Can I put too much wood hunks in?

Kjunbob

Tomorrow I will be doing a Pork Butt and will probably add some chunks of Apple Wood in with the charcoal.  But I am wondering, can I add too much??? I know that I need enough charcoal to sustain the cook, but it seems like the more apple chunks, the better... or am I missing something?

Thanks

DoubleEgger

The short answer is yes. Toss in a couple of chunks and go from there. Inject with apple juice or cider if you are looking to add more apple flavor. 

Photo Egg

Yes, you can add to much wood. Unlike an offset smoker that has a continuous, small fire burning, the Egg relies on red hot lump for heat.
Adding to much wood will only get you billowing, smoldering smoke. Not a clean burning wood smell. End product will have bitter wood burned taste.

dmourati

I'd start with four fist sized chunks distributed throughout the lump. Get your fire up to temp, let it ride and stabilize for an hour, then throw on the butt.

bikesAndBBQ

This really comes down to preference. What is too much for some could be not enough for others. It is better to add not enough at first than too much. You can adjust as you learn. 

DoubleEgger

dmourati said:

I'd start with four fist sized chunks distributed throughout the lump. Get your fire up to temp, let it ride and stabilize for an hour, then throw on the butt.

You have to take in consideration the size egg you are cooking on. Four fist sized chunks in a mini max is an entirely different story than four chunks in a XL. 

stompbox

Wood hunks?

TEXASBGE2018

Just this past weekend I put 3 Fist sized hickory chunks to cook a pork butt on my large egg and the smoke flavor was pretty minimal. I would say the stronger and denser the wood the less to use. In my circumstance I could have put on a couple more and probably been happy. If it had been Pecan or Mesquite chunks 3 might have been over kill.  In general apple wood is extremely faint smoke.  Strength from lightest to most pungent would be about the following (Apple, Cherry, Oak, Hickory, Post Oak, Pecan, Mesquite) The amount of bark on the wood chunks will also have an impact. Less bark for less smoke.

Kjunbob

Thanks for all of the comments.  I am using a Large Egg, and have a 9 pound Butt... so I think that I will put in about 4 fist sized pieces and place them throughout the fuel....  Any other comments?

Hans61

Well, you can get into whether to wrap or not, what to wrap with, (foil or butcher paper) and hot and fast versus low and slow but you’ll get a myriad of answers 

Kjunbob

Do you mean to wrap the Apple Chunks?  Never thought of that... It would seem that that would hinder the smoke?

TEXASBGE2018

No @Hans61 means wrapping the meat.

jeffwit

stompbox said:

Wood hunks?

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