smoking pork butt

Btown Egger

Planning on doing a pork butt this weekend for pulled pork. This is my first time using hickory chunks for smoking. My previous use of smoking woods were wood chips which only seem to smoke for about 15 minutes (even after soaking for 30-60 minutes) and then no longer produce any smoke. My question is do hickory wood chunks need to be soaked in water first if cooking a pork butt low and slow? Will the chunks catch fire thereby increasing the dome temperature if not soaked in water?

Essex County

Btown Egger,
No need to soak the chunks. For a low and slow, you can stash them among the coals. I find that they look like charcoal by the end of the cook.[p]Where you at in Mass.?[p]Paul

The Naked Whiz

Btown Egger,
Yes, if chunks catch fire, they will raise the temperature of the cooker. However, they will not catch fire below 400 degrees or so. As for soaking, the purpose is not to keep them from catching fire, but rather to locally cool the fire and reduce the temperature at which the chemical reaction producing the smoke takes place. Lower temperature of combustion produces the desirous compounds. Higher temperatures cause the good compounds to further break down into harsh tasting compounds. Therefore, if you are placing the chunks directly on the fire, I say soak. If they are in foil or a smoking box, I say don't soak. Here's a link to my FAQ on the topic.[p]TNW
[ul][li]FAQ on soaking smoking woods[/ul]

Bobby-Q

The Naked Whiz,
Hmmm...I always thought that water would turn to steam in the 200° to 212° degree range depending on altitude. I imagine that the coals even for a 200° cook would be a touch hotter than that.[p]So doesn't soaking just cause steam? If it does cause steam, then you have the effect of a gasser...lol.

Mark Backer

Bobby-Q,[p]somebody's looking to stir up some trouble today. LOL[p]And if it's a MIM contest and we are only competing against county residence and we bring the female staff of the local hooters, I think we could make hotdogs and win...[p]YAY!!!

Btown Egger

Essex County,
I am located in a small country town located in the western part of the state known as Belchertown located between Amherst and Springfield, MA[p]Thanks for the input, it looks like I could go either way with soaking or not soaking the wood first. This is my first attempt at a pork butt. I have owned the large BGE for about two months so far and have cooked:[p]Beer butt chicken - excellent
Pizza - very good should have removed a few minutes earlier crust slightly burnt.
Tenderloin steak - excellent
Baby back ribs - somewhat dry, so-so
frozen shrimp - excellent first time, good second time
Chicken wings - excellent
Baked potatoes - excellent
Potato slices - very good
Chicken drumsticks - ok
Chicken breast - excellent
Haddock - excellent[p]That's all I can remember for now. Any other eggers out here in western MA?

Bobby-Q

Mark Backer,
Who Me?! Stirring up trouble? Never!![p]The Whiz knows I am just yanking his chain. Well crap I hope he knows that.[p]Whiz you know I have a big Sh*t eating grin on my face when I razz you about stuff don't you?

The Naked Whiz

Bobby-Q,
Maybe we should hold a contest at the next Eggfest to see who has the s***iest s***eating grin. I'll put mine up against most anyones! LOL![p]TNW