Amount of wood in a WSM.

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ThePerfectBeard

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I'm wondering what you guys have found to be the sweet spot for wood chunks in a WSM.

I recently had some pulled chicken from a place using all wood smokers and I want to get close to his smokey flavor. I've never done pulled chicken before and I don't want to over smoke the chicken, but I want it good and smokey.

I'm probably going to use the cherry I have left. Should I soak the chunks? Tips or thoughts would be appreciated.
 
Soaking chunks does nothing in my experience. Doesn't even really get soaked by any stretch of the imagination, and just causes the sweet blue to take longer to show. I typically do about six fist sized chunks worth of chunks in my W.S.M., maybe 4 for chicken, and three for fish, depending on what type of fish.
Every now and again I'll throw even more than that in there for something like brisket or pulled pork. Depends on how smoky I feel like that day. It's really a personal preference thing, and something you'll be able to experiment with to find your own sweet spot.

It's like asking someone, "How much ketchup do I put on someone's plate?"
 
JazzyBadger said:
Soaking chunks does nothing in my experience. Doesn't even really get soaked by any stretch of the imagination, and just causes the sweet blue to take longer to show. I typically do about six fist sized chunks worth of chunks in my W.S.M., maybe 4 for chicken, and three for fish, depending on what type of fish.
Every now and again I'll throw even more than that in there for something like brisket or pulled pork. Depends on how smoky I feel like that day. It's really a personal preference thing, and something you'll be able to experiment with to find your own sweet spot.

It's like asking someone, "How much ketchup do I put on someone's plate?"
Click to expand...

Haha! Good point.

I've just had that unfortunate of over smoking a pork butt once and now I'm afraid of bitterness. Cherry seems to be fickle. I know chicken takes less smoke than butt or brisket. I'll work with four on a half filled WSM and see how it goes.

Thanks!
 
2 or 3 fist sized chunks for chicken. Don't want too much smoke. I use birch when I smoke chicken; it's really light and doesn't overpower the other flavors you might have going on.

Soaking your chunks won't gain you anything.
 
Harbormaster said:
2 or 3 fist sized chunks for chicken. Don't want too much smoke. I use birch when I smoke chicken; it's really light and doesn't overpower the other flavors you might have going on.

Soaking your chunks won't gain you anything.
Click to expand...

I heard rumors that birch wasn't good for you. Is that true?
 
I generally do 1-2 chunks of cherry or peach for chicken. Harry Soo of BBQ Pitmasters fame recommends 1 tennis ball sized chunk.
 
How come people can smoke with all wood and not over smoke meat, but if you add a few to many chunks on a WSM it over smokes the meat?
 
For chicken I like one or 2 chunks but I most often use a small handful of chips. I generally only use fruit woods for chicken.
 
ThePerfectBeard said:
How come people can smoke with all wood and not over smoke meat, but if you add a few to many chunks on a WSM it over smokes the meat?
Click to expand...

With stick burners it an actual fire. The smoke flavor is different to me. Yes a small amount of wood goes a long way in th wsm. The flavor of cooking with an all wood fire is unmatched
 
ThePerfectBeard said:
I heard rumors that birch wasn't good for you. Is that true?
Click to expand...

You have to make sure you get all of the white bark off. It creates a really oily smoke.
Birch is a closed grain hardwood just like maple or cherry. Not sure why it would be any worse for you than one of those.
One of the woods used in Maple Leaf lump is birch.
 
Stick burners use wood for both heat and smoke. In a WSM and other charcoal smokers, charcoal is your heat source, and the wood is for smoke only. Need much less.
 
Here is what Harry Soo says about amount of chunks on a WSM (originally posted elsewhere on the web):

Brisket and butts - 6-8 tennis sized chunks
Ribs - 3-4 tennis sized chunks
Chicken - 1 tennis sized chunk
That's all you need for wonderful bark and deep pink smoke ring.
 
Harbormaster said:
You have to make sure you get all of the white bark off. It creates a really oily smoke.
Birch is a closed grain hardwood just like maple or cherry. Not sure why it would be any worse for you than one of those.
One of the woods used in Maple Leaf lump is birch.
Click to expand...

Ya I'm not sure, but my buddy who is wicked into the outdoors told me never to meat over birch. Could be the bark, not really sure.

And thanks everyone for the helpful advice. Just got to find a good rub for chicken now and I'm all set.
 
I agree with what has been said, but especially that it all comes down to your personal taste. What is good for me, might be too much or too little smoke for you.
 
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