Ideal Smoking Technique

DBarton02 · January 2016

I've got a question regarding longer smokes on the egg. In the past, I've used my propane cabinet smoker for all long smokes, so I've only needed to load up the soaked wood chips and let it go.

With the egg, I've seen mentions of both soaking and not soaking wood chunks, and only using a few in the firebox.

What is the best method for getting optimal smoke flavor with added wood chunks? How many? Where?
I'm going to try spatchcock chicken this weekend, as it seems everyone has done this with an egg - so I have to as well!)
Lets use that as an example...

Thanks everyone!

SmokingPiney · January 2016

I don't soak wood chunks. I'll mix them in with the lump when I light it. I go light on the smoke wood for chicken - it picks up smoke readily and can get too smoky tasting.

If I'm doing a long cook and want to add some smoke wood while well into the cook, I'll put a chunk or two in through the bottom vent. There's always embers there that will start the chunks.

saluki2007 · January 2016

I only use chunks and I do not soak them. As far as how many...that depends on the type of wood and how much smoke flavor you like. That's up for you to decide and test as each are their own. A typical butt smoke for me will be 4 chunks of apple and one chunk of cherry spread throughout the lump. Hope that helps.

EGGcellent_Smithers · January 2016

Not sure a direct cook of a spatchcocked chicken is the ideal situation for smoking wood. Poultry takes it up really fast. If anything, I'd stick to apple or pecan, and only a chunk or two. Save the smoking wood for low and slows fo beef and pork...

fishlessman · January 2016

if spatchcock chickens the example, 1 small piece

raised grid 350/400 dome. its too easy to oversmoke chicken

Darby_Crenshaw · January 2016

people soak chips because they are afraid they will ignite and burn too quickly. it's not possible in an egg, just doesn't happen. in a big airy (i.e. not air tight) propane gasser or other smoker, sure, they will burst into flame. but not in a BGE. heck, i have added wood to the fire late during a cook in order to add smoke to a steak, and even that won't burst into flame.

try this next time you have a steak going at 700+ dome temps: at some point toward the end, if you want a little smoke, toss an oak twig onto the blazing hot bed of coals. sure, with the dome open, it will ignite. but shut the dome and look down in thru the top vent. that fire will go out, and the twig will smoke. open the dome? poof. it will find the extra (new!) oxygen, and burst into flame again. same reason you get flashbacks. no spare O2, and then suddenly lots of spare O2

use whatever works for you.

i have splits, chunks from trees limbs, bark, twigs, grape vine, last summer's herbs still in the garden (dead/dried), etc.

if it all smells good when it smokes, it'll taste good.

-bark is a non-issue, take it or leave it
-soaking is not required
-green versus aged is a non issue (half the old-timers tell you their secret is green wood, the other half say you need to dry it a year)

i add my chips or hickory bark (shagbark) all around IN the lump (not on top), because the fire is small and travels around. if i have small chunks, i usually add them in afe places nestled into the lump, and after lighting, will put some wood directly into the hot coals.

if you gave me an equal amount of wood, in chip form and in chunk form, i would get better, longer, more consistent smoke with chips. too often i find that the fire has left a chunk sitting up high, fire below it, or missed a few of them altogether. whereas the chips, even sawdust.... you can spread that stuff everywhere

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/d4/rnczo1f5t74o.jpg

there was a dude here who thought that this sketch meant i was saying the air flowed downward. no. the air comes in from the bottom and out the upper vent. the fire moves downward as it seeks the air.

blind99 · January 2016

^^^^ that's talent.

abpgwolf · January 2016

A good article about soaking wood: http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/mythbusting_soaking_wood.html

lkapigian · January 2016

I've gotten to the point I rarely even add smoke wood...IMHO plenty of flavor out of good lump. When I do, its chunks No Soak

Black_Badger · January 2016

I think it was CenTex that first mentioned the philosophy I have now adopted:
'Hot wood produces smoke; hot water produces steam'.

I want smoke in my cooks and haven't soaked a piece of wood since...

chadpsualum · January 2016

@Darby_Crenshaw ... do you have that same drawing, only with a KAB being used? Lol...just kidding. Great visual!

DeltaNu1142 · January 2016

abpgwolf said:

A good article about soaking wood: http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/mythbusting_soaking_wood.html

I don't know why, but your link doesn't work. Here's the article. For the reasons here, I use wood chunks and don't soak them.

