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Not enough smoke flavor

A-Baum
A-Baum Posts: 29
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
So far I have done a brisket and a few pork butts. I am never achieving the level of smoke flavor that I want. In fact, when the pork is all pulled and mixed together, there is almost no smoke flavor at all.

Do you guys keep dumping in wood chunks every 45-60 minutes to keep the flavor smoke going? It is kind of a pain because I have to life the 12lb pork butt up using the grate, shift the plate setter and squeeze some wood chunks through the small hole.

How do you guys get the max smoke flavor? I am using hickory.

Comments

  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,674
    try mixing some smoking woods, my usual cook is two chunks cherry, 1 chunk hickory. sometimes ill also add just a little bit of mesquite in chip form
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • You are not using enough wood chunks/chips. Be liberal with them and spread them throughout the charcoal as you dump it in the egg. There is no need to add smoking wood during the cook if it's layerered throughout.
    Happily egging on my original large BGE since 1996... now the owner of 5 eggs. Call me crazy, everyone else does!
     
    3 Large, 1 Small, 1 well-used Mini
  • build the fire with chips or chunks from top to bottom (within the charcoal) mostly in the center.

    i have never seen the fire burn outward, or in a spiral, and have just given to putting the wood where the fire goes (in my egg), which is DOWN.

    i find the fire is very small (when holding 250 or so) and so although i like chunks, i tend to use chips.splits/twigs etc. in larger amounts, so that the minimal fire has a good chance of 'finding' the wood.

    once tried the "one or two fist sized chunks" dictum only to find the fire burned down and away from the one chunk on top, and never found the other one.
  • said it better than i managed
  • I am not an expert but, have found the following to help add more smoke flavor.

    1. Make sure you use large pieces of lump on the bottom. This will help airflow.

    2. I have found that using a large drip pan has a negative effect on getting smoke in. I now just put a piece of foil over the plate setter.

    3. I mix soaked wood chips in with the lump and drop chunks on the top after the fire is going. Many people disagree with using soaked wood chips but, this has made a huge difference for me.

    4. I used to fill the fire box too full with lump. I think this also restricted airflow. I now don't fill higher than the firebox and usually a little below.

    These are just some things I have observed and these changes have made a huge difference for me. When I started and did long cooks after I got up to temp I wouldn't see any smoke and couldn't taste any. I made the changes listed above and there is a steady stream of light smoke through the whole cook and I got the flavor I was looking for.

    Good Luck!
  • Cruezn
    Cruezn Posts: 317
    On my large, I just use 4-5 good (probably just smaller than a fist) sized chunks, and spread at 12-3-6-9 o clock, and usually a bigger piece in the center. It's alwyas worked for me.
  • Kokeman
    Kokeman Posts: 822
    I use hickory and apple chunks, about the size of marshmellows. I mix them in the lump. I use two or three big hand fulls. I just dump in some lump in throw in a hand full mix, repeat until the firebox is full. I light a small fire in the middle and there is smoke during the most of the cook. I get a good smoke flavor and ring.