Mini Weber smokes better than WSM...

[hoffmaba]

So, I love my WSM for its ease of use but in the three years I've had it, I've always felt like my food isn't quite as smoke-flavored as it used to be when I just used a plain ol' mini Weber. Last week, I just threw some pecan chunks in my mini weber while I was grilling chicken. It was the best smoked dish I had made in a long time. 

I've tried just using more wood in the WSM but I rarely get the same taste as my mini Web. Any tips or anyone have the same kind of experience?  

 

[noboundaries]

I don't have a mini, but it is on my wish list on smokers I'll need in the future.   

When I use even a little water in the water pan in my WSM I get a strong smoke flavor.  Dry smoking, much more subtle.  My wife is a supertaster who doesn't care for strong smoke flavor so I dry smoke just about all the time now.  When I smoke whole chickens and turkeys I use about 1/2 gallon of water in the water pan to get the smoke flavor I love.  If it is too strong for her she can pick the skin off.

I've noticed that older wood produces much less smoke flavor in my WSM. 

I grill chicken on my Kettle at least once a week, usually leg quarters because they require no brining to come out juicy and flavorful.  I'll throw wood chunks on the coals.  Direct heat for a few minutes to crisp the skin, then indirect heat to the final IT of 165F to 175F.  I think you get more smoke flavor when you go indirect heat first then crisp at the end but you know the story from above (HWHL).