Wood Chips and BBQing

[f13ldy]

Simple question.

What is the best way to get a decent smoke from the wood chips?

I've tried wrapped in a tin foil 'basket' with a little water and placed on the coals. Water fell out damping the coals in vicinity. Placed in a stainless measuring cup with a little water, water dried out chips didn't smoke. Finally throwing pre-soaked chips straight on the coals, smoking doesn't last long and I could probably get through a whole bag in one BBQ session.

So how do you do it??

[maturin23]

I don't bother with wood chips - I use small lengths of off-cut hard wood sat on the grill top above the coals. With a large Weber I tend to have the coals on one side and cook on the other. With the lid on a 3inch piece of hardwood keep producing smoke for 40 mins at least.

I do a fair amount of cold smoking - fish, cheese, meat etc - this uses oak or beech sawdust which I produce using an electric plane.

You'll need to find a timber merchant that specialise in hard wood. I managed to get a number of 2 or 3 feet long off-cuts of oak, beech and applewood for less that a tenner. I've also used offcuts from beech worktops.

[calibrax]

I arrange my coals with lit ones on one side, unlit on the other, with a bit of an overlap. This ensures a low heat for smoking, over along period as the unlit coals light over time. On top of this I place three flat folded foil parcels containing pre-soaked and drained woodchips. I poke a couple of holes in the top of the foil. So I get a steady release of smoke as the heat moves from one side to the other. On top of all this I have my water tray so the heat is indirect.

To illustrate...

x = lit coals
o = unlit coals
_ = wood in foil
. = used up coals

At the start :
________
xxoooooo
xxxooooo

After a while :
________
. . xxxooo
. . .xxxoo

Near the end :
________
. . . . xxxx
. . . . .xxx

Edited by calibrax on Sunday 8th August 14:02