Food tastes like a forest fire smells - Why?

bcbred · April 23, 2005, 11:35:55 PM

Hi.

I've had my BS for about 8 months. I cured it as per instructions when new. When food is finished cooking, it tastes like a forest fire smells. It's not so bad with a hearty rub to mask the forest fire taste, but more delicate foods taste like the Okanagan Valley fire-belt. I've tried stopping the smoke half way through the cooking time, which makes the forest fire-taste more subtle, but the taste is still there. I can't be the only one! Any tips? I'm using the Bradley pucks obviously, hickory and applewood, if that's any help.

Thanks a lot!!

Habanero Smoker · April 24, 2005, 12:33:05 AM

Can your provide more specific information. How many hours (or number of pucks) are you using when you smoke? What are you using the hickory and apple on?

When you state that you are stopping the smoke half way through the cooking time, it appears that you are applying too much smoke. Generally when I do a brisket or butt, I apply 4 hours (12 pucks) of smoke. For chicken and turkey, usually 3 hours (9 pucks), and fish usually 2 hours (6 pucks).

Oldman · April 24, 2005, 12:51:26 AM

Greetings bcbred,

I've never heard of this problem before, and if anyone dislikes overly smokey foods it is me. Now most here will only smoke up to 4 hours then finish the "cook" in the bradley.

Because I don't care for the Bark I came up with what is called the T-Shirt method. I use it for my slicing pork and the Double Smoke ham. Below is a picture of two Boston Butts I did in the T-shirt. They were hot smoke @ a temp. close to 210F until the meat temp. was 180F. As you can see they are not over smoked.

Click to Enlarge

Here is a BuckBoard Bacon I did with the T-shirt Method. Again you can see that is is not overly smoked at all.

Click to Enlarge

This last one is Chicken done in a T-shirt.

Click to Enlarge

Go to this link and look over my T-shirt Double Smoked Ham. I list what temp. I used there; however you can use this method for a true cold smoke. http://www.susanminor.org/smokers/hams/presmoked/tshirtdoublesmoked.htm

Also this is a bacon chicken pepper wrap I did:
http://www.susanminor.org/smokers/chicken/smokedchicken/baconchickenpepper.htm

If you will go through the Member Recipe Page (it is still in the works) I believe you will find much information as to tried and true recipes by the Member's here. http://www.susanminor.org/smokers/index.htm

I like Oak, Pecan, and Maple woods.
Good luck!

Olds

bcbred · April 24, 2005, 12:52:25 AM

At first, I'd follow the recipe, I'd smoke the entire cooking time, no matter if it's a pork butt, beef brisket, baby backs, buffalo wings, prawns, oysters, veal chops, etc. So I tried cutting the smoke time in half of the cooking time. The forest fire taste is still there, more evident in more delicate food like the veal, prawns and oysters. I had to throw the oysters away they were so forest-firedly bad. All food was cooked to perfection otherwise. I alternate hickory pucks and apple pucks. I don't think the problem lies in the pucks, nor the recipes I'm using from the book Smoke & Spice. It's way too much wood burning tasting, rather than wood flavoured.

Any thoughts?

Habanero Smoker · April 24, 2005, 01:14:57 AM

I have no idea what you mean by half, that could be anything from one hour to eight hours. You need to be more specific, and let us know how many hours of smoke you are applying to each type of food you are smoking.

I have over smoked a couple of items, and it tasted like ash. Many times if you seal it in plastic and refrigerate for a few days the taste will mellow out. In addition, some woods, like hickory, do not go very well with lean meats, fish and shellfish; especially when you are applying a lot of smoke.

SmokinDoc · April 24, 2005, 02:57:31 AM

Hi bcbred,

Do you have your water bowl filled at least half way with water?. It has been noted in past posts that the extended smoldering of spent bisquettes can lead to strong smell and taste of the meat.

Duane

nsxbill · April 24, 2005, 04:41:31 AM

I change out my water bowl, with a fresh bowl at the four hour mark of any smoke. On the first 4 hours, I fill right to the top with water, and avoid the acrid taste you describe.

Bill

There is room on earth for all God's creatures....on my plate next to the mashed potatoes.

