We just replaced our gas grill with a new one. Yesterday we stopped at a specialty store that sells wood for grilling. They also sell many rubs and sauces and a few grilling accessories. I was shocked at the prices they were asking for small bags of shredded wood chips. Here are my questions about wood for adding smoke flavor to a gas grill:
* Are those smoker boxes a good idea, or do you just make throwaway foil packets?
* If you like smoker boxes, what do you look for? Is there one that you recommend?
* Where do you source wood chips at a reasonable value and cost?
* Do people with tools buy larger pieces of wood and make their own chips from them? If so, does it make any sense to do that?
Frankly, the chips that we saw are what woodworkers put in the trash. Those bags of smoker chips are being sold at high prices, at least around here in Southern California. Someone is turning waste lemons into lemonade. In many parts of the country, hardwood trees grow all over, but they are far less common here. You can't just trade some chunks of the downwood maple from your property for chunks of their downwood hickory from your neighbor's property - those types of hardwood trees are not common here. I know where to source rough hardwood boards for making projects, but never tried to find wood in other forms. It isn't clear to me that buying rough boards to make chips makes economical sense, so I wonder what others do that makes sense. I can't see paying $3-5 for a fold top sandwich bag size packet of splintery chips of hardwoods.
So ...
-> Please share your experiences with gas grills and smoker boxes and wood chips. I would like to know what works best for you. For those who live in areas where hardwoods are less common, I would like to know your favorite sources for the hardwoods you use for your gas grill. Thanks!
* Are those smoker boxes a good idea, or do you just make throwaway foil packets?
* If you like smoker boxes, what do you look for? Is there one that you recommend?
* Where do you source wood chips at a reasonable value and cost?
* Do people with tools buy larger pieces of wood and make their own chips from them? If so, does it make any sense to do that?
Frankly, the chips that we saw are what woodworkers put in the trash. Those bags of smoker chips are being sold at high prices, at least around here in Southern California. Someone is turning waste lemons into lemonade. In many parts of the country, hardwood trees grow all over, but they are far less common here. You can't just trade some chunks of the downwood maple from your property for chunks of their downwood hickory from your neighbor's property - those types of hardwood trees are not common here. I know where to source rough hardwood boards for making projects, but never tried to find wood in other forms. It isn't clear to me that buying rough boards to make chips makes economical sense, so I wonder what others do that makes sense. I can't see paying $3-5 for a fold top sandwich bag size packet of splintery chips of hardwoods.
So ...
-> Please share your experiences with gas grills and smoker boxes and wood chips. I would like to know what works best for you. For those who live in areas where hardwoods are less common, I would like to know your favorite sources for the hardwoods you use for your gas grill. Thanks!