Smoke (Alton Brown)

[HankB]

Just watched an episode of Good Eats where AB talks about BBQ. Of particular interest is his explanation of smoke at 29:20 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTXXnqt0I1M.

The entire episode is worth watching. Also up for discussion is his wheel installation visible at 24:53 

I enjoyed the entire episode.

[1buckie]

@ 35:20......"As far as I'm concerned, BBQ sauce is the last refuge of a BBQ scoundrel.............."

[bryanw21157]

Thanks for the link!

[mike.stavlund]

That's a great episode. 

At about 38:00, you can see where he drilled holes in his leg sockets to attach an ash ring too.  (He must be a fan of the H-style ash sweep like me.)

...and it seems like you'd want to turn your top vent to the side *opposite* the fire.  Maybe that was an oversight, or maybe it works better.  Never tried it myself. 

[sunsanvil]

Great post.  Wish I had seen it a couple days sooner....

Being noobs but wanting to be all hip with smoke, we yesterday bought some mesquite chips, soaked per the instructions, put just a few on the coals.... a promptly got engulfed in VERY visible smoke!

The cooking grate (and presumably everything else the smoke contacted) instantly turned a golden brown...which I assume is the bad stuff he discusses in the video.  Doesn't seem to want to come off with the SS brush.  Hitting my head against the wall right now thinking I've ruined our brand now OTG...

[1buckie]

   sunsanvil 

I really don't believe you've ruined anything, but try using dry wood, perhaps larger pieces, if available & only a personal preference here, but avoid mesquite....it really puts a heavy flavor quite & is a pretty oily wood (seems you know this already )



This is small oak chunks,



used for a quick cook, seen here ~~~>

http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/food-pr0n/pork-tenderloins/

You can pretty much add wood for flavor to any cook, but always keep in mind the wood itself is also added fuel, meaning added heat.....that mesquite is one of the hottest............


If you'd like to use chips, just load a large handful in a double or triple thick aluminium foil packet
( make one up by hand ) wrap semi-tight (so the chips don't punch thru ) poke 4~5 small holes in the packet, get rolling on your cookup & flop the packet on the coals.......it will huff & puff for 15~30 minutes & pretty much let you know by looking when it spent.....more smoke? more packets........

Or, you can just be silly like me & throw loose chips on the coals, they burn faster, but you'll still get the flavoring.....

As far as cleaning what you have layered onto the surfaces, not sure what would work good.....you could do the whole take apart scrub down, into the garbage bag with oven cleaner, hose off, dry off, re-assemble, run a load of charcoal to make sure cleaners are gone.......


.....OR, like I do, just keep cooking.......the wife went out & bought her own OTG brand new after this: "I smelled all yours & they ALL smelled like smoke..."

[MacEggs]

What 1buckie said above ^^^^^^^

Lately, when I add the lit charcoal to the kettle, I also add the wood chunks for the pre-heat stage.
Initilly, lots of white smoke. After about 25-30 minutes, add your food and such.
I can usually get the desired blue smoke after doing this. I use fruit wood (apple, pear, and cherry), and sugar maple.

[sunsanvil]

My mistake, it was Hickory...but it still smoked up like crazy!  Scared to try it again for fear of the dreaded "bad" smoke...

[1buckie]

Hickory is also fairly heavy, maybe try cherry or apple to start with....they're lighter in flavor & will  get you into the game a little easier without going overboard..........i'd hate to see you shy away from a whole 'nuther aspect of things from one or two bad experiences........

See what MacEggs is saying about getting the wood going & burning clean, then add the food......that order of appearance may work better when you're just starting out with such things......

[mike.stavlund]

If a grill stained with hickory smoke is wrong, I don't want to be right. 

;-)

[Duke]

I am just finishing this video after four days of trying.

Alton's full of it."BBq sauce is what people put on bad bbq to make it taste like good bbq"

First, I love bbq sauce on the side and don't want to eat bbq without some because it tastes good.

Mesquite, my favorite smoke wood overall, not giving it up ever! I don't usually use it for long cooks like pork because I like oak or peach better with pork and with beef it's usually oak or walnut. With chicken and fish it's always mesquite preferably manzanita when I have it.

Does anyone here regularly brine their butts? It looks like a good idea and I might give it a try on my next one.

[G$]

I like AB. I think he was way off base on a few things in this episode.  His style is somewhat conveyed in 'absolutes', which rubs me the wrong way at times.  That statement was one of those times.  All in all, I actually did not care for the episode.

When he had the guru hooked up to the kettle, was the top vent closed?

[sunsanvil]

If a grill stained with hickory smoke is wrong, I don't want to be right. 

;-)

But if I somehow felt...compelled to try , is baking soda ok for plated grates and the inside of the lid?

[Duke]

I like AB. I think he was way off base on a few things in this episode.  His style is somewhat conveyed in 'absolutes', which rubs me the wrong way at times.  That statement was one of those times.  All in all, I actually did not care for the episode.

When he had the guru hooked up to the kettle, was the top vent closed?

Yeah, he has some good ideas, but his word isn't law. I mean, I highly doubt any of us is going to run out and buy a hot plate anytime soon. LOL!

I did like the way he put two rib racks together to fit those ribs. For smoking on the OT kettle I just barley crack the bottom vent and let it rip. It doesn't need to stay locked at 225 for the whole cook, just close.

I also think he uses too many gadgets and too many steps for "bbq". Yeah that's right, you could have done all of that at the same time with one 22.5 WSM an RK or two regular 22.5 kettles for that matter and skipped the rest.

I vote we send Buckie over there to punch him in the nose! Then give him a lesson on bbqing the Weber way.

[Duke]

But if I somehow felt...compelled to try , is baking soda ok for plated grates and the inside of the grill and the inside of the lid?

Fogettaboutit! Just keep on smoki'n!