Some where into ten or fifteen minutes, the smoke will nearly disappear -- and it will be very whispy and grey. The oven should stabilize right about them, This is when you're ready to bring food to the party.

I detest the starter squares. For me and my house, they really stink -- and despite who some other posters feel, I can't stand starter blocks in the food.

Alternative == Take three paper towels and twist them gently. Splash olive oil across your twisted paper towels. They are now ready to set into the coals in the places.

They'll get the first going and quickly burn off smoke from oil, and when these coals are ready... you're ready to cook!

This technique [along with propane, electric starters, etc. keeps you from having chemical tastes in your feed.

Wipe your tenderloin with olive oil, then salt and pepper while you're building your kakobs.

If you can -- put your kakobs over a very hot flame [750F+] for jusdt about 90 seconds a side. That much should cook em, just fine.

If you feel they aren't getting seared enough with the high heat, increase the time over the initial burn by maybe 30 seconds or increase roasting time by a minute or so.

Again try to avoid getting drips into the lump/coal, aas this kind of burn causes foods to be bitter.

~ B

As Broc mentioned, its important for the lump to be burning clean before putting on the food. The "white smoke" period is when the volitile organic compounds (VOCs) that are left from the charcoal making process are driven out of the lump. Those have a very stong flavor. However, there is always just a little smoke. For me, that flavor is most often welcome.

With use, the Egg will have a rather smokey interior. I once brought the daisy wheel inside, and the odor of smoke in the kitchen was distinct. Occassional high temperature burns will help keep the Egg cleaner.

The lack of flavor in the pork tenderloin may just be the result of the way the pig was raised. Modern methods produce very lean meat. Unfortunately, its the fat that carries much of the flavor in meat. Hogs are unusual, in that the fats from the foods they eat are absorbed directly into the meat, not converted. In the old days, when hogs would root around, and eat nuts and whatever, that flavor would become part of them. I doubt most hogs now get anything more than corn and soy meal. Neither are very tastey.

could be one of two things that occur to me.

one, if a starter cube isn't engulfed in flame, and getting good oxygen, it will sit there and glow and smolder, sending off puffy white smoke. you need to blow on it to get it flaming again, or just wait for the lump to overtake it and burn it off. also, it can't really affect food taste, unless you put the food on while the wax starter is still not fully consumed, and you'll never do THAT twice.

the other cause can be putting food on before you have a fire going at your desired temp for "a little while". how long? i dunno. i find that it's only ten minutes or so. other wait a half hour... that gives the lump time to ignite fully and hot enough that the smoke coming off it doesn't have as much un-consumed stuff in it.

think of a candle. when you blow it out, that little glowing coal isn't hot enough to efficiently burn the wick, so it smokes like crazy. it's still lit, actually, just a poorly performing fire. a lit candle will more efficiently combust the wick, and so there's much less smoke and more light.

I'm not big into smoke and my family outright hates it. That said I want you to know that I've baked bread on the Egg many times and everyone loves it! I baked a blueberry Pie once but I had some leftover drippings on the coals so the pie picked up a little smokiness. I will try again.

I agree with everything said previously and would like to add that I always allow 20 - 30 minutes for it to burn clean. I use the starter squares too, but the paper towel/Vege oil thing works incredibly well.

Some foods are more forgiving (red meat and pork) than others (chicken and bread) when it comes to smoke. Your pork may have been mild flavored so it lacked pork taste and picked up the smoke. I have found some pork to be too mild (bland) which produced disappointing results. With tenderloin, i think a lot depends on the preparation.

The change from gas does require some getting used to. In my first year with the egg I pulled out the gasser a couple times for a quick cook. I was amazed at how disappointing the results were. I don't bother anymore. Instead, after the weekend I'll make sure I have plenty of used/leftover lump in the Egg so I can do a quick cook after work if I want. The "used" lump burns clean quicker but doesn't burn as hot.