Oldman · April 24, 2005, 12:18:20 PM

SmokinDoc said:
<hr noshade size="1">Do you have your water bowl filled at least half way with water?. It has been noted in past posts that the extended smoldering of spent bisquettes can lead to strong smell and taste of the meat.
<hr noshade size="1">This sounds like where the problem could be coming from for sure. This whole thing is designed to put out the pucks every 20 minutes to insure there is no bad flavoring.

Olds

bcbred · April 24, 2005, 07:34:50 PM

Right on peeps!

I'll try the waterbowl swap-out on my next smoke. That makes the most sense to me. I'll let you know how it goes.

Thanks a lot!

whitetailfan · April 25, 2005, 05:10:17 PM

bc,
I think at least some of the smoke and spice recipes sort of indicate that you smoke for the whole cooking period. That may be OK in a pit environment, or a horizontal smoker, but you dont want to do a 10 hour cook with 10 hrs of smoke. I also limit to 4 hours on beef or pork butt, and about three or less on chicken. I just did some chicken breasts and did only 4 pucks, but cooked for 3 hrs.

An alternative to swapping out the water bowl is a simple top up with a water jug. I find that often the bowl is very hot, and you are losing cabinet temp all the time with the door open. If I have a long cook going, I just fill a juice jug with hot water and pour in into the bowl with the spent bisquettes left in the bowl.

Best of luck

whitetailfan
"Nice Rack"
Lethbridge, AB

humpa · April 27, 2005, 12:26:47 PM

OK....How about the damper? If you close it too tight, it will hold back moisture and smoke. That "WILL" cause this burnt taste. Another thing, Don't smoke over 3-4 hours. Good Luck!

Ernie....Weymouth, MA

MallardWacker · April 27, 2005, 01:59:55 PM

I'm really wondering that you got a bad puck or something. I have done some pretty stupid smoking techniques(and those will never make it to the forum) with my BS and never have got that type of taste/smell. I know I will be called stange here and I know it goes against conventional wisdom but I never change or add water to my bowl. But I will agree with the rest, anything over 4hrs of smoke is too much and you are waisting pucks/money.

SmokeOn,

mski
Perryville, Arkansas
Wooo-Pig-Soooie

If a man says he knows anything at all, he knows nothing what he aught to know. But...

whitetailfan · April 27, 2005, 04:18:00 PM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by MallardWacker
 I know I will be called strange here and I know it goes against conventional wisdom but I never change or add water to my bowl.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Perhaps I should expand on my last post a bit. Mr. Wacker is getting away with this, and please, I'm lazy, so if it doesn't need it, don't bother.

Sometimes when we speak about technique, we assume a lot of constants amongst members and this is not always true. My ambient temp today is ridiculously different from Mallards, and Olds, and Chez, and...you get the idea. Often I have to crank the thermo slide on full to get to my temps and in doing so, I evaporate a lot more water than maybe some of the others do.

Point to take away from this all - I add water when the pucks start falling on top of each other and are no longer being extinguished by the water in the bowl. This is what could be contributing to the taste and smell. If your pucks are being put out, then I agree with MW and I would not add water for the sake of having water in the bowl. The only other benefit to water is that when your fat is dripping down it floats on the water level and makes clean up easier.

HTH

whitetailfan
"Nice Rack"
Lethbridge, AB

Thunder Fish · April 28, 2005, 12:21:16 AM

Just a guess but maybe TOO much hickory?[xx(]

JJC · April 28, 2005, 01:52:42 AM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by whitetailfan
Point to take away from this all - I add water when the pucks start falling on top of each other and are no longer being extinguished by the water in the bowl. This is what could be contributing to the taste and smell. If your pucks are being put out, then I agree with MW and I would not add water for the sake of having water in the bowl.

whitetailfan
"Nice Rack"
Lethbridge, AB
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
WTF, I think is is a super point in general about adding water to the bowl. Most of the time I don't bother changing the water because there is plenty left. Once in a while the water has dried out and there is a slightly bitter taste. You have provided the insight I needed to figure out when to change water and when not to bother . . . thanks! [:D]

P.S.--Duck-Man, you deserve part of the credit for the "voila" as well!

John
Newton MA