I couldnt find wood chunks at the store yesterday, so I bought alder chips. Basically, its very rough cut saw dust. Will this work as well as chunks? I couldnt find any documentation regarding this. Thanks.
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The chips will smoke more, faster, and might even catch fire. A chunk will smolder slower. No reason you can't use chips.
Long time lurker here- You can make a foil pouch to put your chips into that will keep them from burning up too fast... roll the chips up tightly in the foil and poke a few pinholes. Good luck!
Also, in previous posts some people have started using the wood pellets normally made for the Traeger/Fast Eddy pellet smokers. Maybe some of them could comment on the success? How many (cups?) of pellets should we use? How did they burn? Flavor?
On my last 2 smokes I used some smoke pellets from Walmart with good results.The pellets I used are made of mixed wood.I think it was oak,hickory and apple?But used 2 palm fulls and that was great for chicken breasts and brisket.But will probobly go back to hickory or pecan for my preferences.Good luck.
Have you used the wood pellets just in the box, or was it in some additonal container? The foil idea sounds good
Where are you located,steve?
Maybe the NW,since alder is very mild and used there for fish.
The chips burn quickly and can work for hot smoking fillets for 45 mins,or so.
Yes, in an emergency ,we can find a way to burn up almost anything.
There are lots of ways to make something simple complicated,like finding a substitute for wood chunks.
The woodboxes on the Cookshack are made ,very thoughtfully, to work well with zero thought with wood chunks.
Most box stores,Wallyworld's,etc have a variety of chunks.
Cookshack and a number of on line sources can provide excellent wood chunk variety.
A neighbor's tree?
A tree removal service?
It is much more difficult to acquire and store pellets,just to have the inconvenience of using them.
Just my $0.02
Maybe the NW,since alder is very mild and used there for fish.
The chips burn quickly and can work for hot smoking fillets for 45 mins,or so.
Yes, in an emergency ,we can find a way to burn up almost anything.
There are lots of ways to make something simple complicated,like finding a substitute for wood chunks.
The woodboxes on the Cookshack are made ,very thoughtfully, to work well with zero thought with wood chunks.
Most box stores,Wallyworld's,etc have a variety of chunks.
Cookshack and a number of on line sources can provide excellent wood chunk variety.
A neighbor's tree?
A tree removal service?
It is much more difficult to acquire and store pellets,just to have the inconvenience of using them.
Just my $0.02
I used them in the wood box.Sprinkled them along the sides so they didnt fall out through the holes.The smoke was a lot in the beginning and very little later on.Wondered if I was gonna have to add more,but didnt want to open the door and interrupt the cooking process.Flavor to the meats was ok,but I love hickory and pecan mainly.So,I will go buy a bag of hickory wood chuncks and use my pecan tree fallen limbs.
I can buy most kinds of wood I want (in chunks) locally; they just had no alder. I'm pressed for time because I'm cold-smoking pork loin this weekend. Its brining as we speak. Think alder is good or is hickory a better choice? I think hickory can be a bit strong sometimes.
Just use less hickory.
Apple and other fruitwoods ,also,go well with pork
Apple and other fruitwoods ,also,go well with pork
I used a handful of pellets to smoke a salmon fillet that I didn't want to get too smoky. It worked well, but I prefer wood chunks most of the time. The chunks make a longer more consistent smoke, I think.
Peggy
Peggy
I'll let you know as I have over a thousand pounds of hickory and cherry pellets on hand a CS150 heading my way. AS for Alder the biggest reason they like it in the Northwest is that it's free for the taking after any windstorm. I don't care for Alder on Salmon or anything else.
Jim when are you going to stop over and pick up the pellets IOU?
Jim when are you going to stop over and pick up the pellets IOU?
I've been using the wood pellets from Candy at BBQer's delight. They work great in my 50. I've been using those because of the difficulty in importing the raw wood into Taiwan. She carries them in a small bag size, as well as a one pound size, many different flavors. Candy is a member of the forum, her service is outstanding. She is very prompt, and will respond quickly to any inquiry by E-mail.
I used her Jack Danies oak pellets for my first brisket.
Have used the alder pellets to do salmon.
Have used the apple, cherry as well with ribs and pork butt.
The pecan pellets are also very nice, really seem to mellow the smoke flavor a bit.
Usually I add a very small chunk of hickory with it. I'm trying to make my hickory last as long as possible.
I don't use much wood, pellets on any smoke, roughly 1-2 oz. seems to work very well for me.
I used her Jack Danies oak pellets for my first brisket.
Have used the alder pellets to do salmon.
Have used the apple, cherry as well with ribs and pork butt.
The pecan pellets are also very nice, really seem to mellow the smoke flavor a bit.
Usually I add a very small chunk of hickory with it. I'm trying to make my hickory last as long as possible.
I don't use much wood, pellets on any smoke, roughly 1-2 oz. seems to work very well for me.
I didn't see it mentioned, but red oak works well with most anything and dosen't have the tendency to get bitter ot too smokey like a lot of other woods. It is pretty much a safe bet anytime IMO.