Too much smoke!

[Redmt]

I smoked up a bunch of wild hog snack sticks. I've done it many times no problem. This time I screwed up and they are bitter from too much smoke. Is there any way to cut some of the smoke flavor off of the skins?

 

[Wildabeest]

Bitterness is often more an indicator of the quality of the smoke vs. the quantity. If your fuel isn’t burning hot enough, the smoke will have a more pungent / bitter taste.

 

[Redmt]

I still need to kill some of the smoke taste.

 

[Bigjay73]

I wonder if letting it sit for a week or so will help, it's what I do when I smoke cheese

 

[Redmt]

I'm thinking about soaking a couple overnight and see if it kills it some. I have a batch of pepper sticks going in tomorrow. No smoke this time.

 

[Gr8bawana]

The first time I used my electric smoker I tried making some smoked chicken thighs. I don't remember how long I smoked them but when we tasted them they tasted like chickens that had been killed in a housefire. Holy crap they were completely inedible.

 

[Redmt]

we tasted them they tasted like chickens that had be killed in a housefire. Holy crap they were completely inedible.

That was funny!!! Thankfully these aren't that bad. They have a slight aftertaste that is bitter. Meat flavor is great. The collagen skin is not so good.

 

[shannerdrake]

I’d try a diluted vinegar wash. Cold water with a good splash of white vinegar. Dunk them and then use a cloth or wad of paper towels and wipe them down.

I’ve found that my overly smoky stuff often has soot from a dirty burn. If the paper towel gets any black or dark brown residue then you will know if it will help and if it’s worth washing all of them.

 

[The Missing Link]

Bitterness is often more an indicator of the quality of the smoke vs. the quantity. If your fuel isn’t burning hot enough, the smoke will have a more pungent / bitter taste.

Agreed

 

[The Missing Link]

I make sure my fire is burning hot and clean before putting anything on the smoker and then keep the temp up and feeding the wood nice and easy. That doesn't sound PG, sorry.

 

[Redmt]

I let them set overnight in the walk-in and they mellowed quite a bit. We vacuum packed the next day and they were great. I smoked up another batch with a shorter smoke time and they came out perfect.