Little or no smoke flavor.

[Caryk]

Hey everyone, hope yall had a good Labor Day weekend. So I am posting this because I recently purchased a homemade 1/2 inch offset smoker. I have done about six cooks on it so far, mostly brisket. Been using pecan wood i bought from a wood seller near Bastrop Texas, i asked for the more dry wood than wet. Problem is I am noticing very kettle smoke flavor. Even a few days after the fact, so it cannot be desensitization from being around smoke all day. The pit runs amazing, mostly vapors, if not clear blue smoke. Anyone have any ideas whats going on? The bark and smoke rings are amazing also, food is juicy and tender just no smoke flavor. Only delicious meat flavor.

 

[GaryHibbert]

I don't really know what to tell you Caryk. By the look of things and what you say about the quality of the meat coming off the Q, it seems like the smoker is working real well. About all I can suggest is that you try a stronger wood. Pecan is, IMO, a medium strength wood. Maybe try hickory--very similar to pecan, but much stronger. Mesquite is another option, but it is a VERY powerful wood. I've found that a mix of pecan and mesquite (about 2/3 pecan to 1/3 mesquite works real nicely with pork.
Hopefully, someone who knows more about offsets will be along to help you out.
BTW, that's a good looking smoker.
Gary

 

[daspyknows]

I would experiment with the wood. Food looks really good.

 

[noboundaries]

If the wood is too dry it carbonizes too quickly. Not a lot different than burning lump. Try adding a water pan next to the firebox in the cook chamber. The extra moisture in the chamber will help condense smoky micro-droplets (aka steam) on the meat. My super-taster wife won't eat meat smoked in a moist chamber because she says it's too smoky.

 

[tag0401]

I agree with Gary. I also consider pecan to be a mild smoke and I personally mix with hickory or mesquite to get a little bit stronger flavor that works well with pork.

 

[Caryk]

I don't really know what to tell you Caryk. By the look of things and what you say about the quality of the meat coming off the Q, it seems like the smoker is working real well. About all I can suggest is that you try a stronger wood. Pecan is, IMO, a medium strength wood. Maybe try hickory--very similar to pecan, but much stronger. Mesquite is another option, but it is a VERY powerful wood. I've found that a mix of pecan and mesquite (about 2/3 pecan to 1/3 mesquite works real nicely with pork.
Hopefully, someone who knows more about offsets will be along to help you out.
BTW, that's a good looking smoker.
Gary

Thank you for the reply Gary, I will have to give some different types of wood a try next cook for sure! I'm sure mesquite will be easy to find around here

 

[Caryk]

I would experiment with the wood. Food looks really good.

Thank you! It was very good, just not enough smoke! I will update once I get some different wood to burn

 

[Caryk]

If the wood is too dry it carbonizes too quickly. Not a lot different than burning lump. Try adding a water pan next to the firebox in the cook chamber. The extra moisture in the chamber will help condense smoky micro-droplets (aka steam) on the meat. My super-taster wife won't eat meat smoked in a moist chamber because she says it's too smoky.

Thanks for the advise! I was running a water pan under the grate closest to the fire box. I had some 1/4" steel plates under for tuning plates so I set the water pan on top of those. Worked good except for the chicken sitting right above it, not even a smoke ring made it to those i guess because the pan was blocking the smoke from getting to it. Gonna try to find a way to get the pan to sit in the fire box some how. Or just set it on the bottom grate so some smoke can reach that area.

 

[thirdeye]

Change wood. Consider buying a firewood moisture meter, about $80.

The wood dealer I use has wood tested at 15% moisture content. It's usually split a few days before selling. When I get it, it actually smells like wood... This is before burning. When compared to chunks from 3 or 4 months ago, the difference is very noticeable. If you plan on stocking up for 6 months, get some on the green side so you can use it as it ages.

 

[Caryk]

Change wood. Consider buying a firewood moisture meter, about $80.

The wood dealer I use has wood tested at 15% moisture content. It's usually split a few days before selling. When I get it, it actually smells like wood... This is before burning. When compared to chunks from 3 or 4 months ago, the difference is very noticeable. If you plan on stocking up for 6 months, get some on the green side so you can use it as it ages.

He offered more green wood and i told him all dry for a cleaner burn. I guess when I use the dry stuff up ill go back and get the less seasoned stuff and see how it goes. I'll look up one of those meters also! Thank you

 

[Jonok]

Use mostly fruit wood here in Michigan because it’s free from the orchards, but in my opinion, the greener the better. You need something dry for heat, but wet wood on top of a well-managed fire. makes nice smoke.

 

[Caryk]

Use mostly fruit wood here in Michigan because it’s free from the orchards, but in my opinion, the greener the better. You need something dry for heat, but wet wood on top of a well-managed fire. makes nice smoke.

I have never tried the fruit woods before. Which do you recommend?

 

[Jonok]

I really like peach when I can find it, but cherry and Apple are most readily available to me and work very well too.