When you got wood... how much do you actually use ?


 
L

Luciano

New member
Hello,

I see a lot of vids online where people are using 3-4 chunks of wood for a long 6-10hour cook. Is that enough? I've tried to do the same but 4 hours into the cook i noticed that there was not visible smoke coming out of the wsm. When i looked inside the wood was completely burned up. Do you need wood smoke throughout the cooking process ? or just a few hours at the beginning? I did the soos doughnut method.

Thanks
 
I think how much smoke wood to add is a personal choice. For instance, I would probably only add one maybe two chunks of smoke wood for an entire brisket or pork butt cook. I may use one for ribs. I believe less is more when it comes to smoke wood.

What kind of wood you use matters as well. Fruit woods are milder but hardwoods are stronger. Basically, I use it like a very strong spice in order to avoid what I call the ashtray effect. However, some folks use much more smoke wood and like to see it billow throughout the cook.

Your family and friends will be the judge on how much to use. If they like your cooking they'll ask you to cook more. If you use too much they may not be so eager to eat your cooking again. YMMV
 
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It is a matter of personal preference. Generally, the 3-4 chunks in at the beginning of the cook seem to do it for a lot of people. One thing about your post that needs mentioning. It is normal that the "visible" smoke goes away after a short time and what you end up with is a very light smoke that you really cannot see. A lot of people describe this as a blue smoke.

I would caution you about reloading wood throughout the cook. While this may be something you enjoy, I think you will find that a little bit of smoke goes a long way. However, if you like some meat with your smoke, go ahead. As long as you enjoy it, it's all good.
 
Yes i was under the impression that you'd need to keep adding more wood to keep the smoker going. So then its typical for a smoker to smoke half the time while the latter half is just cooking? or is the meat still smoking then? When does the meat retain the most of the smoky flavor?
 
On long cooks I use about 6 fist size chunks, half buried in the coals and half laid on top.
 
I think the other part of how much wood to use also depends on how you run your WSM. If you use a water pan and run the vents more open or if you keep the vents closed down and run no water. Burning more coal with the water pan seems logical that more wood is used.
 
Luciano said:
Yes i was under the impression that you'd need to keep adding more wood to keep the smoker going. So then its typical for a smoker to smoke half the time while the latter half is just cooking? or is the meat still smoking then? When does the meat retain the most of the smoky flavor?
Click to expand...

The meat will retain more smoke if you keep adding wood throughout the cook, but as was said, you may not like that much smoke. I'm not sure of the percentage, but a large percentage of the smoke flavor is imparted in the early part of the cook when the meat is moist and raw.

"is the meat still smoking" - yes. As I said in the earlier post, the smoke turns lighter. However, the term "smoking" is somewhat synonymous with barbequing - low and slow cooking over wood/charcoal. You're still cooking even if the smoker isn't billowing smoke.
 
Luciano
My experience with WSM and ATC moved from chips in a poutch to splits (only spilts) to 3 splits buried in rhe charcoal to (finally) 1 split cut in 3 chunks buried.
Ive never felt ashtray taste or bitterness (maybe only when I used only splits) but I lost the flavour profil. i could not taste anymore rub and my family told me to reduce smoke influence.
Recently whith just 1 splits I was not satisfied in bark color and smokering. But probably I repeat again before improving chunks number.
New good reasonto cook some more good bbq, imo.
 
I usually use 4 or 5 chunks for a long smoke. Depends how smokey you want it. Plenty of famous BBQ restaurants only have a slight smokey flavor.
 
Quick question, how did it (meat) taste? Do you think you need to add more wood for smoke flavor, or was it OK?
As mentioned above, a lot of stuff comes into play with smoking with wood chunks.

Tim
 
If it is hickory, I use 2 fist size chunks. With apple I use 3 chunks. Experiment to see what you like best and what your family and friends like as well.
 
Luciano said:
Yes i was under the impression that you'd need to keep adding more wood to keep the smoker going. So then its typical for a smoker to smoke half the time while the latter half is just cooking? or is the meat still smoking then? When does the meat retain the most of the smoky flavor?
Click to expand...

