Bad first time with wood chunks

[hoffmaba]

I've done about 6 smokes with chips and they always come out great.  I bought a WSM and wood chunks to go with it!  My first wood chip smoke with the WSM was great.  

When I smoked with the chunks, I didn't soak them (like I usually do with chips) and I got a white billowy smoke and not great flavor. No thin blue smoke. I used the minion method.  

Any suggestions? I have  pulled chicken smoke coming this weekend and if it doesn't go well, I'm thinking of just switching back to my little foil packets of chips!  

Thanks :)

 

[reasoning]

What type of fuel are you using lump or briquettes?

 

[hoffmaba]

briquettes.  

 

[dburne]

How many wood chunks do you put on?

I only use 2-3, depending on their size, and have been having great results. Plus I only use them for the first couple of hours or so. I also do not soak them with water either.

 

[bama bbq]

I wait to add dry wood chunks to my lump fire until the fire is burning clean. I then add food to the cooker and add smoke wood. All the visible TBS is from the cpl chinks of wood I add.

I hope this helps.

 

[damon555]

3 or 4 chunks buried within the charcoal will yield TBS every time in my WSM....How are you introducing the wood to the coals?

 

[jirodriguez]

Start with 2 or 3 chunks buried in the charcoal, that will give you TBS for about 2 or so hours (if you smell smoke you are getting smoke - even if you cant see it). After that add 1-2 chunks each hour additional you want smoke - I usually add smoke the entire time for chicken, for the first three hrs on ribs, and until the internal meat temp hits 165° on butts and brisket.

When adding wood mid smoke you will get billowy whit smoke for about 2-5 min, then it should settle down to TBS.

 

[hoffmaba]

Thanks for all your suggestions. I didn't get emails about them so I'm just seeing them now.  

When you add the additional chunks, do you just put them on top of the coals?  

I think for tomorrow, I'm going to combine hickory chips with some cherry chunks to make sure the smoke goes well. I'm making pulled chicken for the first time. I'd rather not have too many new variables (chunks + first time pulled chicken).  I will definitely bury the cherry chunks as suggested.  

 

[dburne]

I myself typically throw 2-3 on top of the already burning coals. As someone else mentioned, I will get a little white billowy smoke for a short time, then it thins out.

Don

 

[hoffmaba]

Ok, here's what I tried this time.  A combo of hickory chips soaked in foil, and you can barely make out two cherry chunks wrapped in tin foil.  Though, looking like lots of white smoke now....

IMAG0129.jpg

• hoffmaba
• Aug 31, 2013

IMAG0133[1].jpg

• hoffmaba
• Aug 31, 2013