Bad smoke day WSM

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BrianGSDTexoma

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Aug 1, 2018
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North Texas, Texoma
Smoked a turkey and half pork butt. Butt had bad black smoke on it and tasted bad. Turkey was better. I used one of these hickory pieces. On top of charcoal. Was a little big and water pan lifted a little. Used the BQQ Guru like normal. Guess time to give smoker good cleaning and toss that wood. 20210922_133850.jpg

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I wouldn't toss the wood just yet, Brian. I don't know what a BBQ Guru is but that butt looks just plain burned/overcooked.
There's something else going on....
 
Man Brian, that's a shame to hear. We all know though that not every cook is gonna come out perfect. I agree with SmokyMose SmokyMose about the wood. I hardly think that's the problem but best of luck on the next one my friend.

Robert
 
The butt is 160 with 2 probes in this pic before foil. Not over cooked. It ended up very moist but bad taste. Smoker ran 250 using 2 probes also.
 
I've had the same thing happen with my 14 when I use bigger wood chunks . Not sure if its air flow or it just likes smaller chunks .
 
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Okay. I'm now thinking the wood actually caught on fire. 🤷‍♂️
I've had the same thing happen with my 14 when I use bigger wood chunks . Not sure if its air flow or it just likes smaller chunks .
That makes sense. How is the question and why didn't the "Guru" pick up on it?
It looks like did catch fire but had high alarm at 275 and never went off. It was good clean smoke when ever I looked. I also think chopsaw right about 2 big of wood. I tried to look at Inkbird graph but it gone know. At least I found it has a messed up probe now. I washed them this morning and probably got some water. I will drop in over or deep fryer. I going back to the RecTec for now. I usually prefer smoke flavor of the WSM. Been looking for used 22".

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Sorry to hear about the failure, it happens.

Good news though. Tom Thumb and Albertsons have $0.97/lb Pork Butts on sale as of today. If you wear a Cowboys jersey (or often a shirt or just a hat) on game day you get 10% off your whole bill so you can bring that down to about $0.88/lb :D
 
What was the bad taste? That should tell you the issue. Nothing wrong with high temps on a butt. I cook them around 275 and get them same exterior, nothing but deliciousness.
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Sorry to hear about the failure, it happens.

Good news though. Tom Thumb and Albertsons have $0.97/lb Pork Butts on sale as of today. If you wear a Cowboys jersey (or often a shirt or just a hat) on game day you get 10% off your whole bill so you can bring that down to about $0.88/lb :D

Wish they had that deal here although it would take 90% off for me to wear a Cowboys jersey. Go Niners. 😃
 
Bury the wood UNDER the cold charcoal. Add the hot to the top of the pile. The wood preheats and carbonizes more cleanly. Wood on top, whether splits or chunks, WILL burn and give off bad smoke.

I bury splits in my WSM. Start with a SLOW fire (8-10) hot briqs, let it come up to temp over and hour or two, then add the meat. One of those wood splits will give flavoring smoke for the entire smoke.
 
Bury the wood UNDER the cold charcoal. Add the hot to the top of the pile. The wood preheats and carbonizes more cleanly. Wood on top, whether splits or chunks, WILL burn and give off bad smoke.

I bury splits in my WSM. Start with a SLOW fire (8-10) hot briqs, let it come up to temp over and hour or two, then add the meat. One of those wood splits will give flavoring smoke for the entire smoke.
I too give wood first shot at incoming oxygen. Any reasonably carbonized hardwood charcoal won't have enough volatile compounds content remaining to negatively affect the food. There is one exception to this, large pieces of some lump charcoals can have trapped pockets of unconverted resins, I've experienced that, but very rarely. The worst examples I personally encountered were B&B Oak Lump around 2008. B&B Charcoal is a completely different operation now since it was purchased by Duraflame several years ago, the lump charcoal manufacturing is all in Mexico now, and the vareities are now "Hardwood Blend with (Oak, Hickory, or Mesquite)". If you're near your smoker when there's such a pocket you'll know it. Pulling the peice out ASAP, or opening the air registers and running higher temperature with enough incoming oxygen until things line out is another way to address this. JM2C.
 
Bury the wood UNDER the cold charcoal. Add the hot to the top of the pile. The wood preheats and carbonizes more cleanly. Wood on top, whether splits or chunks, WILL burn and give off bad smoke.

I bury splits in my WSM. Start with a SLOW fire (8-10) hot briqs, let it come up to temp over and hour or two, then add the meat. One of those wood splits will give flavoring smoke for the entire smoke.
I will try that. Thanks.
 
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Sorry to hear about the failure, it happens.

Good news though. Tom Thumb and Albertsons have $0.97/lb Pork Butts on sale as of today. If you wear a Cowboys jersey (or often a shirt or just a hat) on game day you get 10% off your whole bill so you can bring that down to about $0.88/lb :D
This was doomed from the beginning. I took out what I thought was a boneless half to make ham. A whole butt to much for me so usually use the bone in half for sausage or chunk in for stews. I have a whole and a half still in the freezer but may go get one so I can get it in the cure.
 
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This was doomed from the beginning. I took out what I thought was a boneless half to make ham. A whole butt to much for me so usually use the bone in half for sausage or chunk in for stews. I have a whole and a half still in the freezer but may go get one so I can get it in the cure.
Isn't a bad day smoking still better than a good day at the office?
 
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Bury the wood UNDER the cold charcoal. Add the hot to the top of the pile. The wood preheats and carbonizes more cleanly. Wood on top, whether splits or chunks, WILL burn and give off bad smoke.

I bury splits in my WSM. Start with a SLOW fire (8-10) hot briqs, let it come up to temp over and hour or two, then add the meat. One of those wood splits will give flavoring smoke for the entire smoke.
This the first time since that bad smoke using the WSM. Still have not got that taste out of my head. Doing a pork butt. Should of took pic of wood but as big as the other was. Here it is ready for morn. Going with 250 I think. Foil at 160.

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