Is it Possible to Have too Much Smoke on Food?
Yes. Too much smoke creates a bitter, acrid flavour caused by incomplete combustion or overzealous use of woodchips. Good barbecue tastes like subtle wood, not like a chimney.
While smoking foods is great, over-smoking is definitely not
More of a good thing isn’t always better.
Over-smoking your food usually happens for one of two reasons.
The fire isn’t getting enough oxygen and so it produces lots of “bad” smoke, or you add too much wood too quickly or
You continue to add woodchips to the coals to maintain a constant stream of smoke over an entire long cook.
In hardwood cooking, the goal is clean combustion, not maximum smoke output or continual smoke output.
If the smoke stings your eyes or smells sharp, your food will taste the same. So keep an eye on your cook and adjust airflow, reduce wood load, or stop adding more wood chips. After the initial wood chip smoke period, it’s time to let the fire breathe.
Always remember that smoke is a seasoning, not a smokescreen. You can over salt and you can over smoke.
Read more about how much smoke to have on your food.
For a comprehensive look at smoke in BBQ, read my Complete Guide to Smoke in Hardwood Barbecue.
By BBQ Chef Mike Belobradic