# Seasoning smoker, ammonia odor?



## sjturbo (Jul 20, 2016)

Here is a strange one. I have an OK Joe Longhorn combo and did the initial seasoning today. Sprayed the interior with canola oil and brought the temp to 250 for about four hours using Kingsford "regular" brics. As the heat died down I opened the cook chamber and got the odor of ammonia. Not impressed! Did I do something wrong? Has anyone heard of this before? Do I need to re-season? Please help!


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## jasper7 (Jul 21, 2016)

That does sound like a strange one.  My only thought would be to fire it up again, bring it up to temp, and then let it cool down.  This time have someone else there to get a second opinion, when it cools off.  If you still smell ammonia, then I'd try contacting the manufacture.


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## chef jimmyj (Jul 21, 2016)

Can't think of any reason or ingredient in Canola Oil or Kingsford to cause that. Your neighbor Hoarding Cats?
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






  Burn it out again with briquettes from the same batch and no oil and see what happens...JJ


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## daveomak (Jul 22, 2016)

And run the temp up to 450.....    AND an interesting read......

*Common Complaints About Kingsford*

I talked with Bob and Kelly about the three most common complaints I hear about Kingsford.

*Smell*
Some people find the smell of burning Kingsford to be objectionable, especially during the early stages of lighting. The word "ammonia" is often used to describe the smell.

Bob said there’s no ammonia in the product and nothing that would produce ammonia during lighting or burning. Charcoal briquettes give off all sorts of compounds when burned, including sulfur oxides (SOx), nitrous oxides (NOx), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and gases that have no taste or odor like carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2). Bob suggested that perhaps it was the SOx and some of the VOCs coming off the fire in the early stages of lighting that people find objectionable. However, as the fire intensifies, the heat of the fire consumes some of these compounds, which explains why the smell diminishes once the fire gets going.

My reading on the Internet about SOx indicates that it has a strong, pungent, stinging odor, so perhaps it is the major culprit. I’ve also read that burning raw wood releases all of the compounds listed above plus more. Lump charcoal has many of these compounds burned away during the charring process, which explains why it has less smell when burned than a charcoal briquette that contains sawdust and other heat-producing ingredients like Kingsford.

As a follow-up, I asked if there is a coating or a layer on the outside of a Kingsford briquette that smells funny at first, but then burns away with time. The answer is no. The product is continuous through and through.

http://virtualweberbullet.com/kingsfordreport2.html

http://virtualweberbullet.com/new-kingsford-original-charcoal-briquets-formula-for-2015.html


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## sjturbo (Jul 22, 2016)

Thank you very much Dave and Jimmy for taking the time to research and respond to my "odor" issue. I believe that I have found the origin. I did not mention (as I should have), that I used Permatex 81160 Red gasket sealer to seal the two halves of the smoke chamber as well as between the smoke chamber and cook chamber.Checking the manufacture's specs. it indicates this sealer is food safe to approx. 600 degrees. I waited 24 hrs. for the sealer to cure and then started the curing process. I seems as though 24 hrs. was not enough. Since the smoker has completely cooled the odor has dissipated. I will start another burn and this time stoke it til it reaches around 450 and see if the odor persists. That may be tomorrow morning as it is 109' outside currently and I burn easily.

Thanks again, and sorry I did not include information regarding the sealer in my original post.


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## mrgtiguy (Jul 24, 2016)

Use lump. Sure it doesn't burn as long, but it's pure wood. That can't be said about kingsford.


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## sjturbo (Jul 25, 2016)

Pure wood sounds good!


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## ncgrillmaster (Jul 25, 2016)

Aren't Kingsford briquettes made with a petroleum based binder, as opposed to Stubbs briquettes which use a vegetable binder? I stopped using Kingsford for that reason, and also a chimney starter with paper rather than petroleum fluid. I would eliminate all the petroleum products.


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## chef jimmyj (Jul 25, 2016)

NCgrillmaster said:


> Aren't Kingsford briquettes made with a petroleum based binder, as opposed to Stubbs briquettes which use a vegetable binder? I stopped using Kingsford for that reason, and also a chimney starter with paper rather than petroleum fluid. I would eliminate all the petroleum products.


