Wood Chunks as Charcoal


 

Robert T

TVWBB Guru
Does anyone have any experience taking a bag of wood chunks and pouring it into a chimney and using the coals to cook steak over? It sounds really good to me but a little expensive. We used to eat at this steakhouse when we lived in Missoula that cooked all of their steaks over wood coals in a big fire pit in the middle of the restaurant and they were so good. I would like to recreate that.
 
Yes, I do that once in a while. Usually in an old kettle. It works pretty much like your description. I like apple wood, or sometimes mesquite.
The heat will be hotter than briquettes. Another way to try would be with a good lump charcoal with a few wood chunks mixed in. What kind
of steak and wood will you try first?
 
Hey Robert. Some of the bbq joints around here have Tri Tip Fridays. They set up a Santa Maria out in the parking lot and that's exactly how they grill the meat. Most of them use oak. They're pretty good.
 
Thanks for bringing this up Robert. I have been wanting to try this and couldn't find a whole lot of info on the web.
 
Yes I tried it and it's worth it, but can be expensive if going the bag route. One brand of bagged chunks actually tells you how to do it on the side of the bag ( Western)
If you can source some oak or hickory splits and chunk em yourself you'll save some cash.:)

Tim
 

 

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