British Undeservedly Snotty about American Cuisine

[grumbler]

How does your $200 smoker work Cal?

I tried 'smoking' something over indirect heat on my propane grill, but while it cooked, it really didn't taste smoked.

There are planks you can cook on that apparently work pretty well.

[Caliga]

...or, there's that.  Never tried the plank thing myself.

[Barrister]

How does your $200 smoker work Cal?

I tried 'smoking' something over indirect heat on my propane grill, but while it cooked, it really didn't taste smoked.

You need to be burning wood to get the smoked flavor brah.

I've done burgers, chicken, brats, and ribs with the smoker.  They all came out nice and smoky... too smoky in the case of the ribs, given that I used juniper wood to smoke them (by mistake), which made them taste like gasoline.

I was using wood chips.

I read somewhere that water vapour from the combustion of propane interferes with absorbing the smoke.  But what do I know.

Yeah, I wouldn't have thought juniper smoke wood taste very good...

[katmai]

Been my friend uses a propane smoker just fine. Smoked halibut and smoked pork chops are what he makes most often.

[Barrister]

Been my friend uses a propane smoker just fine. Smoked halibut and smoked pork chops are what he makes most often.

But he has a specific propane smoker?

[Malthus]

How does your $200 smoker work Cal?

I tried 'smoking' something over indirect heat on my propane grill, but while it cooked, it really didn't taste smoked.

You need to be burning wood to get the smoked flavor brah.

I've done burgers, chicken, brats, and ribs with the smoker.  They all came out nice and smoky... too smoky in the case of the ribs, given that I used juniper wood to smoke them (by mistake), which made them taste like gasoline.

Most conifers have nasty resin in 'em - cooking over them is not recommended, as they gum up your pots (and your food, if you grill directly over them).

If you can, use hardwoods.

[katmai]

Been my friend uses a propane smoker just fine. Smoked halibut and smoked pork chops are what he makes most often.

But he has a specific propane smoker?

Aye he does.

[The Minsky Moment]

It is like the "champagne" issue; those who drink California sparkling wine and call it "Champagne" are not wrong, but they should also not confuse what they are drinking with the product of the Champagne region.

Supporting France? Supporting California? Which will I choose?

A significant portion of California sparkling wine production is controlled and distributed by the big Champagne marques: Moet (Chandon), Roederer (Roederer Estate), Mumm (Mumm Napa), Taittinger (Carneros).

So either way you will be supporting both.

[garbon]

I don't drink any of those kinds.

[Caliga]

Most conifers have nasty resin in 'em - cooking over them is not recommended, as they gum up your pots (and your food, if you grill directly over them).

If you can, use hardwoods.

Yeah, I know, like I said it was accidental.  I had a pile of hickory wood Princesca's uncle gave me from when they cleared the woods to build their cabin.  But for some reason my brain mixed that pile up with the pile of mostly juniper wood which came from trees on my property.

Now I use hickory chunks I bought at Lowe's, just to be sure, even though I could easily get more cheap hickory around here.

[merithyn]

Los Angeles?

I know you didn't say it--some food critic did--but it seems like it would go NYC-LA-Chicago to me.

Having never been to LA, I don't have an answer for you. However, I've never heard of LA as being a hot-bed of international cuisine outside of Asian- and Mexican-style foods. Maybe that's my ignorant Iowan roots showing, I don't know.

[Caliga]

I'm just guessing here too, Meri (having never been to LA myself).

[Ed Anger]

Taco trucks.

[dps]

Most conifers have nasty resin in 'em - cooking over them is not recommended, as they gum up your pots (and your food, if you grill directly over them).

If you can, use hardwoods.

Yeah, I know, like I said it was accidental.  I had a pile of hickory wood Princesca's uncle gave me from when they cleared the woods to build their cabin.  But for some reason my brain mixed that pile up with the pile of mostly juniper wood which came from trees on my property.

Now I use hickory chunks I bought at Lowe's, just to be sure, even though I could easily get more cheap hickory around here.

I was going to ask if when you said "by mistake" you meant that you thought it was some other kind of wood, or if you meant that you though juniper would be good to smoke food over.  The former I can see happening, but the latter is in "WTF were you thinking" territory.

[Caliga]

Yes, I know that conifers are generally bad for smoking.  I usually use applewood, hickory, and mesquite (though Princesca dislikes mesquite, so the latter is very rare now).