Smoke Tube Question

[Nefarious]

I have most of my meat smoking on hold, I am waiting for parts for my Mailbox mod. But I do have a couple of smoke tubes for the project that I can use now. The issue is I don't have any pellets. I on on the tail end of covid, so I don't feel comfortable going out.

The question is, can I use just small wood chips instead. I have heard people suggest this, I just want to be sure.

If I have to mix them, what ratio do I need?

 

[DougE]

Honestly, I'd just experiment with packing the chips in fairly tight and see how it burns. I believe indaswamp uses dust packed into tubes with good results.

 

[BrianGSDTexoma]

I have done just chips once. Packed as tight as I could. Worked fine but short burn about 2 hours.

 

[Nefarious]

I have done just chips once. Packed as tight as I could. Worked fine but short burn about 2 hours.

Thank you, that's what I needed. I can play with it for a while and see. Just didn't want to be drying something that wouldn't work very well.

 

[Fueling Around]

Do you have a spare blender or one spouse won't catch you using to break up the chips?

Hope all is well and you recover.
I had covid at Christmas. It was a lot easier than my bout with pneumonia 7 years ago.

 

[Nefarious]

Do you have a spare blender or one spouse won't catch you using to break up the chips?

Hope all is well and you recover.

I assume the finer I grind them the longer the cook time? Maybe this is a good opportunity to get some points. Wife is always looking to upgrade.

It is just a little more then a medium chest cold at this point. We just can't go shopping.

 

[Fueling Around]

It will be better. Not as good as pellets. You are looking for more wood and less air in the tube.
I mash my pellets to break up the long shards and get a denser pack in the tube.

I've never mixed pellets and chips.

 

[OldSmoke]

I have had great results mixing pellets and chips. More pellets = longer burn. More chips = more smoke. Get two tubes for your mailbox so you can have one loaded and ready when the other runs out. Chips alone should work just fine.

The chips/pellets technique gets around the issue of not being able to find 100% pellets. Most seem to be blended with a base hardwood like maple or alder.

 

[Ringer]

I mixed some bark of a shag bark hickory with my pellets last weekend. It worked great. I just picked the bark and broke it into small pieces. Flavor was good.

 

[BrianGSDTexoma]

I have had great results mixing pellets and chips. More pellets = longer burn. More chips = more smoke. Get two tubes for your mailbox so you can have one loaded and ready when the other runs out. Chips alone should work just fine.

That what I do. Put chips in than add pellets and shake to fill gaps. The chips give the best flavor and pellets slow the burn.

 

[chopsaw]

For lower temp stuff like hams and sausage I alternate pellets and chips .
Pellets in the tube first , then some chips , more pellets , chips until it's full . End up with more pellets than chips at the end that gets lit .
Higher temp cooks I burn wood chunks . Right on the element tray .