Which Chips To Use? (I am confused)

johnkitchens · March 1

I got my large BGE for Christmas. I cook on it every weekend. I haven't really had time to experiment a lot yet. I am still just cooking steaks and hamburgers.

I am using the BGE brand lump and the only chips I have used so far is the Jack Daniels Whisky Barrel chips for both steaks and burgers, and I have been pleased with them.

From what understand I should be using apple chips, or chunks, when cooking ribs or pork chops etc.

I am just confused in general about what chips I should be using for which food. For example when you guys do pizza, chicken, shrimp, butts, brisket, etc. do you use chips, or chunks or nothing at all?

I just don't want to make a rookie mistake and use the wrong thing. I don't know how to cook at all. I have been "grilling" for years, but that has only consisted of steaks, hamburgers, chicken, and ribs. And when I say I grilled ribs it was on a charcoal grill with no chips. Just flipped them enough to keep them from burning. We loved them though!

Now that I have my BGE and have discovered this forum I feel like a caveman that just found a bic lighter. I have really been missing out!!!!!! I want to learn how to prepare fabulous meals that my family will be proud of.

I appreciate any help you guys can give me concerning chips.

Hi54putty · March 1

On the rec of a fellow Egghead, I downloaded an app on my phone called "pepper pilot." 2 things it has that I find helpful are a chart for "done" temps for all kinds of meat, and a chart for the best smoking woods with all kinds of meat. Give it a try, it's free.

Eggcelsior · March 1

Hi54putty said:

On the rec of a fellow Egghead, I downloaded an app on my phone called "pepper pilot." 2 things it has that I find helpful are a chart for "done" temps for all kinds of meat, and a chart for the best smoking woods with all kinds of meat. Give it a try, it's free.

FYI, It's iOS only

Griffin · March 1

Smoke is all a matter of preference, some prefer some woods paired with some proteins.

Beef - I normally go heavy wood. Mesquite, oak, or hickory

Ribs - I think can stand heavy woods, but are nice with cherry. Think apple is too weak.

Poultry and fish benefit from lighter woods, fruit woods, like apple and cherry. Though sometimes I'll do mesquite on chicken as it is what I was raised on, but go light.

Longer cooks I go with chunks (brisket, butts, ribs), short cooks I'll use chips.

Pizza - I don't use wood. At that high a temp, it'll burn up pretty quick and I don't think they are needed.

But to each his own. Some people like smoke, some don't. You'll have to find that fine line of what you are yours prefer and go with it. Just experiment.

thetrim · March 1

Too add to what Griff said, I also like to use pecan on pork and chicken and like to use it with apple wood at the same time. I use chucks almost exclusively.

Charlie tuna · March 1

Chips and chunks are selected from many different trees, and you really need to try different ones to see what your family likes. Some are mild, some are strong. Some foods can be ruied from TOO much smoke flavor, so your best bet is to follow this forum and don't be afraid to ask questions. I learnt, the little i know, from "trail and error", that means i have ate a lot of crappy tasting oversmoked foods in my day!! :-O From what you have posted, you should soon be the family hero, and probably the talk of the neighborhood!!! >:D< Now, where you live(?) there is probably some "natural" smoking wood trees available?? That is another thing to consider. I live in an area where pecan trees abound, So i keep an eye out for a downed limb here and there. I also have bought a few different bags of chips just to try out, hickory,cherry! And as i said, it is good to know --- how much smoke to put on certain foods. Example for me was a nice big meatloaf. I thought "it's beef", it can handle some heavy smoke!! But it was "GROUND" beef !! The smoke taste was too strong deep into the slices!!! :((

MikeP624 · March 1

I attached a reference that i downloaded awhile back. It has almost to much info.

SWVABeanCounter · March 1

Just to add what others have said, experiment and see what you like , but at first go easy on the smoke until you know what and how much your family likes. I did the same thing Charlie did on my first pork loin. Went a little to heavy for my taste, but one of my neighbors loved it.

lousubcap · March 1

Another factor to consider is the loading of the chips/chunks with the lump. If you want smoke (wood type your choice) for an extended period of the cook then disperse your smoke wood throughout the lump load. That way when the fire travels around the lump there will be smoke wood available as well. And as mentioned by Charlie tuna and others, start on the conservative side for smoke and adjust with follow-on cooks. It's all in the journey.

johnkitchens · March 1

Thanks so much for the replies guys. You have helped tremendously!

