How often to add wood?


 
V

Vince Ser

TVWBB Member
I'm trying st louis ribs first time. Ribs are ready to go in Saran wrap in the fridge. I'm going to try the minion method. Im using a Memphis rub. And i have apple wood chunks. How often should I add a chunk? Every hour? Thx in advance.
 
Vince I usually put 2-3 chunks on right away when using minion method. I've never had to add any more wood and my ribs come out just fine.
 
I add wood in the same way regardless of hat it is. The only thing that varies is the amount. I split it in to 4 equal amounts and add it as soon as I put the meat in and then every 30 minutes there after until it's all gone. So it's all in by the 2:00 mark.
 
i believe your meat is only takin' in so much smoke from wood ... like after 2 hours, it's full.
no need, in my opinion, to add any more.
i think after the two hour point, you're adding it so you can smell it.
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Meat takes on smoke as long as there is burning wood present. Start with a reasonable amount of wood (see cooking section suggestions). There is no need to add wood during cooking. Smoke, IMO, should be just another flavoring
 
I think smoke absorption is proportional to the permeability of the meat. In the case of meatloaf, you can easily over smoke flavor the meat by having too much wood. In the case of ribs, as the meat cooks the surface will firm allowing less smoke flavor to absorb. So a chunk of wood at the beginning will be more effective adding smoke flavor to your meat than one added at the end. Smokering formation is a different topic.
 
Meat does not absorb smoke. Smoke stays on the surface. You can add layers of smoke but it will not penetrate past the surface. For certain cuts of meat minimal smoke is required such as ribs ,chicken, ground beef such as meatloaf,etc. Others you can smoke the heck out of it like brisket and butt. The amount of smoke for each is really up to the individual. Yeah, Russell you're right about the meatloaf I've overdone it and ended up with a bitter product.
 
I always layer whatever wood I'm going to use in a smoke within from the beginning. When not using the Minion method for a long low and slow smoke I would build my fire as needed for the cook in the WSM's fire ring then toss on whatever chunks at the start on top of the coals. I never add wood in intervals at all with a WSM.
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This guy says -
"The smoke gases and liquids diffuse across the muscle cell membranes and go into solution in the cellular fluids. The driving force here is that the gases and liquids are soluble in the cellular fluids and are in a higher concentration in the atmosphere of the cooking chamber than they are in the cellular fluids. So the process of diffusion drives these gases and liquids into the cellular fluids. Once across the cell membrane, the gases and liquids go into solution in the cellular fluids and then diffuse throughout the cell. The gases and liquids then diffuse out of the first cell and into the next cell in contact with the first and the process starts again in that cell. This is how the smoke flavoring gases and liquids get deep inside the meat, as much as a an inch in longer smoking sessions."

So, my take is that meat does absorb smoke.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jerry P.:
This should get interesting.

/pulls up chair </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Me too.
 
I add foil pouches of wood chips for 1st 2 hrs. My reasoning is when I start minion in wsm I wait until charcoal smoke stops before putting meat on. If I used chunks I wouldnt know when charcoal smoke cleared. Always get good smoke flavor and smoke ring.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by paul h:
Meat does not absorb smoke. Smoke stays on the surface. You can add layers of smoke but it will not penetrate past the surface. For certain cuts of meat minimal smoke is required such as ribs ,chicken, ground beef such as meatloaf,etc. Others you can smoke the heck out of it like brisket and butt. The amount of smoke for each is really up to the individual. Yeah, Russell you're right about the meatloaf I've overdone it and ended up with a bitter product. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

not sure where you picked this up, but i don't believe it
 
Regardless of what is actually happening or why, most all will agree that adding wood in the beginning of a cook more effective than spreading the same amount of wood throughout the cook. Also, different meats dictate different amounts of wood/smoke.
 
Simple test guys. Take a piece of meat that you've been smoking. Cut it in half or cut away the top say a 1/4 or 3/8 of an inch. Then taste JUST the core. Do brisket or butt. Tell me how much smoke flavor is there. Zip,nada.Smoke will NOT absorb to the middle of the meat. You can believe what you want. If you think it does then it does.
 
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