how to use wood shavings

I do not use wood shavings in my smoker any more I only use chunks. I tried shavings in the past and had some sort of a pressure issue while smoking. The smoker would make a sort of bang noise & blow smoke out all the way around the door and out the top vent hole.

I have not had this problem using wood chunks.

You can use pellets or wood shavings, but it's a pain.

About the only way I know is for cold smokes. Higher temps they'll just burn not smoke. You can also try putting them in foil with just a couple of holes poked so they burn slow.

I wondered about the foil idea.
We bought them because a local BBQ store instructed us on how to smoke on the grill by wrapping the shavings in foil. Tried it a time or two but now have the smokette!!

Use on things you want a light smoke, chicken fish mixed nuts. Wrap thight in heavy foil with 1 SMALL tooth pick hole.

Rather than creating a problem you don't really need,you could offer them to a friend with a hamster cage.

Then you can move ahead with chunks and actually be cooking dinner.

Just a thought.

Ok, this made me laugh out loud. You make it sound like such a simple solution!!

Yes, it is simple.

Your Smokette was meant to be used with chunks only. The chips will work on the grill.

I believe wood chips have a time & place in a CS. I use them when Im doing shorter smokes like salmon, wings, cornish hens, anything taking 3 hrs or less. While Ive tried the foil pouch, I like just placing the chips in the wood tray. Sometimes I lay a small strip of foil the length and width of the wood tray on top of the wood. It just slows the wood burning some. I love the smell of wings or pork chops smoked over those Jack Daniels oak whiskey barrel chips. Turkey or chicken breasts work well with a 50/50 mix of apple and cherry chips. IMHO...

bob

quote:

Originally posted by GLH:
...
Your Smokette was meant to be used with chunks only. The chips will work on the grill.

Gonna have to disagree on such a blanket statement

Chips, sawdust and pellets are excellent choices when trying to cold smoke. They'll burn at a lower temp than a full chunk of wood.

I use chips for smoking cheese all the time.

You could make them into a foil pack for smoke using your gas grill also.

OK, sorry, I actually agree with the Okie and some others. There is a place for the chips and other smaller wood pieces, such as cold smoking or short cooks.

My bad.

I've had my 009 Smokette for two years now. I have tried the shredded saw dust that is often sold around me. I don't like using it. It seems to smolder. But. Walmart once a year carries wood chips in 4 or 5 flavors of wood. I wrap them in a foil pouch about 3in by 9inches and poke about 8 or 9 holes in it. It smokes really well and is easy to clean up. I've used mesquite, hickery, pecan, apple, cherry and alder. I would say use the chips and don't look back.

Well...like the Okie and some others say, they have their place but shouldn't be used in place of chunks everytime. The 2-3 oz. chunks are best for long cooks like pork butt, brisket, ham, turkey, etc. I reckon if you prefer the chips, to each his own, but you aren't getting the quality smoke you will get when heartwood has been smoking for a few hours.

Do you still soak the wood chunks in water or use them dry?

Never soak wood. It makes it smolder. Yes, in the past people (including current people on TV shows) like to do it.

You don't need to, but it's hard to break bad habits.

quote:

Originally posted by SmokinOkie:
Never soak wood. It makes it smolder. Yes, in the past people (including current people on TV shows) like to do it.

You don't need to, but it's hard to break bad habits.

Aw, heck, Smokin', I won't bring up Blues City Cafe again...that's an old topic...

Since it is winter time and the stick burners get bored,we could start the thread, that not only covers sawdust,wood shavings,wood chips,soaked v. dry,chunks,whether to put the foil on the cooker bottom, shiny side up,or down.


Do we try to figure a wood, and stick with it,or do we read every article on the web and come up with an exact percentage blend and stick with it, at the exact times of the cook?

If we do soak the wood ,should we soak it with a fruit juice,or a wine?

Not to neglect the great brewing nations,how about them?

If we soak it with wine,should we pair it with a matching flavor,or seek to contrast?

Do we need an exact cooker setting,and is it critical that we have no variances/swings?

Of course,the option of putting the foil ,shiny side up/down,on the top of the wood box?

Also,if we cover the " fill in the state crutch",does the shiny side go towards the meat,or reverse.

Should we spray the Pam from bottom up,or top down, to get the best rack coverage?

Then,should we leave the bark on a golfball sized chunk of wood,or whittle it off?

Do we really totally appreciate the nuances of a couple oz of wood,or is it just nicely smoked?

Do we start spraying/basting/dunking all the meats at the start,or at fixed increments during the cook?

Or,leave it be?

Smokin'Okie always advocated "keep it simple,write down each step,and it is done ,when it is done".

Another fine cook,drbbq[Ray Lampe] liked to say"if you are playin' wit' your meat,you ain't cookin'"

There might be something said for letting a finely designed,well built,simple cooker to work to it's perfection.

A lot of fine cooks say that what you leave out of simple processes,may be much more important than what you try to force in.

I guess for my $0.02,you could ignore the 1,000+++ what ifs.

This could bring us around to put wood ,not much,of some kind into wood box.

Make sure the cooker runs at the temp it ought to.

You will have checked this out,while you ran the cooker a few hours ,with some real fatty meat like a pork butt,or five lbs of cheap hamburger.

Have a couple inexpensive , remote wired therms,that you have checked for some accuracy.

Put a couple 7-8 lb pork butts,on two shelves,set the cooker,so it is running about 225*-235*[that you actually checked the temps at the racks]

Put butts in about 11 PM Sat night.

Start looking at your remote therms,when you get up on Sunday morning.[Not too early]

When it gets around 192*,use the prescribed methods to check for doneness.

When you get there,take the foiling steps,and cooler.

Take notes,there IS a reason Smokin' keeps sayin' this.

Well,I'd best get outa here,before someone accuses me of makin' a Smokin'Okie post.

Tom-

Answers: Yes, no, seven (or eight), "The Wizard of Oz", and just east of Fayette City. What do I win?

Well for the folks with cabin fever it goes on until the first thaw,so the winners have to remember who started the thread.

I use chips when cold smoking salmon since the unit is only going to be on for 30 minutes, I usually preheat for 15 minutes to get the smoke going.