Luciano, let me see if I can explain it for you. I've been cooking for years on a medium-priced offset stick burner...an Old Country Wrangler, to be exact. So, I've worked with a lot of wood and ran into all the issues of using wood primarily to cook with. I have produced a lot of good meat on that smoker. But, I was always having to check temps, add wood, open vents, close vents, add more wood, etc. It would just work me to death. And, with a stick burner, yes...wood is your smoke producer and your heat producer. I only used one charcoal chimney of charcoal as a starter. After that, it was adding 12"-16" wood splits all day. So, I was constantly adding wood, as you said, to keep the smoker going.

However, most meats, after they reach an internal temp of 140*, will not take any more smoke. So, any smoke you put to the meat, after they reach 140*, is not doing anything.

Now, since this is a Weber forum, let's talk about the WSM. I just bought a new 22.5 WSM, and actually did my first two smokes on it this past weekend. I had no idea how much wood to use. But, I keep a 1/3 cord of post oak, a 1/3 cord of red oak, and a 1/3 cord of hickory to smoke with on the stick burner. And, I cut up several of my post oak splits to use for these first two cooks on my WSM. Hickory is a tad harsher than the oaks, while the oaks, especially red oak, tends to burn hotter. So, I wanted to start a new smoke with the wood that I use the most, and most familiar with...post oak. I put 4 fist-sized chunks of post oak on top of a layer of charcoal in my charcoal basket, and filled the basket up the rest of the way with charcoal. Then, I put 4 more fist-sized chunks on top of the charcoal. Then, I scooped out a little hole in the middle of the charcoal and poured about 1/3 chimney of burning charcoal in the hole. Of course, it smoked bad for about an hour. Then, I could see the thick white smoke finally dissipated, and the thin blue smoke (TBS) took its place...and this is what you want...TBS always. When people talk about an ashtray affect, or something like that, it's because they've been smoking their meat over thick white smoke...and you never want to do that. Anyway, I knew when I saw the TBS, it was time to put the meat on.

I used the same amount of post oak wood chunks on the 6-hour smoke as I did for the 12-hour smoke...8 both times, and could see no difference in smoky-taste. And, the amazing thing to me was my ribs and ham on the 6-hour cook, and my pork shoulder on the 12-hour cook, were all just as smoky with 8 chunks of post oak as they would've been using 10 or so splits for the 6 hour cook, or 20 or so splits for a 12-hour cook on my stick burner. My personal preference is to taste enough smoke to know it is barbecue, but not too much to over-power the meat, or to not allow you to taste your rub. And, I think I got lucky on my first smoke on the WSM and found the right amount of smoke for my taste. However, I believe I will cut that to 6 chunks, 3 on bottom and 3 on top, when I try hickory wood. Not sure how that will do, I'll just have to play with it and figure it out...may have to cut it to 4.

I will say I was worried on my 12-hour cook. I started it at 10:00pm, put the meat on at 11:00pm, and went to bed. When I awoke, 8 hours later, my grate temp was down to 200*, and the internal meat temp was in the stall at 160*. Being my first cook on a WSM, I really didn't know what to do. So, I opened my charcoal door, used my fireplace poker and stirred up what charcoal was left. Then, I added 4 double handfuls of unlit charcoal on top of it. I was afraid it was going to return the thick white smoke like it does on first startup, but it didn't. It just slowly started raising the temp, with no smoke. Within about 15 minutes, I was back to 250* grate temp, and finished up the pork shoulder in 4 more hours.

My new 22.5 WSM is the most amazing smoker I've ever used! I just wish I'd bought one years ago. Good luck!
 
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Thank you guys. I too bought the 22.5 inch and so far after one cook. I love it. Currently raining over here in california, but once the weather clears i'll have to do some more experimenting. So far the first cook, wasnt that bad. But now i'll be more prepared for the future.
 