@Darby_Crenshaw, that's a great diagram... I'll have to give that technique a shot.

pgprescott · January 2016

Chunks and chips for long smokes and just chips for shorter ones 4 hrs or less. Soak or no soak? Doesn't matter. I don't use wood smoke hardly at all on chicken anymore. I go raised direct. If i'm doing BBQ thighs, I will add a little handful of chips. Happy Egging!

Ragtop99 · January 2016

When doing a spatch bird, i put one dry chunk of cherry in the the fire right before the bird goes on. Adds some flavor and adds some color to the skin.

SmokingPiney · January 2016

@DBarton02 Are you at information overload yet?

Do a search here for spatchcock chicken. There are tons of different ways to do it. It's an easy, fast cook. It's now my go-to method of cooking whole chickens.

Lit · January 2016

For a spatch I go raised direct around 400 for 10-15 minutes skin down. Then I change it to indirect and add the platesetter to finish I would throw a couple chunks of peach or Apple it at this point.

Lit · January 2016

Darby_Crenshaw said:

people soak chips because they are afraid they will ignite and burn too quickly. it's not possible in an egg, just doesn't happen. in a big airy (i.e. not air tight) propane gasser or other smoker, sure, they will burst into flame. but not in a BGE. heck, i have added wood to the fire late during a cook in order to add smoke to a steak, and even that won't burst into flame.

try this next time you have a steak going at 700+ dome temps: at some point toward the end, if you want a little smoke, toss an oak twig onto the blazing hot bed of coals. sure, with the dome open, it will ignite. but shut the dome and look down in thru the top vent. that fire will go out, and the twig will smoke. open the dome? poof. it will find the extra (new!) oxygen, and burst into flame again. same reason you get flashbacks. no spare O2, and then suddenly lots of spare O2

use whatever works for you.

i have splits, chunks from trees limbs, bark, twigs, grape vine, last summer's herbs still in the garden (dead/dried), etc.

if it all smells good when it smokes, it'll taste good.

-bark is a non-issue, take it or leave it
-soaking is not required
-green versus aged is a non issue (half the old-timers tell you their secret is green wood, the other half say you need to dry it a year)

i add my chips or hickory bark (shagbark) all around IN the lump (not on top), because the fire is small and travels around. if i have small chunks, i usually add them in afe places nestled into the lump, and after lighting, will put some wood directly into the hot coals.

if you gave me an equal amount of wood, in chip form and in chunk form, i would get better, longer, more consistent smoke with chips. too often i find that the fire has left a chunk sitting up high, fire below it, or missed a few of them altogether. whereas the chips, even sawdust.... you can spread that stuff everywhere

there was a dude here who thought that this sketch meant i was saying the air flowed downward. no. the air comes in from the bottom and out the upper vent. the fire moves downward as it seeks the air.

Sorry don't agree with this. Wood will burn in the egg. I see chunks on fire all the time with it closed I have even added chunks through the bottom vent that you could clearly see burning. When you are coming to temp and you have wood in the egg when it hits around 350 dome and your smoke goes clear that's cause your wood caught fire.

Darby_Crenshaw · January 2016

I dont have burning wood in my egg unless there is spare oxygen. Open egg, open the vents more, etc.

there's a reason all your charcoal doesn't burn at once. Same reason the wood chops don't ignite. No extra oxygen

Lit · January 2016

Darby_Crenshaw said:

I dont have burning wood in my egg unless there is spare oxygen. Open egg, open the vents more, etc.

there's a reason all your charcoal doesn't burn at once. Same reason the wood chops don't ignite. No extra oxygen

I agree to a point but once you hit a certain setting on the vents there is extra oxygen. I have noticed it right around 350 on the egg. My vertical is sealed just as well as the egg and is controlled the same way with top and bottom vents. I keep wood burning it it like a stick burner all the time.

Homebrewguy · January 2016

I disagree with some of the others about smoke and chicken...if the goal is smoked chicken then lots of smoke is good. However, if you're looking for a roasted or grilled chicken then mild smoke may be desirable.

The fact of that matter is that it's all about personal preference (or picky spouses that don't like their very smokey).

LRW · January 2016

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/vv/j3c1cd84ac26.jpg

This technique looks alright

pgprescott · January 2016

Homebrewguy said:

I disagree with some of the others about smoke and chicken...if the goal is smoked chicken then lots of smoke is good. However, if you're looking for a roasted or grilled chicken then mild smoke may be desirable.
The fact of that matter is that it's all about personal preference (or picky spouses that don't like their very smokey).

I don't think you'll get much arguing here, eat what YOU like. Just giving our advice based upon our experiences and preferences.

Ideal Smoking Technique

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