Soak your wood chips...............or not?

[Leaky]

I've read soak em, I've read no. What do you guys do? Is there a reason one way or another?

Also, I have both chips and a much finer, sawdust type of wood. Is there a preference?

[Chef]

Always. I use chips and big chunks--soak 'em both so they smoke and burn less.

[mainbutter]

I soak my wood chips.. seems to work great.

[OnAFly]

I leave mine dry. I've never had a problem with smoke not lasting and I have had problems with too much condensation on what I'm trying to smoke.

It will probably vary by smoker. Mine seems to retain a lot of moisture in the air.

[Redlantern]

I asked something along these same lines a while ago. Some people said it slows down the smoking process. I think it was Thirdeye who mentioned trying to keep your chips somewhat humid, but not soaking them. I believe he mentioned using a sprayer to hit them with some water while they are being stored. I'm probably screwing up what he said but it's in the archives, somewhere. I'm just not patient enough to look through them.

[Walleyehooker]

The only thing soaking dried wood chips does is keep them from smokeing till they dry out again.

[McGurk]

I use chunks (not chips) and soaking them for an hour will only get the outer layer wet anyway, so I don't bother. I've found that most smoking wood is probably seasoned but not kiln dried or fresh cut. When smoking you don't want a thick grey-green smoke for your meat, but a thin blue-white instead. Wet (fresh cut, un-seasoned) wood will steam and burn dirty instead of impart a clean smoke. You've all seen it at a campfire, which one do you want want: thick, choking smoke or clean, fragrant smoke? I like to let my charcoal smoker burn for a half hour or so to burn off the initial acrid green smoke before adding meat.

I like the statement "The only thing soaking dried wood chips does is keep them from smoking till they dry out again." This is very true.

[eyeguy 54]

I have only been smokin for about a year but I don't see much diff either way so I went back to dry. I just use the smokehouse bags by luhr jensen. Another thing I started doing on my masterbuilt, I don't use the feeding tube. I just open the door, pull the tray out with a pliers and refill it. I can get 3 times as much wood that way which I like.

[reinhard1]

way back when i worked for the first time at a smaller meat shop they had a large smoker. all they used was dry sawdust hickory. when i operated a commercial grade smoker at a cub store years ago they also used dry hickory sawdust. i'm inclined to use sawdust [hickory] dry as well again since my memory kicked in reading this thread. i have used the chips dry and i was happy with it. but i'll try some sawdust for old time sake to see what the difference is. it may work better in the verticle smoker. good luck.

[hockeybc69]

I put chips in a bowl and put a little water in. Not enough to soak them.

Enough to get them wet is all.

[Leaky]

Great feed back everyone. I appreciate it!!

[bloc004]

I would suggest using the large chunks of wood if possible. I used to use chips, but I have found that a chunk of hickory or mesquite gives me much better smoke (thin blue) than chips and it is more of a consistent smoke, as compared to peaks and valleys when using chips (filling and refilling).

Like others, I have seen no added value of soaking chips.

[KEN W]

I get hickory and cherry scraps from a cabinet maker.I never soak.....waste of time.

[Leaky]

I get hickory and cherry scraps from a cabinet maker.I never soak.....waste of time.

Now that sounds like a good guy to know. They gotta do something with the scraps.

[reinhard1]

i was at fleet farm today. stopped and looked at the smokers. they had a big display of wood chips and chunks. hickory, mesquite, apple and cherry. in every catagory [chips,dust,chunks] of flavors the cherry was the lowest in supply. i'm so stuck on hickory and apple but i have to give cherry a try. good luck.

[MNmikew]

Why throw something wet on a hot fire??? I always use dry. Chunks mainly.

[MNmikew]

i was at fleet farm today. stopped and looked at the smokers. they had a big display of wood chips and chunks. hickory, mesquite, apple and cherry. in every catagory [chips,dust,chunks] of flavors the cherry was the lowest in supply. i'm so stuck on hickory and apple but i have to give cherry a try. good luck.

Cherry is great on ribs!! Will have to hit FF to see whats left.

[eyeguy 54]

fleet here carries the smokehouse, luhr jensen chips. goos stuff if you like the shavings.

[OnAFly]

I used cherry on a pork butt. It was fantastic.

[Mike89]

saw dust is very good, so are chunks. it's all up to you. water does not hurt at all.

[ishy]

Dry!!!!! Used to soak them until I found this place. Same question was asked awhile back. Most said dry, so I gave it a try. Much better smoke, doesn't drop temp. on smoker and i don't get that stenchy smell/mold from wood that I have had in water too long. Things just turn out better IMO.

[Walleyehooker]

When I lived up north I would go and cut some maple into small pieces and it will smoke for a long time. Once wood is dried out soaking it in water doesnt do much good and just takes longer to start to smoke.

[Leaky]

I have some 2 year seasoned popple & birch stacked up. Anyone ever either of these woods?

[Xplorer]

Leakster,

Havn't used either, I use dry applewood for most my smoking needs (sawdust). Next time I come down I will bring ya a couple chunks of good hard sugar maple to chunk up if you want. I've got lots of it around.

[Leaky]

Awesome Xplorer! Just finshed a 12 hour smoke on an 8 lb butt for this weekend. Oh does it smell good!