Wood chunks question.

[theeaterofshades]

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. 

 

[swthorpe]

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

 

[bigbassnutt]

Less is more in these smokers! I use 2.5 ounces of cherry when I do ribs.

 

[NDKoze]

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.

 

[theeaterofshades]

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.

 

[NDKoze]

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.

 

[es1025]

I use around 2oz of wood for baby backs. I found that a nice smoke profile.

 

[SuperDave]

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? 

 

[Walt]

Time of cook.

 

[NDKoze]

Time of cook.

+1 definitely

 

[swthorpe]

+2 ... 2-3oz for ribs (5.5 hours), while up to 6oz for a boston butt (12+ hours depending on size).

 

[DivotMaker]

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.

 

[iluvribs]

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.

 

[Limey]

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!

 

[DivotMaker]

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...Hehe...that's funny!

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.