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User Guidelines and Instructions => Basics for a Beginner => Topic started by: theeaterofshades on January 03, 2015, 12:37:20 PM

Title: Wood chunks question.
Post by: theeaterofshades on January 03, 2015, 12:37:20 PM
Getting ready for my first smoke in my #2and have boated 2 chunks Apple and 2 chunks hickory at 3.1 oz of wood.    Just does not seem like enough for 2 racks (baby back and spareribs).  Just want to make sure I am ok with what I have prepped.  Thanks.  (http://)
Title: Re: Wood chunks question.
Post by: swthorpe on January 03, 2015, 12:59:04 PM
You are good to go!   I usually use between 3-4oz of wood for ribs, so go with what you have and determine afterwards if you want to use more wood for the next smoke.  Cheers
Title: Re: Wood chunks question.
Post by: bigbassnutt on January 03, 2015, 01:33:40 PM
Less is more in these smokers! I use 2.5 ounces of cherry when I do ribs.
Title: Re: Wood chunks question.
Post by: NDKoze on January 03, 2015, 06:48:49 PM
That should definitely be enough wood for Baby Backs especially for your first time.

If you decide you like more smoke, you could use 4 ounces on the next one.
Title: Re: Wood chunks question.
Post by: theeaterofshades on January 03, 2015, 09:20:43 PM
Wow. just finished the 1 hour rib rest and it was surprising.  The opposite result of my old MES (which will now be my cold smoker), in which babybacks came out better, the SI 2 produced heavenly spare ribs which blew away the baby backs in my taste test.  LOL.  Will have to see the taste after an overnight in the fridge.

(http://)
Title: Re: Wood chunks question.
Post by: NDKoze on January 03, 2015, 10:31:13 PM
I haven't smoked a full sparerib lately, but I have smoked both Baby Backs and St Louis Cut ribs (Sparerib minus the riblets) and I prefer the St Louis Cut to the Baby Backs too.
Title: Re: Wood chunks question.
Post by: es1025 on January 04, 2015, 08:21:49 AM
I use around 2oz of wood for baby backs. I found that a nice smoke profile.
Title: Re: Wood chunks question.
Post by: SuperDave on January 04, 2015, 12:56:54 PM
Do you all think of wood by time of cook or weight of meat?  Is 2 oz. for ribs right for 3 slabs as well as a dozen slabs? 
Title: Re: Wood chunks question.
Post by: Walt on January 04, 2015, 01:53:35 PM
Time of cook.
Title: Re: Wood chunks question.
Post by: NDKoze on January 04, 2015, 05:07:31 PM
Time of cook.


+1 definitely
Title: Re: Wood chunks question.
Post by: swthorpe on January 04, 2015, 07:07:54 PM
+2 ... 2-3oz for ribs (5.5 hours), while up to 6oz for a boston butt (12+ hours depending on size).
Title: Re: Wood chunks question.
Post by: DivotMaker on January 05, 2015, 09:37:09 PM
Definitely time of cook.  Whether 1 rack, or 12, the ribs are only going to absorb smoke until they hit around 140 IT, so it doesn't matter how much - just how long.
Title: Re: Wood chunks question.
Post by: iluvribs on April 10, 2015, 09:23:14 PM
I want to smoke my first pork butt....and I was looking for suggestion as to how much wood to use for a pork butt, since it appears to be the consensus that you go by how LONG you smoke, not how MUCH you smoke, and I know pork butts cook for a long time.
Title: Re: Wood chunks question.
Post by: Limey on April 10, 2015, 10:13:25 PM
I think you need around 5 to 6 ounces of wood, depending on how smokey you like your meat and the type of wood you are using(more of fruitwood, less of mesquite and hickory). To answer Dave's hypothetical question of 3 vs 12 racks I would increase the wood slightly for the 12 racks simply because the time would increase somewhat. However I have never smoked 12 racks at once. Indeed my guests tonight decided that they were "pigged out" and insisted on a non-bbq dinner tomorrow!
Title: Re: Wood chunks question.
Post by: DivotMaker on April 10, 2015, 10:16:20 PM
I want to smoke my first pork butt....and I was looking for suggestion as to how much wood to use for a pork butt, since it appears to be the consensus that you go by how LONG you smoke, not how MUCH you smoke, and I know pork butts cook for a long time.

Ribs,

I love the pork butt (bone-in Boston butt) for a "first smoke!"  It gives you a good feel for how that guy will perform for the long haul!  Here's the chronicle of my "first smoke" Boston butt:

Divot's First Butt (http://smokinitforums.com/index.php?topic=715.msg1241#msg1241)...Hehe...that's funny! :D

You'll see the "edit" notes in there.  I've since gone to a brined butt that is my standard now.  Brining is an easy process, and really adds to the flavor/moistness of the meat.  Check it out through the link in my first butt post, above.

As for wood, 5-6 oz is plenty.  If you don't have a digital kitchen scale to weigh wood, get one.  You can easily over-smoke meat in these smokers, if you don't weigh your wood.

Let us know how it goes!

By the way, this was my 4th post on the forum.  I know it's an old post, but I'm feeling a little nostalgic tonight. :)