Eggcelsior · March 1

MikeP624 said:

I attached a reference that i downloaded awhile back. It has almost to much info.

There is never too much info!

NEED INPUT

Skiddymarker · March 1

@Johnkitchens welcome, good question.

@MikeP624 has provided the easy "print me off and nail me to the lump storage container lid" list, it is a valuable source for reference. Obviously you can fine tune to your own preference, but it is a great place to start.

@lousubcap has given a good suggestion on how to load your chips/chunks. Again you will fine tune the way you spread your smoke wood depending on how you like the smoke to be applied.

Another key point is the lower the cook temp the more pronounced the smoke, wether from the lump itself or something you have added. If you roast burgers indirectly at 300 and then finish them with a sear they will have a chance to take on much more smoke flavour than if you do them direct at 450-500. The choice is yours.

chris123stock · March 1

You should try smoking pellets, try Milts they are pretty good I found.

Little Steven · March 1

Tobasco Barrel chips for almost anything. Olive wood is great with lamb or tajine or any Mediterranean

daffy1909 · March 1

i prefer to use cherry wood chunks over apple,for ribs.2-3 chunks,1 right at the bottom of the fire box then put lump in to the top,an put 2 more nestled in the lump to the outside!good smoke for a few hours. :-h

Kosko · March 1

I think my favorite chunks to use is pecan. It's a well rounded smoke flavor in my opinion. I agree with griffin. I like to use a lot of hickory on my butts, pecan or hickory on my ribs and mesquite on red meat. Use chunks for long cooks or want a good smoky flavor or a handful of chips for a short flavor, or subtle smoke flavor. Good luck and go Dawgs!

johnkitchens · March 1

You guys rock! I love this place because I always get the help I need!

sola · March 1

All great suggestions & preferences. I would tell you, don't be scared to try everything. Get a little of this & a little of that & figure out what you & your family like.

I picked up a truckload of pecan that Isaac blew over & I put it on everything!!

johnkitchens · March 1

I have pecan trees in my yard. I am tempted to go out and cut a limb!

Kosko · March 2

John I am always on the lookout for a pecan tree when I am driving. If I see a limb that has fell ill stop and throw it in the back of my truck and cut it up in pieces for smoking. By the way you don't need to soak them(chips or chunks) in water. I learned that from these great group of guys on here a while back!

Charlie tuna · March 2

About two years ago, my buddy was on his way shopping and there was a big tree in the roadway with county employees clearing the road by cutting up the tree. He thought for a minute, that he remembered people piking up pecans from under this big tree?? He pulled over, and the foreman came over to his truck! He asked him if this was a pecan tree and if there was a possiblity to get some of the wood for cooking on?? The guy told him, "no problem, pull over here". They filled his truck up! He gave the guy twenty bucks for their lunch. I have about two more year's worth!!! ;)

johnkitchens · March 2

I have thrown away a lot of pecan limbs over the years. You can bet your bottom dollar I will not be making that mistake again!

Charlie tuna · March 2

Now i am dependent on having pecan "on hand"for my cooking needs, so i contacted a commercial "cooking wood supplier" and they get $160. for a pallet, which is about three foot high, the size of a pallet! No problem for me, i know how important it is !

RLeeper · March 2

I have four pecan trees on my property. Des the wood have to be dried out for any period of time prior to adding it as smoking wood?

Charlie tuna · March 2

The wood i got from my buddy was good from day one!! It was green to start out with,and now it is two years old and working great....

RLeeper · March 2

Charlie tuna said:

The wood i got from my buddy was good from day one!! It was green to start out with,and now it is two years old and working great....

Thanks. I think pecan will be my go to wood from here on out. It's free and I don't even have to collect it. All I have to do is tell my five year old boy "go get daddy a bunch of big sticks!"

johnkitchens · March 2

My 14 year old is planning on breaking a few limbs off in the morning.

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Which Chips To Use? (I am confused)

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