140 deg is about when the smoke-ring stops, but laying on more smoke wood for flavor can be desirable as it adsorbs it.
Think of it as a spice as you do in small dumps or sprinkles.:wsm:

Tim
 
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I just got done splitting the other day. Mostly oak with some hickory. This would take care of quite a few cooks.:coolkettle:

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MickHLR said:
Luciano, let me see if I can explain it for you. I've been cooking for years on a medium-priced offset stick burner...an Old Country Wrangler, to be exact. So, I've worked with a lot of wood and ran into all the issues of using wood primarily to cook with. I have produced a lot of good meat on that smoker. But, I was always having to check temps, add wood, open vents, close vents, add more wood, etc. It would just work me to death. And, with a stick burner, yes...wood is your smoke producer and your heat producer. I only used one charcoal chimney of charcoal as a starter. After that, it was adding 12"-16" wood splits all day. So, I was constantly adding wood, as you said, to keep the smoker going.

However, most meats, after they reach an internal temp of 140*, will not take any more smoke. So, any smoke you put to the meat, after they reach 140*, is not doing anything.

Now, since this is a Weber forum, let's talk about the WSM. I just bought a new 22.5 WSM, and actually did my first two smokes on it this past weekend. I had no idea how much wood to use. But, I keep a 1/3 cord of post oak, a 1/3 cord of red oak, and a 1/3 cord of hickory to smoke with on the stick burner. And, I cut up several of my post oak splits to use for these first two cooks on my WSM. Hickory is a tad harsher than the oaks, while the oaks, especially red oak, tends to burn hotter. So, I wanted to start a new smoke with the wood that I use the most, and most familiar with...post oak. I put 4 fist-sized chunks of post oak on top of a layer of charcoal in my charcoal basket, and filled the basket up the rest of the way with charcoal. Then, I put 4 more fist-sized chunks on top of the charcoal. Then, I scooped out a little hole in the middle of the charcoal and poured about 1/3 chimney of burning charcoal in the hole. Of course, it smoked bad for about an hour. Then, I could see the thick white smoke finally dissipated, and the thin blue smoke (TBS) took its place...and this is what you want...TBS always. When people talk about an ashtray affect, or something like that, it's because they've been smoking their meat over thick white smoke...and you never want to do that. Anyway, I knew when I saw the TBS, it was time to put the meat on.

I used the same amount of post oak wood chunks on the 6-hour smoke as I did for the 12-hour smoke...8 both times, and could see no difference in smoky-taste. And, the amazing thing to me was my ribs and ham on the 6-hour cook, and my pork shoulder on the 12-hour cook, were all just as smoky with 8 chunks of post oak as they would've been using 10 or so splits for the 6 hour cook, or 20 or so splits for a 12-hour cook on my stick burner. My personal preference is to taste enough smoke to know it is barbecue, but not too much to over-power the meat, or to not allow you to taste your rub. And, I think I got lucky on my first smoke on the WSM and found the right amount of smoke for my taste. However, I believe I will cut that to 6 chunks, 3 on bottom and 3 on top, when I try hickory wood. Not sure how that will do, I'll just have to play with it and figure it out...may have to cut it to 4.

I will say I was worried on my 12-hour cook. I started it at 10:00pm, put the meat on at 11:00pm, and went to bed. When I awoke, 8 hours later, my grate temp was down to 200*, and the internal meat temp was in the stall at 160*. Being my first cook on a WSM, I really didn't know what to do. So, I opened my charcoal door, used my fireplace poker and stirred up what charcoal was left. Then, I added 4 double handfuls of unlit charcoal on top of it. I was afraid it was going to return the thick white smoke like it does on first startup, but it didn't. It just slowly started raising the temp, with no smoke. Within about 15 minutes, I was back to 250* grate temp, and finished up the pork shoulder in 4 more hours.

