# smoked ribs, gasoline taste



## Djdoug (Jul 16, 2020)

Hi I'm having a problem with my ribs. I have a reverse flow smoker, I use cherry wood, and its  dry seasoned wood. But im getting feedback from people at times that it has a fuel taste. I light the smoker with a propane torch,  but after it gets going I shut it off and wait 30 minutes before putting meats on. Any thoughts on this.


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## unclebubbas bbq (Jul 16, 2020)

Are you using charcoal as a heat source and using lighter fluid?


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## Chasdev (Jul 16, 2020)

If your exhaust is dark or smokey, then that smoke can/will impart a sour chemical taste.
The bad flavors in smoke are burned off and don't make it into the meat if the fire gets enough airflow to burn clean.
You are looking for an almost invisible blue smoke, that's all or you risk the sour elements in the smoke reaching the meat.


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## JC in GB (Jul 16, 2020)

I agree with 
C
 Chasdev
 .  It sounds like an airflow problem.  What does your air intake look like going into your fire box?  You should ideally have one vent below the fire for primary combustion and one vent near the top of the fire box for secondary combustion.  Lack of secondary combustion can result in the heavy smoke Chasdev was speaking of.

JC


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## daveomak (Jul 16, 2020)

If your smoker is an 'old' propane tank, it 'may' have NOT been burned out adequately to remove  the ethyl mercaptan...  The 'stink' put in propane etc...


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## flatbroke (Jul 16, 2020)

What is the smoker made out of and how long has it been in use? Is the smoke coming out of the stack thin blue or not visible at all or is it kind of white?


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## flatbroke (Jul 16, 2020)

Forgot to mention Welcome to the forum.


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## SmokinAl (Jul 16, 2020)

Welcome to SMF!
Will be interested in knowing what the problem is.
Very hard to guess!
Al


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## smokerjim (Jul 16, 2020)

Maybe a long shot but where do you get your wood, I've never had this happen but some people say that they can taste the oil from the chainsaw on they're food.


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## Bearcarver (Jul 16, 2020)

Welcome "D" !!
The only time I ever got that type of smell from Grilling was about 30 years ago, when I used Charcoal Lighter fuel. Then I got a Charcoal Lighting Chimney, and never smelled it again.

"Bear" from SouthEast PA.


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## Winterrider (Jul 16, 2020)

smokerjim said:


> Maybe a long shot but where do you get your wood, I've never had this happen but some people say that they can taste the oil from the chainsaw on they're food.


I have heard this before also.


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## daveomak (Jul 17, 2020)

If someone is cutting your wood, I have heard folks cutting wood for food cooking put vegetable oil in their saws...   Be sure to dump the bar oil first...  IT DOES NOT GO IN THE GASOLINE...  IN THE BAR OILER ONLLY...
I don't know if damage will result...   It's just what I have heard...


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## Bearcarver (Jul 17, 2020)

daveomak said:


> If someone is cutting your wood, I have heard folks cutting wood for food cooking put vegetable oil in their saws...   Be sure to dump the bar oil first...  IT DOES NOT GO IN THE GASOLINE...  IN THE BAR OILER ONLLY...
> I don't know if damage will result...   It's just what I have heard...




Yup---I know guys who used cooking oil in their Chainsaws when they went on some Park lands, by rule.
It doesn't hurt the Chainsaw---It only lubes the chain.

Bear


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