To Soak or Not to Soak...

[drlance]

I have an MES 30 and am new to smoking...Should the wood chips be soaked or not?

BTW...here is a picture of my first attempt at smoking...

 

[tjohnson]

Looks Awesome!

Don't soak your chips

TJ

 

[chef jimmyj]

Looks great!...Keep them dry and don't over load, a small handful is good...Learned that one the Hard Way!...You don't want a Flame Thrower...JJ

 

[adiochiro3]

I soak chips if I'm throwing them on coals -- sometimes even in a mix of 50/50 water & wine; I don't soak if they're going in a pan over propane or an electric burner.  I do not soak dust or chunks.

 

[sprky]

I cant help on the soak no soak question as I run LPG units at home and WSM at camper.

 

[SmokinAl]

Great looking chicken & like they all said don't soak them.

 

[mballi3011]

Now thats a fine looking yard bird and no don't soak your chips unless you want to wait for the smoke to start smoking.

 

[bbqdisc]

nice looking yard bird

 

[stovebolt]

 I found no advantage to soaking chips, but a mixture can give you a longer time before having to tend it. A few dry chips for quick smoke, a dry chunk or 2 for longer smoke and a wet chunk or 2 to kick in later. Toss them all in at once and get a longer smoke time, or get yourself one of Todd's AMNPS  pellet smokers and find out what a neat tool it is. Steady TBS for hours. Kick back and enjoy.

 Chuck