My new 22.5 WSM is the most amazing smoker I've ever used! I just wish I'd bought one years ago. Good luck!
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Mick, thanks for sharing your tecnique and wood quantityes.
But I have to desagree about wood smoke absorbtion.
From amazingribs.com:

Does meat stop taking on smoke?
There is a popular myth that at some point the meat stops taking on smoke. Sorry, but meat does not have doors that it shuts at some time during a cook. There is a lot of smoke moving through the cooking chamber although sometimes it is not very visible. If the surface is cold or wet, more of it sticks. Usually, late in the cook, the bark gets pretty warm and dry, and by then the coals are not producing a lot of smoke. Smoke bounces off warm dry surfaces so we are fooled into thinking the meat is somehow saturated with smoke. Throw on a log and baste the meat and it will start taking on smoke again. Just don't baste so often that you wash off the smoke and rub.
 
Enrico Brandizzi said:
Does meat stop taking on smoke?
There is a popular myth that at some point the meat stops taking on smoke. Sorry, but meat does not have doors that it shuts at some time during a cook. There is a lot of smoke moving through the cooking chamber although sometimes it is not very visible. If the surface is cold or wet, more of it sticks. Usually, late in the cook, the bark gets pretty warm and dry, and by then the coals are not producing a lot of smoke. Smoke bounces off warm dry surfaces so we are fooled into thinking the meat is somehow saturated with smoke. Throw on a log and baste the meat and it will start taking on smoke again. Just don't baste so often that you wash off the smoke and rub.
Click to expand...

Thanks Enrico...you are correct. I was actually thinking about the smoke ring, and it isn't affected much over an internal temp of 140*. And, I can see how over-smoking could be a problem in these WSMs. Coming from an offset background, that is one thing I never had to worry about, with proper airflow, and as long as I was getting TBS, instead of thick white smoke. I do think that's a problem for folks who've never smoked meat on a stick burner, only on the WSM...because they've never had to deal with all the inaccuracies of smoking with wood. And, I do have to say that is one thing I did worry about when going to the WSM. How in the world was I going to NOT have thick white smoke from any size wood, when it was going to be started by slow-burning charcoal. Especially at a 225*-235* smoke.

I'm still a rookie on the WSM, but of the 4 smokes in the past two weekends that I've done, including an all-nighter both weekends, I have been totally amazed at how the WSM does not produce thick white smoke when my chunks ignite. It's a mystery to me. LOL! I also got lucky last weekend when testing the smokiness that I wanted on my meat. I found that one of my splits I use in my stick burner can be cut up to about 8 fist-sized chunks. And, that's what I used on all four smokes I did...4 underneath the charcoal, and 4 on top. And, that is the perfect amount of smoke for me. This WSM is a dang fine smoker. I smoked a 9 lb pork but this past weekend...put it on at 11:00pm Saturday night and took it off at 1:00pm Sunday.
I have to say this WSM is making me something I've never been...a pulled pork fan. Mainly because it wasn't physically possible to smoke something for 14 straight hours on my old stick burner. :wsm: Also, I used a little over an 18.6lb bag of Kingsford, but only one split of wood. On my stick burner I would've used at least 22-23 splits of wood.

However, I must admit, I cheated this time. After waking up 8 hours after starting my all nighter last weekend, and my grate temp being 200*, when I was smoking at 250*, I tried something different. So, I also enlisted an Auber to help this weekend. I set it at 235*, and it held right there all night. When I got out there to check on it 9 hours later, it was still sitting on 235*. I never wrapped this butt...but I did spritz about once an hour after I woke up, until it finished. I added about 6 double-handfuls of charcoal...and am still amazed that even adding unlit charcoal during a cook does not produce thick white smoke. Anyway, after 14 hours at 235*, I finally had an internal temp of 200* and pulled it off to rest for a couple of hours. I've always cooked pork butt at about 250*, and they've always been good. But, I'm glad I decided to go down to 235* on this one, as a test. It was exactly what I was looking for, just took a little longer than I thought. I could tell from feel that this butt was going to be amazing...and it was. The bone almost fell out on its own, and it was so juicy...it was the best one I've ever smoked.

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Saturday, I smoked beef ribs for about 7 hours, and that's when I tested the Auber at 260* to ensure I knew how to use it, and wanted to use it on the all night port butt. I'm telling you, this WSM is making me lazy. :D
 
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