To the best of my knowledge, Original Kingsford, including the updated 2015 formula, has never contained Petroleum anything. The Binder is Starch. There is lots of info on the history and various changes to Kingsford Briquettes. Kingsford Match Light, however, does contain a petrolium lighter fluid that is supposed to burn off. I was able to still smell it well into the burning process and only used it once many years ago...JJ


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## lovethemeats (Jul 26, 2016)

I used to use a gas grill. Then switched to kingsford years back going with traditional style charcoal  grill. I use the  chimney starter with paper to. Can't stand using the lighter fluid and can taste it in the food even when the Briquettes have burned down and almost burnt up. Nasty taste. Lump coal briquettes are a safer way as its all pure wood. It burns up quicker but you can add it to the grill while cooking your food with no chemical taste getting into the food. While watching tv one day I came across the show How's It Made. Kingsford was the one they were showing. They showed the process of making the briquettes. It was interesting and they even stated what they used in making them as for the binding agent. After seeing that one later on I caught another one showing how lump coal is done. No chemicals in the process at all. All pure wood. I still use the kingsford briquettes in my grill but only for long grilling times. Lump coal is still my first choice. Cleaner burn. I have nothing bad to say about a propane system. I changed over due to the kids getting in my backyard and turning on the grill and running the gas out on me. Then when I went to use the grill. Container was always empty. At 20 bucks a pop to get it refilled. It was getting expensive for me.  Plus the kids did not realize how dangerous it was with what they were doing. Back then I had no garage to store it in and I wasn't going to bring it in my home to store until needed. Here is something that I believe.  Don't trust big companies.  They won't tell you everything. They are in it for one thing. Profits. Everything seems to be going to other countries to be made cheaper.  At one point. When will we see the ever famous statement on the bag. Made In China. As with Permatex 81160 Red gasket sealer. You trust what they state? What chemicals are leaching out of it while your cooking.


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## sjturbo (Jul 26, 2016)

Good responses. I know that others have used similar sealers and have not reported any ill effects but then asbestos was used in clothing too. So I do intend to season the smoker at a reasonably high temp for some time to insure that the sealant is well cured but one never knows.

Regarding the use of lump vs brics since the CB OK Joe is a COS the use of brics should help maintain the temp better, at least based on various posts I have read.


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## mewmix (Dec 21, 2018)

Hi I hope someone can help me because I am very new to smoking. I just recently smoked my first salmon BUT I think I did something wrong :( It tasted like match light coal. I tried a second time and smoked some pieces of beef and the same taste is coming! I seasoned with canola oil and I put match light coal and wood chips. What did I do wrong? Please help! Everything I smoke now tastes like gasoline and lighter fluid :( ***How do I get rid of the match light coal taste?***


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## daveomak (Dec 21, 2018)

Reread what you put in your post....   I think you will find the problem....


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## mewmix (Dec 21, 2018)

sorry I forgot to ask, how do i get rid of that taste now? Otherwise all my food will always taste like that match light coal. I have edited my first message to include this question. please help. thanks


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## daveomak (Dec 22, 2018)

An administrator on this forum, borrowed a Big Green Egg to enter a competition.. All the judges knew her...  After the comp they commented to her, her food tasted like petroleum...   She never used any lighter fluid on her charcoal...  The person she borrowed the Egg from used it....
What kind of smoker you using...  make, model, age....  tell me everything...  pictures might help also....


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## Fueling Around (Dec 29, 2018)

I'd think you need to scrub the interior of your smoker and give it a hot fire to burn down the residual petroleum
Invest $10 for a chimney starter


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## mewmix (Jan 15, 2019)

Hello sorry for my late reply,
My smoker was brand new when I purchased it from a store.
It is a Masterbuilt Sportsman Elite 30'' Two-Door Propane Smoker.
Size:20.87"W x 20.47"D x 43.5"H
It is 1 years old now. But I have only used it 3 times, that was about 1 year ago when I first bought it. 
The first time I used it, I seasoned with canola oil and I put match light coal and wood chips. But that made my food taste like gasoline/lighter fluid.
The second and third time I used it, I only put wood chips and I hoped it would get the gross flavour out but it didn't work. That is why I have not used it for 1 year, i'm afraid of the same turnout.


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## crazzycajun (Jan 15, 2019)

Clean it out with simple green ,burn it off for a couple hours and then try to re-season it. Then cook chicken in it to test if the taste is gone or something else that’s .99 a pound or less good luck


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## daveomak (Jan 15, 2019)

Turn the heat up to high and burn it out....  The volatiles will eliminated...


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## mewmix (Jan 17, 2019)

I did try something similar... I scrubbed the smoker with vinegar and then re-seasoned it and cooked in it 2 more times after the first time. And the meat still tastes like the lighter fluid but only when it was cooled. When it was eaten hot, you couldn't really taste it as much. I didnt try it with chicken, but with some cheaper cuts of beef. I haven't used the smoker for over 1 year for fear of the same results. Has anyone else ever heard or experienced something like this before?


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