Wood to soak or not to soak – my experiment

Wood to soak or not to soak – my experiment

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Q

Que-Dawg

Guest
After several question by my local friends on should they soak or not to soak; I came up with this
conclusion.
I know there is no real way that is correct, it is all about what makes you more confident in the outcome of you Que. Personally I do not soak chunks or larger pieces of wood. I really do not like the way it kind of steams the food for a while.
Hickory wood left is soaked right is dry
IMG_4478.jpg


After 7 hours
IMG_4480.jpg


After 2 hours
IMG_4482.jpg
 
Que-Dawg

I'm not sure I understand your point with the comparison pics of the two and seven hour marks... Are you just showing that when at room temp, after 5 hours most of the water is gone (at least on the surface) ?

Personally, I don't wet down any woods.. In addition, it's an extra step that requires pre-planning.
 
Before joining this site, I soaked my wood. Now I do not and I believe my Q is much better. Maybe not from using dry wood, but more likely from all the knowledge shared here...

Anyway, I believe it is a waste of time.

Just my $0.02...:-D
 
Last edited:
With chips I suppose soaking them will prevent them from burning too quickly. With chunks it just not necessary nor do I do it.
 
MilitantSquatter said:
Que-Dawg

I'm not sure I understand your point with the comparison pics of the two and seven hour marks... Are you just showing that when at room temp, after 5 hours most of the water is gone (at least on the surface) ?

Personally, I don't wet down any woods.. In addition, it's an extra step that requires pre-planning.
Click to expand...


The wood was split as soon as it came out of the bucket. To me for soaking it that long really would not make that much difference as seen on the soak ring. The only real reason I can see is maybe to keep from a flare up. We did smoke some chicken and found the unsoaked chunks had a better smoke flavor to the meat (just personally).
 
As I read thru the responces I thought it's on the crest of going any direction, soak your wood:wink: I can't see your pics, (at work and pics are blocked) I don't wet my wood chunks!
 
Wood soaking was originally suggested as an idea to slow the burning of chips down. What happens is some editor somewhere tells a writer to write on a BBQ recipe or chef that is not proficient in BBQ gets on TV and takes it to some extreme and the next thing you know they are soaking CHUNKs and I am searching for timbers for Old Ironsides in some Bog somewhere to throw in my pit.

Would I soak my logs" Nope I pay for wood that had the right ring to it when you knock it together. I don't do this to soak it and bring the moisture up.

When I used CHUNKS? Nope.

Chips, yes but not if insulated from the fire in say a burn box.
 
Never soak my chunks, but I have soaked my chips to help them not burn so fast. I usually use a foil pocket for my chips anyway because I only use them to give certain foods a light smoke and a whole chunks isn't needed and I can control the amount of smoke being released.
 
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