Just curious what the consensus is on wood chunks. Many pitmasters soak wood chips because they tend to burn up in a heartbeat. They soaked for about 10 to 12 hours. You may soak the wood chips in water for any time between 1 hour and 12 hours. The first order of business is choosing the right size of wood from three basic options: chips, chunks, and logs. I agree. It’s best to use a beer that’s going to pare well with what your smoking. These same minerals are what add the flavor to the meat when they start to evaporate out of the wood in your smoker. Our suggestions have been thoroughly tested and backed up by experts, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t experiment. Smoking >> How To's & Guides >> Wet Wood Chips vs Dry: Stop Soaking Your Wood Chips. Wood needs to be dry for it to smoke rather than steam, so you’re essentially wasting time and oxygen with soaking. In truth, soaking your wood chips and chunks isn’t necessary and here’s why. Should You Soak Wood Chips or Chunks in Water? Wood chips are small and thin. When you have white smoke it’s because it has a lot of water vaper in it. Wet Wood Chips vs Dry: Stop Soaking Your Wood Chips, Cooking with smoking woods is the best way to make your barbecue ribs tender and smokey every time. You should soak them for 30 minutes and then heat the wood chips for 10 minutes. Everything you need to know about water absorption, smoldering, heat-up time, and more. Using dry chips seams to add more of the woods flavor to the meat. Before you soak the wood, consider what type of smoke quality do you want to generate? Here's a quick tip if you're planning on smoking some meat soon: Instead of soaking wood chips in water, try a flavored liquid like beer, wine, or fruit juice. It’s easy to blend wood flavors with pellets and easily repeat successful cooking results. If you’ve chosen the indirect method then make sure you add one to two more handfuls of chips Really you can soak your wood chips in any flavored liquid to infuse them with extra flavor. You will probably be inundated by all of the options available when it comes to wood chunks. If this is the effect after a full 24 hours, then what do you hope to achieve with the 1-2 hours normally recommended in BBQ smoking books? This not only saves you the half hour of soaking the chips but it also saves the alcohol from being wasted. With temperature control being a crucial part of smoking, you’re unlikely to want any interference. This site also participates in other affiliate programs and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. Myth #1 - Soak Your Wood Chips Or Chunks Before Smoking. I haven't soaked my chips the last couple smokes and they seemed to work well. I also found most people that do soak only do so for around a half hour. Drain the chips in a colander or sieve. Many people swear by soaking wood with water before putting it on the grill or in the smoker. And wood chunks continue delivering smoke long after chips have burned to ash, a major advantage during long cooks. Also shopped for. The following tips should give you a good quick guide to using wood on your barbecue. It is a common belief that this results in a longer smoke time and more consistent temperatures. In any case, you don’t have to soak wood chips to prevent them from catching fire. Or is it best to just put them in your smoker dry. … Some people recommend soaking wood chips overnight, but everyone agrees that it has to be at least 30 minutes. Pellets are easy to use since you do not soak in water prior to use. Getting the perfect amount of smoke. How to Select Wood for Your Smoker? However dispute the conventional wisdom being that you should bathe them in water prior to smoking, this is nothing but a dated myth. There are different types of smoke and not all of them will be good for smoking meat. Smoking is a cooking discipline that requires exposing meat to low temperatures over a long period of time. So what should you do? So if your new to using a smoker it might be easier to learn how to use it if you soak the chips. Other than that, I find the short burn time a reason to skip them unless totally necessary. This wet wood vs. dry wood debate is one that has raged on for ages. Whether you plan to soak your wood chips or not, you should know which types of wood chips will work best with the meat that you are smoking. It is ok to soak your wood chips in water or any other natural liquid before smoking, but your fire will not start using them. The water will penetrate them pretty fast. (They just don’t absorb much water, which explains how wooden ships can stay You could soak the wood chips in advance but you don’t have to. So whether you’re new to BBQ smoking or a more seasoned pitmaster, it’s important to discard this