? Creosote taste

Plumberguy

Well-known member
Messages
195
Grill(s) owned
  1. Bull
Got a Bull a few weeks ago, have mostly enjoyed it, doing a big pork butt this weekend.

Twice I have had issues with the food tasting funny on the outside at least, somewhat like creosote. Both times, these were thin cuts of meat I put on at 225 for about 45 mins, one was salmon fillets, and the other was flat iron steaks. Both times, the meat was put on cold. Both times, I finish them by searing. But they really didn’t taste great.

My smoke in general seems somewhat thick intermittently at that temp, but not crazy, and not all the time. Using lumberjack supreme and pecan.

I’m thinking thin cuts shouldn’t be put in cold. Anyone raise the exhaust vent?

Any thoughts appreciated!
 
It's not something I've noticed, and pretty much everything I cook goes in cold.

Are you allowing the grill to preheat? I wonder if early smoke from startup might give an off-flavor.

As for the exhaust stack, my impression is the cap is mostly to keep out rain/debris. Keep in mind these units have a fan blowing air, unlike other cookers that rely on drawing air from a stack or vent.
 
It's not something I've noticed, and pretty much everything I cook goes in cold.

Are you allowing the grill to preheat? I wonder if early smoke from startup might give an off-flavor.

As for the exhaust stack, my impression is the cap is mostly to keep out rain/debris. Keep in mind these units have a fan blowing air, unlike other cookers that rely on drawing air from a stack or vent.
Preheated for 30 mins or more each time. Gonna clean her out a bit (just scrape and shop vac) before big cook this weekend. Be interesting to see what the bark on that pork butt is like.
 
You may have burnt your spice rub during the searing process.
Possible? Flat iron steaks last night just had small amount of Montreal steak seasoning and pinch chipotle powder, finishing sear done on grill grates on Weber gasser.
 
I assume you’re using food grade pellets? Are you accumulating a lot of grease on the drip pan? If the drip pan doesn’t drain correctly you could get some funky smells if you don’t clean it off for weeks.
 
The only time I've had an off flavor, The foil had some residual fat on it, and I attribute the flavor to smoking fat. I pay more attention to that now, and have had not further issues.
 
The only time I've had an off flavor, The foil had some residual fat on it, and I attribute the flavor to smoking fat. I pay more attention to that now, and have had not further issues.
Foil was kinda old. Gonna spruce up the inside, in general, with a plastic putty knife, vacuum, etc. Let y'all know how it goes. I appreciate the advice. My wife thinks I'm obsessed....She's not wrong..
 
Did the pork butt. Awesome. No weird taste. All good.
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