first egg cook

typo

Hi all from an egg newbie. I'm very excited. Cooking my first meal this weekend - a whole chicken. Going to use apple wood chunks, but I have a rookie question: Do I soak the apple chunks before putting them on? If so, how long is best?

Thanks for your help!

Fidel

No need to soak. Get your temp stabilized and toss a chunk or two into the lump right before you add the bird.

Of course, you can add one chunk at the beginning and another 30 minutes or so into the cook.

typo

Thanks, Fidel. As I read here, I'm seeing a lot of different choices - spatchcocked, herbs under the skin, rub on top. Gonna be doing lots of experimenting...

Zippylip

Fidel, I have read similar advice regarding the "no need" to soak, is there a disadvantage to soaking chips or rather is it just an unnecessary step? I usually use giant chunks anyway so it's not an issue but on short (fish & chicken) grilling cooks I do use chips sometimes

Celtic Wolf

Water boils at 212 degs. Lump burns at 1200+ degs. Why waste the water?? Contrary to popular belief it will provide smoke until it turns to ash.

Soaking comes from the gassers having to put foil packets of wood chips in the grate to create smoke.

stike

there's no spare oxygen in the egg, so the chips (or chunks) can't burst into flame and burn too quickly.

chips or chunks smolder, even when thrown onto a bed of coals searing a steak. odd thing first time i saw it. i tossed twigs or chunks in to add a little smoke to a steak, and as long as the lid was up, there was flame. shut the lid, even wih dome temps at 650+, and the flames go out. all the oxygen coming in is consumed by the lump, so the wood on top can only smolder and smoke.

gassers use foil wrapped or soaked chips in a desperate attempt to keep the chips from burning.

gdenby

If either chips or chunks are soaked, they are more likely to form creosote, which occurs when the elements in wood smoke mix with water vapor just above the boiling point of water. So, in an Egg with well controlled air flow, both dry chips and chunks will not flare up as is more likely in a metal cooker. And, one can reduce the chance of forming creosote by keeping the wood dry.

Fidel

be a rebel....soak 'em if ya got em.

others have posted very sage and accurate advice. no need to soak anything you put in the egg unless you are marinating the food.

Grandpas Grub

Out here with apple or cherry it is easier to get chips rather than chunks. Soaking or not soaking depends on the type of meat I am cooking.

Fowel or fish, will take on the smoke easily so I use chips & no soak. I put the chips in a pile not spread out.

If I am cooking bigger pieces of meat and use cherry, or apple, I may make several foil pouches. About 4" long, 3" wide and 1-2" tall. In the pouch I put some soaked chips along with some water. A few fork holes in the top of the pouches to let the smoke out.

I will also spread some dry chips around.

Another advantage to the pouches is that when I begin the next cook the pouches are removed from the lump and I don't have residual wood in the lump.

If I use hickory, maple or mesquite, just chunks, no smoke.

GG

Zippylip

and your own liver in the process :laugh: :huh: :laugh:

irishrog

Once the surface temperature of your meat reaches 140 degrees, the meat will stop absorbing smoke, so it is pointless putting wood on after that time.

Celtic Wolf

Nope not true!!!

The smoke ring will stop but it will keep absorbing smoke till you actually remove it from the smoke..

Celtic Wolf

I didn't say they would burn quickly.. I just said they'd dry out quickly