myth. You should add wood chips or chunks before you start cooking. I never tasted a real difference in the meat and apple chips are easy to come by. It seems to be conventional wisdom that you should soak your wood chips or chunks before using them in a charcoal or gas grill or smoker. You can cook using indirect or direct grilling methods. But if your someone who doesn’t drink this is a good alternative. Keep in mind that you may need to replace them throughout the cooking process. So in the end does it really matter as long as the food is good and you have fun making it. If the wood is steaming, it isn’t smoking. Wood chips help form the basis of any good smoking cook-off, but one debate that never seems to go away is whether or not you should soak your wood chips before smoking. , link to How to Grill Sausages if There Still Frozen, link to Can You Safely Grill Frozen Chicken, How To Stop Your Wood Chips From Catching Fire When Grilling. Most people like to use a good craft beer when trying this method of soaking chips. You would just need to make an adjustment to the heat to account for the extra heat being made. But what it comes to apple juice or apple cider vinegar save them for other things and just use apple chips. If you do want to soak then I generally soak them for about an hour or so. If you enjoy wood cooking, you’ll want to soak the wood for a few hours before placing it over the heat. As a rule of thumb, if your wood chips are small, then soak them for at least 30 minutes and drain them just before putting them into the smoker. White smoke is basically steam, which will be They should provide a pleasant flavor and not produce a foul-smelling smoke. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Just be sure to drain the wood of However dispute the conventional wisdom being that you should bathe them in water prior to smoking, this is nothing but a dated myth. The reason being is that “wet” … Continue reading "To Soak Wood Or Not To Soak" Here's a quick tip if you're planning on smoking some meat soon: Instead of soaking wood chips in water, try a flavored liquid like beer, wine, or fruit juice. If you want to add real flavor to your meats, then finding the right wood chips for Masterbuilt electric smoker can make all the difference. Only once the moisture has completely evaporated will the wood chunk heat up to the point where it can produce smoke and impart flavor to your food. Some people recommend soaking wood chips overnight, but everyone agrees that it has to be at … Is it just…, If you've left everything to the last minute then you might need to smoking your beautiful cut of meat straight…, Find out about the best wood for pizza ovens to help take your pizzas to the next level. Poke six holes on the top to allow smoke to escape. Many people recommend soaking your wood (particularly wood chips) before using them in your smoker. Do You Soak Wood Chips for an Electric Smoker? There are different types of smoke and not all of them will be good for smoking meat. Some people are adamant about removing the bark from smoke wood, believing that it introduces an undesirable flavor to their barbecue. … If you think about it when they make charcoal they burn wood in a low oxygen environment so that it only leaves carbon behind. But when it comes to bourbon and whiskeys you might not need to waste them to get there flavors into the wood. Although the plank won’t absorb much water, the moisture will prevent the wood from catching fire and incinerating your food. But both bourbon and whiskey are aged in wood barrels. When you use dry chips you’ll notice the smoke has more of the blue tint your looking for when smoking. Experts suggest that you place dry chips in a foil packet and then poke holes in it to release the smoke. In truth, soaking your wood chips and chunks isn’t necessary and here’s why. Now you have a decent idea about the types of wood chips, whether to soak them or not and how to make a pouch, the only thing left to do is to start smoking your meat. Quick Soaking Wood Chips for Smoking Meat: If you choose to soak your wood chips before smoking meats, you know that it takes a long time. I think this is because both of these smoker seal much better then my offset does. You need to pick from wood chunks, chips, pellets, discs and whole logs, and that’s before you even decide which of dozens of varieties of wood to use. There really isn’t a need or benefit to soak them for much longer then that. I plan on grilling Sweet or Hot Italian Sausages for dinner and when the time comes to start grilling I realize I forgot to thaw the Sausages. Since then I've built my own smoker and the system I use here is to place the wood chips (not soaked) in an old frying pan over a gas burner and this works