# Smoker question



## Bigfisherman (Apr 22, 2005)

I have a smoker question, 
I've been told some of the meat I take off the smoker has an overpowering smoky flavor. If I were to wrap in it foil, part way through cooking would that help? If so, would I wrap it at the beginning of the cook or towards the end? 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.


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## tomsurles (Jan 16, 2012)

I too had this problem when I started smoking meat. Foiling will work, plus it keeps the meat moist. Its drawback is it affects the bark. If you watch BBQ Pitmasters you'll see a lot of them foiling their meats for the same reason. That show has given me a bunch of tips on how to smoke meat. You just need to determine how much smoke you want on the meat. I also found out using the hickory flavored Kingsford you don't need to use as much,if any, wood chips. Hopefully Paymaster will chime in, he is the resident pitmaster/bbq guru here..


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## Paymaster (Jan 22, 2009)

Foiling definitely helps on ribs. As far as foiling Boston Butts, or brisket, I hardly ever do that. The meat interal does not get that smoky to me and once butts are shredded down and mixed well, the BBQ is usually about perfect in smokyness. If I foil butts or brisket, it is to push them thru the plateau/stall faster. On ribs, I smoke for 2-2.5 hours then wrap with foil and add in some apple juice. I don't unwrap them until the ribs are just about done and then put them back in the cooker,unfoiled for 30 minutes or so to dry them a bit or to sauce them if I am saucing.


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## Bigfisherman (Apr 22, 2005)

Thanks for the replies Pay / Tomsurles. I'm going to have to give these suggestions a go.


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## sudshunter (Jan 20, 2008)

Paymaster said:


> Foiling definitely helps on ribs. As far as foiling Boston Butts, or brisket, I hardly ever do that. The meat interal does not get that smoky to me and once butts are shredded down and mixed well, the BBQ is usually about perfect in smokyness. If I foil butts or brisket, it is to push them thru the plateau/stall faster. On ribs, I smoke for 2-2.5 hours then wrap with foil and add in some apple juice. I don't unwrap them until the ribs are just about done and then put them back in the cooker,unfoiled for 30 minutes or so to dry them a bit or to sauce them if I am saucing.


I like the rib recipe you thru in gonna have to try it. My grand father told me ribs have an arch to them for a reason, so you can place 3 ice cubes under a full rack of ribs wrap in foil tightly place on hot grill ice side down cook 30min. turn over cook 15-20 min. and finish in the smoker to dry them and they never come out to smokey....


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## WNCRick (Sep 24, 2007)

Something else to think about, make sure your smoke is "thin and blue", not a white billowy smoke stack at any time. Also, if your smoker has an upper vent it should be completely open (I ruined a butt that way once).

Good luck

Rick


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## Bigfisherman (Apr 22, 2005)

Always wide opened? Thought you could choke it down to maitain heat and smoke?


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## Eattheflounder (Apr 24, 2011)

Bigfisherman said:


> Always wide opened? Thought you could choke it down to maitain heat and smoke?


+1.

I smoke low and slow. Open the top too much and you have trouble keeping the heat just right.


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## Excalibur (Oct 27, 2004)

+1 to WNCRick's comment

If you're getting thick white or gray smoke coming out of the smoker, you're probably smoking a little too hot and having your wood chunks/chips actually combust. The goal is to get them slightly smoldering and maintain that by controlling the flow of oxygen and heat. That's what will produce the thin blue smoke. You can also try soaking your wood chunks and/or foiling them. The thick white / gray stuff is acrid and will impact the flavor of your meats. If you want to read more, here's a really great forum: http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/

You'll see that they refer to thin blue smoke as TBS


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## WNCRick (Sep 24, 2007)

Depends on your smoker what vents you have, I would never choke an upper vent at all. I have two lower and one vent on top, I can control temp with lower vents and leave upper completely open. If its an offset smoker you should be able to control heat with the dampers and leave the chimney wide open....


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## Eattheflounder (Apr 24, 2011)

*Yes, this overpowering smokey flavor can be a very serious problem.*



Bigfisherman said:


> I have a smoker question,
> I've been told some of the meat I take off the smoker has an overpowering smoky flavor. If I were to wrap in it foil, part way through cooking would that help? If so, would I wrap it at the beginning of the cook or towards the end?
> 
> Any advice would be greatly appreciated.


I agree, this is a very serious problem. This is my advice. Send it to me and I will make sure that it is properly disposed of. You do not want to have your family and friends eating this awful stuff.

ETF


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## Bigfisherman (Apr 22, 2005)

LOL ETF, I think we may be related. Sounds like something I would say.


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## WNCRick (Sep 24, 2007)

replying to original thread..............then just over smoke your meat and quit askin questions.........problem solved... looks like you found your answer, just send the creosote filled crap to a creosote eatin brethren.......problem solved


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## WNCRick (Sep 24, 2007)

can't fix ignorant............


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## Eattheflounder (Apr 24, 2011)

Bigfisherman said:


> I have a smoker question,
> I've been told some of the meat I take off the smoker has an overpowering smoky flavor. If I were to wrap in it foil, part way through cooking would that help? If so, would I wrap it at the beginning of the cook or towards the end?
> 
> Any advice would be greatly appreciated.





WNCRick said:


> can't fix ignorant............


Huh?

Some people like to have fun and joke around on the forum. Some people take things way too seriously and like to call people that they have never met ignorant. 
Why would anyone want to post here if people are going to get pissy over a friendly conversation about cooking in the backyard.
You do not know me and you don't know anything how I cook, and you are going to call me ignorant? I would suggest that you look up the word ignorant in the dictionary.
I don't know why you would want to resort to name calling over such a simple subject. I usually come to this site for conversation with friendly people with similar interests. In recent weeks I am beginning to think I have that wrong.

ETF


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## WNCRick (Sep 24, 2007)

you are correct ETF, all apologies, it happens. I must admit I visit several smoking forums and even tho the subjects are beat to death there that doesn't mean they are obvious here on a fishing site, you are correct........again, all apologies 

Rick


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