How strong is the nitrate content left over in ashes?


 
J

Johnathan West

New member
I ask this because something strange happened to me last night.

It was about 50f outside last night and I'd been running my smoker at about 170f overnight. By the time I woke up next day at noon, everything looked fine and dandy until I tried to clear out the ashes.

The ashes came out just fine, but under the thick layer of ash there was a pile of mud that smelled like urine.

Normally I'd chalk this up to home security issues, but I'd just wanted to know if it could've been condensation gathering at the bottom of the smoke reacting with the nitrite in the ashes - there was a very thick (at least an inch or so) of ashes on top, and doing a number 1 on top of hot coal seems to be the least productive way to mess with me when they can just as easily ruin the meat.

Anyhow I'm going about burning out the smoker right now, just wanted to know if this was "a thing that happens" or whether I should start thinking about a nighttime security system.
 
Is this a belated post from April first?

I have never heard of any of the issues mentioned. Maybe my security system is better, I don't know.
 
Timothy F. Lewis said:
Is this a belated post from April first?

I have never heard of any of the issues mentioned. Maybe my security system is better, I don't know.
Click to expand...

I wish it was, because I'd hate to think someone would walk over to my back yard, take off the midsection from my smoker, **** in the bowl, put it back on, then go on their way.
 
Yea OK:confused:, neighborhood dogs or what type of charcoal are you using. I use all types of charcoal and after a rain the sludge never smells like that.

Tim
 
timothy said:
Yea OK:confused:, neighborhood dogs or what type of charcoal are you using. I use all types of charcoal and after a rain the sludge never smells like that.

Tim
Click to expand...

Just normal briquettes. Royal oak if it makes a difference.
Added some hickory wood chips for smoke. At this point it really does sound like someone decided to **** in my smoker. I guess it's daytime only from here on out.

And if it is urine I highly doubt the neighbourhood dog can place the midsection back on a WSM. It'd be impressive to see at least.
 
I'm not doubting you Johnathan, just confused and throwing out some possibilities.
I use RO alot and never had that problem...

Tim
 
What had you been smoking?
My brother does cabbages with a knob of butter in the core spot, there tends to be quite a bit of moisture there but, I don't know about any amalgamation of ash and butter smelling like urine. How would that moisture reach the ashes though, do you have a neighbor with a pet monkey and a grudge?
There has to be more to the story, somehow, somewhere?
 
Timothy F. Lewis said:
What had you been smoking?
My brother does cabbages with a knob of butter in the core spot, there tends to be quite a bit of moisture there but, I don't know about any amalgamation of ash and butter smelling like urine. How would that moisture reach the ashes though, do you have a neighbor with a pet monkey and a grudge?
There has to be more to the story, somehow, somewhere?
Click to expand...

I was smoking some pork belly and sausages (supermarket bratwurst) with a full water pan. I didn't really need to put the sausages on but hey if you have the space...

What I think happened is that the fire went out by itself before dawn, and what with the smoker cooling down it might've been a lot of water that decided to drip into the bottom of the bowl.

But now that I think about it, most of the ashes that I saw on top of the foul mud must've got there when I shook the charcoal grate down. So it must've been urine that tainted the ashes since I can't see ashes smelling like **** by itself without some alchemy involved.

I guess the best way to find out is to watch the fire tonight to see if the problem gets replicated. I'll get back with this.

Edit: Maybe not tonight since it's going to rain. For several days in a row.
 
Had to be from the water pan, only time I seen some thing like that was after a rain and I didn't close the top vent all the way...Smelled and look just like you described.
 
Do you honestly believe someone may have put on their heat-resistance gloves, walked over and disassembled your unit, and relieved themselves?
 
I've had neighbors that I might have considered that with but, a flaming bag of brown marshmallows would have been just as much fun! I have not done either though.
 
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