What makes my meat black??

expat smoker · Jan 9, 2013

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I've done 2 smokes now in my home made smoker and both produced a sooty coat on the meat and was a bit overwhelming with the heavy smoke flavor. Is it the wood I'm using?? or too high temps??

kathrynn · Jan 9, 2013

Hi Expat....I know some of the folks here can help you with that! Would you please go to Roll Call and introduce yourself...tell us what kind of smoker you use...where you are located and a little bit about you! You will get a bunch of folks willing to help you out! Promise...it will get better!

mdboatbum · Jan 9, 2013

Without any details on what you're doing, it's going to be hard to figure out what to do to fix it. My guess would be use less wood if you're not using a stick burner. Next, get it burning clean before you put the meat on. In other words, wait until the thick billowy smoke dies down. You want the magical "thin blue smoke". The type, age and condition of your wood can also have an effect. Aside from that, intake and exhaust issues may be plaguing you as well. You want a fire that can breathe in order to burn cleanly and efficiently. Post some pics and info of your setup and methods so the experts on here can offer you some advice.

Good luck and I hope you keep at it!

flash · Jan 9, 2013

smokegoodvsevil.jpg

flash
Dec 25, 2012

Too heavy of smoke?? Good smoke on right, bad on left.

Other reasons......a heavy sugar based rub and temps too high

BGKYSmoker · Jan 9, 2013

Like stated.

Too much wood, creosote in the smoke, closed off vents, excess moisture creating black rain, sugar based rubs or sauce applied during the entire cook causing a burn with high heat.

cliffcarter · Jan 9, 2013

expat smoker said:
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I've done 2 smokes now in my home made smoker and both produced a sooty coat on the meat and was a bit overwhelming with the heavy smoke flavor. Is it the wood I'm using?? or too high temps??

Sounds like your fire is smoldering, the wood should burn, not smolder. Either you have too much wood in the firebox, are trying to burn unseasoned wood or your air intakes are not allowing enough air to get to the fire. Describe your method of starting and maintaining the fire, then we can be of better help to you.

shoneyboy · Jan 9, 2013

expat smoker said:
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I've done 2 smokes now in my home made smoker and both produced a sooty coat on the meat and was a bit overwhelming with the heavy smoke flavor. Is it the wood I'm using?? or too high temps??

Mdboatbum said:
Without any details on what you're doing, it's going to be hard to figure out what to do to fix it. My guess would be use less wood if you're not using a stick burner. Next, get it burning clean before you put the meat on. In other words, wait until the thick billowy smoke dies down. You want the magical "thin blue smoke". The type, age and condition of your wood can also have an effect. Aside from that, intake and exhaust issues may be plaguing you as well. You want a fire that can breathe in order to burn cleanly and efficiently. Post some pics and info of your setup and methods so the experts on here can offer you some advice.

Good luck and I hope you keep at it!

????

nepas said:
Like stated.

Too much wood, creosote in the smoke, closed off vents, excess moisture creating black rain, sugar based rubs or sauce applied during the entire cook causing a burn with high heat.

Some more details would help us help you.............

cliffcarter · Jan 9, 2013

Since you are also in Thailand I am interested in what kind of wood you are using. Is it local or imported?

bamaque · Jan 9, 2013

What they said!

Sounds like a problem with your wood not burning cleanly ( not enough oxygen getting to the fire ? )

expat smoker · Jan 9, 2013

OK, it was no easy task to upload onto this forum and I hope that the two pics of my smoker got uploaded properly. Anyway, thanks for the feedback and hopefully you can now see what I call my 'rocket smoker'. It used to be a stainless steel pressure tank of some sort that I bought from a scrap metal dealer @ 75cents a pound, then had a local fabricator make it into a combination slow roaster and BBQ by removing the center spacer and placing the grill closer to the fire. I'm now trying to smoke on it and learning the technique of slowing it down. It burns charcoal and the only regulation is by closing the damper and fuel feed sliding door at the bottom and closing the top exhaust with a scrap piece of tile and I have mastered the art of slow roasting/BBQ and hopefully can adapt to even slower smoking. I have gone thru several Webbers when I lived in the US, but now have a Webber type BBQ and smoker that will last forever.

The woods that I have access to are a local fruit called lumiai, a relative of lychee and tamarind.

