Smoke, Charcoal and acrid taste

  • You have probably had this problem where you have taken a mouthful of your meat and it tastes acrid.

    Here's some things to watch out for.

    1) Make sure the charcoal is burning clean before you put the meat on.

    That means the smoke is clear or bluish.

    If the smoke is grey or white you need to wait. Example below.


    2) The other is the smoke point of the oil or meat fat.

    This is especially important in a Kamado using the deflector. If the meat juices and oils hit the hot deflector and it is at the smoke point the smoke generated is more than likely going to make your food taste acrid.

    I found this article "Cooking Fats 101: What's a Smoke Point and Why Does it Matter" is pretty good to explain smoke points and helpful for the temps I should use for roasts. http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/05/cookin…-it-matter.html

    Below is a smoking point table for popular oils and fats.

    To help with the problem you can put a drip tray on the deflector, you can add water in it, and if that does not work a hint I got from Urban Griller was to put in some noname kitty litter (brand name ones have perfume deodoriser in them), this will absorb the fat so it won't burn.

    Edited once, last by 12x7 (November 14, 2015 at 10:56 PM).

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