Question on Use of Wood Chips

Unknown

When using water-soaked wood chips, they make a lot of smoke when they are first added over the coals. Is it best to put the meat on soon after the chips are added, or is it best to wait until most of the smoke has stopped billowing out the lid?

stike

Chuck/Tx,
i'm one of 'those people' who doesn't soak them.[p]they won't flare up, as they would in a grill, in contact with open flame, so you'll get a slow smolder, rather than having them burst into flame and create bitter smoke.[p] and much of that 'billowing smoke' is actually billowing steam. you just end up waiting for it to evaporate before it is smoking anyway.[p]at least that's what i think after playing around with them.[p][p]

Unknown

Chuck/Tx,[p]I'm with stike here. Bring the egg to cooking temp and then add the dry chips, meat and close the egg up so the smoke produced rests on the meal instead of leaving unused.[p]I like to smoke heavy and early as the meat is best able to distribute the smoke flavor when it is still moist on the outside. Smoking after the meat surface has dried a bit can lead to a smoke "bite" taste.[p]If you are more comfortable using wet chips, they will work fine also.[p]Spin

Unknown

s, I appreciate the replies from both of you and will use dry chips next time, and put them in at the same time I put the meat in, as you said. By the way, I cooked chicken wings this evening for supper using apple chips -- cooked'em an hour on a raised grid and, man, those things were good. Odd how something as simple as chicken wings can be so good. Again, thanks for the feedback.

An Egg Downunder

Chuck/Tx,[p]Drowning the chips to make them last a bit longer is a kettle sort of thing to do. [p]You don't need to soak them and drop them on top of the coals in an egg. Better to mix dry chips in with the lump so that they are gradually ignited as the fire spreads.