Pre-Heating my Smoker

[craigp]

Everything I’ve read and heard, says that meat catches the most smoke when the meat is cold. Every pellet grill I’ve owned, emits a ton of smoke as it’s pre-heating. I hate wasting that smoke, so I’ve started placing my meat on my smoker before firing it up. This seems to introduce more smoke, and prevents the sudden heat loss that happens when you open the lid after the grill has finally come up to temperature. I cook by temp, not time, so this practice doesn’t affect my cook times. Does anyone else do this? Is there a negative to this practice?

 

[Gonefishin]

I wait for it to reach temp and put the meat in straight from the fridge while others let the meat come up to room temp, more or less.

from what I’ve read, you are supposed to smoke when you have blue smoke, as in smolder. I believe when it’s coming up to temp it is burning, as opposed to smoldering.

I’m no chemist so take it for what you paid for it.

 

[Pacman]

Hardly scientific, but it seems like, as @padlin00 stated, the initial start up combustion is different and likely would produce a harsh, bitter smoke. I know that smelling the billowing smoke on startup has a different smell to it compared to once everything is cruising along for the rest of the cook.

On a long cook, it may not be a bad idea to capture some of that heavy start up smoke, but I've never thought of trying it, probably because most of the time I'm doing a lot of long overnight cooks and I'm sort of tossing the meat on and going (back) to bed.

If you try it, let us know how it works out.

 

[Jim6820]

I believe the smoke from startup IS different! When the grill is heating up, it is burning off residue from previous cooks, along with the gases from the initial burn of pellets. It probably won’t hurt you, but I don’t think it would taste very good.

I always preheat my grill in order to get to the clean smoke stage. Been doing it that way since my stick-burner days, and my stick burner was one of the first things Noah unloaded from the Ark when he finally made landfall.

 

[Freedom Forged]

So, what is the 0-400 chicken I keep hearing about? I may be misunderstanding the concept but I thought it was putting chicken on a cold grill and setting the temp to 400 to take advantage of the considerable smoke at startup. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Thanks for the discussion.
David

 

[Jim6820]

I think you are understanding the concept correctly and I’m not saying folks don’t (or shouldn’t) use it. I’m just old school and don’t think it is the best way to do it. YMMV

 

[Motodad1776]

NO way I would put meat in upon ignition/warm up, that smoke just isn't a clean burning smoke.

 

[craigp]

I’ve tried it both ways and I honestly can’t tell any difference in taste. I wasn’t sure if it was a good idea or not, hence my question. I don’t want to ruin any meat, so I’ll go back to the tried and true. Thanks guys.

 

[DenStinett]

OK, so if the Start-up Smoke isn't clean and maybe best not to cook in, but as Freedom Force mentioned, the 0 - 400 Chicken involves using Start-up Smoke
What about waiting until the Firepot is running a bit cleaner ?
Say putting the Chicken in when the Grill hits 50 - 75 ?
50 - 400 Chicken

 

[Greg Jones]

I preheat before putting anything on the grill. I also know that the 0-400 chicken is popular now, but I’m more than happy with my processes to cook chicken whole/parts so I’ll be the curmudgeon that stays with what works! Cheers!

 

[Jim6820]

I preheat before putting anything on the grill. I also know that the 0-400 chicken is popular now, but I’m more than happy with my processes to cook chicken whole/parts so I’ll be the curmudgeon that stays with what works! Cheers!

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!

 

[Freedom Forged]

I tried 0 - 400 thighs on top rack of my 1070. 0, meaning starting with a cold cooker. I detected no harsh taste and neither did the others that ate them. I'm not saying one way is better than the other or disputing any other method folks want to use, just my experience this time.
David

 

[Motodad1776]

This is why we experiment, and share the results.

 

[SmokeOCD]

I don't cold start cook as suggested in the 0-400, but if you're starting with a clean grill it can't be that bad. (IMO) Most of us have cooked on a different grill (non-gas) where the fuel burns less than optimally, I have even read other opinions that that's where the characteristic flavors come from whether it's stick or charcoal you're burning.
I use the startup heat to loosen things up and clean my grates so I may not try it, but not because it's a bad thing.

 

[Dr.Floyd]

I have cooked some meat straight from the fridge to the smoker and some that I let the meat rest and slightly warm up before putting it on. I have always preheated the smoker before putting the meat on. The reason why I have done this is that I think if you put a piece of cold meat on a cold smoker it creates more condensation as it heats up. Just my observation, not sure how accurate that is.

 

[okie]

Start up smoke is dirty. In fact it is not the puffy thick white smoke that does the job. It is the "blue" less visible smoke that is desired. I agree with Jim and OCD and Greg.

 

[dosmas2xs]

Everything I’ve read and heard, says that meat catches the most smoke when the meat is cold. Every pellet grill I’ve owned, emits a ton of smoke as it’s pre-heating. I hate wasting that smoke, so I’ve started placing my meat on my smoker before firing it up. This seems to introduce more smoke, and prevents the sudden heat loss that happens when you open the lid after the grill has finally come up to temperature. I cook by temp, not time, so this practice doesn’t affect my cook times. Does anyone else do this? Is there a negative to this practice?

IMO - If you're looking for more smoke add a smoke tube, don't use the start up smoke it's dirty

 

[DD owner]

I noticed an "off" smoke flavor on a batch of pheasant I did a week ago today and I think it came from when I went from 180 to 325 degrees. When I turned the 700 up it rolled the white smoke as it does during warm up and there was a hint of that smell/flavor on the bird when eating.