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how much wood in WSM?


 
C

chris vukasinovic

New member
Hey all,

I've been loving my new hobbie for two years now, but I still have a newbie question about woods. I've been shy about using anything but the sweet woods (like Cherry and Apple) on my que. I generally throw on 6 large fist sized chunks at the beginning of my smoke, and do not add any more during the cooktime.

So my questions, if I want to start using oak and a sweet wood like apple for brisket or butts how much is enough? Can I do 4 fist sized chunks of oak and 2-3 of apple? Is that too much?

I know this is all subjective, but I'd like to get an idea of what's generally used.

Thanks!
 
When I'm smoking I will usually add two fist sized hunks of what ever I'm using and that's it. Seems to be just enough smoke flavor without being overbearing.
 
Chris,
Smoke flavor is very subjective. It sounds like you prefer a strong smoke flavor. If so, I would go with 3 fist sized chunks of oak and two apple chunks. The brisket can take that much smoke without being overpowering. I normally do my brisket with either 4 chunks of hickory or 4 chunks of oak and it turns out well every time. Give it a shot and adjust from there.
Lance
 
Do you find that oak is much lighter than hickory? I'be been steered away from hickory and mesquite because I was told they can make you food have an acute acidy taste.
 
The only time I have fouled up a cook is when I over smoked some spare ribs (well, I have had a few dry briskets to be fair
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~ You have to be gentle with the smoke wood on the ribs! Pork butt, beef shoulder and brisket can take a lot of smoke. don't be afraid of mesquite (many are!), particularly for beef shoulder. I like hickory for ribs and apple for poultry and salmon (go light on the smoke wood with salmon and chicken too
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Cheers
 
What Lou said I don't understand. I have never over smoked anything. I have learned that a few of the nearby trees make for a bitter smoke. I -once- tried the wood from my cherry trees. Now that was extremely bitter.

I try to keep it smoking at all times. I suppose it is the wood. The apple wood (apple orchard on the property) I normally smoke with is a very mild wood that does not impart any harsh flavor. Mild smoke. Almost too mild. I was going to start adding some hardwood from the woods in addition to the apple wood for a more pronounced smoke. A couple of hardwood trees fell over last month during a bad storm. It's about time to take them out.

While in the Military, I traded smokes with a Turk. Now that was a HARSH smoke.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by chris vukasinovic:
Do you find that oak is much lighter than hickory? I'be been steered away from hickory and mesquite because I was told they can make you food have an acute acidy taste. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yes,
Oak is lighter than hickory. Don't be afraid of hickory. I would use less wood, especially hickory, with ribs and poultry.
 
I seem to tend to go lighter on the smoke wood because I'm afraid of making it too smokey. I use a bit smaller chuncks that fist sized, I try to cut mine up in 2 or 3 inch cubes. For ribs, turkey, chicken, ground beef (meatloaf), I use 2-3 chunks.

I did a 20lbs beef chuck roll (cut in half with one on the bottom grate, one on the top) and I used about 8 chunks of oak and it was not over powering at all.

I did 2 - 6lbs butts over a 6lbs brisket flat this last weekend and I used about 8 or 10 chunks of maple. It also was not over powering on those cuts.

So like others have said, it really depends on the cut of meat.

I don't use hickory or mesquite or any of the heaver woods often, so I can't speak to them. I use apple, cherry, oak, and maple the most.

Todd
 
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