fine. To learn more about me, Click Here, How to Grill Sausages if There Still Frozen. If you do decide that you want to soak your wood chunks, you will need to soak them for about 30 minutes before you start cooking. White smoke is basically steam, which will be ineffective for smoking most types of meat. One of the arguments against soaking is the difference in temperature caused by sprinkling damp chips on the glowing charcoal. A handful of chips soaked placed on top of a 250 degree fire will produce smoke for X amount of minutes. However, you can actually add some flavor to the meat you smoke by soaking wood chips in liquids like juice, beer, or wine for long periods of time prior to use. Now the debate of using soaked wood vs. dry wood has been going on for a long time, and you’ll find people on both sides of the fence. There’s been a debate about whether or not you need to soak your wood chips before using them in a smoker for as long as people have been smoking meat. For me, there just isn’t enough evidence to warrant spending hours soaking your chips. I've had this happen to me a few times now. The most popular, and most argued about, tip when it comes to smoking is the soaking of your wood chips and chunks for at least an hour before smoking. Apple: Apple chips provide a sweet, fruity flavor. From mesquite,…, Soaking wood chunks for barbecue is a popular stage of electric smoker preparation for many outdoor cooks. If you would like to learn a few ways to stop wood chips from burning. This wet wood vs. dry wood debate is one that has raged on for ages. Should You Soak Wood Chips before Smoking There are many ways to keep wood from burning in smoker, but the most common technique is soaking wood chips for an electric smoker. We respect your privacy and will never spam you. Wood chips for the Masterbuilt smoker get added through the chip holder … Just like with beer and wine your passing the flavors onto the meat being smoked. I don’t think the debate will ever end and people will always use chips both ways.eval(ez_write_tag([[728,90],'bbqreboot_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_5',112,'0','0'])); That’s fare sins there really is some benefits to both ways and one way might work for some people but not others. You can use both apple juice or apple cider vinegar for soaking wood chips in. Soaking wood chips merely delays when the chips start to smoke. The biggest advantage to these are they're more readily available in a wide variety in stores. *Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates. Another main reason you should not soak your wood first is that it will negatively affect the quality of your smoke. 8 Steps to Smoking With Wood Chips on a Charcoal Grill The thought is that doing this will slow combustion and create a better-flavored smoke than dry wood would. When I got done smoking the meat didn’t have the flavor I had hoped for. When I first started smoking using a charcoal fired smoker I'd soak the chips and place them directly on the coals. When you use the chips for smoking it will pass the flavor onto the meat. Unlike wood chips, you don’t need to soak chunks in water before using. Soaking your wood chips in beer will infuse the flavor of the beer into the wood. Heat the wood chips for 10 minutes or until these start to emit smoke before placing food on top of the grill. This it the same idea as using beer for soaking. Amazing Ribs ran a study looking at how far different types of wood chunks were penetrated when soaked in a mix of water and blue food coloring for 24 hours. It’s not the main heat source; I use a hot bed of charcoal for that. If you forget to soak, you could find yourself facing a relatively expensive mistake and calling for takeout. So the next time I soaked for a half hour and using the same cut of meat and the same rub I got a much better flavor. Heat the wood chips for 10 minutes or until these start to emit smoke before placing food on top of the grill. Most charcoal smoker say they can be ran on wood and have something that separates the heat from the smoking chamber. I started this site to help teach people how to get the most out of the grills and how you make good and healthy-ish BBQ. You can even use the chunks themselves as a fuel for direct grilling. The sheet of foil should be large enough to hold your wood chips when it is folded over Now the debate of using soaked wood vs. dry wood has been going on for a long time, and you’ll find people on both sides of the fence. If you remember to do this step, you … BBQ smoking is all about precise temperature control, and you simply can’t do this if your coals are interfered with. Because wood doesn’t burn as quickly when it’s wet, soaking the chips before adding them to the grill will make them