My technique is to get a bed of charcoal coals burning then slowly add seasoned fruit wood and can see by the photos Flash posted that my smoke was not clean. Also good info from Mdboatman.

One problem I had was a new, but faulty digital meat and oven thermometer that was reading wild swings and I later confirmed by the boiling water test that there was a fault and I am now dealing with the company on getting a replacement.

For the record, the faulty thermometer was a CDN model DSP1. Has anyone else had issues with this model??

Thanks again for all your input and so far, this is a great forum, but I'm having problems getting used to the format and have lost a few long posts and can only hope this one goes thru.

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expat smoker
Jan 9, 2013

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expat smoker
Jan 9, 2013

daveomak · Jan 10, 2013

expat, morning and welcome to the forum.... From the looks of the piece of tile on the exhaust stack, I'm going to say there was not enough air flow for a good smoke... The fire should be controlled through the bottom air intake vent and the top stack left wide open.... I'm jumping out on a limb here saying, start with 18-24 briquettes in the smoker, unlit, put some fruitwood pieces among the briqs.... put 4-6 lit briquettes on top of the others.... all drafts wide open... as the temp rises in the smoker, start closing the bottom intake until it is open 1/4".... eyeballing the size of the smoker and knowing an UDS will run 225-250 through one 3/4" pipe nipple, and looking at the intake vent on your smoker, I am guessing 1/4" or less being open will provide enough air to keep that baby warm enough to cook very well on... An accurate therm will help... when the smoker gets to 200 start closing the intake and watch the therm....

I like that smoker... a one of a kind and cool at that.... Dave

plj · Jan 10, 2013

Throw that piece of tile in the trash, regulate temps by controlling the amount of air at the intake on the bottom. (In other words... "what DaveOmak said.")

themule69 · Jan 10, 2013

what dave said. if that doesn't work. let us know.

happy smoken

expat smoker · Jan 11, 2013

OK, I threw the piece of tile away and once the fire was going good, I closed the inlet door, then did a batch of overnight marinated fat chicken legs with thigh's and seemed better, but still a bit black. It got me wondering if maybe it's the bark on the chunk of wood that I used?? Gotta find another source of wood, but green wood is a no no, right?? Now that my new meat thermometer is broke, I have to play it by ear, but that's the way I've always done it until I got this new gadget.........

themule69 · Jan 11, 2013

expat smoker said:
OK, I threw the piece of tile away and once the fire was going good, I closed the inlet door, then did a batch of overnight marinated fat chicken legs with thigh's and seemed better, but still a bit black. It got me wondering if maybe it's the bark on the chunk of wood that I used?? Gotta find another source of wood, but green wood is a no no, right?? Now that my new meat thermometer is broke, I have to play it by ear, but that's the way I've always done it until I got this new gadget.........

no green wood ever. then a thermometer will help you with the cooking. but not the smoke....i'm thinking you have a wood problem. or to much wood.

expat smoker · Jan 12, 2013

themule69 said:
no green wood ever. then a thermometer will help you with the cooking. but not the smoke....i'm thinking you have a wood problem. or to much wood.

OK...got it and it's good to have it confirmed as I was suspecting both green wood and unseasoned wood. I do have another option that i read about recently.....coconut husks are supposed to be a good smoking fuel. Anyone heard of that??

show me smoke · Jan 24, 2013

Maybe just try charcoal untill you get the temps under control and learn how to cook on it better...could be burned from too much direct heat also..

metaluno67 · Jan 24, 2013

I'm thinking your fire is to close to the meat. In my smoker it's a good 12" from the bottom rack to the wood tray.
Dry wood and no bark. I'd try and buy some wood chips and then try again that way you would know if its your wood.

cliffcarter · Feb 3, 2013

expat smoker said:
OK...got it and it's good to have it confirmed as I was suspecting both green wood and unseasoned wood. I do have another option that i read about recently.....coconut husks are supposed to be a good smoking fuel. Anyone heard of that??

Yes, coconut husks are used as fuel all over the world. I've sent you a PM with more info.

boykjo · Feb 3, 2013

Welcome to SMF expat. were glad to have you aboard..... I would shoot a private message to thailandphil what woods he uses for smoking. He is in your area and i'm sure he would be glad to gelp you out. You can also catch him in chat everyday around 7 or 8 am thai time.........

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/u/51593/thailandphil

Good luck and happy smoking

Joe

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