Amerique 066, smoke flavor tastes strong...Help!

I have a Amerique and get good results in mine what are the temps that you are cooking at? where is the wood coming from? is your wood dry?

As an owner pf both an FEC100 and an AQ I can tell you that the smoke profile from the AQ will be more pronounced, in general.

Some AQ tips:
Be sure the AQ is well seasoned, at which point all that's needed to maintain the seasoning is a 4" putty knife to lightly knock lose debris off the top, walls and bottom of the cabinet.

Be sure the elements make contact with the bottom of the wood tray to ensure a "clean", steady burn.

Replace the foil over your wood box and the bottom of the smoker after EVERY smoke.

Keep the wood chunks dry. They should always smell like wood with no musty odor.

Finally...less is more, especially with ribs and chicken. Use a 2 oz chunk...TOPS. WEIGH IT. If that produces too much smoke, try 1 oz. The only time I use more than 2 oz is for briskets or butts and then I'll increase to 4 oz.

I always use Cookshack wood chunks...Hickory, Apple and Cherry. I cook briskets and butts at 250, ribs at 275 and chicken at 300.

Hope that helps.

quote:

Originally posted by nutrientcobra:
... strong taste, almost bitter smoke taste. To me it seems like creosote or something.

It's too much wood. You didn't say how much you were loading. Whatever it is, cut it in 1/2 and see how it goes.

It's not a contest with other people on how much or how little wood, your tastes buds are saying with that bitter taste that there is too much smoke for you.

Keep in mind, wood is for flavor only. The heat comes from the AQ, the wood is for taste.

Try some pecan, cherry, or oak instead of the hickory. Hickory by nature, has a bitter taste if one is not accustom to it.

Agree with cal, try some Pecan.
W
ayne B

I always knock off the bark on the wood chunks. That makes a bitter smoke.

I agree with the guys above. Pecan is my new favorite on anything. Smells wonderful while burning and adds a really nice flavor. I use apple on all my pork as well. I just did 17lbs of bacon and used 1/2 pecan and 1/2 apple.

I have found that less is more! I do not use anything over 4oz now in my SM025. I do need to scrape some stuff as MaxQ mentioned, but otherwise everything taste good for me.

Try a smoke with no wood at all and see what you get, because if you are well seasoned then this would give you a good point to start from and only go up a bit from there, then you can really tell at what point you'll get what you like. Good Luck.

When I was a stick burner I used nothing but Hickery and lots of it, now that I have my 40 I don't use hickory at all. Way to bitter for me now. Pecan, cherry, apple are what I use.

Thanks everyone for all the input. I am using dry wood and I did use hickory chips. The amount I used was a tablespoon. I am cooking at 180 for about 15 mins and than crank it to 250. I bet you everything I have done is wrong. I will get some chuck hickory, go easy on the smoke and see if that works. I love my Charbroiler. I got the big one and am not sorry a bit since I only use about one burner most of the time. I am just a novice and need a lot learning. Thanks for the advice fellow cookers, pros and alike. Shane

If it's bitter, to much wood try Vicki suggestion. Do a cook without wood.

quote:

Originally posted by nutrientcobra:
Thanks everyone for all the input. I am using dry wood and I did use hickory chips. The amount I used was a tablespoon. Thanks for the advice fellow cookers, pros and alike. Shane

the chips will burn off a lot faster than the chunks!

quote:

Originally posted by logger10:
So I have a question for anyone who can help. My amerique is getting moisture in the controller just like the last one that they replaced!I thought about trying to seal the holes where the wires leave the cabinet and see if that helps. Any input?? Cheers, Don

I think you are getting blow back from the vent hole. I made a little shield out of foil to direct the airflow away from the controller and have not had a problem since. Give it a try, the shield is about 3 inches tall.

quote:

Originally posted by Cook One:

I think you are getting blow back from the vent hole. I made a little shield out of foil to direct the airflow away from the controller and have not had a problem since. Give it a try, the shield is about 3 inches tall.

can you post a picture of how and where to place the shield??

logger,

Start a new thread since your topic is new (and one that might interest others). It will just get lost inside a thread about Smoke Flavor.

Moisture in the display window? Or inside the controller?

I would also call CS and tell them you're having the same problem. The moisture is getting in there from somewhere.

Sorry I asked here. In the window so obviously in the controller too. I've taken care of it

quote:

Originally posted by logger10:
.. I've taken care of it

What was the resolution, others that have the same issue might want to know.

I just started a post dealing with the same issue. Regardless of how much wood I use or what type I get a thick white acrid smoke pouring from the Amerique. I have had a 55 for 8 plus years and never had an issue.

White smoke will always come out of the smoker. Just how it works that when wood first ignites, it is burning off the impurities. If it's a big deal with you then give the white smoke time to burn off then put the food in after that.

There will be a period of white the blue/clear. The question is duration. Just because you don't see smoke doesnt' mean it's not there.

It's not a normal point we've had of food being oversmoked in the electrics unless it's just too much wood. So we'll have to sort out how to help with it.

I have posted my limited experience with the 066 elsewhere and the issue of smoke. What I found was the hickory wood chunks I was using with the smoker weighed roughly 4 oz each, and using 2 of them was beyond over smoke. I halved them to 2 oz each and now get great results with just one. If I need to use two pieces, I know I am using 4 oz rather than 8. Just a suggestion but I would weigh a couple of pieces and see what you have. Sometimes less is better. Also, the amount of thick white smoke and its duration has diminished greatly.