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adding wood chunks during cook

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Unknown
Unknown
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Does anyone have suggestions as to how to add wood chunks during a lo and slo cook while using a platesetter.
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  • Unknown
    Unknown
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    budrow, Mine go in at the begining and I dont add more. I figure enough for about a 1 hour period, thats more than enough for most cooks. Too much smoke could bitter the product.

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  • Trouble
    Trouble Posts: 276
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    budrow,
    I've never added any during the cook. I intially place my smoking wood (which is wood chips, or I wouldn't bother with placement at all) spaced out between the center of the lump and the edge. I only light the center, so some wood is involved at the outset but the outer wood gets involved much later.[p]There are some folks who like to start, oh, ribs for example, with one type of wood and then finish with cherry for good color. It will be interesting to hear how they get the later wood added. Seems like the choices are 1) grow a third hand so that you can hold the food in place while lifting the grid a bit and handling the wood; 2) get some help or 3) quickly lift the whole food/drip pan setup off and set in on something heat safe, add wood, replace setup. You need good gloves for #3.[p]Happy cooking. Others who have actually done this will hopefully arrive soon.
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  • WooDoggies
    WooDoggies Posts: 2,390
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    Ditto, Trouble. I will mix either chunks, chips or pellets in with the charcoal before lighting. That way I don't have to mess with the fire after that. If the egg is filled to the fire ring, it will need nothing more for the entire cook.
    There are some advantages to being lazy....[p]john
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  • SSN686
    SSN686 Posts: 3,504
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    Morning Trouble:[p]Ditto what WooDoggies said below (especially the part about advantages to being lazy)![p]Have a GREAT day!
    Jay

    Have a GREAT day!

       Jay

    Brandon, FL


     

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  • Clay Q
    Clay Q Posts: 4,486
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    Trouble,
    Say with ribs or pulled beef, I will remove the grid and tip the plate setter to get more wood on when going to the next "stage" of cooking. I wear welding gloves for this and the plate setter is not very hot anyway. Sometimes I'll get pieces of wood balanced on the end of the ash tool and then lower it in under the plate setter and with a deft move, direct the wood to the hot lump.
    It's true, I like to play with fire and smoke.
    Steady and patient, Clay
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  • Essex County
    Essex County Posts: 991
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    budrow,
    I agree with the folks below who say you should add your chips/chunks at the beginning. But lack of forethought is a challenge I face often. I have found that I can slip a spatula under the place setter and deflect woodchips onto the hot coals.
    Paul

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  • thirdeye
    thirdeye Posts: 7,428
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    b70b7b04.jpg
    <p />budrow,[p]I split my chunks into smaller sticks. For a salmon cook, where I use two woods at different times, but the cook time may only be 2 or 3 hours, I will mix the alder (on the right) more in center of the lump and the cherry (left) in a ring several inches from center. As the fire burns it moves into the cherry.[p]For insurance, I'll also pre-place a few cherry sticks at the edge of the lump, visable through the gap in the plate setter. If needed, I will scoot one toward the hot lump using a wiggle rod. (I have a couple of ideas for a new tool for this; any ideas anyone?) Anyway, since the sticks are already warm they start smoking pretty quick.[p]As many folks will tell you, no matter what type of wood or size you like to use, the most important thing is to let your smoke settle down before adding any meat. This will take 30 minutes to an hour. You barely want a light whiff from the vent, not a white stream. You want the smoke to influence the product over a period of several hours, not 30 minutes.[p]Happy Easter
    ~thirdeye~[p]

    Happy Trails
    ~thirdeye~

    Barbecue is not rocket surgery
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  • GrillMeister
    GrillMeister Posts: 1,608
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    thirdeye,[p]Great idea, splitting chunks like that. I use the Billy Bar as a wiggle rod. It works great for stirring lump, not to mention cleaning the grid. I've got a bunch to give away at the Texas Eggfest.[p]Cheers,[p]GrillMeister
    [ul][li]See the Billy Bar in action at the Texas Eggfest![/ul]

    Cheers,

    GrillMeister
    Austin, Texas
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  • Smokin Bob
    Smokin Bob Posts: 239
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    thirdeye,[p]Ditto. I always make sure I have a few extra smaller wood chunks on the very edge of my lump where I can see them. If needed I just slide them over into the coal and presto... more smoke!
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  • Chef Arnoldi
    Chef Arnoldi Posts: 974
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    I found that adding wood chips is easy, by making a v-shaped aluminum foil or piece of cardboard that is quickly placed in the gap of the platesetter & BGE fire ring- drop the wood chips on that v-shaped "funnel" and the chips drop right in.
    B)
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