Wood chip question

KyEgg · August 2010

I recently smoked my first pork shoulder and wasn't happy with the level of smokiness, I would like it to be higher. I used bge natural lump and two handfuls of wood chips that had been soaked in water. It appeared the wood chips smoked for maybe a half an hour.

My understanding is the meat takes in all the smoke flavor in the first couple of hours. Should I use larger hunks of wood to smoke beyond a half an hour? How big of chunks of wood should I use?

Thanks in advance.

Little Steven · August 2010

KyEgg,

The smoke ring doesn't develop after 140* the flavour carries on throughout the cook

Steve

NibbleMeThis · August 2010

For more smoke, the two tips I would give are
1) Use chunks instead of chips
2) Integrate the wood chunks from top to bottom in the coal so the smoke will continue as it burns down.(don't just put them on top)

Also, you are not really looking for "smoke" as in a thick white puffy smoke. What you want will be either "thin blue" or almost clear exhaust.

Hope that helps some.

gdenby · August 2010

The kind of wood also has an effect on the intensity of the smoke flavor. I usually use hickory on pork, but if I want a really pronounced smoke flavor, I go with oak.

Use as big a hunk as you like. I've used branch sections 2 - 3" thick, and 8" long. At the end of the cook, often they remain as a lump of charcoal themselves.

But, as above, for most of the cook, there is almost no visible smoke.

Unknown · August 2010

I disagree with the point of putting chips throughout. What you want to do is emulate a smoker which keeps the chips away from flame, in an anoxic environment, and where it is very hot.

With how the egg is set up, all oxygen should be exhausted once airflow hits the top of the lump (particularly with a low and slow). Near the bottom and middle of the lump there is still O2 - which can ignite the chips which gives very little smoke compared to when they smolder. This set up makes it quite similar to how real smokers are set up with a hot electric pan and no ignition.

The ability of the egg to seal completely is what makes soaking wood chips unnecessary, voids flare ups and makes smoking much easier.

These points are not universally accepted by the forum but it seems logical to me.

Celtic Wolf · August 2010

You know you have the right to disagree, but I also have the right to point out you are wrong.

It is the flow of Oxygen throughout the lump that keeps it burning. That flow is actually dragged up through the lump as the heat rises.

The lower wood chunks are not going to "Burst" into flame anymore than the lower hunk of lump are going to burn. When the lump burns down to the wood chunk it will smolder just like the ones that are now ash did.

Before you reply think about this: If your theory was correct would you have unburnt lump at the bottom after a cook?

fishlessman · August 2010

i use three chunks a little bigger than a deck of cards each. usually two cherry and one hickory, sometimes a very small amount of mesquite. the mesquite can over power, a little tiny bit goes a long way (some hate mesquite smoke so experiment with some ribs or another shorter cook if you want to try it). smoke sticks to meat the whole cook, from the wood, from the lump, the first couple hours thing is a wives tail, that only applies to smoke ring development and has nothing to do with flavor.

Unknown · August 2010

You make valid points. I suppose I'm thinking of it how I usually light it. I've never had a problem with lighting it in the middle - it's never gone out one me. Maybe I've been lucky, maybe I know what I'm doing - who knows.

With wood chunks it's less of an issue because the interior of the chunks acts to create an anoxic zone. However, with chips it's easy for them to completely burn away of they are exposed to O2 and heat (it's easy to throw chips on top and have them burn away if you don't get the lid closed and vents set properly fairl quickly).

Would you agree (for illustrative purposes) that if you put a single chunk of wood on the bottom grate you would get less smoke compared to if you put that single piece on the top middle of the lump (one would never do that of course but simplifying things can make the processes more transparent - for me at least!)

Celtic Wolf · August 2010

Contrary to popular belief wood "smokes" till it's turned into ash. By virtue of the fact the chuck at the bottom of the pile will start burning near the end of the cook rather than the beginning you will get less extra smoke. The lump does smoke too.

Little Steven · August 2010

[Before you reply think about this: If your theory was correct would you have unburned lump at the bottom after a cook?]

Ah! I get it now. Would there be unburned wood chips in said remaining lump?

Steve

fishlessman · August 2010

the wood under an egg will smoke as well :ermm:

Celtic Wolf · August 2010

hahahah The voice of experience..

Celtic Wolf · August 2010

That would depend on how hot the fire got. I suspect the flash point of chips is far less than the flash point of lump..

crmilt · August 2010

When using 3 chunks of wood, do you just place them on top of the lump charcoal?

Little Steven · August 2010

Pete,

I was being facetious. Any time I've ever used chips they always remained in the unburned lump. Trying to support your position, the short joke rolled off my back

Steve

Lovenbrau · August 2010

I use a combo of chips and chunks, usually cherry and or apple with pork, and I just spread it throughout the lump. No theory, just results. Cheers!

Wood chip question

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