Smokin-It User Forum!
General Discussions => Mods and Adjustments => Topic started by: duckjockey on August 25, 2015, 11:59:47 AM
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The posts by Super Dave and Divotmaker back in Feb about creosote buildup on the tops of their smokers makes me ask, are you worried about that same substance being deposited on the meat?
Duckjockey
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Here is a photo of some eggs that I did at Easter. I'm guessing that our food gets some creosote. Maybe more or less depending on how clean of a smoke we have but some nonetheless.
(https://www.smokinitforums.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi40.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fe204%2Fdave_rce1%2FIMG_0160_zpss66vwtzp.jpg&hash=7dac2df5ce25b7802b722f4cae6c5921ce7ace31)
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Clean smoke (per session) or clean box?
I didn't get an FDA letter yet, so all is well. I'd imagine any charcoal or wood stick burner would be the same.
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I think the wall surfaces of the box are no different than the surfaces of the meat. So, clean smoke session. i.e. light smoke versus heavy smoke. The subject of quality wood with moisture is directly related to this topic.
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Super Dave,
Great picture--if those eggs had been 'blown', they'd be smokin' works of art!
"Clean smoke" in any smoker might be an oxymoron, but producing smoke that's low in creosote depends not only on low resin wood, but also high temperatures. Since the wood chunks used in electric smokers smolder at low temps, it's likely that they are fairly high in creosote and other undesirable chemicals.
I know that Smokin-It recommends putting cold meat in a cold smoker before turning it on, but that might also create an issue: smoke condenses on cold surfaces, and if the meat and walls are cold, and the smoke starting up from the initial heating of the element contains a lot of creosote, it will be deposited on any cold surface it touches. I don't know how much difference it makes to preheat the cabinet and put in room temp meat, but it might be worth trying.
Still, I suspect any smoking method is going to create creosote and other harmful chemicals, and deposit it on the meat. I'm just wondering if a hot charcoal and wood chunk fire would be less prone to that problem. ???
Duckjockey
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Watched an Alton Brown episode on TV and he claimed that creosote increased exponentially with combustion.
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I believe we're confusing smoke build up with creosote. Dave's eggs are just build up from the smoke (golden brown). To me, creosote is black and bitter (think of what a railroad tie looks like). The only time I get a creosote build up is when I've had several rounds of wood combustion. I have black on the door, and the inside of the smoker. Since I've gone with better wood, the inside of my smoker stays a nice shade of brown. No matter how you heat it, smoke is dirty! It has particulates that stick to things - including our meat (that's why it works). Please don't report me to the EPA... ??? The brown buildup is caused by the smoke mixing with moisture. If you look at liquid smoke, it's brown, but it isn't creosote.
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Thanks for that summary.
EPA only cares about coal, we are safe for a while:)
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That is unless you believe those that think we are giving ourselves cancer.
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Thanks for that summary.
EPA only cares about coal, we are safe for a while:)
Don't be so sure about that! This guy may show up in your driveway!
BBQ Police (http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2015/07/27/florida-residents-warned-by-county-environmentalist-to-keep-barbecue-smoke-in/)
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I heard about this, but I thought it was commercial use in residential neighborhoods.
Hey, people vote these people in.............wadda you going to do!
In Cali, you already can't have mowers and leaf blowers over certain decibels, I'm sure they will be the test run area for the smell police. As beautiful as Cali is, no good from government comes out of that state.
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Yeah, John, I thought it was a joke, too, until I saw the video! Can you believe that? This was in Florida, but these zealots are everywhere! I'd love to introduce this guy to my Meathead (Cyrus, the English Mastiff), should he choose to question me about smoke from my SI! HaHaHa!! He may think twice about his opinion concerning BBQ smoke! ;D ;D
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You guys may have missed one of the follow up videos. The guy in question was doing commercial smoking in his backyard and selling it on the street corner. It looked like the California wildfires in his backyard.
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You guys may have missed one of the follow up videos. The guy in question was doing commercial smoking in his backyard and selling it on the street corner. It looked like the California wildfires in his backyard.
Guess I didn't see that, but still, what's the problem? It's BBQ smoke, not a tire fire! I wouldn't mind living next door to a good BBQ restaurant! ;D
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I am with you Tony, if next door to BBQ might be able to get some wood very late at night at a really good price. ???
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I am with you Tony, if next door to BBQ might be able to get some wood very late at night at a really good price. ???
No kidding! One stick would last us a year, and they'd never miss it!! LOL! ;D
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This is the first time I saw this video and I can't believe that the smell of a good ol' BBQ would put people off and complain to the city. Would the city issue notices to BBQ restaurants where the smoke drifts into an adjacent residential area?
I can always smell McDonald's or BK from a mile away.... Just saying....