# Everything tastes the same - not good.



## brazito (Jul 14, 2013)

I have a Weber Smokey Mountain 22.5

As designed with water in the holder I can maintain 205 all day long. Why does all meat smoked have the same smoke flavor no matter what wood I use? Have used hickory, oak and apple.


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## themule69 (Jul 14, 2013)

No clue!

David


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## supercenterchef (Jul 14, 2013)

Are you getting TBS?  If not, that might have something to do with it...?


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## s2k9k (Jul 14, 2013)

Heck I can't even taste smoke anymore!


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## fwismoker (Jul 14, 2013)

Desensitized


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## kc5tpy (Jul 14, 2013)

Hello.  Well this is an odd one.  I think 205 is a bit low temp but that is beside the point; maybe.  SupercenterChef asked the 1st important question; TBS. If you aen't getting a good smoke the difference could be insignificant.  I find it hard to believe you can't tell the difference between oak and hickory.  I don't doubt your word, just seems curious.  Going out on a limb here.  Are you a HEAVY smoker or do you chew tobacco?  I can tell the difference in different woods but I have been chewing tobacco for bout 40 years and the good lady will sometimes tell me I have added too much spice.  I am from Texas and she from England but she does pretty good on hot and spicey.  We have thought the tobacco may have dulled the old taste buds a bit.  Just a theory you understand, no science to back it up but just food for thought.  Try different woods and have some folks over to see if they taste the difference.  Good luck.  Keep Smokin!

Danny


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## brazito (Jul 15, 2013)

No on the TBS and don't smoke or chew.

I'll keep trying.


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## supercenterchef (Jul 15, 2013)

Sounds good...I suspect once you really get a handle on TBS, that the subteties will really start to shine through.  Keep us up to date, and if you have any questions in the mean time...shout!


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## dougmays (Jul 15, 2013)

tell us more about the wood your using. How do you spread it out amoungst the coals? are you using chips or chunks? are you using to much wood and having thick white smoke billowing out of the top?

If your using chips on a smoker like the WSM (which i also have) they'll burn up very quickly and smoke for just a short time, Chucks are thicker and will take longer to burn. Also silly question but your top vent is wide open correct?

I also have a hard time differentiating between difference smoke flavors....oak and hickory will give you a slightly more smokey taste then a fruit wood suck as apple, cherry, pecan , etc....but i could not tell you the difference between them.

Mesquite will give you a very strong flavor....and should be used sparingly because of that fact.

hope this helps


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## Bearcarver (Jul 15, 2013)

Brazito said:


> I have a Weber Smokey Mountain 22.5
> 
> As designed with water in the holder I can maintain 205 all day long. Why does all meat smoked have the same smoke flavor no matter what wood I use? Have used hickory, oak and apple.


You haven't had any serious operations lately, have you???

I had a 9 hour open heart surgery last November, and everything tasted like crap to me, for 7 months. Steak, eggs, ham, toast or anything else had the same lousy smell & taste. Things just started smelling & tasting good again about a month ago.

Drs don't seem to know if it was the operation or the drugs, but it happens to a lot of people. When you ask Drs about it, they look at you like "Who cares?"

How heavy is your smoke?

Bear


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## mr t 59874 (Jul 15, 2013)

If you are duplicating the smoking procedure each time.  Try cutting back to smoking 25% of the time you are applying smoke now and make adjustments from there.

Tom


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## turnandburn (Jul 15, 2013)

Brazito said:


> I have a Weber Smokey Mountain 22.5
> 
> As designed with water in the holder I can maintain 205 all day long. Why does all meat smoked have the same smoke flavor no matter what wood I use? Have used hickory, oak and apple.


no meat should have the same flavor, especially when it comes to wood. what rubs are you using? more importantly what are you trying to get? what flavor are you looking for? what are you trying to achieve here? how long have you been smokin?


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## heyer5 (Jul 15, 2013)

Take a picture of how you set up your WSM before you put lit coals into it.  I have the 18.5" and I get plenty of smoke with just a few chunks of wood.

Are you using chunks or chips?  I find it hard to keep my WSM at 205, which I never smoke that low anyways!  I'm more of a 250-275 guy, especially with pork butts.


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## cliffcarter (Jul 15, 2013)

FWIsmoker said:


> Desensitized


This one^^^^.

Try taking a shower and changing your clothes while the meat rests.


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## brazito (Jul 15, 2013)

From the responses I've gotten so far I'm probably smoking to long. Everything tastes bitter. I only use chunks, bottom vents open top vent cracked just a little. Lots of white smoke.

Thanks for the feedback, now I know what to try.

Andy


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## Bearcarver (Jul 15, 2013)

Brazito said:


> From the responses I've gotten so far I'm probably smoking to long. Everything tastes bitter. I only use chunks, bottom vents open top vent cracked just a little. Lots of white smoke.
> 
> Thanks for the feedback, now I know what to try.
> 
> Andy


Maybe too heavy, but not too long, and your smoke is getting kinda stagnant because the barely opened top vent is making it hang around too long. IMHO

Bear


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## turnandburn (Jul 15, 2013)

Brazito said:


> From the responses I've gotten so far I'm probably smoking to long. Everything tastes bitter. I only use chunks, bottom vents open top vent cracked just a little. Lots of white smoke.
> 
> Thanks for the feedback, now I know what to try.
> 
> Andy


you want the bottom vent open so it can breath but you want a good portion open up top so it can exhale...dont want smoke just sitting around in ur chamber..


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## heyer5 (Jul 15, 2013)

Brazito said:


> From the responses I've gotten so far I'm probably smoking to long. Everything tastes bitter. I only use chunks, bottom vents open top vent cracked just a little. Lots of white smoke.
> 
> Thanks for the feedback, now I know what to try.
> 
> Andy


The white smoke is what is providing that bitter flavor.  True smoke from wood chunks should be light blue and sometimes almost clear.  I run my wsm pretty much wide open on the bottom, maybe close two of the vents down a quarter of a turn at most.  I also never put my lit coals directly on wood chunks because it causes flame-up's immediately.  It sounds like you are suffering from a lack of oxygen which is choking out your hot coals and wood that is smoldering.


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## mr t 59874 (Jul 15, 2013)

The heavier white smoke is less forgiving than the thin smoke, but with experience can be used to your advantage.  Although it does sound that you will  have better results by adjusting the vents, as you have, as I suspected, simply been applying too much smoke.

,

Maybe the following will be helpful.

*Understanding Smoke Management - updated 5/18/13*

  Tom


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## gary morris (Jul 15, 2013)

Why not try just briquettes and NO WOOD, if that tastes the same then it can't be the wood - try it a few times then try one with a named wood and see if you can tell the difference.  

Have you a cold, flu, sinus, hayfever, I know that a bunged up nose can effect your sense of taste.  Can you still distinguish between other similar foods?


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## brazito (Jul 16, 2013)

After reading all these responses I'm definitely smoking to heavily resulting in bitterness. Thanks to all.


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