I got tired of paying a lot for a little bit of wood. so ... .


 
S

StanSulli

TVWBB Fan
Hi,

I've been using a propane smoker lately. I'm still learning it, but all in all I like it a lot.

But it sure does go through wood fast. Smoking a chicken with propane takes 3-4 times more wood than my Weber Smokey Mountain did and paying $6-$10 for those little bags of wood chunks at the big box stores got old fast.

Thank goodness for Craigslist. I found a new in box electric chainsaw for $50, a used, portable workbench with a vise (for holding wood) and a guy selling smoking wood, $20 for a big wheelbarrow full.

I brought a huge beer/food cooler to him and he filled it until we couldn't close the lid for $10.

The wood was thick oak wood splits between one and two feet long. Over the weekend, I cut them all vertically into good sized chunks. It looks to me like I have what would have cost me $200 or more worth of wood had I bought wood chunks at one of the big box stores.

The only other expense was a box of heavy duty construction bags to keep all those the wood chunks in.

The amount of smoking wood I have on hand now is worth (at big box prices) three to four times what I paid for the equipment and I can use the equipment for other things too!

I'm still very surprised at the amount of wood the propane smoker uses. I estimate that the cost of propane fuel is about equal to what I paid for charcoal to run my WSM. But wood? Forget it! The WSM is a wood miser compared to what this propane smoker uses.
 
I understand. Completely.

I've started buying bagged "chunks" from a local firewood company. Still... $40 for forty pounds seems a bit pricey. However they have a great selection.
Am considering buying a quarter of a cord from them & cutting/splitting it to the size I like.
 
Tommy B said:
why does a propane smoker require that much more wood?
Click to expand...

Tommy,

I'm using a masterbuilt dual fuel smoker and my guess is since the wood in the pan sits virtually on top of an open flame it burns faster than if it were sitting on top of, or beneath charcoal briquettes like on a WSM.

Mine sits in a cast iron skillet and still burns fast.

I'll be interested to hear further explanations.
 
Just a thought, but from what you are saying, I think it makes more sense to continue using my WSM. Just my opinion of course. To each his own.
 
Bob Ivey said:
Just a thought, but from what you are saying, I think it makes more sense to continue using my WSM. Just my opinion of course. To each his own.
Click to expand...

I like both, Bob. If I can figure out a way to slow the wood burning, the propane smoker iwill prove to be much, much simpler to use than the WSM.

For example, temperature control is a matter of setting the propane burner at the desired level. Temps. are constant even on the longer smokes. And, of course, there are no worries about when or how much charcoal to add. Now, if I can just slow the quick burning of the wood I think I'll have it knocked.

Propane smoking is new to me but so far I'm seeing some obvious advantages over charcoal smoking.

Learning the thing is half the fun. The other half is eating what comes out of it.
 
I ride around after storms looking for sizable felled limbs. Most homeowners are grateful to have someone else do the work. One or two good limbs and you have more than enough wood.
 
Stan,
I found burlap sacks are great for storing wood chucks. They are supper strong, breathable and fairly cheap. I buy the large ones from Ben Franklin three for ten dollars.
 
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