Grease fog - I've just about had it

[smokeasaurus]

You're right, Smoke. It's a totally different cooking process, regardless of how similar they may appear.

PBC chicken is even vastly different than grilled chicken in a Weber kettle (in my experience). They're the same chicken, over the same charcoal, cooked with lids in place and thick grease smoke rolling out, etc. It must be due to the different distances from the coals. PBC and drum chicken, hung up high toward the lid, is more "in the fog" than grilled chicken, and therefore picks up more of the fog's flavor.

Exactly, Rocky Richmond from North Carolina (he kinda pioneered the expensive Mfg built UDS drums) called it an old time "Grand-pappy" flavor. Some folk just don't care for it. I can't get enough of it but I aint called Smokeasurus for nothing. Heck, I don't care for food off of WSM's....go figure....

[amshepar]

I think 1.5 hours should be closer to the right cook time too.  This could vary a bit, but not a full extra hour.  I recently switched to Royal Oak briquettes from Kingsford (the suggested brand of PBC) in the PBC.  It makes the charcoal flavor a little more subtle than the Kingsford does.  It seems to cook food in the same amount of time for me and the start times are the same.  Also, I use a pretty large amount of lighter fluid.  It is a ton of charcoal in there. 

I use a full basket of charcoal, I use the lighter fluid method, and I let it go for 20 minutes before placing the meat.  I have this part down to a science and don't alter it in any way.  Also, I only open the lid once.  That's to flip meat on the grate halfway through.  This step is not necessary as it will cook evenly without flipping, but the very subtle grill marks created help with the presentation to others (I do have an exception when making wings, where I will baste and cook on an open flame the last 5-10 minutes).

[Bart57266]

I do love smoke flavor from real wood, but that isn't the same as the smoke/fog from dripping juices.

[smokeasaurus]

My off-set has a entire different flavor to it than the PBC

[jjjonz]

I have smoked on lots of smokers over the years and thought I could turn out some pretty good bbq. Honestly since I have had my PBC folks are raving about what comes off of it. Now if it is you that doesn't like the food that comes off it might be it's just not for you. If ALL the people eating it says they don't like it.....you are definitely doing something wrong. Now this is just my opinion and my wife says my opinion don't mean crap most of the time. 

[Chief Mac]

I have smoked on lots of smokers over the years and thought I could turn out some pretty good bbq. Honestly since I have had my PBC folks are raving about what comes off of it. Now if it is you that doesn't like the food that comes off it might be it's just not for you. If ALL the people eating it says they don't like it.....you are definitely doing something wrong. Now this is just my opinion and my wife says my opinion don't mean crap most of the time. 

JJJonz
Was it you that was questioning a creosote taste from the PBC cooks that you were doing? Someone told someone to perform a self clean or burn out at the end of their cooks. I cant remember the exact facts. The problem maybe a grease fog buildup on the sides and lid from a few cool temperature cooks and not burning off the residue build up? If that was your post about the creosote how did you correct the issue? Just asking.
CM

[Aclarke44]

In my opinion you aren't getting hot enough fire to start.   You should have some smoke but you described a thick smoke which you shouldn't have.  I believe your not getting a complete combustion of your coals meaning to cool of a fire which is giving you the nasty taste. 

[DWard51]

That's exactly what it's from, because the only difference between a PBC and a bullet smoker (besides venting and internal shape) is that bullet smokers have water pans. That's where all of the juices go, rather than onto the coals to vaporize and create smoke.

Don't get me wrong, everybody; I'm not knocking the PBC. I just need to know if the flavor I'm getting is what I'm supposed to be getting. If it is, then maybe the PBC isn't for me. If it isn't, then I'm doing something wrong.

Either way, something has to change.

I've done chicken in my WSM without the water pan at high temps and not had this problem.  I only go the flavor I expected from dripping chicken fat over coals (it was good).  Could also be the charcoal source?   

