soaked wood chunks or not?

AUCE · December 2014

Getting conflicting info. Traditionally keep in bucket of water..thoughts?

JohnInCarolina · December 2014

You will find that almost nobody here soaks their chips or chunks. It's unnecessary with the Egg.

shtgunal3 · December 2014

+1 what John said.

fence0407 · December 2014

JohnInCarolina said:

You will find that almost nobody here soaks their chips or chunks. It's unnecessary with the Egg.

This.

JRWhitee · December 2014

If you want steam soak them, if you want smoke don't.

AUCE · December 2014

Ok...what ratio wood to lump?

JRWhitee · December 2014

AUCE said:

Ok...what ratio wood to lump?

That really depends on how much smoke you want, I usually put some large pieces of lump at the bottom then a couple chunks then more lump and a couple more chunks then top it off with lump so maybe 4 large chunks are enough for me. If I have chips I just mix them throughout but I mostly use chunks.

jcaspary · December 2014

I started out soaking them but have since given up the practice based on comments from others. I usually use a handful of chips for shorter cooks and chunks for low and slows. Mix them up with the lump and it will allow you to get smoke for a longer period of time.

minniemoh · December 2014

I never soak chips anymore (used to but I get better smoke from dry chips). I really only use smoke chips when doing poultry or burgers as they take smoke very quickly. I like hickory chips on burgers and use mesquite or cherry on my spatchcock chicken. I get the egg up to cooking temp with the platesetter in place. Then right before I put the food on, I move the platesetter and sprinkle the chips around the perimeter of the fire. If you prefer to go raised direct, you don't have to worry about the platesetter. They only smoke for 3-5 minutes but it's enough to get the flavor I like.

A couple of days ago, I was doing a pork butt and couldn't get the smoke to clear to that nice blue I was after. Turned out that I had one chunk of hickory that must have been wet (not cured) and was smoldering nasty smelling smoke so I pulled it out with tongs and it cleared up right away.

bboulier · December 2014

I never soak chunks. The Virtual Weber Bullet has a good discussion (and video) on why it is not necessary to soak chunks. Here's the link:

http://virtualweberbullet.com/woods.html

I do soak chips, however, as they burn up too quickly if not soaked.

Zmokin · December 2014

I used to soak until I learned it was a waste of time & effort.

Being somewhat on the lazy side, anything that justifies doing less work is a good enough reason for me.

Mikee · December 2014

I soak mine. Putting dry chips on a hot fire creates a lot of smoke in just a few seconds. While getting the place setter, drip pan, grill/v-rack in place, my eyes burn from the intense smoke. Soaking them gives me a few more seconds to get things assembled.

SMITTYtheSMOKER · December 2014

I soak chips not chunks. I use 1 fist sized chunk to smoke (hickory chunk w/ oak lump).

Don't be afraid to experiment.

Mickey · December 2014

No wet chips or chunks ever.

nolaegghead · December 2014

Any time I have wet chunks, well, let's just say it'll be a rough morning.

Seasoned wood is around 10-20% moisture content. If you soak it, the outer layer of the wood gets saturated, but it takes a looong time before that moisture makes its way into the wood.

Throwing soaked chips into a fire gives you a satisfying visual blast of smoke (which is mostly steam mixed in with whatever smoke that's already there). Water doesn't impart flavor to food. The visual orgasm melds with human superstition - people repeat what works. The water is long gone before one spec of actual pyrolysis occurs. Soaking does delay the burning that gives off smoke.

Pyrolysis is a thermochemical decomposition of organic material at elevated temperatures in the absence of oxygen (or any halogen). It involves the simultaneous change of chemical composition and physical phase, and is irreversible.

JohnInCarolina · December 2014

nolaegghead said:

Any time I have wet chunks, well, let's just say it'll be a rough morning.

Seasoned wood is around 10-20% moisture content. If you soak it, the outer layer of the wood gets saturated, but it takes a looong time before that moisture makes its way into the wood.

Throwing soaked chips into a fire gives you a satisfying visual blast of smoke (which is mostly steam mixed in with whatever smoke that's already there). Water doesn't impart flavor to food. The visual orgasm melds with human superstition - people repeat what works. The water is long gone before one spec of actual pyrolysis occurs. Soaking does delay the burning that gives off smoke.

Pyrolysis is a thermochemical decomposition of organic material at elevated temperatures in the absence of oxygen (or any halogen). It involves the simultaneous change of chemical composition and physical phase, and is irreversible.

I love this forum.

Sardonicus · December 2014

Knowing this crowd as much as I don't, I am sure that this has been brought up before, but what the heck. I'm pointing to it anyway.

THIS advice is from the BGE website.

"SOAK your wood chips, chunks or cooking planks BEFORE use
This will intensify flavor, prolong the smoking value and avoid unwanted flash burning of the woods. . . . "

As much as I enjoy getting my wood wet, I heartily disagree. On our Egg, I NEVER soak wood.

(In our pre-Egg days, I did - no longer.)

BGE also says:

" . . . . Chips, chunks and cooking planks may be soaked in water or other options such as juice or wine for different flavors . . . . "

I am doubtful of that as well, but I'm open to comments from those with experience.

I have seen 'flavored' wood chips for sale (Jack Daniels, I think, and some others), but I've assumed that is only marketing gimmickry at work. I confess that I've never tried them.

Sometimes, I'm just suspicious of others' claims.

Somehow, soaking wood in wine seems a little . . .

. . . dumbfucky.

B-)

Sardonicus · December 2014

JohnInCarolina said:

nolaegghead said:

Any time I have wet chunks, well, let's just say it'll be a rough morning.

Seasoned wood is around 10-20% moisture content. If you soak it, the outer layer of the wood gets saturated, but it takes a looong time before that moisture makes its way into the wood.

Throwing soaked chips into a fire gives you a satisfying visual blast of smoke (which is mostly steam mixed in with whatever smoke that's already there). Water doesn't impart flavor to food. The visual orgasm melds with human superstition - people repeat what works. The water is long gone before one spec of actual pyrolysis occurs. Soaking does delay the burning that gives off smoke.

Pyrolysis is a thermochemical decomposition of organic material at elevated temperatures in the absence of oxygen (or any halogen). It involves the simultaneous change of chemical composition and physical phase, and is irreversible.

I love this forum.

8-}

Me too!

)

BYS1981 · December 2014

@Sardonicus‌ I believe the jack Daniels chips aren't flavored per say, but they're old barrels from making JD.

Sardonicus · December 2014

BYS1981 said:

@Sardonicus‌ I believe the jack Daniels chips aren't flavored per se, but they're old barrels from making JD.

@BYS1981, You are correct, sir.

I took the labeling as a claim of flavor attribution. Didn't you?

Zmokin · December 2014

I've used the JD barrel chips and a bag of Tabasco chips my wife bought me.
They made smoke. Food tasted like smoked. If you want your food to taste like JD, try marinading it in some JD. If you want your food to taste like Tabasco, use the Tabasco sauce bottle sitting on your kitchen table.

soaked wood chunks or not?

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