Using wood only, tips?

thirtydaZe · 10-30-2011, 07:01 PM

Just got a mutha load of oak.

Looking for the best tips/advise cooking and smoking using straight wood with a charcoal starter.

Have 2 chickens going now for a chicken chili my wife wants to make for work.

Would like the doos and donts using straight wood.

This is in an offset smoker btw.

cholloway · 10-30-2011, 07:23 PM

Must have a good bed of embers on the bottom before adding more splits and cooking.
Warm any additional splits on top of the fire box before adding them in. Warm wood begins burning sooner and doesn't smolder as much.

HBMTN · 10-30-2011, 07:24 PM

Small hot open draft fires work best for me. If you load the firebox with too much wood and then have to shut the intake to keep temps from skyrocketing then you are using too much wood. You will learn to feed wood at the proper interval to maintain a steady good coal base with out having the temperature fall and then get unstable. Good Luck

HeSmellsLikeSmoke · 10-30-2011, 07:25 PM

You can also set up a burn pit and then shovel the coals over to te smoker.

WvSmoke · 10-30-2011, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeSmellsLikeSmoke

You can also set up a burn pit and then shovel the coals over to te smoker.

That's what I do, plus add a few chunks with the coals.

thirtydaZe · 10-30-2011, 08:11 PM

A bit concerned with getting to much smoke when new wood added, how should i combat this?

About to find out how i did with chicken but the smoke is my concern.

Boshizzle · 10-30-2011, 08:13 PM

Preheat the wood by sitting it on top of your firebox or, if the firebox on your offset is big enough, just put the next log in the firebox and let it preheat. That's what I do with my Jambo.

WvSmoke · 10-30-2011, 08:14 PM

It all depends on how the wood is added. If allowed to smolder and smoke, it will be stronger. That's why I like the hot coal method. I can add raw wood as I need it for more or less smoke.

landarc · 10-30-2011, 08:15 PM

Keep the splits you intend to use heating on top of the fire box. Or sue a separate firepit. The realy key is having a small hot fire and preheated wood, this cuts down on smoke and gives faster ignition. This avoids oversmoking. Also, load only one or two splits at a time, keeps the fire smaller and hotter.

MilitantSquatter · 10-30-2011, 08:16 PM

you've got a stickburner... If you have a bed of coals, pre-warm the wood as suggested, allow for good air flow and add wood as needed to maintain desired temp, then there is not much more you can do. A stickburner will definitely put out a smokey flavor.. they key is a clean burning fire.

thirtydaZe · 10-31-2011, 10:21 AM

Well, thanks for all the help everyone.

Ultimately, my 2nd attempt with the offset wasn't as favorable as my first go.

A. had trouble getting the temp high enough
B. contrary to what i was afraid of, to much smoke, i hardly had any what so ever.

Good learning experience, I'll do better next time going in with a better idea of how to burn the logs.

BroBBQButcher · 10-31-2011, 11:13 AM

I don't do much all wood smoking but I have learned and been told that bark will cause to much smoke and a bad taste. If you can remove the bark and preheat.

posey's_pork_pit · 10-31-2011, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by landarc

Keep the splits you intend to use heating on top of the fire box. Or sue a separate firepit. The realy key is having a small hot fire and preheated wood, this cuts down on smoke and gives faster ignition. This avoids oversmoking. Also, load only one or two splits at a time, keeps the fire smaller and hotter.

+1 as well as what many others have said ~ remember, the goal is thin blue smoke or no smoke at all. Also, if you do it right, you'll be adding wood frequently; from every 30 minutes to every hour. I always leave my fire box door open after adding wood until it is fully inflamed and very little smoke.

Thanks to the brethren for teaching me this invaluable lesson.

thirtydaZe · 10-31-2011, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by posey's_pork_pit

+1 as well as what many others have said ~ remember, the goal is thin blue smoke or no smoke at all. Also, if you do it right, you'll be adding wood frequently; from every 30 minutes to every hour. I always leave my fire box door open after adding wood until it is fully inflamed and very little smoke.

Thanks to the brethren for teaching me this invaluable lesson.

I was actually doing that last night.

So, dumb question, in reality i'll be applying smoke for the cook duration? which seems like a lot of smoke.?

posey's_pork_pit · 10-31-2011, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thirtydaZe

I was actually doing that last night.

So, dumb question, in reality i'll be applying smoke for the cook duration? which seems like a lot of smoke.?

Yes, once I get the fire going with briquettes (Stubbs or Trader Joes), it's nothing but wood. Although it may seem like alot of smoke it really isn't as long as it burns clean ~ clear blue or no visible smoke at all. Believe me, once I dialed my cooker in, I began producing the best Q ever!

12 hours of this ^^^^^^

Equals that ^^^^^^^

10-30-2011, 07:01 PM	#1
thirtydaZe Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 10-20-11 Location: Omaha	Using wood only, tips? Just got a mutha load of oak. Looking for the best tips/advise cooking and smoking using straight wood with a charcoal starter. Have 2 chickens going now for a chicken chili my wife wants to make for work. Would like the doos and donts using straight wood. This is in an offset smoker btw. __________________ Kamado Saffire Yoder Cheyenne Weber Kettle 22.5" Weber Summit Weber Performer Weber Go-Anywhere Weber Jumbo Joe Last edited by thirtydaZe; 10-30-2011 at 07:19 PM..