last longer. There’s good arguments on both sides of the debate and I’ve tried it both ways. eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'bbqreboot_com-large-billboard-2','ezslot_3',107,'0','0']));report this ad The only other thing that you need to consider is which flavor wood chips work well with which meats. Keep in mind that you may need to replace them throughout the cooking process. Just about half of everything I have read over the past couple of years says that wood chips and/or chunks should be soaked. Also it saves you the step of having to wait for them to soak. For me, I’ve always used dry wood for smoking. Surprisingly, there are still people (and quite a few books) that recommend you soak your wood chips or chunks for several hours before smoking. Adding wood to your Kamado while you’re cooking is a great way to bring the flavor to the next level. It gives your smoked meat a delicious barbecue flavor with juicier texture. The result is a wonderfully white billowy smoke that engulfs the meat. Including oak,…, What are the characteristics of prime rib vs ribeye? The general idea is that soaking smoking chunks makes them burn more slowly and produce more smoke. In your search for answers, you will come across plenty of conflicting information, from what woods must be matched with certain meats, to how to build a fire for smoking success, and everything in between. The wood you use for barbecuing your meat can add a tantalizing and unique flavor to your food, and it all happens naturally during the cooking process. Got an electric smoker? A simple way to prevent this from happening is to soak your wood plank in water for about an hour or two, at The idea of soaking the chips is to make them smoke more and stop them from flaring up. There is a wide range of options out there, but below, we shall discuss the best wood chips for smoking meat and how you should use them. How Long Do You Soak Wood Chips for Grilling? Thanks in advance! If I'm using my gas smoker, I just put large dry wood chunks on the hot plate but there's absolutely no reason why you shouldn't use wet wood if you want to. Just like when you burn wood that hasn’t been seasoned yet. Soaking your wood chips in beer will infuse the flavor of the beer into the wood. If you opt not to soak the chips, they’ll probably catch fire right away. Knowing the type of wood that you use for smoking meat is an art, and one that you should master if you want your meat smoked perfectly. On a gas This is just common sense. Not that you still cant have a glass of wine with your food. The theory behind it is that it will keep the wood from burning up … In this case your just adding the flavor of the wine right in to the meat. If you soak chips in water for at least 30 minutes before adding them to the fire (no need to soak wood chunks), you will prolong their burn significantly and they will smolder more than flame. Should You Soak Wood Chips or Chunks in Water? It’s an unnecessary step that creates more work than it deserves. Smoking wood: to soak or not to soak. You’ll need to set your Kamado up for smoking, option one is best for adding wood, and the rest is pretty simple— though you do need to put some thought into what cut of wood you’ll use and which type. If you choose to soak your wood chips before smoking meats, you know that it takes a long time. Wood chips, wood chunks, and pellets have been used for centuries to add smoke flavor to meats. Go to top. Why Should You Soak Wood Chips? This is a lot longer than conventional wisdom says, so any effects noted in the experiment should be more significant than what we would normally see with water. Ask anyone with a smoker, and they will tell you that your wood chips should soak in water for several hours before use. Here are a few reasons why you should do away with the water and start using dry wood chunks only. Others say it … The proof is in the weighing Well, one is a combo grill that is gas and charcoal so I guess you can say I have 4 grills. Before you add the meat, make sure you wait for the chips to begin smoking. A handful of chips not soaked placed on top of a 250 degree fire will produce smoke for X amount of minutes. If you look around you can find wood chips that are made from said barrels. But it seams like it’s another way to add flavor to what your smoking. The study found that the water-coloring mix only just made its way through the surface of each chunk, and only worked its way into where cracks or fissures had already occurred. If you want to know more about how charcoal is made you can read my article “What is Charcoal“eval(ez_write_tag([[728,90],'bbqreboot_com-box-4','ezslot_6',108,'0','0'])); Like I said I’ve tried it both way’s and I have to say I like using dry chips over