Wondering if I ruined my bellies ??? I have a Char Griller offset smoker. I tried to toss a ridiculous amount of smoke on the bellies by using chunks, chips and also pellets on a very cold night and put a little snow on top of everything to keep the flames down.
Guess what didn't work ?? or maybe I needed more snow or a few water spritzes on the wood. In any case, I went out about 3 hours later to check to see how things were going and when I opened up the offset barrel, all the wood was ash, and there were almost no coals left smoldering. Everything had burned up. Normally, I can get about 3-4 hours per load of chunks and chips, but I had never tossed pellets on the pile as well.
When I opened the smoker and looked at the bacon, it was BLACK. Internal temp was only 100, but the exterior of the bellies was an oily black mess. Not burnt or crispy, but it was definitely covered in black. Guessing that when the wood / chips/ pellets caught flame, it also burned all the soot off the offset barrel and then this drifted across the bellies leaving a black residue that smelled like a house fire as the outside of the offset smoker now has the paint burnt off.
Since it was cold, 35-38 that day, I left the bellies in the smoker but opened all the dampers and flue in an effort to air them out. That nite, I literally scrubbed and washed off as much of the black as I could and then let them air dry for another 36 hours. This morning I tossed some pecan into my AMNPS and I am hoping the 36 hour air dry and the follow up pecan smoke will make the burnt house smell go away. Every time I try to rush bacon, it does not come out as well as when I take my time.
Any other suggestions ? soak in maple syrup ? soak overnite in water and then re-smoke, Let it air age for another few days or week ? or chalk it up to stupidity and toss out 24 lbs of pork belly and start over ?
Suggestions ?????
Guess what didn't work ?? or maybe I needed more snow or a few water spritzes on the wood. In any case, I went out about 3 hours later to check to see how things were going and when I opened up the offset barrel, all the wood was ash, and there were almost no coals left smoldering. Everything had burned up. Normally, I can get about 3-4 hours per load of chunks and chips, but I had never tossed pellets on the pile as well.
When I opened the smoker and looked at the bacon, it was BLACK. Internal temp was only 100, but the exterior of the bellies was an oily black mess. Not burnt or crispy, but it was definitely covered in black. Guessing that when the wood / chips/ pellets caught flame, it also burned all the soot off the offset barrel and then this drifted across the bellies leaving a black residue that smelled like a house fire as the outside of the offset smoker now has the paint burnt off.
Since it was cold, 35-38 that day, I left the bellies in the smoker but opened all the dampers and flue in an effort to air them out. That nite, I literally scrubbed and washed off as much of the black as I could and then let them air dry for another 36 hours. This morning I tossed some pecan into my AMNPS and I am hoping the 36 hour air dry and the follow up pecan smoke will make the burnt house smell go away. Every time I try to rush bacon, it does not come out as well as when I take my time.
Any other suggestions ? soak in maple syrup ? soak overnite in water and then re-smoke, Let it air age for another few days or week ? or chalk it up to stupidity and toss out 24 lbs of pork belly and start over ?
Suggestions ?????
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