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Placement of wood chunks

Arkysmokin
Arkysmokin Posts: 124
in EggHead Forum
I know this has been discussed multiple times I'm sure but how would you recommend placement of wood chunks in your Egg to get a consistent smoke? I'm currently cooking a pork shoulder and I had good smoke at 250 for about 3hrs and it stopped. I had placed 5 chunks on the bottom, poured coal over it and then placed 5 more on top. It didn't seem to burn enough to reach the other chunks of wood. I bumped the temp at 170 to push through the stall, went to the store and when I got back my temp was 300 and I have smoke again. Suggestions would be appreciated. 

Live in Austin/From Arkansas

XL BGE

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Comments

  • onedbguru
    onedbguru Posts: 1,648

    put wood chunks in fire.



    I use small to med size chips and or chunks and I place them in a ring around where I start the fire.   (1/2 weber chimney red hot in the bottom center of the firebox. then fill up the firebox and then place the chips/chunks in a ring around that fire (and push them down to where the fire is as I do fill the fb.)

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  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,528
    10 chunks is way too much, IMO. you need about three 1/2 fist size for a long cook. Mix them thru the lump. With a Weber you are looking for those wisps of smoke to tell you smoke is happening, in a kamado you can smell smoke, but you do not have to see it. often called clear smoke. The airflow is so restricted a little smoke goes a long way. 
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
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  • Arkysmokin
    Arkysmokin Posts: 124
    Thank you both. I thought 10 was to much also but I assumed since I couldn't see it that it wasn't happening so I over indulged. I know they say food can only take so much smoke. 

    Live in Austin/From Arkansas

    XL BGE

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  • tjv
    tjv Posts: 3,846
    bury the chunks as suggested but also put one or two right on the fire when you load up the meat.  '
    t
    www.ceramicgrillstore.com ACGP, Inc.
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    Arkysmokin said:
    I know they say food can only take so much smoke. 
    Meat will take smoke as long as there IS smoke. The smoke RING (which isn't really a smoke ring) stops forming when the meat reaches about 140°. So the colder the meat is when you put it in the cooker, the more smoke ring you'll get before it reaches 140°. But it will take smoke til the cows come home.

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

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • jtcBoynton
    jtcBoynton Posts: 2,814
    Arkysmokin said:
    Thank you both. I thought 10 was to much also but I assumed since I couldn't see it that it wasn't happening so I over indulged. I know they say food can only take so much smoke. 
    It is possible to add too much smoke. You can definitely ruin a cook with too much. 
    Southeast Florida - LBGE
    In cooking, often we implement steps for which we have no explanations other than ‘that’s what everybody else does’ or ‘that’s what I have been told.’  Dare to think for yourself.
     
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