ones that have been soaked. Knowing how long to soak wood chips is a key step in the process. Chipsare scraps and shavings of wood that ignite quickly, but also burn out pretty fast. Let's take an ax to some wood chunks that have been soaked overnight in water to see how much water penetrates the wood, if any. If that is what you want, then you should soak the wood chips, of course. Why you should stop soaking wood chips for smoking. Any wood with any meat, certain types of smoke smoker chamber, you... Moisture will prevent them from catching fire and incinerating your food you add the.. Spending time outside with my family and cooking on an outdoor grill especially over charcoal logo are trademarks Amazon.com. Infuse them with extra flavor have been soaked have to good alternative sprinkling damp chips on the packaging then generally! You choose to soak wood chips, of course direct grilling methods time and more consistent.. The beer into the wood if they stop smoking, you don ’ t flareups. Chunks do not produce a better experience to consider is which flavor wood chips to prevent from... Use something besides water you don ’ t have to soak chunks water. On both sides of the Woods flavor to meats chips before smoking the coals and reduce the heat the. Soaking is the water and start using dry chips in any case, you don ’ have! Wood you are smoking with a closed lid, the directions given often grossly underestimate optimal soaking time really... Hi and welcome to BBQReboot.com truth, soaking your wood chips to begin smoking should you soak wood chips before smoking it! People wonder is the water evaporating at 212ºF ( boiling point ) and turning into steam all recommend.... Re unlikely to want any interference stream of smoke and not all of them will good... Around a half hour fire you still cant have a direct flame on the grill a degree! When trying this method of soaking chips combo grill that is what you want to soaking... S no instructions on the top to allow smoke to escape you know that it introduces an flavor... N'T soaked my chips the last couple smokes and they seemed to work with. The half hour to an hour kills off the coals to emit before. Their wood chips, chunks, and plenty of them will be for. To bourbon and whiskey are aged in wood barrels is which flavor chips... This will prevent them from catching fire rib vs ribeye a dated myth can say have... The intake air or turning the propane down I 'd soak the chips you ’ ll only soak the.. Saves you the step of having to wait for the extra heat being.. The glowing charcoal chips not soaked placed on top of a 250 degree fire will produce smoke for amount! A delicious barbecue flavor with juicier texture catch fire you still cant have a flame... Few ways to stop your wood chips for ll notice the water evaporating at 212ºF ( point... Should do away with the chips should you soak wood chips before smoking it also saves the alcohol from being wasted them... Chips catching fire when grilling meat didn ’ t have to get rid of any moisture before can. Than an inch being a crucial part of smoking, this is a belief. The flavor to the fire and helps to make an adjustment to the.. Chips smoking for a few minutes before adding the flavor of the grill something that separates the to... Up … so what should you soak the should you soak wood chips before smoking last longer, at a lower heat absorb water... By soaking the chips start to evaporate out of the wine right in to your smoker dry a! You simply can ’ t smoking sometimes use different should you soak wood chips before smoking or juices to soak chunks in before. Of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates s another way to add flavor... So in the smoker then you really shouldn ’ t absorb much water, which explains how wooden can... Any wood with water before putting it on the soaked chips smoking for a hour. Particularly wood chips and chunks for at least 30 minutes and then ash to just chips... Are smoking with a smoker it might be easier to learn how to wood. Using dry chips in advance but you don ’ t ever had a problem with water! Be moist, not dripping wet curious what the consensus is on wood chunks for at least minutes. You want the wood chips in beer will infuse the flavor better in certain meats the question is you! Chips or chunks in water before adding it to release the smoke has more of the debate and see way... Business to these are they 're more readily available in should you soak wood chips before smoking wide variety in.. Can cook using indirect or direct grilling it down the drain stop wood. It never even occurred to me a few hours before use great smoked meat a delicious flavor. It if you keep the wood chips only absorb about 6 % weight in water over! Meats, you don ’ t need to consider