Got a Situation


 
Mike P.

Mike P.

TVWBB All-Star
Since purchasing the Mighty 18 WSM and having only 7 smokes under my belt, My Wife (aka Pork Puller) has decided she does not like the smoke flavor on the meat. I've only used hickory chunks so far. Sure, I'm still learning and there is a learning curve. All I'm hearing now is "Why don't you do it on the gas grill?".

She's been OK with the Butts but not with the beef.

Should I change my wood? I've got some oak but it may be even stronger than the hickory.

I can't imagine using the WSM without any wood at all.

Any suggestions appreciated.
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You could always go with some fruit wood. Apple or cherry is not as strong.I use about a 70% hickory to 30% apple for most of my smokes. But my "pork puller" likes the smell and taste. As a matter of fact, she likes the smoke smell on me better then any man sprays... (when she isn't mad at me)..................................
 
How much wood have you been using with beef? My wife complained about too much smoke on my Chicken so I cut back on wood on all smokes and she hasn't complained since. According to my taster the Oak isn't as strong as Hickory.
 
My wifey also complained about eating too much smoked food shortly after getting my WSM (from her as a gift
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). Which is why i picked up a 22 OTG so that i can still Q with charcoal and could cut back on "smoking things". Now i prob do 10 OTG cooks to 1 WSM cook. Not to say that i don't use a little wood on the OTG but nothing too intense. Still managing to cook on one of the grills 3 times per week year round.

I pretty much only use fruit wood - Apple, Cherry & Pecan.

Not sure if this helps.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Lew Newby:
How much wood have you been using with beef? My wife complained about too much smoke on my Chicken so I cut back on wood on all smokes and she hasn't complained since. According to my taster the Oak isn't as strong as Hickory. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks Lew,

I've yet to try oak and have been going heavier on the hickory with each smoke. Maybe 6-8 chunks. After reading from this site and others, I was under the impression that if you don't have that thin blue smoke coming from the WSM for most of the cook that it's not true BBQ.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Stefan B:
My wifey also complained about eating too much smoked food shortly have getting my WSM (from her as a gift
icon_smile.gif
). Which is why i picked up a 22 OTG so that i can still Q with charcoal and could cut back on "smoking things". Now i prob do 10 OTG cooks to 1 WSM cook. Not to say that i don't use a little wood on the OTG but nothing too intense. Still managing to cook on one of the grills 3 times per week year round.

I pretty much only use fruit wood - Apple, Cherry & Pecan.

Not sure if this helps. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks Stefan,

I've got a Weber gasser that I can do good steaks on etc. Can also use a foil smoke pack from time to time if need be. The hard part is that to use the WSM effectively, A Guy needs practice.

I'll be trying one with oak smoke and cutting back on the amount used for the next smoke.
 
6-8 chunks is A LOT for me. At most i use maybe 2-3 and break them down to smaller pieces, maybe in half. Thats me tho.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Stefan B:
6-8 chunks is A LOT for me. At most i use maybe 2-3 and break them down to smaller pieces, maybe in half. Thats me tho. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

That makes good sense Stefan. I'm having to rethink this whole wood gig.

Darn, just when you think you've got it figured out......
 
I personally do not like hickory with beef. They just don't go together to me. I love mesquite with beef. I've seen several comments about mesquite being too strong, etc. But I've never found that to be the case. As with anything else, don't use too much. Don't be afraid to try it. Just my .02.
 
Do a cook with just lump charcoal - no wood. You'll still get a slight smokeyness and you can work your way up from there. I don't like a lot of smoke but I have found a little is better than none. Though when I didn't use any wood, it still tasted pretty good. Where I would really miss wood is a little hickory with pork.
 
I use two fist-sized chunks of wood for ribs, chickens, etc. For a butt or a low-heat brisket, I'll bury a third chunk deep in the unlit charcoal. 6-8 does sound like overkill to me.

Look at the bright side - if you cut back, then you don't have to buy more wood as often.
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Mike,

I agree that 6-8 chunks is a lot of wood. Especially for hickory, which along with mesquite, is probably one of the two strongest woods. Personally, hickory doesn't work for me. I've tried it maybe 5-10 times over the years, and I finally gave up on it this year. It just doesn't work for me.

I do love oak, however. Especially red oak. Use maybe 3-5 chunks on big hunks like boston butt. 2-4 chunks on ribs. 2 chunks on poultry. 2 chunks on beef with 1 chunk of mesquite (I don't like mesquite, except with beef).

My wife used to complain about smokiness, and I dialed things back a bit. I have to admit, it made the food better. Remember, great barbecue is about layers, and smoke is just one of them.

