Toggle sidebar

A demonstration of creosote Part 1

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
Remove the Ads for LIFE - 50% Off!
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
johnmeyer said:
 
First of all THANK YOU for the a truly amazing, well-done test, and for taking the time to document it and post the result. This is really useful.

I'm still not entirely satisfied with my MES 30 Gen 1, specifically because of the smoke quality. I'm pretty sure that many things I did when I was a newbie fifteen months ago ended up creating creosote. I sure did get some tongue-numbing nuts, and believe me, you don't want your nuts to numb your tongue.

I switched to using the AMNPS, and that helped some, but I found that I still got bad smoke at low temperatures. Your test reveals some of what may be happening, although I always keep the vent wide open, and also added a mod in place of the chip loader which significantly increases the airflow through the smoker

I know there are threads about the importance of TBS, and other posts about improving the quality of the smoke. Some of these talk about the water pan (pretty clearly a bad idea to use in an MES); some talk about temperatures (the colder the smoking temperature, the more likely to have creosote problems); the venting (the subject of this thread); the source of the smoke; and more.

Of all of these, the mailbox mode seems like the most likely thing that would further reduce the bitterness. Do you have a mailbox mod and, if so, would you be willing to do one more test using that? I have been meaning to build some variant of the mailbox mod, in hopes that creosote would condense in the mailbox and/or the duct connecting the mailbox to the smoker, but since it requires an hour or two of work, I was looking for some additional, concrete reasons why it would be a good thing.

If you do the test, I'll pay for the whiskey.

[edit]P.S. I'm simultaneously following this thread:

Clean, Cool Smoke via Thermodynamics

That thread leads to this blog post:

Smoke Direct vs. Indirect

which begins to answer some of my questions about using an external smoke box.

These two threads together are providing all sorts of great ideas of how to get a better result.
Click to expand...
I don't have a mailbox for my MES or my big electric vertical smoker.  I know a few local folks that do, so perhaps a 6-pack and some time on one weekend we could make this happen.  Not this weekend though, he'll be watching some game on TV.
 
What another excuse for some CR better stock before disagreement between the boarder people and they raise the tariff
laugh1.gif
Great test cranky waiting to see what happens at 225.

Warren
 
Wade said:
 
I agree with you Tom about how easy it is to over smoke cheese. I am not so sure about judging it totally by colour though as it will depend on the smoke. I usually find that with the thin smoke, if you can see colour it is already over smoked with some woods.
Click to expand...
Wade, I whole-heartedly agree with you. It is the reason I emphasize keeping good notes on your smokes including, the wood being used, the type of cheese, and the resulting color when your taste has been reached, as all can be different.

Tom
 
CrankyBuzzard said:
 
That's another reason that I used the apple pellets, light colored and light smoke overall.

I have 20 pounds of mesquite pellets, that would make for a very different color and overall creosote experience.  But, always a but, I do plan to continue using my smoker and don't want to have to spend 8 hours burning it out and cleaning it up when this is all said and done.
Click to expand...
Lol yes - Mesquite and Apple - the difference between a large espresso and decaf 
biggrin.gif
 
I love doing research!

greek.PNG

greek.PNG


From this link

https://books.google.com/books?id=OCTzAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA152#v=onepage&q&f=false

Here it is written a bit differently...

"commonly found inside chimney flues when the wood or coal burns incompletely, producing soot and tarry smoke, and is the compound responsible for the preservation and the flavor of meat in the process of smoking. The name is derived from the Greek kréas  (κρέας), meaning "flesh", and sōtēr  (σωτήρ), meaning "preserver"
 
CB just likes doing the testing so he can drink his Whiskey 
biggrin.gif
    No,  great info Charlie I like the comparison  I've been saying that forever "Chimney Wide open" 
yahoo.gif


icon14.gif
 
icon14.gif
 
icon14.gif


Gary
 
I'm in for this one Cranky! Looking forward to round 2! But I'm pretty sure you already know what the outcomes will be. Further proof you are just doing this for the whisky!

point
 
Cranky,

THANK YOU!
77.gif
I have tried to explain to hubby why you just want TBS and the way to get it, but he just was fighting me on it,
wife.gif
( I thought about doing a Chicken with the vent closed and let him TASTE the difference, but didn't want to hear the complaint of how it would taste. ) He is of the mind that the more smoke, the more flavor, and I really don't want him trying his method and me having to clean my smoker.

He is learning, he reads some posts, and I try to expound on them so he understands, but it is slow going. He is of the mind that if a little is good, more is better.
hit.gif
 (No real cooking ability, at all!)
 
PBM, you have the right idea. When smoking foods, look at it as if you were filling a glass with milk, whether you poor fast or slow, when it’s full it’s full. To try and add more will only make a mess, as demonstrated in CB’s experiment. 

Tom
 
Last edited:
Wow, I didn't realize I had posted a soapbox for the care and feeding of pellets and started a no nuke campaign as well...

So will part 2 start the foil/no foil debates all over? :icon_rolleyes:
 
Last edited:
gr0uch0 said:
Thus why I bowed out some time ago and apologized for hijacking your thread, Charlie....
Click to expand...

It's all good, I was acting like an educated donkey with my last post.

I'm sure a mod will clean it up at some point. If not, the first page still has good info! :laugh1:
 
CB, Excellent Post. You took the time to a side by side comparison  Great info for everyone. Looking forward to #2

Gary
 
HUGE clean up on this tread.  

Most of you know it was hi jacked...    

Back on topic.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Similar threads

BigBryanSr
Advice on smoking bone-in ribeye's on Reverse flow offset
Replies
11
Views
641
Messages for All Guests and Members
BigBryanSr
BigBryanSr
W
Probably ruined 20 lbs of bacon
Replies
14
Views
2K
Bacon
wvengineer
W
crankybuzzard
Do you have a snack stick locker?
Replies
14
Views
1K
Blowing Smoke Around the Smoker.
Culinary Otter
Culinary Otter
A
Modifying a Yoder Witchita
Replies
10
Views
335
Smoker Builds
Adamg
A
G
Effects of Acids on Sausage Texture: Chorizo Criollo Argentino 3 Ways + Beer & Hot Links
Replies
7
Views
281
Sausage
geostriata
G
Its_Raw
Offset Smoker Cleaning - Citrusafe?
Replies
8
Views
655
General Discussion
Its_Raw
Its_Raw
BGKYSmoker
Pickled Eggs
Replies
35
Views
2K
General Discussion
KBFlyer
KBFlyer
C
Supllueer Smoke Generator
Replies
8
Views
1K
Info and Practices
BigW.
B

Latest posts

Hot Threads

Top Bottom
Back
Clicky