[tlg4942]

 I may have missed this early on but is this an issue with pork as well?
Tim mentions trimming the fat on the chicken and I think this needs to be done and would at least help.
 Have you tried a different brand of chicken? What I have noticed and maybe even posted on a while back is that some of the chicken is so pumped up with fat and fluid these days.
 I bought a couple chickens (in a yellow and green package) that lost so much moisture durning the cook I could put my fingers in between the skin and meat. And a huge cloud was coming out of the grill from these drippings. Plus the skin is tough as leather! Really odd.
 I went back to the organic chicken I had been buying (they are smaller ) but I think we know why... No issues with it.
   
 I'm not using a PBC but I saw the same issue on the infra red grill with the fog and the extreme fluid loss on IR grill , SRG and smoker...

[Jaxon]

I have an idea, sir...

Why don't you plan to come to Fall Cookout and meet some of these guys face-to-face.  It will be a great time to share ideas and pick a few brains (we'll only have a few).  We'll be cookin' and tellin' lies if you get my drift. 

Check the map and check your schedule for Oct 9 - 10 (possibly 11th)...Friday, Saturday, and maybe Sunday...in Byron, GA (google maps)

Details coming soonly.

[jjjonz]

I have smoked on lots of smokers over the years and thought I could turn out some pretty good bbq. Honestly since I have had my PBC folks are raving about what comes off of it. Now if it is you that doesn't like the food that comes off it might be it's just not for you. If ALL the people eating it says they don't like it.....you are definitely doing something wrong. Now this is just my opinion and my wife says my opinion don't mean crap most of the time. 

JJJonz
Was it you that was questioning a creosote taste from the PBC cooks that you were doing? Someone told someone to perform a self clean or burn out at the end of their cooks. I cant remember the exact facts. The problem maybe a grease fog buildup on the sides and lid from a few cool temperature cooks and not burning off the residue build up? If that was your post about the creosote how did you correct the issue? Just asking.
CM

It was me Chief...I thought I knew it all and was starting off with not hot enough fire. Once I started using it like it was designed all my were problems solved. Old habits are hard to break sometimes. 

[drholly]

I may have missed this early on but is this an issue with pork as well?
Tim mentions trimming the fat on the chicken and I think this needs to be done and would at least help.
 Have you tried a different brand of chicken? What I have noticed and maybe even posted on a while back is that some of the chicken is so pumped up with fat and fluid these days.
 I bought a couple chickens (in a yellow and green package) that lost so much moisture durning the cook I could put my fingers in between the skin and meat. And a huge cloud was coming out of the grill from these drippings. Plus the skin is tough as leather! Really odd.
 I went back to the organic chicken I had been buying (they are smaller ) but I think we know why... No issues with it.
   
 I'm not using a PBC but I saw the same issue on the infra red grill with the fog and the extreme fluid loss on IR grill , SRG and smoker...

I think this is an interesting point that is often overlooked. I have occasionally tried to save some money on chicken or other poultry, as well as other meat -looking back, usually it turns out less than good - regardless of the cooking method.

[IR2dum]

Why don't you plan to come to Fall Cookout and meet some of these guys face-to-face.  It will be a great time to share ideas and pick a few brains (we'll only have a few).

I will be one of the many that will be attending without the brain.

[Bart57266]

In my opinion you aren't getting hot enough fire to start.   You should have some smoke but you described a thick smoke which you shouldn't have.  I believe your not getting a complete combustion of your coals meaning to cool of a fire which is giving you the nasty taste.

At first I was letting the coals burn too long, and they wouldn't last as long as needed. Noah and Amber had me limit the initial burn in a chimney to 12 minutes, then 15. The last cook, I used the lighter fluid method and let them burn about 15-20min. They were definitely hot when the chicken was hung, and there was lots of sizzling throughout the cook. Still, you may have a point.

[Bart57266]

I may have missed this early on but is this an issue with pork as well?
Tim mentions trimming the fat on the chicken and I think this needs to be done and would at least help.
 Have you tried a different brand of chicken? What I have noticed and maybe even posted on a while back is that some of the chicken is so pumped up with fat and fluid these days...

Pork ribs lean toward this taste, as well, but the flavor isn't as intense as with chicken.

I purchased the chicken from a local meat packer, and made sure to ask if they inject it with anything. They said they don't, and it doesn't look puffed up in any way. I think trimming the fat is a great idea.