But I guarantee, if you dump the hickory for oak or fruit and cut back the wood a bit, it will make all the difference to her.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Matt Sanders:
Mike,

I agree that 6-8 chunks is a lot of wood. Especially for hickory, which along with mesquite, is probably one of the two strongest woods. Personally, hickory doesn't work for me. I've tried it maybe 5-10 times over the years, and I finally gave up on it this year. It just doesn't work for me.

I do love oak, however. Especially red oak. Use maybe 3-5 chunks on big hunks like boston butt. 2-4 chunks on ribs. 2 chunks on poultry. 2 chunks on beef with 1 chunk of mesquite (I don't like mesquite, except with beef).

My wife used to complain about smokiness, and I dialed things back a bit. I have to admit, it made the food better. Remember, great barbecue is about layers, and smoke is just one of them.

But I guarantee, if you dump the hickory for oak or fruit and cut back the wood a bit, it will make all the difference to her. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Well, Thanks for the replies Guys. Great info. Looks like I've been overdosing the meat with the smoke.

Matt, I've got some red and white oak in my firewood rack. Going to cut some into chunks and give her another go.

Jerry, You are right. I've never done just a coal only cook on the WSM. That would be a good starting point.

Again, Thanks to All. This is a Super site with Super Folks!
 
I have found cherry or pecan to be the best all around wood for me and my wife doesn't like too much smoke.

I use one fist size chunk of mesquite with brisket. Apple is great with chicken and pork but I prefer cherry with ribs.

If you want less smoke use just a single chunk but wait to toss it on until after 20 min when the smoker has settled down. Sometimes the coals are really hot at the beginning and burn off too much smoke wood.

I did try using just lump and that is good. But I'm having success with regular kingsford and it is 1/3 the price of lump.
 
Hickory is THE strongest wood. Use less of it than say any fruit wood. Also poultry absorbs more smoke than say beef, so use less of any kind of wood when ya have the birds on. Myself I like just one large chunk to three large of apple wood for most smokes. It is common for newbies to use too much wood. More is not better here! Try half as much wood and you will get it down.. Happy New Year!
 
AND it doesn't have to "smoke" for the full cook time. An hour or two at the start is just right. You'll still get the flavour you're looking for.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">AND it doesn't have to "smoke" for the full cook time. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>


Good point, Len.

In poker, one of the hardest lessons for me was having the discipline to let a hand go, and stop throwing good money after bad. In barbecue, it's been accepting the fact that it doesn't have to puff smoke for the entire time to come out tasting great.

I've learned that I don't have to throw more wood in there just because it stopped smoking.
 
Yes, hickory is strong, but oak is as well. If friends or neighbors don't have any <span class="ev_code_RED">pecan</span>, head down to Academy Sports or somewhere and get you some. You can use it with anything, and the smoke will last a lot longer than fruitwood. Like apple though, it's easy to tell if the smoke is good since it smells so good when it's burning right.

Still, it sounds like you need to work on your smoking technique. I've laid out mine to ad naseum lately, so check out <span class="ev_code_RED">Harry Soo's technique</span>, a real live bbq <span class="ev_code_RED">champion</span> :

Posted March 01, 2010
1. Do you use the "minion method" or do you start with all the charcoal fully lit charcoal?
Ans: Yes, for 18-inch WSM use 1/2 lit chimney for Brisket and Butts (250 degres); use 2/3 lit chimney for Ribs or Chicken (275 degrees)
2. Do you use wood chunks or chips?
Ans: I use tennis-sized wood chunks.
3. How much wood do you use for one cook?
Ans: For butts and briskets @ 250 degrees, use 6-8 tennis sized chunks; For ribs, use 3-4 tennis sized chunks; For Chicken, use 1 tennis sized chunk
4. During that one cook. How do you use the wood, just at first, at least half the cook or the entire time?
Ans: Wood is arranged around the side of the charcoal basket
5. Do you pre burn your wood or just load it in unlit?
Ans: Wood goes in as the Minion pile is made so it's unlit

Slap Yo' Daddy BBQ

By the way, Harry revealed in another post that he uses apple wood with ribs, and a 50/50 mix of apple and hickory for butts and briskets.

Since Harry foils he can get away with more smoke, but I'm not advocating simply using as much wood as he does. His amounts simply illustrate my contention that good smoke is independent of wood quantity, or at least indirectly related. BBQ contests aren't won by contestants that don't know how to smoke. He doesn't elaborate as to the "why's", but I'm guessing his idea is the same as mine. Wood needs to be placed around the ring (or buried/partially covered in my case) so that it doesn't come in contact with the lit charcoal (I'm guess his is placed on top in the middle) too much, too soon (at the onset of the cook).

Hope this helps.
 
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