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How many of you soak your wood chucks ?

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  • lkapigian
    lkapigian Posts: 10,766
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    ColtsFan said:
    I like to soak it in cider 
    Dickin's Cider?
    Visalia, Ca @lkapigian
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  • ColtsFan
    ColtsFan Posts: 6,345
    edited August 2017
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    lkapigian said:
    ColtsFan said:
    I like to soak it in cider 
    Dickin's Cider?
    Finally! I was disappointed that I didn't get an earlier response.  =)
    ~ John - https://www.instagram.com/hoosier_egger
    XL BGE, LG BGE, KJ Jr, PK Original, Ardore Pizza Oven, King Disc 
    Bloomington, IN - Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoosiers!

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  • EggMcMic
    EggMcMic Posts: 340
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    Robert5506 said:
    Hans61 said:
    Don't soak

    what kind of lump you cooking with?
    Cowboy and green egg kind 
    Try NOT using Cowboy. I have never used it because this forum has scared me off of it, but from what I have read it may produce the campfire taste you are experiencing.
    EggMcMcc
    Central Illinois
    First L BGE July 2016, RecTec, Traeger, Weber, Campchef
    Second BGE, a MMX, February 2017
    Third BGE, another large, May, 2017
    Added another griddle (BassPro) December 2017
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  • bboulier
    bboulier Posts: 558
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    No soaking.  See the report/video on the Weber Bullett forum: http://virtualweberbullet.com/woods.html 
    Weber Kettle, Weber Genesis Silver B, Medium Egg, KJ Classic (Black)
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    What's with all the "campfire taste" comments? Nothing finer than food cooked over a campfire. I assume you're referring to VOCs and are just describing it poorly. =)

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • kthacher
    kthacher Posts: 155
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    Another vote for no.
    Winnipeg, Canada
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  • Dinah_Moe_Humm
    Dinah_Moe_Humm Posts: 111
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    So when I grill salmon on a cedar shake I shouldn't soak the cedar first?  Soaked or not soaked, makes no difference?
    D'you think I could interest you in a pair of zircon-encrusted tweezers?

    Newtown Square, PA
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  • northGAcock
    northGAcock Posts: 15,164
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    Just the one time I left them out in the rain.
    Ellijay GA with a Medium & MiniMax

    Well, I married me a wife, she's been trouble all my life,
    Run me out in the cold rain and snow
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  • JohnnyTarheel
    JohnnyTarheel Posts: 6,541
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    Never soak...
    Charlotte, NC - Large BGE 2014, Maverick ET 733, Thermopen, Nest, Platesetter, Woo2 and Extender w/Grid, Kick Ash Basket, Pizza Stone, SS Smokeware Cap, Blackstone 36"
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  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
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    JohnInCarolina said:
    I approached this question scientifically.  I smoked two pork butts (from the same animal and trimmed to the same mass) for exactly 12 hrs on two different eggs using the same weight (before soak) of apple wood chips.  One set was soaked, the other was not.  

    I then served the pulled pork to a panel of experts, and asked them to sample some from each batch and tell me if they noticed any difference.  I did not tell the panel what I had done, only that there *could* be a difference.

    The experts noted slight differences in texture and moisture which I attribute to statistical variability, as their conclusions were not uniform.  Not one expert mentioned one of the batches tasting more smoky than the other.  This suggests that, at least for pulled pork and other low and slow cooks, there is not sufficient evidence to support the contention that there is utility in soaking the smoking wood.  So I can't in good conscience recommend it to you.

    Now, if you don't believe in my methods or this tall tale I've told, I challenge you to repeat this process with even half of the rigor I have described.  Just be sure to use deionized water for the soak.
    Must be nice to be tenured in academia at a bogus school where you have time for such non-peer reviewed vagueries rather than traveling around on the DOD's dollar preaching about climate change and its impact on the LGBTVU community.  =)
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
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  • YukonRon
    YukonRon Posts: 16,989
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    bgebrent said:
    JohnInCarolina said:
    I approached this question scientifically.  I smoked two pork butts (from the same animal and trimmed to the same mass) for exactly 12 hrs on two different eggs using the same weight (before soak) of apple wood chips.  One set was soaked, the other was not.  

