Is there a place for wood chips rather than chunks?

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cbpeck

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Hey guys, I'm new here and am just learning to use my 22.5" OTG for bbq. I chose the thing for its versatility, so while I'd like to eventually get a WSM, I want to become proficient on the kettle first. Right now I'm trying to learn how to create proper blue smoke.

In the past...
when cooking steaks direct or trip tip indirect I've soaked hickory or mesquite chips in water and sometimes ended up with a bitter taste. I now understand that I was probably making undesirable white smoke by adding too many chips. I also understand that soaking them first may not have helped.

In the future...
when slow cooking I plan to use chunks (golf ball to baseball sized) and not soak them, but inserting them into the coals with a mini minion method. I'm also planning on trying different flavors... starting with pecan this weekend.

Here are my questions:
Do you guys ever use chips rather than chunks? Are the good for direct/indirect grilling? If so, how do you use them? Do you soak them or put them on dry?

BTW, I visited the cattle call, but it was last week. I don't see my post there anymore, but maybe you guys will.
 
I do sometimes. They work fine, they just arent ideal thats all. If youre a perfectionist doing comps all the opening and closing of the grill causes temps to bounce up and down due to heat loss then and changes in airflow. For a backyard kettle job it isnt that big a deal, especially if youre cooking pork because its so forgiving.

When i do use chips i soak them for a little bit first and toss them on a handful at a time every 5 to 10 min. Most of the smoke flavor comes from the beginning of a cook. What you dont want to do is cook directly over wood chips, this might be what caused that bitter taste. I suggest getting something cheaper like pork steaks and experimenting with what works a few times. The amount you can learn from reading doesnt come anywhere close to personal experience.

Also, dont use mesquite for smoking. It has a really strong smoke flavor and is only suited for giving something a quick sear with smoke flavor. Too much will make your food taste bad.
 
I'll use chips in a kettle grill, but I'll make little smoke bombs using foil. I'll wrap soaked chips in a foil ball with one side open to the air and I put them on the coals periodically.
 
For grilling, yes. BBQ no. Cold smoking maybe, but sawdust isusual.
 
My gasser has a tray for chips. But I never use it because I only use that grill for the rotisserie and fish on plank wood.

For all my other grilling, I use dry chunks...never soaked.
 
bigdstyron said:
I'll use chips in a kettle grill, but I'll make little smoke bombs using foil. I'll wrap soaked chips in a foil ball with one side open to the air and I put them on the coals periodically.
Click to expand...

Exactly...or seal up the foil pouch and poke several pencil sized holes in it.

One thing to remember...smaller pieces - shorter cooks. Larger pieces - longer cooks.

Good luck & I think your approach is great. It will always prove beneficial to master a Kettle...I wish I took your approach.
 
I use wood chips for cold smoking using the soldering iron method, and in a dry foil packet when I'm trying to get some flavor out of my gasser during a quick cook. Other than that I use chunks for grilling and smoking.
 
I use chips sometimes and they are not a waste of time for grilling. For fast cooks I like to sprinkle chips on the coals and then put the meat on. Gives a nice hint of smoke during the cook. Foil pouches with holes punched in them work great also. Especially in my area sometimes certain woods can't be found in chunks but they are available in chips. So it's ok to use them. Once you start doing long cooks in the kettle chunks is the way to go. Congrats on the OTG its a great cooker!
 
if you don't have access to nice chunks (like many including myself), you make due with what you have for smoking woods.....and that would be chips.

i also like them for getting a little flavor in for straight grilling.
 
deepsouth said:
if you don't have access to nice chunks (like many including myself), you make due with what you have for smoking woods.....and that would be chunks.
Click to expand...

So you don't have access to nice chunks, so instead you use chunks?

Can you only get bad chunks or something?



Chips are fine in your kettle. Soak them for a few minutes or they instantly will ignite and go poof. I have a cast iron smoker box I add them to and then place right on the coals.

Glad you posted!!
 
willkat98 said:
So you don't have access to nice chunks, so instead you use chunks?

Can you only get bad chunks or something?



Chips are fine in your kettle. Soak them for a few minutes or they instantly will ignite and go poof. I have a cast iron smoker box I add them to and then place right on the coals.

Glad you posted!!
Click to expand...


that was a typo. corrected to say chips.... sorry for the mistake.


glad you caught it!!
 
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