10-30-2011, 07:23 PM	#2
cholloway Babbling Farker Join Date: 05-10-11 Location: East of Atlanta, GA. Name/Nickname : Colin	Must have a good bed of embers on the bottom before adding more splits and cooking. Warm any additional splits on top of the fire box before adding them in. Warm wood begins burning sooner and doesn't smolder as much. __________________ Colin - "Drinking alcohol can cause memory loss... or worse, memory loss" New Braunfels Hondo Offset New Braunfels Bandera (Refurbished & Improved) Char-Broil 450 (Purchased new in 1981) 1996 Blue Weber SS Performer Weber charcoal Go-Anywhere 2 Weber SJSs & modified stock pot Mini-WSM Weber rotisserie, Rib-O-Lator & Smokenator system Blackstone Tailgater Combo & STOK Island gasser

10-30-2011, 07:25 PM	#4
HeSmellsLikeSmoke somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 04-02-07 Location: Warren, Vermont	You can also set up a burn pit and then shovel the coals over to te smoker. __________________ Jim - Another transplanted Texan Former KCBS CBJ Large and Medium Big Green Eggs , Black 18.5" WSM, Blue Weber Performer - Stainless, Green Weber OTG Kettle , Brinkmann SnP Pro, and a Stainless UDS. One retired Portable Kitchen grill. Red Thermapen, Maverick ET-732, EdgePro Apex Sharpener. Avatar is the original 1951 Weber Kettle

10-30-2011, 08:11 PM	#6
thirtydaZe Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 10-20-11 Location: Omaha	A bit concerned with getting to much smoke when new wood added, how should i combat this? About to find out how i did with chicken but the smoke is my concern. __________________ Kamado Saffire Yoder Cheyenne Weber Kettle 22.5" Weber Summit Weber Performer Weber Go-Anywhere Weber Jumbo Joe

10-30-2011, 08:13 PM	#7
Boshizzle somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 01-26-10 Location: Virginia	Preheat the wood by sitting it on top of your firebox or, if the firebox on your offset is big enough, just put the next log in the firebox and let it preheat. That's what I do with my Jambo. __________________ Operation BBQ Relief Founding Member - I am Obsessive Compulsive about BBQ. Google it.

10-30-2011, 07:24 PM	#3
HBMTN is Blowin Smoke! Join Date: 10-16-08 Location: Virginia	Small hot open draft fires work best for me. If you load the firebox with too much wood and then have to shut the intake to keep temps from skyrocketing then you are using too much wood. You will learn to feed wood at the proper interval to maintain a steady good coal base with out having the temperature fall and then get unstable. Good Luck

10-30-2011, 08:14 PM	#8
WvSmoke Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 09-25-11 Location: Follansbee, Wv	It all depends on how the wood is added. If allowed to smolder and smoke, it will be stronger. That's why I like the hot coal method. I can add raw wood as I need it for more or less smoke. __________________ El Cheapo Royal Oak charcoal grill (heavily modified and repaired), Chargriller Pro, Webber 22.5" Silver, Webber Smokey Joe, Hibachi, UDS, ECB Square My name is Monty, dad, or grandpa...depending on who you are.

10-30-2011, 08:15 PM	#9
landarc somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 06-26-09 Location: sAn leAnDRo, CA	Keep the splits you intend to use heating on top of the fire box. Or sue a separate firepit. The realy key is having a small hot fire and preheated wood, this cuts down on smoke and gives faster ignition. This avoids oversmoking. Also, load only one or two splits at a time, keeps the fire smaller and hotter. __________________ [COLOR=DarkGreen][COLOR=DarkRed][SIZE=1]me: I don't drink anymore Yelonutz: me either, but, then again, I don't drink any less [/SIZE][/COLOR][/COLOR][SIZE=1][COLOR=DarkRed] [COLOR=Pink]SSS[/COLOR] [/COLOR][/SIZE]

10-30-2011, 08:16 PM	#10
MilitantSquatter Moderator Join Date: 09-17-05 Location: Mooresville, NC	you've got a stickburner... If you have a bed of coals, pre-warm the wood as suggested, allow for good air flow and add wood as needed to maintain desired temp, then there is not much more you can do. A stickburner will definitely put out a smokey flavor.. they key is a clean burning fire. __________________ XL BGE (#2) & Performer Platinum Former owner: Jambo Backyard, Klose BYC, Lonestar Vertical offset w/ Insulated Firebox, Medium Spicewine, Pitts & Spitts, XL BGE (#1) & (2) Medium BGE's, 22" WSM & (2) 18" WSM's, 18" & 22" Weber Kettles

10-31-2011, 10:21 AM	#11
thirtydaZe Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 10-20-11 Location: Omaha	Well, thanks for all the help everyone. Ultimately, my 2nd attempt with the offset wasn't as favorable as my first go. A. had trouble getting the temp high enough B. contrary to what i was afraid of, to much smoke, i hardly had any what so ever. Good learning experience, I'll do better next time going in with a better idea of how to burn the logs. __________________ Kamado Saffire Yoder Cheyenne Weber Kettle 22.5" Weber Summit Weber Performer Weber Go-Anywhere Weber Jumbo Joe

10-31-2011, 11:13 AM	#12
BroBBQButcher Knows what a fatty is. Join Date: 10-07-11 Location: Kansas City, MO	I don't do much all wood smoking but I have learned and been told that bark will cause to much smoke and a bad taste. If you can remove the bark and preheat.

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