Using the weber with no wood


 
N

Neil Guest

New member
I know it is a smoker but can you still get great cooked food without using wood for smoke? My wife says the chicken I did yesterday was just overpowering for her although I liked it, I only used half fist size of cherry.
 
Many folks are very partial to the smoke you get out of charcoal by itself. Some just don't like the smoked flavor.

I had an electric smoker for a very short period of time, and I would always add charcoal to the wood pan because we like the taste.

In short, yes, you can use it without wood.
 
"Over-powering" sounds like it could be the quality of your smoke, rather than the quantity. I've had kind of a "smudgy" flavor from cooks where the smoke isn't allowed to vent out of the cooker.

I like to have my upper vent more open than my lower vents. I want the air flow going up and out.

Try with charcoal only and keep "up and out" air flow in mind when setting your vents. If you like the results, try adding just a tiny bit of wood.
 
Some people are sensitive to bitter tastes. I think you could try without wood. You'll still get some smoke from the charcoal.
 
Yes, I do it all the time when having large parties and use it like an outside oven. For Easter I throw the ham and stuffed pork loin on it since the oven is packed with other stuff. You get a slight charcoal flavor but nothing over powering.
 
Yes if it is not all prelit charcoal you should still get a bit of smoke flavor. If you want to try to remove smoke flavor all together use a full chimney of already lit charcoal and nothing else. This is how I cook desserts at competitions and keep the smoke flavor out.
 
I usually don't use wood with my chicken, and if I do it's usually apple and sparing. Poultry easily picks up the smoke flavor, and my first attempt at smoking a chicken on my kettle and a turkey on my WSM I found that they were pretty heavy on the smoke flavor.
 
Tony R said:
Or use lump charcoal...
Click to expand...

+1

I think of using lump as stage one in smoke flavor. I always like to add just a little hickory on ribs, but I'm a very light smoke person and would rather use none than use too much. Best thing to do is start with none and add a little until you find what you like.
 
You're on the right track, Neil. Lump will give you some flavor. Briquets that contain a bit of sawdust (like the Kingsford brand we use here in the US) will give you some flavor. And if you want to try introducing smoke flavor from wood again at some point in the future, you can sprinkle just a few wood chips over the hot charcoal for a short, quick burst of smoky goodness. Apple is my go-to mild wood. Good luck! :)
 
i use a little (less than half fist) alder for chicken parts. For a whole chicken on the rotisserie I use apple (about the size of a cigarette box or so). Chicken is tricky, my first attempt on the WSM came out rubbery and the taste was all smoke.
 
I cook with just charcoal in my WSM quite frequently. Sometimes I don't necessarily want to smoke something, but I want a little bit of rustic, fire-cooked flavor. That's how I roll with prime rib.
 
I would try a different wood. I use a lot less wood then most. I will use one maybe two wood chunks when cooking. I like apple or peach wood which is a little less harsh.
 
First of all charcoal IS wood. Bob H. was right to advise apple wood, as is is very mild & sweet. Just remember, it doesn't take much. Timing is more important. Place it just as the chicken goes on.
 
Jerry N. said:
+1

I think of using lump as stage one in smoke flavor. I always like to add just a little hickory on ribs, but I'm a very light smoke person and would rather use none than use too much. Best thing to do is start with none and add a little until you find what you like.
Click to expand...

++1. Use the lump and no wood.
:):blackgenesis::wsm22:
 
My wife has the same problem and it's not the quality of the wood nor vent positions unless Franklin has that problem (we ate there last year)
 
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