Wood pellets OR Chunks???


 
J

John Winner

TVWBB Member
I would like to know if wood pellets (in a cast iron somking pot) gives the same result in my WSM as chunk wood? I would guess no difference but would like to hear from the BBQ gurus

Thanks
 
John,

I have had good results with both. I still prefer the chunks because it seems that the chunks put out more smoke longer on those long smokes.

I really like the pellets when I grill a lot. Grill smoked pork chops are a fav around here.

Josh
 
Thanks guys,

Do you know of a place on the Internet or a store that carries apple, cherry, Jack Daniels etc. for a decent price? Always seems the shipping is as much as the product!!
 
CHUNKS or, better yet in my opinion, are small "logs" made from the smaller branches of a tree (mostly I use apple because the local orchards trim off alot of 1-3" limbs in the fall and you can buy a ton!) I have a log burning pit . I cook mostly with pure wood and can honestly say, I much prefer to cook BBQ that way! To me, the closer I can get to doing it that way, the better I like it. In my opinion again, charcoal is a slight step down from all wood, and electric is miles away. I started on an ECB electric, and it was lame. If you can't have a log burning pit, get a WSM , and use chunks or sticks.
 
Chunks work so much better than pellets IMO. I've used them both, many times over the years and I'll take chunks everytime over pellets and chips. Chunks of wood are so much easier to work with than the others. But in a pinch, pellets and chips will work ok in the WSM if using a foil pouch.
icon_wink.gif
 
Thanks for all your comments! Does anyone know where to buy CHUNKS at a good price? (E-BAY??)
I live in Florida and we don't have apple trees or cherry.
Thanks again!
 
About chips ... (not you Tom)
icon_wink.gif


When asked about burning wood chips in the WSM I remember reading a quote by Dr BBQ that went something like this: "It doesn't matter if you use logs, chunks, or chips for your source of smoke. What does matter is the amount of airflow you have that prevents said wood products from flaring up or igniting." He went on to say that he just mixes in the chips throughout the charcoal/lump and it's works fine.

My take on it is this ... Chips work great and there's no need to foil them. What I do is put a small layer of lump, toss a handful or two of chips on top of that, another small layer of lump, more chips, one more thin layer of lump, then my hot coals on top of that. My gosh guys you wouldn't believe the consistent, light smoke you get with this method! Granted, you will lose some chips through the grates and if you're a "lid-lifter" the chips can ignite. Two minor issues when you consider the perfect smoke you get with this method. JMHO
icon_smile.gif
 
John,

Edit* After looking at Cabelas dont' get your hopes up. I only found Mesquite and Hickory chunks for sale. Sorry*

When I first started getting a basic smokewood collection started I used Cabelas online service. They had by far for shipping to IL the best shipping price. Now this was near 3-4 years ago so I can't speak for todays prices, but you might take a look. I believe I got cherry, apple, alder, maple from cabelas.

Good Luck
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by John Winner:
Thanks for all your comments! Does anyone know where to buy CHUNKS at a good price? (E-BAY??)
I live in Florida and we don't have apple trees or cherry.
Thanks again! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

What about orange trees. can you get any of that wood? That just sounds good to me.
 
I agree that chunks would be best to use in the WSM. That said, chips can also be used with good results. As for purchasing various woods, if you cannot find them locally then I would suggest the Internet. You can find almost any wood you want. The only drawback is the price to have it shipped to you.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by John Winner:
Thanks for all your comments! Does anyone know where to buy CHUNKS at a good price? (E-BAY??)
I live in Florida and we don't have apple trees or cherry.
Thanks again! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I can hook you up with apple chunks for a minimal fee. Just email me. Click on my name and my addy is under my public profile.
icon_wink.gif
 
I use chunks, but I've never experimented with pellets. Last year around November I purchased a box (1 cubic foot) from Smokinlicious with a mix of cherry/hickory/and sugar maple. It lasted me the whole year, and I was pretty busy smokin. I just bought myself a christmas present (since nobody seemed to want to buy me wood
icon_rolleyes.gif
) I got a 1 cu. foot box of cherry/hickory/maple and a 2/3 cu. foot of ash/alder. Total was about $70 but I dont plan on needing wood until next year. Very nice wood, all evenly sized (no chips of slivers), with no bark. I hate digging around in bags trying to find 3-4 pieces I like. The "double filet" size is recomended for WSMs...HTH

Brandon
 
Chips, chunks, logs -- mainegrillingwoods.com
Really nice stuff -- good price with shipping included and they ship fast.

Personally, I'm a pellet person on the WSM. I bury 2 filled foil packets of pellets in the unlit charcoal. Toss another packet on top of the lit coals. Smoke is delivered throughout the cook. I don't like tossing pellets right in the coals on the WSM because so many will fall through the grate to the bottom. I do toss them in the coals in any ceramic cooker when grilling.
 
Thanks to ALL who gave me ideas on pellets or chunks. I now have a few choices on where to buy (thanks guys!) and probably will go with chunks as I have always used them but saw some ad for wood pellets (cheaper than chunks due to shipping weight etc.).
Pellets are nice but I really don't want to mess with foil pouches.

Thanks to all again!!!
 
For me, when it comes to smoking, the benefit I find with chips (not Chips
icon_smile.gif
) is that I can always just simply open the door, and toss in a small handful of chips of whatever I have on hand just to add a bit more smoke for about 20 minutes. Sometimes my smoke time varies, if I have too many chunks that end up fully lit and burning like hell, I don't get the smoke thru the first 2/3 of the cook as I often prefer. So the advantage I find with chips over lump at that point, is they are easier to spread evenly over a bed of coals, and only smoke for about 20 minutes tops. Basically, for me it's just fun to play with more than one smoke wood at a time. My normal method is to use one primary ( either hickory or apple) then compliment with either cherry, or persimmon or oak.

Back when I lived in a warmer climate making the Alton Brown electric smoker (loved that thing) useful, I used to use chips predominantly, since they did just find on the hot plate burner. I imagine I could still use it here in the bay for stuff like almonds or cheese or maybe even jerky, but it will never get hot enough to cook with. It was fun to build though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top