Really dumb smoking question

[Crotonmark]

Hey guys
Language/technique question
When you say you smoke w hickory or smoke w pecan wood, are you mixing these wood chunks with charcoal or are you all wood?
If it is all wood how much do you need for a 12 plus hour cook (a brisket for example). If you’re mixing together how much wood do you add to the charcoal?
Thanks and hope this ain’t too basic.

Mark

 

[Bob C Cue]

Waiting for Texas Pete to respond. Based on the thread title he seems to be the logical choice.

 

[Crotonmark]

Gosh. I’ve posted here for years now and I don’t know who Texas Pete is. Can you please let me know?

 

[BruceB]

In my case I have a WSM and I use wood chunks with charcoal. I rarely, if ever, mix hickory with pecan, it's usually all hickory or a fruit wood mixed with hickory or pecan. For a pork butt cook of about 8-10 hours I'd probably use about 4-5 chunks at the beginning of the cook.

 

[Moose]

Hey guys
Language/technique question
When you say you smoke w hickory or smoke w pecan wood, are you mixing these wood chunks with charcoal or are you all wood?
If it is all wood how much do you need for a 12 plus hour cook (a brisket for example). If you’re mixing together how much wood do you add to the charcoal?
Thanks and hope this ain’t too basic.

Mark

For an offset, you're usually using all wood, but a charcoal cooker like your Summit, your fuel is charcoal and you'd be using wood for smoke. I don't know your cooker, so can't advise exact quantities of wood chunks, but a handful or so of chunks distributed evenly throughout the unlit coals would be my guess. Have a look on YouTube as I imagine there's plenty of videos that would answer your question more precisely as it relates to the Summit.


One other thing: There are no stupid questions!

 

[WeberWho]

It sounds like you have a smoker that runs on charcoal. The chunks of wood depend on your grill and the meat you're cooking with. The flavor of the wood also plays a role. Certain smoke flavors work better than others depending on what you're cooking. So it's worth looking around and seeing what wood works best for your dish beforehand. Fish and poultry don't take very much smoke before it can be overpowering. That's where you would typically use a fruit wood or go light on the amount of chips/chunks you're using. Beef can handle a heavier smoke profile before it becomes overpowering. In my BGE I'll use 2-3 fist size chunks for low and slow cooks. Majority of pork and beef really only absorbs smoke for the first 2-3 hours. I know if I burry my chunks too low into the charcoal they might not even ignite as the lump burns pretty slow with the BGE. So I bury my chunks not too far down into the lump.

The more you play around the better you will become getting to know your grill/smoker and what works and fits your taste buds. It's a lot to take in but you're constantly learning something everytime. That's part of the fun of grilling/smoking.

 

[Crotonmark]

For an offset, you're usually using all wood, but a charcoal cooker like your Summit, your fuel is charcoal and you'd be using wood for smoke. I don't know your cooker, so can't advise exact quantities of wood chunks, but a handful or so of chunks distributed evenly throughout the unlit coals would be my guess. Have a look on YouTube as I imagine there's plenty of videos that would answer your question more precisely as it relates to the Summit.


One other thing: There are no stupid questions!

I have a Summit and I have added chunks in the past. However since people are saying that they cook with hickory or they cook with pecan (as examples) I just wanted to be sure they meant mixed in w Charcoal.
thanks

 

[Crotonmark]

It sounds like you have a smoker that runs on charcoal. The chunks of wood depend on your grill and the meat you're cooking with. The flavor of the wood also plays a role. Certain smoke flavors work better than others depending on what you're cooking. So it's worth looking around and seeing what wood works best for your dish beforehand. Fish and poultry don't take very much smoke before it can be overpowering. That's where you would typically use a fruit wood or go light on the amount of chips/chunks you're using. Beef can handle a heavier smoke profile before it becomes overpowering. In my BGE I'll use 2-3 fist size chunks for low and slow cooks. Majority of pork and beef really only absorbs smoke for the first 2-3 hours. I know if I burry my chunks too low into the charcoal they might not even ignite as the lump burns pretty slow with the BGE. So I bury my chunks not too far down into the lump.

The more you play around the better you will become getting to know your grill/smoker and what works and fits your taste buds. It's a lot to take in but you're constantly learning something everytime. That's part of the fun of grilling/smoking.

thanks - the summit lights from below using the ignitor so I bury my chunks there

 

[pjtexas1]

Dang... tough crowd! I get called stupid and nobody knows who I am. I leave for less than a day and this is what happens?

Paul
PJ
Texas Pete
PJ Posse Founder
pjtexas1
(And now Stupid)

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

 

[Happy Hapgood]

Dang... tough crowd! I get called stupid and nobody knows who I am. I leave for less than a day and this is what happens?

Paul
PJ
Texas Pete
PJ Posse Founder
pjtexas1
(And now Stupid)

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

You may look dumb but that's just a disguise.



PJ is on it! :thumb:

 

[EricD]

Are you an undercover agent for the FBI?

Sorry, couldn't resist....that was the perfect set up, thanks Happy!

 

[Crotonmark]

Dang... tough crowd! I get called stupid and nobody knows who I am. I leave for less than a day and this is what happens?

Paul
PJ
Texas Pete
PJ Posse Founder
pjtexas1
(And now Stupid)

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

I am sorry but honestly who are you?