcat]

Welcome to the forum.  The only thing I can think of for a nasty taste is paint/oil/chemical fumes from the smoker.  Did you clean and season it prior to doing the smoke?  Were the wood chips from natural wood or manufactored/treated wood?

[nsism]

THanks for the Help. But I did clean it and season it first. But I think you are right. I think I'm going to do another burn in it to night just to make sure.

[West Coast Kansan]

If you were able to keep the temps down, I am thinking you were about 1/2 way finished.  9lbs with a fat cap may also have included the point with hard fat which is kinda bitter tasting. 

Not sure what to tell you but will be interesting to know what happens next time.  I am assuming your cook chamber is vertical and not one of those barrel units?

[MRH]

nsism ,

I did some butts last year in a Brinkman Smoking pit offset and had somilar results. It took several hours and I used hickory for the whole time.  They were ok to eat but the outsides were very bitter.  I wonder if I should have used just briquettes for heat with some of the hickory wood to get the smoke flavor.  I thought maybe just too much smoke for too long.  I don't have that trouble when i use my Bradley, but it  isn't smoking the whole time.  need to try it again one of these days.

Mark

[pensrock]

This is mearly a guess but I''m wondering if your damper was opened far enough to prevent creosote from forming on the surface of the meat? Like I said its just a suggestion, I have never had a problem as you had described but if the smoker was properly burned out and seasoned and the wood was not contaminated, creosote is all I can think of.  ??? ???
I really hope you did NOT use any treated lumber in the fire box. I know a couple that had scraps from building a deck and made a fire and cooked over it, they were in the hospital for some time but eventually did manage to survive the ordeal.  :P :P

[iceman]

To much moisture in the smoker will cause condensation dripping back down on the meat and you will get the "creosote"taste for sure. To much spritzing will contribute to this also. The pre soaked wood chips are like creating a steam bath so the vents need to be opened to get rid of that moisture. Cutting back on the amount of chips you put on each time will help also. :)

[FLBentRider]

8.5 hours of cook time - did you have smoke this whole time too ? sounds like it could be over-smoked.

[West Coast Kansan]

Pen, you went the same place.  The tower would be vertical and not a longer round top with the vent at the end to get the yuk. Maybe the case.  I guess we will find out on the next smoke.   :-\

[NePaSmoKer]

Burn your offset out with some lump charcoal in the fire box and in the main chamber, keep racks in, open your vent all the way with the lid closed. After you do this let cool over night and brush the coal out.

When you do another smoke swing out the damper plate around 3/4" / 1"

Dont use any soft woods.

Been there done that with offsets.

Good luck

nepas

[beefmann]

nsism

it  has been my experiance in the past if you  do a  very  long smoke and cook you would  end up  with a bad piece of meat..

when i first  started  smoking i would smoke the whole time that i  was cooking  the meat ( newbie major mistake i know a mushroom mistake ( in the dark and  created cow patties )) now from experiance i smoke only for 2 hours and cook with heat only the rest while watching any  steaam / moisture build up

hope this  helps

Beefmann