    I then served the pulled pork to a panel of experts, and asked them to sample some from each batch and tell me if they noticed any difference.  I did not tell the panel what I had done, only that there *could* be a difference.

    The experts noted slight differences in texture and moisture which I attribute to statistical variability, as their conclusions were not uniform.  Not one expert mentioned one of the batches tasting more smoky than the other.  This suggests that, at least for pulled pork and other low and slow cooks, there is not sufficient evidence to support the contention that there is utility in soaking the smoking wood.  So I can't in good conscience recommend it to you.

    Now, if you don't believe in my methods or this tall tale I've told, I challenge you to repeat this process with even half of the rigor I have described.  Just be sure to use deionized water for the soak.
    Must be nice to be tenured in academia at a bogus school where you have time for such non-peer reviewed vagueries rather than traveling around on the DOD's dollar preaching about climate change and its impact on the LGBTVU community.  =)
    Not that there is anything wrong with that.
    "Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

    XL and MM
    Louisville, Kentucky
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  • blasting
    blasting Posts: 6,262
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    I don't soak, or use cowboy.

    Phoenix 
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  • EggPerfection
    EggPerfection Posts: 124
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    No soak. I can't tell the difference so, why bother?
    Best - Jack
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  • JRWhitee
    JRWhitee Posts: 5,678
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    I never soak, it is a waste of time and water....
                                                                
    _________________________________________________
    Don't let the truth get in the way of a good story!
    Large BGE 2006, Mini Max 2014, 36" Blackstone, Anova Sous Vide
    Green Man Group 
    Johns Creek, Georgia
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  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
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    Normally I just soak my liver. As for the cider... 7up and cider. 
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
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  • E3MeatCo
    E3MeatCo Posts: 6
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    We don't usually soak the chips, we see no added benefit to doing that
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  • MeTed
    MeTed Posts: 800
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    No soak!
    Belleville, Michigan

    Just burnin lump in Sumpter
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  • Eggscuses
    Eggscuses Posts: 399
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    I've never had wood chuck. Any good? 
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  • bigegger
    bigegger Posts: 87
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    I used to soak wood chips before I had an electric smoker but now with the BGE I use wood chunks and logs which really doesn't soak up much water anyways.
    So,  -no- =)
    LBGE with 76" Challenger Cooking Island
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  • Hans61
    Hans61 Posts: 3,901
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    “There are three rules that I live by: never get less than twelve hours sleep; never play cards with a guy who has the same first name as a city; and never get involved with a woman with a tattoo of a dagger on her body.”
    Coach Finstock Teen Wolf
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,895
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    The only time I ever soak chips is when my fire has gotten way ahead of me. Then a blanket of wet chips and closing the dome quickly brings the fire down as much as 100º. Even a soak of only 10 minutes will do it and is more effective than trying to spray water on the fire since that becomes a risk of burns from the steam! This trick has worked for me for years - though of course it's best not to let the fire get away in the first place!
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
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  • jaydub58
    jaydub58 Posts: 2,167
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    I tried smoking my wood chuck, but he ran around so fast, I couldn't catch him.
    John in the Willamette Valley of Oregon
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  • Rabidgoose
    Rabidgoose Posts: 40
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    Never soak, but always drink
    LG BGE...PSWOOII-CI...PLATESETTER...THERMAPEN...MAVERICK-ET-733

    Thumb MI
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  • ronw9471
    ronw9471 Posts: 112
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    jaydub58 said:
    I tried smoking my wood chuck, but he ran around so fast, I couldn't catch him.
    Careful John, you'll have PETA looking for you. A wet chuck is not a happy chuck.
    Parrish, FL

    My Photo Website: www.ronwooldridgephotography.com

    XL Big Green Egg
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  • amigo109
    amigo109 Posts: 1
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    What do you guys mean by "waiting for clean burn"?  
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,384
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    @amigo109 - welcome aboard and enjoy the journey.  Above all, have fun.
    Now regarding your question- the "waiting for the clean smoke" has to do with ensuring the Volatile Organic Compounds (voc's) have burned off-the thick nasty smelling smoke you get when you initially fire up the BGE.  So once the white smoke is gone trust the nose and smell the smoke coming out the top.  If it smells good you are ready to cook, if not wait til it does.  Patience is the watchword.  FWIW-
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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