How do you apply wood chips ?

markopa

Hello all !

I'm quite new at BGE and generally smoking style BBQ is not that popular in the EU region I live. But I somehow like it, other family members are getting used to it - they have to

I usually put some wood chips on before I put meat on. This requires me to remove the grid and then avoiding the plate setter. However the wood chunks are gone after few minutes which seems a short period when compared to a cook of several hours. Consequently this leads me to frequently open the dome, somehow lift up the iron (with the meat on) and throw in some more chips.

How do you apply smoking wood chips ? Do you have modified grids that have some sort of opening ?

What about smoking steaks ? Lifting up the CI grid seems to be a trick job to do as its heavy, plus its at 550+°F at that point ?

Thank,

Marko

Teedoff

I usually mix the chips or chunks in with the lump as I load up the egg so it continues to heat the smoke wood as it burns and I don't have to keep adding more.

TexanOfTheNorth

If you can get them, use chunks instead of chips and like @Teedoff said, mix them in with your lump.

I don't use smoke wood with steaks but I'd suggest not putting your CI grid in until your egg is up to temp. That way you can add your wood and then place the grid. Also, while I do not generally recommend pre-soaking; if wood chips is all you have it might help to do so. The wood will not begin to smoke until the water evaporates and this could give you a few extra minutes to let your CI grid heat up before putting your steaks on.

Finally, now that I've written the above, it occured to me that you may be doing your steaks using the reverse sear method. If that's the case, mixing your wood in as first mentioned would be the way to go.

Sardonicus

markopa said:

Lifting up the CI grid seems to be a trick job to do as its heavy, plus its at 550+°F at that point ?

Thank,

Marko

For an easier time of lifting the grid, consider a Woo from the "Ceramic Grill Store".

I have the PSWoo2-CI.  Even though welder's gloves are needed when the setter is hot, removing and replacing it is a breeze with the Woo.

The adjustable rig (same site) offers the same type of versatility, but I don't believe the plate setter is used.  There's a ceramic stone used in its place.

markopa

I'm thinking of modifying my stainless grate, by cutting out few bars at one side. That would allow me to drop extra chunks/chips after the meat is already on.

stevehk1

I wouldn't trade my egg for anything but it has always puzzled me that there is not an easier method for adding wood or emptying the ash.  These seem like major design flaws.  That being said I wouldn't trade convenience for performance.  Maybe that has something to do with it. 

Skiddymarker

Smoke wood, chip or chunk, is best mixed throughout the lump. Smoke is seldom visible during a low and slow using an egg. I use whatever is on sale. 

For steak and grilling cooks, less than 20 minutes on a hot grid, you are pretty much wasting smoke wood IMHO. The surface temp of the meat gets above 140ºF (60ºC) too fast to get a smoke ring and the smoke does not work its magic with flavour. 

For low and slows, mix your smoke wood throughout the lump, light in only one place, I light on top near the front, and let the fire find the smoke wood. 

I've had 8 hour cooks where some smoke wood is still untouched in the lump - which may be an issue if you were smoking with mesquite and the next cook is a spatchcock chicken - you have to dig the mesquite out of the lump pile. 

EDIT - bottom line is you should never have to add smoke wood to an egg. 

johnkitchens

+1 on chunks. As soon as I put the chips on they were gone. 

Skiddymarker

johnkitchens said:

+1 on chunks. As soon as I put the chips on they were gone. 

That's why you never put them on a lit fire, some will burn off as the egg stabilizes, but many will be there on the next cook if you spread them through the lump. 

Sardonicus

stevehk1 said:

. . . it has always puzzled me that there is not an easier method for adding wood or emptying the ash . . . major design flaws.   

While there are several after-market accessories that allow adding wood during a cook (oval grids, grids with flip-up sections, teleportation), the easiest approach is to build your fire with your smoking needs in mind.

Some folks layer wood over charcoal over wood.  Some build a pillar of wood chunks in the center and then surround it with charcoal.  Others distribute wood at intervals throughout the charcoal build - both vertically and/or horizontally.

There're probably many other methods that I've never heard of that afford continual smoldering of wood throughout the process and leave no need to add wood during the cook.

Or you can just add wood if you must. 

Either way.

As for ash removal, I can't imagine how it could be much easier.