Does the amount of wood needed during a smoke change when you have 3 butts in rather than 1?
How do you know when to add more?
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I'd like to attach my question to this thread, just to expand it a bit. I just unpacked my 160 today, and am seasoning it right now. In reading the manual I note that seasoning requires 6 oz. of wood, but nowhere else in the manual does it specify how much wood to use when cooking. In their cookbook, "Get Smokin'", a brisket recipe calls for adding 16 oz. of wood to the woodbox.
So...
Is there a standard amount of wood to use, or does it vary per recipe?
Is there a maximum amount of wood beyond which one should not go?
So...
Is there a standard amount of wood to use, or does it vary per recipe?
Is there a maximum amount of wood beyond which one should not go?
You are going to need less and less wood as your smoker gets seasoned more and more. Start out with 1-2 oz. for poultry or fish, 4-6 oz. for butts and briskets, and go from there. DO NOT put 16 oz. of wood in! I would say you will never use more than 6 oz. of wood at a time and there would be no need to add more during a cook in a standard CS smoker. (008/009, 160, 50/55, etc.) You might need 4 oz. wood for 1 butt and 6 oz. wood for 3. You are the only one to say for sure. EXPERIMENT! TAKE VERY GOOD NOTES! I can use no wood and get smoke flavor in the meat. It's all about seasoning. Season properly from the start. First wood, then pork fat, then cook whatever you want, but DO NOT CLEAN OUT THE SEASONING!
First off guys, "Welcome to the forum" & "Congrats on your purchases."
You'll do yourselves a world of good to read SmokinOkies 101s and Lessond for New Users.
Answer to the first question is "little to none." There is little air movement thru the small vent holes and more meat does usually not mean more wood. I've cooked as many as five butts at a time and not increased my wood - usually about 4 oz of hickory.
How much wood to use is both relative and subjective. I have never over-smoked a butt, yet have ruined ribs and chicken. It's best to start out with small amounts and work your way up.
Be careful with poultry as it takes on smoke heavier and faster than any other meat.
All depends on what you are smoking and how much smoke flavor you like. Doing ribs, I would start out with 2-3 oz of my favorite wood and go from there.
Chicken, I would start out with an ounce or two of a mild wood - pecan or fruitwood.
Beef, I use hickory, many like Mesquite. Becareful with Mesquite as it tends to burn hotter and gets bitter quick. Oak is a wonderful wood for beef.
One word of caution on that recipe book: many new users have found that the times within are no where near correct. Come to the forum, read and ask questions. There's a lot of good people here with years of experience to help you out.
Get yourself a good digitlal thermometer (I prefer Taylor or Maverick) and determine what internal temp you want you meat to reach. Leave the door closed until that temp is acheived. Don't yeild to temptation to open the door and peek. You'll only let moisture out and extend your cooking times. On top of that, you will ruffle the feathers of our resident bouncer, GLH!
Experiment & have fun. Take good notes - so you know what not to do the next time and so that you can improve on or replicate your successes!
One more added note: For a fantastic photojournalistic approach to your smokes visit Mainely Dave's website. He gives you a blow-by-blow account of how to do it.
Keep in touch guys
You'll do yourselves a world of good to read SmokinOkies 101s and Lessond for New Users.
Answer to the first question is "little to none." There is little air movement thru the small vent holes and more meat does usually not mean more wood. I've cooked as many as five butts at a time and not increased my wood - usually about 4 oz of hickory.
How much wood to use is both relative and subjective. I have never over-smoked a butt, yet have ruined ribs and chicken. It's best to start out with small amounts and work your way up.
Be careful with poultry as it takes on smoke heavier and faster than any other meat.
All depends on what you are smoking and how much smoke flavor you like. Doing ribs, I would start out with 2-3 oz of my favorite wood and go from there.
Chicken, I would start out with an ounce or two of a mild wood - pecan or fruitwood.
Beef, I use hickory, many like Mesquite. Becareful with Mesquite as it tends to burn hotter and gets bitter quick. Oak is a wonderful wood for beef.
One word of caution on that recipe book: many new users have found that the times within are no where near correct. Come to the forum, read and ask questions. There's a lot of good people here with years of experience to help you out.
Get yourself a good digitlal thermometer (I prefer Taylor or Maverick) and determine what internal temp you want you meat to reach. Leave the door closed until that temp is acheived. Don't yeild to temptation to open the door and peek. You'll only let moisture out and extend your cooking times. On top of that, you will ruffle the feathers of our resident bouncer, GLH!
Experiment & have fun. Take good notes - so you know what not to do the next time and so that you can improve on or replicate your successes!
One more added note: For a fantastic photojournalistic approach to your smokes visit Mainely Dave's website. He gives you a blow-by-blow account of how to do it.
Keep in touch guys
The SmokinOkies 101s link takes me to a page that has all the 101s on it, like Turkey 101, etc. However, none of those links worked for me. Some of them produced a 404 error, others took me to what looked like a CS home page. What gives? Have the CS people messed up the 101 links???
Okie is rewriting them.
Patience young grasshopper.
Patience young grasshopper.
Until then... Post what you are planning to cook and the folks in the forum will help you out.