I'm having trouble with fires starting in my wood box when I use woods that I've collected myself from trees (as opposed to chunks or chips that I've purchased). It has happened to me twice already - once while using some small branches of hickory and yesterday when I tried to use some small branches of pecan - by small branches, I mean sticks that are maybe 6-8 inches long and maybe a half inch in diameter. Both times, I've seen smoke billowing out of my smoker and have been able to quickly pull out the wood box before it ruined the food. Both times I've just replaced the wood with chunks, which seem to do fine.
Anyway, my question may be best suited for anyone with a cookshack or another similar electric smoker. Has anybody else had this problem? In both cases, the wood was extremely dry, which I thought was a good thing to prevent creosote. Should I maybe try soaking the wood? Here is what the wood looks like...
Anyway, my question may be best suited for anyone with a cookshack or another similar electric smoker. Has anybody else had this problem? In both cases, the wood was extremely dry, which I thought was a good thing to prevent creosote. Should I maybe try soaking the wood? Here is what the wood looks like...
