Creosote taste


 
B

Bill Greenberg

New member
I have been reading about the taste of creosote: too much white billowy smoke...need thin whips of blue smoke, but how?? More briquettes/less briquettes? More air from bottom vents/less air??

Please send advice on getting rid of this taste.

Thanks.

Bill Greenberg
 
Welcome Bill. Describe your start up, the amount of unlit to lit, type of charcoal and what wood species are you using, and chips or chunks.?
tim
 
The key is to let the charcoal burn until there is no visible smoke. When using the minion method this can take 30 to 45 min until the lit heats up the unlit to a point that it quits smoking. Then add your smoke wood which will be thin blue smoke.

Always make sure the top vent is open more than the bottom vents. This maintains a positive chimney effect. You don't want smoke "sitting" on your food. Rather, you want it to flavor the food on its way out the top vent.
 
Last edited:
Bill Greenberg said:
I have been reading about the taste of creosote: too much white billowy smoke...need thin whips of blue smoke, but how?? More briquettes/less briquettes? More air from bottom vents/less air??

Please send advice on getting rid of this taste.

Thanks.

Bill Greenberg
Click to expand...

IMO, don't believe everything you read. I load lit, wood and food at the start and have never tasted any off taste from the white smoke that I get at the start. Goes away shortly. Again, just my experience and opinion
 
I use the Minion Method. I start my charcoal in a chimney starter and leave it there for about 20-30 minutes. Then I add it to the center of my coal ring. I add the food right after. I only use one small chuck of wood. I don't taste creosote. When I first started out I used to use too much wood and the food tasted like it came out of a chimney. Keep the top vent open. Use the bottom vents to control the temperature. Best of luck.
 
Last edited:
I don't think I've managed to oversmoke anything on the WSM yet. I've come the closest on poultry which isn't that forgiving.
 
Odd, but I've never had a problem either. I do a Minion setup, and then add the meat. No waiting, no fuss, just good BBQ!

Dave/G said:
IMO, don't believe everything you read. I load lit, wood and food at the start and have never tasted any off taste from the white smoke that I get at the start. Goes away shortly. Again, just my experience and opinion
Click to expand...
 
V_Rocco said:
Odd, but I've never had a problem either. I do a Minion setup, and then add the meat. No waiting, no fuss, just good BBQ!
Click to expand...

Same here. Maybe a little more smokey than if you wait until the smoke dissipates, but I've never noticed an off taste from it.
 
Bill
I think I know what you're talking about. Next time cut your wood chunks in half. I started out adding to much wood chunks and it had a heavy smoke flavor. I cut it in half and it still has a smoke flavor, like a good Winston, tastes good, like a cigarette should.
 
Dave/G said:
IMO, don't believe everything you read. I load lit, wood and food at the start and have never tasted any off taste from the white smoke that I get at the start. Goes away shortly. Again, just my experience and opinion
Click to expand...

I agree with Dave. No problems here either, I light as I please.
 
Since I got my WSM a few months ago I have never had a problem either as I put my chimney in on top of the unlit and some wood and have always had great flavor on pork and turkey.
 
I had that problem with the 1st couple smokes I did, food tasted like it was cooked over a campfire...My last 2 have been excellent...the changes I made were to scrub the gunk out from my lid (as it smelled like ash instead of a smoked aroma that it has now) and used different wood as some people have mentioned I might have some tainted pieces in my bag from home depot. Not really sure if either one of theses were the solution, but things have been going better since I made the changes. Also I am getting far less smoke coming out the top at start up then before, which is obviously helping as well...
 
Last edited:
Just did my first attempt using a new WSM and it was a disaster. Got a very strong creosote flavour. I was using lump charcoal and it gives off ALOT of smoke when it is not properly lit and keeps giving off alot of smoke for about 45minutes to an hour. If I had waited until the charcoal was properly lit, I think it would have been OK.

I've changed to Aussie Heat Beads ( I'm in the UK so it's apparently the best option ) but I'm still a little confused on the minion method. If I understand right, the minion method is intended to have unlit charcoal in the WSM that will light as the existing lit coals reach them. That means I'll constantly be getting the initial white smoke, and that means the dog will get fat :)

Going for it today with the heat beads. Just wondered if there was something I'm missing.
 
I've been smoking in my WSM for about 2years. I use Kingsford blue bag and the minion method. I wait 40 to 60 minutes to add the meat and all goes well. Once the WSM had a few cooks under it's belt (well seasoned), all has been great. Before I got the WSM I lurked on this site and read a lot. My technique came from the accumulated wisdom of this site and it just works. Keep trying and maybe smoke chicken at first to get your technique down. It WILL get better.hang in!!!
 
Niall. I use AHB frequently. I have never had a creosote taste.
I'm in the middle of a PSB right now, using the Minion method.
I don't get any white smoke as the lit coals hit the unlit.
I use the tin can method, & as soon as they are dumped in I load up the meat and get cooking.
Nice to see another UK-er here. :)
Sorry for hijacking the thread.
 
Thanks all. I'll let 'er rip tomorrow with the aussie bricks and see how that goes.

Just picked up a full size Webber chimney from Argos for £19.99 ( bargain ) so I'll be doing a full Minion :)
 
Niall Mc said:
... That means I'll constantly be getting the initial white smoke...
Click to expand...

The lit heats up the unlit to a point that it quits smoking.


Dave/G said:
IMO, don't believe everything you read. I load lit, wood and food at the start and have never tasted any off taste from the white smoke that I get at the start. Goes away shortly. Again, just my experience and opinion
Click to expand...

Should we believe this after we read it? LOL. J/K of course. I think the key is experience ^^ like Dave said ^^. Over time you'll learn what to expect from your cooker in different situations. What works and what doesn't. More than one way to skin a cat.

Here's some good reading on the subject. Be sure to ck page 2. http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/fireup1.html
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top