Chip soaking water in the water pan?

Q-Dan · 11-25-2011, 08:54 AM

Every time I pour off the water from chips I've been soaking, I think -- I should just throw this in the water pan and be done with it. I've never actually done it though. I don't think it would result in anything bad, but I never want to risk it.

Has anybody tried it? Maybe I'm the only one in the world NOT doing that.

bover · 11-25-2011, 09:05 AM

Back when I soaked chips (don't bother anymore), I did that from time to time for giggles. Never really noticed any difference in the end product either way.

ssbbqguy · 11-25-2011, 10:23 AM

On the water pan cookers we use, that's what rises to add moisture and flavor. If you would want to drink or eat that water then use it in the pan. I don't think it sounds very tasty. We quit soaking many years ago. We now get smoking wood that is of better quality than the hard, dry pieces found in the box stores. Much less flareups, heat fluctuatuion and much better flavor. Steve.

Lake Dogs · 11-25-2011, 10:53 AM

Strain the water from the chips into the water pan and place the water pan in the smoker. Throw the chips away as they're now almost ruined except for lining the flower bed outside. Put in charcoal and new fresh DRY wood chips (or chunks) and light the fire. When your smoker is up to temps and there's thin sweet blue smoke (not the billowy white smoke produced by wet wood chips) put the meat in the smoker.

ComputerMike · 11-25-2011, 03:01 PM

Don't soak your chips. problem solved.

Q-Dan · 11-25-2011, 03:49 PM

OK, well there you have it. I'll stop soaking! I've always been a soaker and never really considered not soaking. I've been thinking of switching to chunks anyhow and this would pretty much solve this issue altogether!

el_matt · 11-25-2011, 04:42 PM

When I use chips, I make a double thick foil pouch. Put the chips in, seal it, then punch a few holes to let the smoke escape. Then, toss it in. I rarely use chips though, chunks are the way to go.

I used to soak my wood chips also, I'd be willing to bet there aren't too many of us here, that haven't.

Matt

tmehlhorn · 11-25-2011, 04:48 PM

Im with mike just skip the soaking, its really a waste of time.

Bartstop · 11-25-2011, 04:58 PM

I agree that the wood you buy at box stores sucks. I would think that in Colorado, real wood would be easy to come by. Check craigslist.

Dave

MrVza · 11-25-2011, 05:01 PM

I have a plank of wood from sonnys that I plan on chopping up and using it for chunk .. My problem with wood chips must be I don't let them burn before I close the lid? Just seems often my smoke isn't clean...

El Ropo · 11-25-2011, 05:45 PM

No soaking, and try to use chunks instead of chips. If the smoke coming out of the exhaust is not thin blue to invisible, you are farking up.

Lake Dogs · 11-25-2011, 06:51 PM

Often a picture is worth a thousand words. With that I'll show you what thin blue smoke looks like (it's ALLLLLMOST invisible). Really. White smoke; bad. Billowy smoke; bad. Blackish smoke; horrendous bad. Most instructions on most smokers frankly are wrong.

Here's a pic or two:

Seriously, the temps on the smoker (surface temp) was right at 250. The wood used in these pics was hickory. Good smokin' smoke is thin and has a light blue hue to it.

An old example pic of bad and good. Bad on the left (produced by using wet wood), good on the right. The wood applied to the fire was already warmed and dry. This is right before it got very thin, but it's still that light blueish hue:

jason p · 11-25-2011, 09:42 PM

I was watching alton brown or americas test kitchen and they did a study on soaking wood chunks for twenty four hours and the water only soaked into the wood about a sixteenth of a inch. I do not soak wood at all, the wood will only smolder if they air flow is controlled.

Cokyjara · 11-26-2011, 08:49 PM

The BTU's needed to heat the soaked wood up to evaporate will just lower your pit temp unless you increase air flow. Chunks are the way to go. Chips can be used if that is all you have. Just wrap tight in foil and poke a couple holes to let air in and smoke out. They will smoke for quite a while this way!

ComputerMike · 11-28-2011, 05:00 PM

I've always had a ton of chips hangingf around as it seems every smoker I bought came with a abg or two. In my UDS I put a handful in the ashpan under my charcoal basket. Hot coals and ash dropping through create enough smoulder to produce nice blue smoke

11-25-2011, 08:54 AM	#1
Q-Dan Is lookin for wood to cook with. Join Date: 11-21-11 Location: Grand Junction, CO	Chip soaking water in the water pan? Every time I pour off the water from chips I've been soaking, I think -- I should just throw this in the water pan and be done with it. I've never actually done it though. I don't think it would result in anything bad, but I never want to risk it. Has anybody tried it? Maybe I'm the only one in the world NOT doing that.

