Help, smoked asparagus, tastes sooty.

[jamie krasnoo]

Hey all,

I'm wondering if you could help me diagnose what I'm doing wrong when I smoked my asparagus today. I placed my asparagus in the smoker on the top grate and put hickory chips in and smoked it for an hour. I had it up at 275 degrees. When it was done the asparagus tested pretty good but I noticed a slight sooty taste to them. It kind of was a bit of a killjoy. Is that sooty tone normal or did I do something wrong?

Jamie

 

[mr t 59874]

 
Hey all,

I'm wondering if you could help me diagnose what I'm doing wrong when I smoked my asparagus today. I placed my asparagus in the smoker on the top grate and put hickory chips in and smoked it for an hour. I had it up at 275 degrees. When it was done the asparagus tested pretty good but I noticed a slight sooty taste to them. It kind of was a bit of a killjoy. Is that sooty tone normal or did I do something wrong?

Jamie

You added to much smoke. If the asparagus was cool or damp when you put it in the smoker, it would have added to the problem. Just because you are using a smoker, doesn't mean smoke has to be applied the entire time you are cooking. Cutting back on the amount or type of chips may solve your problem also.

T

 

[daveomak]

Smoke should not be applied to cold or wet food...  Heat the food in the smoker while no smoke is being applied...   that will dry the surface and warm it to stop condensate....

 

[jamie krasnoo]

Ah okay. I started the smoke as soon as I put it in. I coated the asparagus with olive oil, salt and pepper. Is the olive oil not a good idea? So next time what I'll do is wait about, what, 20 minutes before putting in the chips and make sure it's only a small amount of chips?

 

[daveomak]

I think the oil is OK.....   Let the asparagus warm up and less smoke sounds like a winner...

 

[mr t 59874]

 
Ah okay. I started the smoke as soon as I put it in. I coated the asparagus with olive oil, salt and pepper. Is the olive oil not a good idea? So next time what I'll do is wait about, what, 20 minutes before putting in the chips and make sure it's only a small amount of chips?

Do this experiment. Take two fingers, coat one with oil, leave the other dry. Put both in a bowl of flour and let us know the results.

You will do good by cutting down on the smoke.

T