This article explains the science behind smoking meat -- how it works, how it affects your food's flavor, and the different types of smoke you want (and don't want) to see.
Smoking meat has evolved over hundreds of years from a way to cure meats for storage to, as we know it today, a tastier way of cooking. Smoking meat adds flavor, naturally tenderizes, and can even take some of the cheaper, less desirable cuts of meat and turn them into filet mignon rivals. All it takes is a little patience.
How Smoke Works
Traeger grills cook with convection in which a built-in fan blows the smoke and hot air around inside the closed grill. This airflow circulates the smoke evenly to produce the perfect smoke flavor.
Smoke = Flavor
When cooking over a fire, smoke will naturally penetrate and bind with the meat. The longer the meat is exposed to the smoke, the more flavor it will have. This becomes more apparent with a smoke ring.
Smoking vs Curing
Our grills add smoke flavor; we don't cure with smoke. Curing with smoke comes from cold smoke, which is reserved for foods like lox and cheese.
Super Smoke
Some of our grills come with the 'Super Smoke' feature. 'Super Smoke' mode lets you blast your food with 100% hardwood smoke. When you select this mode, your grill holds back pellets to stabilize consistent, even combustion. See Super Smoke to learn more.
For grills without this option, cooking at lower temperatures naturally creates more smoke and more smoke flavor.
Natural Tenderization
While cooking meats in your typical fashion for long, slow periods would result in a tough, dry, and tasteless jerky, the long process of smoking meat does the opposite: it breaks down all the fats, collagens, and connective tissues that make tougher cuts of meat more sweet, tender, and juicy. These connective tissues break down into basic sugars, adding moisture and sweetness to the barbecue.
Keep It Moving
Smoke needs to be moving throughout the smoking process; otherwise, stagnant smoke will build up and leave bitter creosote on your food. Properly maintaining and cleaning your grill will help facilitate air flow to prevent this.
Types of Wood
Smoke is produced from the combustion of wood, and it is well known that there are numerous varieties of wood. Some common types of wood that may be considered when discussing smoking include Hickory, Maple, Cherry, Oak, among others. Different types of wood varieties impart distinct flavors, which can be beneficial when preparing various types of meat.
Types of Smoke
Smoke requires a heat source, fuel and oxygen. You will see different types of smoke based on these three factors and how they interact.
Thin, Blue Smoke (Clean/Ideal Smoke)
Thin, blue smoke (that you can see through) occurs when there are low levels of oxygen, meaning the pellets don't combust, but rather smoke. This type of smoke is what you should expect to see during a standard cook. This smoke comes from fresh wood and consistent low temperatures. It comes from nitrogen gas and can create smoke rings.
White Smoke
White smoke, coming from the lid/body, is not necessarily "good smoke," but it's also not bad, provided it doesn't last long after startup (approximately 20 minutes). It's caused by the vaporization of grease and gasification of pellets and usually occurs during startup. Once that burns off, it becomes thin, blue smoke.
If white smoke continues, it's likely due to moisture in pellets. If it continues throughout the entire cook, then there is likely a problem. Don't worry too much about brief exposure to thick, white smoke; however, prolonged exposure (over an hour) can create a bitter taste from ash and creosote.
Yellow, Milky Smoke
This type of smoke indicates a high concentration of wood gas, and it can lead to a lid burp. If your grill is producing this type of smoke, it means there are too many pellets in it at once.
- If the smoke is coming out of the hopper - it could be a backburn
- If the smoke is coming out of the lid - it means there are too many pellets in the firepot
Black Smoke
If your grill emits black smoke from the lid/body, similar to the type that a diesel truck produces, it's an indication that there isn't enough oxygen entering your grill. Black smoke can cause your food to taste bitter.
See Too Much Smoke for additional information.