11-25-2011, 09:05 AM	#2
bover is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 01-19-11 Location: Lee's Summit, MO	Back when I soaked chips (don't bother anymore), I did that from time to time for giggles. Never really noticed any difference in the end product either way. __________________ "If I were just a bit more humble, I'd be perfect"

11-25-2011, 10:53 AM	#4
Lake Dogs Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 07-14-09 Location: Lake Sinclair, GA Name/Nickname : Hance	Strain the water from the chips into the water pan and place the water pan in the smoker. Throw the chips away as they're now almost ruined except for lining the flower bed outside. Put in charcoal and new fresh DRY wood chips (or chunks) and light the fire. When your smoker is up to temps and there's thin sweet blue smoke (not the billowy white smoke produced by wet wood chips) put the meat in the smoker. __________________ Hance - MiM/MBN/GBA CBJ and comp cook Lake Sinclair, GA (strategically about an hour from darn near anywhere) My competition daze are probably behind me now; I pretty much cook for family, friends, and frankly the peace and solitude I get from smokin' on an offset... Was Lang 84DX, now Bubba Grills 250R and many Weber grills

11-25-2011, 03:01 PM	#5
ComputerMike Take a breath! Join Date: 04-28-08 Location: Carvel, AB Canada	Don't soak your chips. problem solved. __________________ UDS Stumps Clone

11-25-2011, 04:48 PM	#8
tmehlhorn Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 06-20-11 Location: pratt, KS	Im with mike just skip the soaking, its really a waste of time. __________________ Weber performer, Smokey joe, Weber go anywhere. Mini-wsm, WSM-Soon

11-25-2011, 10:23 AM	#3
ssbbqguy is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 10-09-07 Location: carthage,mo.	On the water pan cookers we use, that's what rises to add moisture and flavor. If you would want to drink or eat that water then use it in the pan. I don't think it sounds very tasty. We quit soaking many years ago. We now get smoking wood that is of better quality than the hard, dry pieces found in the box stores. Much less flareups, heat fluctuatuion and much better flavor. Steve.

11-25-2011, 03:49 PM	#6
Q-Dan Is lookin for wood to cook with. Join Date: 11-21-11 Location: Grand Junction, CO	OK, well there you have it. I'll stop soaking! I've always been a soaker and never really considered not soaking. I've been thinking of switching to chunks anyhow and this would pretty much solve this issue altogether!

11-25-2011, 04:42 PM	#7
el_matt Babbling Farker Join Date: 12-08-09 Location: Turlock, California	When I use chips, I make a double thick foil pouch. Put the chips in, seal it, then punch a few holes to let the smoke escape. Then, toss it in. I rarely use chips though, chunks are the way to go. I used to soak my wood chips also, I'd be willing to bet there aren't too many of us here, that haven't. Matt

11-25-2011, 04:58 PM	#9
Bartstop On the road to being a farker Join Date: 03-19-10 Location: Kansas	I agree that the wood you buy at box stores sucks. I would think that in Colorado, real wood would be easy to come by. Check craigslist. Dave

11-25-2011, 05:01 PM	#10
MrVza Knows what a fatty is. Join Date: 11-16-11 Location: Titusville , FL	I have a plank of wood from sonnys that I plan on chopping up and using it for chunk .. My problem with wood chips must be I don't let them burn before I close the lid? Just seems often my smoke isn't clean...

11-25-2011, 05:45 PM	#11
El Ropo Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 10-06-10 Location: Austin, TX Name/Nickname : Roger	No soaking, and try to use chunks instead of chips. If the smoke coming out of the exhaust is not thin blue to invisible, you are farking up. __________________ 22.5" WSM nicknamed Fuel Hog! Rescued 22.5" OTS. 18.5" OTS. SJS Mini-WSM. Building UDS ver 2.0. HEB briqs (rebranded Royal Oak). Pecan/Hickory/Cherry/Apple/Peach woods. 2016 Fuji Absolute 2.0 LE (for burning off all the great BBQ)

11-25-2011, 06:51 PM	#12
Lake Dogs Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 07-14-09 Location: Lake Sinclair, GA Name/Nickname : Hance	Often a picture is worth a thousand words. With that I'll show you what thin blue smoke looks like (it's ALLLLLMOST invisible). Really. White smoke; bad. Billowy smoke; bad. Blackish smoke; horrendous bad. Most instructions on most smokers frankly are wrong. Here's a pic or two: Seriously, the temps on the smoker (surface temp) was right at 250. The wood used in these pics was hickory. Good smokin' smoke is thin and has a light blue hue to it. An old example pic of bad and good. Bad on the left (produced by using wet wood), good on the right. The wood applied to the fire was already warmed and dry. This is right before it got very thin, but it's still that light blueish hue: __________________ Hance - MiM/MBN/GBA CBJ and comp cook Lake Sinclair, GA (strategically about an hour from darn near anywhere) My competition daze are probably behind me now; I pretty much cook for family, friends, and frankly the peace and solitude I get from smokin' on an offset... Was Lang 84DX, now Bubba Grills 250R and many Weber grills

11-25-2011, 09:42 PM	#13
jason p On the road to being a farker Join Date: 09-18-11 Location: Sussex WI	I was watching alton brown or americas test kitchen and they did a study on soaking wood chunks for twenty four hours and the water only soaked into the wood about a sixteenth of a inch. I do not soak wood at all, the wood will only smolder if they air flow is controlled.

11-26-2011, 08:49 PM	#14
Cokyjara Is lookin for wood to cook with. Join Date: 10-08-11 Location: St Louis, MO	The BTU's needed to heat the soaked wood up to evaporate will just lower your pit temp unless you increase air flow. Chunks are the way to go. Chips can be used if that is all you have. Just wrap tight in foil and poke a couple holes to let air in and smoke out. They will smoke for quite a while this way!

11-28-2011, 05:00 PM	#15
ComputerMike Take a breath! Join Date: 04-28-08 Location: Carvel, AB Canada	I've always had a ton of chips hangingf around as it seems every smoker I bought came with a abg or two. In my UDS I put a handful in the ashpan under my charcoal basket. Hot coals and ash dropping through create enough smoulder to produce nice blue smoke __________________ UDS Stumps Clone

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