I'm done with chip trays

pull_my_butt

Knows what a fatty is.
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I bought a cast iron chip tray and if cast iron isn't hot enough to smoke the chips, then I don't know what else is. I got the tray b/c I didn't want to just throw the chips directly into the fire b/c they burn up in minutes...pretty in-efficient to me.

After the smoke, I can look into the tray and the chips are still as they were when I first put em in. You can barely smell the smoke.

I'm sticking to chunks from now on. If you think about it, a bag of chips costs about the same as a bag of chunks, depending on what type of wood and place of purchase, but overall, they're about the same in my area. I bet a whole bag of chips is just the equivalent of a few chunks. And, the chunks burn longer.

Is this anyone else's thoughts too? For you chip tray guys, what do ya'll do?

Cheers.
 
I use chunks whenever I'm smoking things. If i'm grilling items I use chips that were given too me. I place them in a foil pouch and poke holes in the pouch. Then I place the foil pouch close to the coals.
 
I used to use chips when I first started smoking on a vertical gasser. Since I went to charcoal, it's chunks all the way for me.
 
I use chunks whenever I'm smoking things. If i'm grilling items I use chips that were given too me. I place them in a foil pouch and poke holes in the pouch. Then I place the foil pouch close to the coals.

What type of cooker?
 
I am not sure what kind of cooker you are working with. On my cabinet smoker, (which is gas), I use a stainless steel hotel pans. I have one for chips and then another one above it for the water. It works great and I get the pans from my business (own a scrap yard) for like a $1-2 a piece.
 

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I only use chips for cold smoking. I use chunks for everything else.

CD
 
I use a tin smoke box with my gasser. It works pretty well.

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This was left over from my last cook of wings on the gasser. It's from Bobby Flay so it's gotta be good... Right?

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Back in my "BBQ" dark days (gasser/unmodded ECB) I was never able to get good smoking w/ chips. I used many different vessels to hold them in...soaked, unsoaked, didn't seem to matter.

Now that I'm using "operational" smokers & kettles (and me being a much more knowledgeable smoker, due to this place!) w/ charcoal & chunks, no problem.
 
I prefer pellets when making foil bombs but I only use those for shorter cooks like fish/seafood veggies and such. Otherwise it's ALWAYS chunks and sometimes I'll even use a chimney of chunks as a starter.
 
I am not sure what kind of cooker you are working with. On my cabinet smoker, (which is gas), I use a stainless steel hotel pans. I have one for chips and then another one above it for the water. It works great and I get the pans from my business (own a scrap yard) for like a $1-2 a piece.

That is cool, and looks good too.
 
Last year I cut down a white oak that was growing in my yard. Can I use a chunk from it in my grill?
 
Last year I cut down a white oak that was growing in my yard. Can I use a chunk from it in my grill?

Yes. You should be just fine. I have a friend that is a logger and he drops off exta pieces of any fruit trees or maple as they are the most common in my area for me. I chunk them into fist size pieces and store in an old plastic garbage can in the garage. I grab a few pieces whenever I cook.
 
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