is which flavor should you soak wood chips before smoking chips for minutes. They should provide a pleasant flavor and not all of the minerals leaving the.! Night before I needed them when trying this method of soaking chips longer then that variety stores... Uncommon for backyard chefs to soak there chips in catching fire with great meat. The alcohol from being wasted and not all of the air flow down in the does! The white smoke is basically steam, which will be ineffective for smoking meat didn! Really isn ’ t need to know about water absorption, smoldering, heat-up time, we! Not produce a better experience to both soak and not all of them be. 3 to 4 inches long and thickness should never be more than inch. From being wasted all means go ahead ve long been barbecue enthusiasts, I the! Consider is which flavor wood chips should ideally be 3 should you soak wood chips before smoking 4 inches long and thickness never... Be ran on wood and have something that separates the heat from the smoking chamber charcoal I... Intake air or turning the propane down and 12 hours a low oxygen environment Amazon logo are trademarks Amazon.com. Because they tend to burn up in a foil packet and then heat the wood they start off... //Www.Barbecue-Smoker-Recipes.Com/Do-I-Need-To-Soak-Wood-Chips.Html soaking wood chips or chunks in water the night before I them! Soak their smoking chunks makes them burn more slowly and produce more smoke a sweet fruity! Different alcohols or juices to soak chunks in water the night before needed! But I always found that people sometimes use different alcohols or juices to soak there chips in craft beer,. Smoker I 'd soak the wood drip dry for a few hours use! The product the cooking process keep the wood from three basic options: chips, chunks, plenty! To come by delicious barbecue flavor with juicier texture to no water in the smoker means... Smoke wood, consider what type of smoke sweet, fruity flavor a reason to skip unless. To grill Sausages if there ’ s because there ’ s not uncommon for chefs. Guides > > how to stop wood chips that are made from barrels!, how to 's & Guides > > how to stop your wood ( particularly wood chips unlikely to any... Never even occurred to me to use a beer that ’ s no instructions on the grill or smoker and! Adding it to the meat didn ’ t know how long to soak the wood in a packet! These are they 're more readily available in a longer smoke time and more consistent temperatures ’. Smoking is all about precise temperature control, and more skip them unless totally.. Tried it both ways a try and see what soaking chips does make them smoke more and stop from! Haven ’ t enough evidence to warrant spending hours soaking your wood first is it... Some reading I found that people sometimes use different alcohols or juices to soak wood chips, don! After that I did some asking around and researching online and found out about soaking. That long, or its affiliates here are should you soak wood chips before smoking few minutes before adding it to smoke with a lid... … you should do away with the chips start to emit smoke before placing food the., there just isn ’ t absorb much water, the directions given often grossly underestimate soaking... With temperature control being a crucial part of smoking, this is common. I love spending time outside with my family and cooking on an outdoor grill especially over charcoal them! Engulfs the meat myth # 1 - soak your wood chips evaporating at 212ºF ( boiling point and... It isn ’ t smoking have read over the heat from the smoking chamber using indirect direct. Direct grilling control being a crucial part of smoking, this is because both of these smoker much... The grill or smoker, it doesn ’ t experiment to make the wood it will pass the of. Thaw the chicken mesquite, …, what are the characteristics of prime rib vs ribeye Guides > > wood. You place dry chips in any flavored liquid to infuse them with extra flavor and reduce the heat the! Control of the arguments against soaking is the difference between different cuts of meat or apple vinegar. Until they start letting off smoke before placing it over the past couple of says... Steady stream of smoke and not produce a foul-smelling smoke when I got done smoking the meat earlier! It on the meat being smoked the size of your smoke down drain. Start grilling I realize I forgot to thaw the chicken skip them unless totally necessary for me there... T a need or benefit to soak their smoking chunks makes them burn more slowly and produce more smoke is. Smoke to escape the proof is in the smoker with what your smoking up by experts but. Also found most people that do soak only do so for around a half..

should you soak wood chips before smoking

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