Smoking wood selection

[Paul Vogler]

Sorry I am bad about this.

Thanks guys for all of your help and suggestions. Being able to talk to you all, I learn new things to try.

 

[Paul Vogler]

BTW Matt,

I love hickory. I just need to fine tune it some with the chicken. And major tuning the beef items. Maybe someday I will have to try apple. Got an apple tree in the front yard I am about to take the chain saw to. It just got up and died. One little area still alive, but not by much.

 

[Dave Russell]

Originally posted by Paul Vogler:
To Dave, From the original Paul. LOL

Ok, you asked me how much wood did I use. Just a tad bit more than with the chicken at 300 degrees. So, I would say that I used 18"L X about 1/2 to 3/4" sq splits. I cut the heartwood from some hickory splits I have.

Yes had water pan with water. And dropped the temperature back to about 235 +/- 15 degrees. I Put on a mustard rub of my design. Put on WSM about 7AM and off by 1:30. Foiled at 165 degrees which was at about 10:30. And I added about 1/4 cup apple juice @ 70 degrees. the IT was about 207 degrees (thats when I could easily pass an ice pick through it.

Will have to try this again in a few weeks and add a lot more wood. And here I thought less was more. Well worked with the chicken..

I really can't comment on your wood amounts since I always use chunks, smaller ones if smoking ribs or chicken, and up to fist-sized if butts or briskets. As the other Paul said though, it is a preference sort of thing. Cook more and cook often to find out how to achieve the results you're looking for, and be open to the fact that your own taste preferences might even change. As to changes, there are a lot of variables in bbq cooks, so if you limit the changes between cooks, it's easier to identify what works and what doesn't.

 

[Paul H]

Dave, my question would be "why would you need heavy smoke if you foiled?" The meat is covered!! All you need is to maintain your heat level

Originally posted by Dave Russell:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by paul h:
Dave, I don't foil and I don't use water. I add lots of wood when I smoke on Brisket and butt. No big deal on butt since you shred it anyway. Brisket is tough enough to handle alot of smoke (yes, even mesquite). Never had either one turn out bitter. If you are talking fish,poultry ,meatloaf,etc. I might agree. AS I've said before it's an individual taste. It's not a hard and fast rule.

Paul, I probably shouldn't have mentioned specific wood amounts since that's a preference thing and depends on species and level of seasoning as well.

But forget rules and arguments for a minute and let me ask you something as to really what I was getting at. Do you not agree that if you DID foil OR go with a water pan, that you would have to run heavier smoke if wanting to come close to your present level of smoke flavor preference? Not only is that my experience, I'd say that most of the guys that warn about using too much wood are either in the dry pan camp or cook with out foil, or both. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

[Dave Russell]

Originally posted by Paul Vogler:
Dave,

I knew that without the bones and skin this stuff was going to get done way to fast. And didnt really think it would have enough time to pick up any smoke flavoring. From your post, I get the impression that you would have kept the temperature up around the 300 temperature that I had used the week before. Also I am thinking that there is a difference when chicken grease is boiled in a pan, versus hitting hot coals and flash burning. But with foiling the water pan with the foil raised up and no contact with the bottom of the pan. Would reduce the chance of the grease from boiling. Two weeks ago the smoke was basicly the best ever. But three was just a very settle bite to the flavor. I might be in left field, but was thinking the oil that vaporized might be the cause of that.

Paul, sorry I missed your above post, but no, you're not out in left field on smoking grease or fat in the fire smoke. Most posters on the forum seem not to mind it, but I don't care for it, myself. Lately, if wanting crisp skin I'll cook poultry on one or more of my kettles 350*+, offset using foil and checking the level of the kettle to make sure that drippings don't end up down on the side where the fire is. I find that 275* is a great temp for chicken on the bullet, but the goal is tender skin, not crisp skin. If cooking with chicken on two or more grates, I don't use water in the pan.

 

[RichPB (richlife)]

Originally posted by Dave Russell:

I really can't comment on your wood amounts since I always use chunks, smaller ones if smoking ribs or chicken, and up to fist-sized if butts or briskets. As the other Paul said though, it is a preference sort of thing. Cook more and cook often to find out how to achieve the results you're looking for, and be open to the fact that your own taste preferences might even change. As to changes, there are a lot of variables in bbq cooks, so if you limit the changes between cooks, it's easier to identify what works and what doesn't.

Like Dave, I use wood chunks -- mostly not large and vary the amount based on what I cook and how long the cook will be. Oak is actually my usual standard as I prefer it to hickory or mesquite. I'll use them on occasion with beef just far a little difference. I don't find sapwood vs heart wood is much different, but I generally avoid (remove) bark unless it's thin on smaller twigs, etc.

The wood you use can make a difference, but as Dave said "cook more, cook often" to develop a "feel" for the difference. I used cherry (my absolute favorite) yesterday on a rib roast. It was the first time in quite a while for cherry and I could immediately tell from the smoke aroma what the wood was. Imparts a nice gentle flavor to the meat.

Rich

 

[Paul Vogler]

Just having a bit of fun with you guys. "Cook more, cook often", are any of you guys below 275lbs? Or do you all have a 6th sense about this and it did not take you as long as me to "GET IT"?

I am going to turn into a butter ball.

 

[Dave Russell]

Originally posted by Paul Vogler:
Just having a bit of fun with you guys. "Cook more, cook often", are any of you guys below 275lbs? Or do you all have a 6th sense about this and it did not take you as long as me to "GET IT"?

I am going to turn into a butter ball.

I hear ya, Paul. I'm kind of lucky that I work from home and cook for a large household, and I won't bore you with my first year of smoking on a cheap offset. I will say that the first ribs I tried to smoke on that cooker were so oversmoked that I couldn't even eat 'em. It was a real eye opener, and I went to the library and checked out every book they had on bbq.

Found out real quick that there was more than one way to skin a cat and less was more, but don't make it too hard. Just take tough cuts and cook 'em til tender with the right smoke and spice. It's pretty much that simple, other than working on your cook timing.