GOSM - How full the chip box?

[vmastros]

I was reading the Smoking Meat book and Jeff suggests you can get 90 minutes of smoke before refilling the box. I have always used a few handfuls of chips and it will smoke for about half an hour. So my questions are

How full should the cast iron box be filled?

Soak the chips or not?

Can I use a combo of chips and chunks?

 

[webowabo]

When I use to use chips. A couple hand fulls sounds about right for the propane smoker. No need to soak.. the chips wont smolder or burn even if they are wet...
And 90 mins seems just about right before needing a refill.

When I use my propane smoker I only use chunks now. I usually have multiple wood types so if so ill out in one chunk each of wood type (or a couple chunks at a time in the chip box) youll get about the same smoke time til you need to replinish.. maybe 2 hours depending on size of the chunk but easier and less fuel in the long run.

With the popane smoker, you should look into getting the AMNTS.. its the tube pellot smoke generator designed well for propane smokers. With a handfull of pellets it will burn 6+ hours with no refil... well worth the money. The AMNS is a very popular product and Todd is great and a sponsor here at SMF.. worth the look. Click on Sponsors Link above and check out Amazen Products

 

[humdinger]

Use chunks if you can. They seem to last longer for me. Also airflow will affect the speed the wood smolders. Try restricting the airflow to extend wood burn (but not at the expense of cooking temp). It's a balancing act.

 

[vmastros]

Thank you for the thoughtful responses. BTW, I just bought a smoker tube, the 12" model.  It works well at 225F but it would go out at 275F. I had to drill some holes in the box for added air flow. I cover the holes when I cook at 225F though.  I'll experiment with both the tube and the box figure out what I like best.  Thanks again for the input.

 

[rio_grande]

With chips fill it as full as you can get it and I don't soak. I use primarily chunks. And I put as many as I can but there are a lot of air voids in the box. I think chips packed in last as long as chunks, but my chunks are free.

 

[superdave]

I use 3 levels of wood from sawdust to chips to chunks. My reasoning is that the smallest starts smoking first and about the time it is burned out, the next size is going.  I also use a metal pie pan or a piece of sheet metal with some small holes to help reduce the oxygen getting to the chips.  I see longer, thinner smoke times by doing this.