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Wood soaking

chickensteak
chickensteak Posts: 20
in EggHead Forum
is it possible to over soak wood chips?  If so, how long.. I am wondering if I can just soak a few kinds of wood in individual containers and pull it out when I need them.... meaning they may be soaking for a week.
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Comments

  • itsmce
    itsmce Posts: 410
    I think most will say that it is not necessary to soak wood at all. 
    Large (sometimes wish it were an XL) in KS
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  • SoCalTim
    SoCalTim Posts: 2,158
    If your gonna soak, a week is way too long, a short 1 or 2 hr soaking will suffice. Myself, I don't soak anymore. Tim
    I've slow smoked and eaten so much pork, I'm legally recognized as being part swine - Chatsworth Ca.
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  • Darby_Crenshaw
    Darby_Crenshaw Posts: 2,657
    keeping them wet in a bucket is a great way to make soup.  all the flavor leeching out into the water.  you don't want that.

    there's no need to soak anyway.  the BGE is airtight, and there's not enough spare oxygen in there for the chips to catch fire.  just doesn't happen (unless you raise temps or open the egg).

    when the egg is at temp and holding steady, chips (or chunks, twigs, splits, etc.) will just smolder


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  • saluki2007
    saluki2007 Posts: 6,354
    Yeah, what everybody elese said. 
    Large and Small BGE
    Central, IL

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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 26,454
    I'm a firm believer in not soaking - after all wet wood has to dry out in order to catch fire! OTOH one trick that has worked for me is if I have let a fire get away from me before starting a cook I will quickly soak chips in extremely hot tap water for about 15 to 20 minutes. Then drain them and scatter on top of the hot coals. That wet blanket of chips produces some steam, but also will bring down the fire 50º to 80º. This trick has worked for me for years! 
    Re-gasketing the USA one yard at a time 
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  • JRWhitee
    JRWhitee Posts: 5,678
    I don't soak, what RRP said...
                                                                
    _________________________________________________
    Don't let the truth get in the way of a good story!
    Large BGE 2006, Mini Max 2014, 36" Blackstone, Anova Sous Vide
    Green Man Group 
    Johns Creek, Georgia
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  • YukonRon
    YukonRon Posts: 17,261
    Seriously? That's why they make boats out of wood. They get wet, they don't absorb. Wet wood smoke overpowers cooks early releases steam in your egg. Mold factory if you cook infrequently. Just use the dry stuff. Way better all the way around.
    "Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

    XL and MM
    Louisville, Kentucky
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  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,768
    NEVER EVER SOAK WOOD (((((IMO))))). 8 years of Eggs and zero soaked wood. 
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Just given a Mini to add to the herd. 

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  • Lvnthedrm
    Lvnthedrm Posts: 153
    I was the recipient of the BGE cookbook for Christmas and was somewhat surprised that they recommend soaking. I've always followed the consensus here on the forum not to soak and @Darby_Crenshaw makes some great points above.

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