I'm grilling some steaks tonight and I usually soak my chips in water. I know some ppl do whiskey or beer. What's yalls opinions on this. How much how long? They are hickory chips. Thanks!
Soaking wood chips
loganm
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It will depend a lot on your taste. As for the amounts enough so the chips soak it all up. I have used old oak wine barrels or the chips they add for flavor and it comes out really good.
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hm, well. My take on it is that all the soaking is for is to slow the wood down so that you get some of the wood flavor before it turns to carbon.
All these other things you soak the chips in are eventually going to end up burning. Sometimes that's good, but mostly you'll end up with organics that stink when burned (like a sugary barbecue sauce on too-high heat, or a burnt marshmallow) ..
My rule is to put stuff like beer, bourbon, etc in the marinade or sauce, and let the wood be wood. But there are no "right" answers in grilling, only awesome meals that we can't remember how to recreate and horrible meals that we can't remember how to NOT recreate
(marinating the chef might play a part in this problem)
...tom
All these other things you soak the chips in are eventually going to end up burning. Sometimes that's good, but mostly you'll end up with organics that stink when burned (like a sugary barbecue sauce on too-high heat, or a burnt marshmallow) ..
My rule is to put stuff like beer, bourbon, etc in the marinade or sauce, and let the wood be wood. But there are no "right" answers in grilling, only awesome meals that we can't remember how to recreate and horrible meals that we can't remember how to NOT recreate
(marinating the chef might play a part in this problem)...tom
Yea that's true... I know how to cook some pretty good basic chicken steak and fish if I know I can't mess up. Other than those days of its kit me and a few friends I experiment alot which is fun but like you said sometimes it could be a hit or miss the hard thing to do is remember the bad!
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usually i just soak mine for a half hour to an hour in water cause i cant see not drinking the beer/whiskey. usually just start em when i start the charcoal. you doing charcoal or gas grill?
I used kingsford charcoal.. And I used about two cups of hickory and one beer.... Minus a couple sips.. Four 8oz steaks also.
Like stated above they came out good.. I used a coors light I had in the fridge.. I may use a beer with a little more kick next time!
Like stated above they came out good.. I used a coors light I had in the fridge.. I may use a beer with a little more kick next time!
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Check the local grocery store for wine. Most big chains will stock a wide selection. The thing to know about cooking with wine is to use one you would drink so it tastes good.
Never was big into wine.. But it makes sense that smokin it would taste good. I may have to start trying some.
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I use apple juice on birds. Other than that its water and the flavor of the wood.
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I just smoked 3 boston butts, and 2 hams this past weekend. I filled a 5 gal bucket with hickory chunks, then filled it with water & put the top on overnite.When I started the fire Sunday morning, I used chunk charcoal, and once that was established, I took some dry chunks and put them on the charcoal. After those were burning, I took 2 big handfulls of the soaked wood & tossed them on the fire. Once that happens, I close all the dampers and basically try to smother the fire. This creates the most smoke. When the chimney stops giving that wonderful white smoke, its time to add more wood. I would add a couple handfulls of the hickory(or oak) chunks, then top with a couple handfuls of the wet hickory.
The 1st picture is about after about 6 hrs on the smoke. The 2nd is after about 10 hrs. I usually dont go any higher internal temperature than 175. I think that makes the meat tender enough to pull if you want, or to slice.
The 1st picture is about after about 6 hrs on the smoke. The 2nd is after about 10 hrs. I usually dont go any higher internal temperature than 175. I think that makes the meat tender enough to pull if you want, or to slice.
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I'm on the fence about soaking wood. I've found that soaking wood for slow smoking tends to leave an overpowering bitter taste to whatever I'm smoking. I've found that just starting a fire in the fire box and adding dry seasoned hickory, apple, cherry, or whatever gives everything a more subtle smoke flavor. Adding just enough fresh wood to keep the temp stable. It gets even better if you let the meat rest for several hours or even overnight. Not to mention, here in western KY I've never seen a good BBQ joint soak their wood and there's probably half a dozen with in five miles of me. As for quicker cooking, burgers, steaks, chicken wings, etc. I'll use a base of natural lump charcoal, waiting till the coals are good and red. Then put soaked (soaked for about an hour) chunks of hickory, apple, cherry or whatever on just before the meat. That gives a good thick smoke that gets in the meat quick without being overpowering or bitter. Just my two cents.:cheers2:
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I have always soaked any wood I am using before adding to the smoker, purely as that is what I read you should do when I first began smoking and have continued to do so for quite a few years now.hm, well. My take on it is that all the soaking is for is to slow the wood down so that you get some of the wood flavor before it turns to carbon.
All these other things you soak the chips in are eventually going to end up burning. Sometimes that's good, but mostly you'll end up with organics that stink when burned (like a sugary barbecue sauce on too-high heat, or a burnt marshmallow) ..
My rule is to put stuff like beer, bourbon, etc in the marinade or sauce, and let the wood be wood. But there are no "right" answers in grilling, only awesome meals that we can't remember how to recreate and horrible meals that we can't remember how to NOT recreate
...tom
Started to notice quite a few articles now, stating it is best not to soak the wood first, as 1) It just cools the coal 2) You get steam not smoke for the first 15 minutes or so 3) Wood only absorbs 6% of the water comparative to its size and weight.
Anybody else switched to dry wood or just use it in general and see's a benefit over soaked wood?
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My father told me that soaking is just necessary, so I always soak as well. High humidity increases the proportion of water vapor in the smoke, and the more vapor there is, the easier it penetrates the cells of the product to be smoked. So it seems to me that having steam (within reasonable limits of course) will only make it better. And in order not to have too much of it soak not all the fuel, but only half of it. Also, too damp wood will be almost impossible to ignite, and it is quite difficult to maintain smoldering with sufficient temperature. But that's just my opinion.
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