How much wood?

[Jeff (TN)]

I was smoking a couple of pork loins this weekend (which turned out very good). I used about 5-6 chunks of applewood in the beginning and noticed the smoke stopping after about 30 minutes.

I added a couple more chunks but later wondered if it was necessary or if a certain amount of smoke early in the cook is sufficient.

 

[Russell Y]

Just because you can't see smoke, this doesn't mean your meat is not getting smokey-ier.

1. Meats absorb at different rates. Where 5 chunks is good for a roast, 5 chunks will over smoke your chicken.
2. Some like more smoke flavor than others, so you'll need to adjust as you get more experienced.
3. The "smoke ring" will only form when your meat is at particular temperatures but your meat will still absorb smoke flavor.

So.... use others recommendation on what to start with, on the amount of wood, and let your experience dictate the amount of wood on future cooks.