Skip to main content

16 replies

Help me get that deep smoked flavor out of the FEC-100

FM Former Member
Ok guys help me. Please don't attack. Like some of you,I have been at this for a very long time. I have had several appliances for cookin "Q". I got rid of my Traeger BBQ075 and I have just sold my Oklahoma Joe vertical wood roasting oven because I got had ordered the FEC100. Now when I cooked my first batch of St louis spares and two pork shoulders on the FEC, they "cooked" fantastic. Everyone liked the pork ?? I thought that Somehow, that it needed more smoke depth in the meat...(lemme say it for one of you..maybe my tastebuds are shot)...So lemme say I need help. I am worried that when I cook a turkey I won't get that "deep smoke flavor that gets right through the breast meat to the core...like I got with the OKla. Joe. I realize that smoke flavor is subjective, I realize that some people get used to a strong smoke profile. I Acknowledge and agree that too much smoke tastes acrid and too much smoke can create a creosote covering that makes food bitter. I learned to make good BBQ with the OKlahoma Joe and avoided the negatives.. I fear that I won't replicate that deep smoked flavor when I wanna ..so, How do I do this with the FEC.. Period. Give me all the tricks you got. The Traeger had me frustrated. Bad pellets?? Traeger pellets were like cookin with tasteless balls of cotton Smiler I just used up my Traeger pellets and hope that was the problem. Could it be that the fans on pellet smokers cause too much air movement in the chamber and cause the smoke to circulate out of the smoker too fast? Stick burners don't have fans. I think thats how smoke permeates the food better. yes/no?? Im thinkin thats the difference. Tell me how to improvise to get deep down smoke flavor. turkey day is comin and I don't wanna take my turkey to have it smoked to the friend that bought my OKla. Joe! This thing has gotta pass the turkey test.
Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

M maxqMember
A few tricks being used to boost smoke flavor on the FEC include:


Start with Cookshack/Fast Eddy Pellets. The Mesquite pellets will provide the heftiest smoke flavor. Fast Eddy was selling 100% Hickory pellets some time back...dunno if he still is. Some folks were pleased with them. Traeger pellets are about as useful as rabbit food.

Some folks use a piece of green Mesquite or Hickory and place it above the fire pot so as to provide just enough heat to smolder the wood. You'll have to rig a wire rack in a "Z" shape to hold the wood.

Two stage smoking: start with a low temp of 170-180 for several hours, followed by a normal smoke temp of 225-275. The lower temp allows for more smoke as pellets convert smoke to heat at the higher temps.

Hope that helps.
M mwynnconcoursMember
I have also traveled the same path in search of that deeper smoke flavor. I have placed green wood slightly over the pot to plus up the smoke with varying results. A key learning was, the wood must be green or it catches fire, raising the temp and potentially killing the fire in the pot.
You are a brave man making the statement about lack of smoke flavor and risk public stoning. People are very sensitive about their $3500 dollar investment not meeting expectations and will turn the argument on you and your lack of BBQ pallet sophistication but do not be deterred.
I would also add that as your FE gets more use, you will get a deeper flavor. I had a Lang 84 and it gave a very different flavor than the FEC. I thought I would gain ease of operation with the same profile. The ease of operation is amazing but the flavor is not the same. You and I will have to adjust because people on the forum will tell you about competition wins being the proof
Please share your experiments and press on.
Good luck and God speed
FM Former Member
Some good excellent ideas!!! Keep em coming. To start, thanks for being considerate...I was hoping to avoid public execution/"stoning"Smiler I believe that product cooked out of these machines wins competitions for several reasons... they "Cook" very well...And.. the people competing in them have good recipes, processes and formulas. I would imagine that includes extra "techniques" used in the smoking process and wood used. In other words, there is little but "some" finesse needed with these devices at times to get the/YOUR desired result.

I'll start experimenting with putting some meat into the FEC and putting a small smoker box with a couple chunks of wood in it in the smoker with the pellet system OFF....I'll Smoke like that for an hour or more and then turn it on...

I need some opinion on this...
I think the fan circulating the air in the pellet systems reduces the penetrating affect of the smoke. I wonder how these would perform if the fan alternately turned off for short periods...I mean, it's so insulated, heat retention is just like an oven..how about the fan cycling on to get the enviorment to the desired temp then cycle off for a while and let pellets just smoke???

I'm just got to get used to this machine. I realize it still has to "season" and I haven't experienced "good" pellets beyond the "air" pellets I was using (Traeger). Now that I'm out of those things; perhaps I'll get better results. I'm gonna try each one of your ideas nevertheless.
FM Former Member
Try the mesquite pellets with the box at the bottom. I wouldn't worry about trying to turn off the fan since you should be able to get the amount of smoke you want using other methods.

Some like it smokey and some don't. In competitions we never add smoke unless we pull in late and have to cook the butts and brisket hotter than normal. With my normal time line, we use 100% hickory or a mesquite blend of pellets.
FM Former Member
quote:
Originally posted by mwynnconcours:
...
You are a brave man making the statement about lack of smoke flavor and risk public stoning. People are very sensitive about their $3500 dollar investment not meeting expectations and will turn the argument on you and your lack of BBQ pallet sophistication but do not be deterred.
Good luck and God speed


Not in this forum they don't, no stoning allow, just reasonable discussions. I've delete posts before for getting personal and I'll do it again. If you see such a post, PM me.

The issue is subjective. I can't tell you your smoke profile taste buds are or are not wrong. They are what they are. But no one says this is a 100% perfect replacement for every smoker out there. If they did they were wrong.

If you're used to a hard/heavy smoke from a large amount of logs, logic tells you that burning pellets won't get you the same taste. Without tasting your food I can't tell if what you made in the old smoker was or wasn't oversmoker. Key is it was what YOU liked.

The contest argument is just one to say that the judges don't notice the smoke difference or it wouldn't win.

The smoker works the way it does and will NOT please everyone. No smoker made does.

We can offer tips and suggestions to improve the profile, but in the end, your taste buds have to be the judge.
R randye 2Member
Blue Cloud,

I don't run a BBQ place, but I do a fair amount of Que. And several turkeys during the season.

I just wash the birds, dry, rub heavy with olive oil and then Lowery's poultry rub. And then smoke at 225 for the first hour then take to 250 for and hour then finish at 275.

I have been using BBQ'ers Delight pellets, cherry. But if you want more smoke I would go to the hickory, and last the Mesquite. A little of it goes a long ways. The most I have done at one time is 8, and everyone has always said they were the moistest and best tasting birds they have had.

RandyE

Add Reply

Post

Membership Required

We're sorry. You must be signed in to continue. Sign In or Register
×
Are you sure you want to remove from your Block List?
×
Loading...
×
When you block a person, they can no longer invite you to a private message or post to your profile wall. Replies and comments they make will be collapsed/hidden by default. Finally, you'll never receive email notifications about content they create or likes they designate for your content.
Note: if you proceed, you will no longer be following .
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×