What's a man to do?

[jpietrantone]

So after getting my Masterbuilt 1050 modded up the way I wanted it with a secondhand fireboard drive I got a great deal on, and the stainless steel racks from LSS mods, my wife informs me that she doesn't like me meat because it's too smoky. Mind you, I used two chunks of post oak in the ash pan and ran only KBB in the hopper. Even the next day, I can barely taste the smoke on my chuck roast and eye of round. 😪

Thinking that it was just something odd about this past experience, she goes on to tell me that the chicken quarters I hung on the WSM 22 with ONE chunk of apple was too smoky as well and wished I would just grill it on the weber kettle. I then explain that it's basically the same thing since I'm running the WSM at 350ish. And that I did it that way for the time savings since I cooked 2 chickens.

All that to say, I told her that a pellet grill would probably fit her taste buds better because it has a lighter smoke profile and give a hint of it on the meat. She quickly agreed. 😂

So, I guess that means a pellet grill my be in the future after Christmas. 🤣

[jfmorris]

Well, I guess I am lucky that my significant other has only complained once of my food being too smokey, and that was some chicken meatballs I smoked recently, and she said she would have preferred I do them in the oven. They did soak up a lot of smoke in just 30-40 minutes on the kettle. Aside from that, ribs, pork and brisket - no one in the family ever complained they were too smokey. Chicken I never use smoking wood with though - just run it indirect on the kettle/kamado/offset.

I do think that KBB produces more smoke on ignition of new briquettes, and in a gravity fed smoker like the MB 1050, that could be a factor. Maybe you should try some B&B briquettes or lump if you can find it. I get mine at Academy, but I think Ace carries it as well as Lowes. I find it to burn much cleaner than KBB. In other words, I would try a different charcoal before I gave up on your WSM or MB.

[jfmorris]

jpietrantone she make like Kingsford for grilled stuff, but I am thinking she doesn't really like it for smoked stuff, which spends a lot longer with constantly igniting KBB. That KBB puts off a lot of white smoke as it ignites compared to anything else I've used.

[jpietrantone]

jfmorris You are correct as always. B&B is sometimes hard for me to find, but I will be on the lookout. Thanks!

[Murdy]

I did get some B&B at Ace last week.

[MBMorgan]

"After Christmas"??? You need to work on developing your MCS super power. In this case, you give HER the pellet cooker for Christmas and graciously offer to operate it for her. As a reward for selflessness in the line of marriage, get yourself a nice new grill or smoker, too. Easy 😎👍

[jpietrantone]

MBMorgan Yeah, that would be very considerate of me! I have never tasted anything off of a pellet grill so honestly have no idea what they are like.

[atlpbc]

I can only tell you that the first "serous" grill/smoker we tried was a Traeger. We love the smoke flavor. I had to sell the Traeger within a month. No matter which food: chicken, ribs, steak, etc. no smoke flavor.

Ended up with a Pit Barrel Cooker.

Looking now to replace a Weber propane with the Masterbuilt, so here I am...

[Dan Deter]

SWMBO doesn't like much smoke (possibly because she's a super-smeller/taster), so that's one of the big reasons its always been a pellet-pooper on my list. I do wish I could get her to agree to one that easily, though!

[jpietrantone]

Oh she hasn't given me the green light...yet! But I do think she will like it more. But maybe the charcoal change will take care of it in the meantime.

[jfmorris]

jpietrantone another thought is that you do your next smoke on the WSM or MB1050 without any wood chunks, as a test. If she still says it is too smoky, you know its the KBB that is the issue.

For some strange reason, some folks just do not like or tolerate smoked meat well. Does she like bacon? That usually has a smoked flavor.

[jpietrantone]

jfmorris I've thought about doing that as well. She loves bacon and definitely likes a hint of smoke. I've just been struggling to figure out what the right combination is.

Everyone else who likes bbq likes my food except for her. It's always just meh.

[RonB]

My wife is not a big fan of smoked protein. She does like grilled food with just a hint of smoke though. She sometimes goes on and on about how great this dish or that dish is, but it's never with something smoked.

[jpietrantone]

She very well may be the same way. But she does like it from a few local joints...granted, I think those must be cooking with pellets because I don't taste any smoke and definitely prefer mine. I'm hoping I can find some happy medium in the middle somewhere.

[jfmorris]

jpietrantone you say she likes some BBQ from local joints.... I have yet (around here) to find anyone smoking commercially with pellets. Most commercial smokers are either a full on all-wood pit at a place like Dreamland (here in Alabama), or else they are smoking with a commercial natural gas powered smoker, which uses logs in a special compartment to produce smoke. That is what they do at some of the chain BBQ joints around here, like Moe's Original BBQ.

My findings are that I probably get less "smoke" taste if I run my offset with only oak or something like that, than I get if I run my offset with charcoal and hickory chunks for example. I feel that it is smoky, and has a good bark, but that the high airflow of the offset leads to a different product than I get on a kettle or kamado. And I do attribute some of that to the continual ignition of briquettes leading to a different type of smoke. That said, I've not run all wood on the offset in several years, as it is too much work. I have to cut the wood in half, split it with a hatchet to smaller pieces, and feed the fire every 30 minutes to keep a small but hot fire. Too much work for me, given that all the family loves the results I get from the kettle+SNS or the SNS Kamado or even the offset with a minion setup of charcoal and wood for supplementary smoke.

[jfmorris]

Con't

I think the lump will have less potential for off-putting smoke flavor than any briquettes. Closer to clean wood smoke anyway.

[jpietrantone]

jfmorris I'm right there with you. I also work from home now since last March. But, I don't have time to do fire management on a stick burner and also have to take and pick up my daughter from daycare each day. Since we live a ways out, that's 2 hours gone on the front end and back end. Looks like my Academy has B&B lump and Pecan wood splits. I will try to split them smaller and go this route for my next try.

[jfmorris]

jpietrantone you MIGHT want to run a test cook with JUST the lump and no wood at all, to see what she things. Might not be smoky enough for you, but might be a good test before adding back a bit of wood.

[FireMan]

The point is being missed here! In some cases it may be the smoke & in some case it is not the smoke. Perception can be everything. She wants something grilled on the kettle, with something lightly smoked, tell her it was cooked just the way you wanted it & see what the reaction is. It just may be all the "smoke" you have floating around ya that is affecting her.

[STEbbq]

I think Fireman has the best idea. I also like switching to lump and stopping the use of Kingsford. I hear way too many complaints on taste and smell on that brand.

[STEbbq]

I mentioned lump but something like B&B charlogs are also good. They are excellent and can easily replace serve as a briquette replacement. I used them for a while and was happy with their performance as a briquette. I see the issues with finding B&B, maybe start with Fireman’s suggestion and/or switch to a quality lump like MB before trying a new and easily available local briquette.

[rickgregory]

As far as B&B... Ace will ship it to your local store and it seems there are several in your area. https://www.acehardware.com/search?query=B%26B

[jpietrantone]

Yes they do. I just picked some up at the Academy since their prices are a little better. But thanks for the tip!

[jpietrantone]

Just an update, I smoked a chuck roast, beef shoulder, and a rack of St Louis ribs on Monday using a few Pecan splits and B&B lump. Everything turned out fantastic, and most importantly, the wife was happy with the amount of smoke. Thanks everyone for your advice!

[HawkerXP]

"Happy days are here again!"

[jpietrantone]

HawkerXP Thank God! I was about out of ideas but knew the Pit would come through for me.