Video summary

I smoked steaks with 500 cigarettes to see how they taste (it was terrible)

Main summary

Key takeaways

Cooking

Presenter / Channel

Video is presented by “Grommet” (host references “Grommet mug shot glass” and “on this stream”).

What They’re Trying to Do (Setup)

They’re running a “cursed experiment” to see how cigarette smoke affects steak flavor. They use tiny, cheapest steaks and smoke them with a DIY setup:

  • A “cigarette bong” + vacuum pump
  • Cold smoke first
  • Then hot-sear/cook the steaks in a skillet

Ingredients (As Mentioned)

  • Tiny steaks: “cheapest steak” (4 steaks total)
    • Control: 1 steak left out of the smoker
    • Smoked samples: 3 steaks placed in the smoking container, removed at intervals
  • Non-nicotine cigarettes (normal batch)
  • Menthol cigarettes (for a later batch)
  • Salt, pepper, oil (for cooking/searing)
  • No other marinades are mentioned; “marinating” is essentially smoking in cigarette smoke
  • Water trap liquid
    • A salsa jar containing Gatorade
    • Described as having “some [stuff] growing in it”
    • Initially clear, then yellow/opaque over time
  • Gatorade jar / tubes / adapters (equipment materials)

Equipment & Key Prep Steps (Smoker Build)

  1. Cold-smoke device assembly (smoke through a water trap)

    • Use a push-fit adapter to secure a cigarette
    • A vacuum pump draws smoke through the system
    • Drill holes in the lid to mount parts
    • Mount the cigarette holder so smoke flows across the container (from one corner toward an opposite-side outlet)

  2. Water trap to reduce tar entering the vacuum pump

    • Smoke is routed through a tube under water in the Gatorade jar (a tar-detour concept)
    • They discuss clogging issues:
      • The system eventually shows tar clogging, including a valve becoming fully clogged with tar

  3. “Dry trap” concept (if needed)

    • They mention preventing water from being sucked into the vacuum pump
    • They add a second jar / trap-like arrangement and lower the water level

  4. Test runs

    • They confirm it works by smoking through the setup and checking smoke/airstream behavior
    • The smoke container becomes very opaque after extended draws

Smoked Steak Plan (Timing / Experimental Design)

  • Total cigarette use

    • Originally: “500”
    • Later clarified: “I only got about 300 cigarettes,” so it’s not really going to be 500

  • Batch sequencing

    • Control steak: stays out (no smoke)
    • Three steaks in smoker, removed periodically:
      1. First removal: “pretty early” → lightly smoked
      2. Second removal: after “all the normal sigs are expended” → more smoked
      3. Final removal: with “pure Menthol at the very end” → most smoked, menthol-inclusive

  • They also note (at least one steak) gets approximately:

    • “500 cigarettes and… at least 100… menthols”
    • Later tasting implies the final steak had the highest exposure

Exact cold-smoke minutes/temperatures aren’t provided; exposure is described via cigarette counts and removal order.

Cooking Method (After Smoking)

  1. Preparation for cooking

    • Move to a hotplate/skillet grilling step
    • Uses salt, pepper, oil
    • Described as basically: “that’s all you need to make a steak good”

  2. Searing / cooking

    • Sear quickly and check doneness by slicing
    • Some samples end up overcooked (“well done / grandma tier consistency”)

  3. Tar removal step (attempt)

    • They consider wiping tar off:
      • They try scraping tar off at least once
      • Later decide you “can’t actually wipe it all off”
      • Rest and scrape further for the worst batches
    • Gloves are used while scraping due to “horrors” of the meat

Tasting Results & Notable “Technique Cues”

  • Control steak (untouched)

    • “A little tough” (largely from overcooking)
    • Still generally described as “a good steak”

  • Least smoked / lightly smoked

    • “Cigarette flavor” and bitterness

  • Most smoked (including menthol)

    • Described as the worst:
      • “Bottoms up… immediate cigarette… bitter… gag reflex”
    • Menthol specifically makes it “noticeably worse”
    • One steak is described as yellowish inside, suggesting color change correlates with deeper smoke/absorption

Safety / Handling (Only What’s Stated)

  • The setup is acknowledged as dangerous/cursed (jokingly: “not smoking these today,” i.e., smoking meat only)
  • Gloves are worn while handling/scraping tar
  • They spit during tasting when needed, explicitly describing fear of throwing up and gag reflex

No additional food-safety guidance beyond these handling/tasting precautions is mentioned.

Common Issues / Mistakes Highlighted

  • Tar remains even after scraping (can’t fully remove it)
  • Overcooking during skillet phase (at least one sample is “well done”)
  • Menthol smoke is especially destructive (bitter, cigarette-forward to the point of gagging)
  • Equipment clogging
    • Tar clogs a valve
    • Water management is needed to avoid water entering the vacuum pump

Plating / Serving

  • Cross-sections (“crosssection”) are cut to show doneness and internal color
  • Tasting is done on-screen:
    • “Bottoms up” / direct bites
  • They compare appearance:
    • Untouched steaks look “normal ass steak”
    • Smoked ones become orange/yellow and opaque-looking from tar exposure

Variations Discussed (Concise)

  • Normal vs menthol cigarettes
  • Light vs heavy exposure, based on removal order (increasing cigarette counts)

Referenced Sources

  • No external cooking sources are cited
  • Cigarettes are described as being available on Amazon.com
  • Water-trap container: salsa jar
  • Gatorade is referenced as coming from a Costco/Sam’s Club-type store

Original video